I was so touched by what Fotini had to say about her experience with Love Bee Photography last summer. I knew she felt unsure about this particular photo, yet it happened to be the one I loved first. It was the first one I edited, first one I shared with her. I lit up as soon as I saw it on the back of my camera.
If you know Fotini, you know she is a light. She is funny, she is a healer, she is joy. And this image represented all of that.
Yes maybe she was smiling just a little bigger than she normally would in a photo. But in real life, this is how I saw her. And the light behind her in the image just represented the light that she leaves with any person she encounters.
Fotini, I am overjoyed that you have eventually come to love this image. That you have found a version of yourself inside that allows you to see what those who love you see.
THIS is WHY I do what I do as a photographer. THIS is why I started the 40 over 40 Campaign. I want all women to see themselves how everyone who loves them sees them. Us women are so good at narrowing in on our flaws or insecurities that we ignore the whole picture. We do not see the beauty that is our entire being and only see the crooked nose or the birthmark we hate or the lazy eye. YET, i promise everyone around you sees you as whole. They see your essence. Your beauty overall. They could care less about your crooked nose and likely have not ever noticed it.
So Ladies, take note. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. Your whole self. And my goal is to help you see that light you shine. I want you to see yourself as you really truly are. STRONG. HAPPY. BEAUTIFUL. FUNNY. A SHINING LIGHT.
This is what Fotini had to say about this image recently
SPRING INTO JOY!
Last year, I had the pleasure of working with Bobbi-Jo from Love Bee Photography for a 'Women over 40' campaign she was having. She asked if I would be willing to model 'in my element' as part of the campaign.
It was our first spring at the new farm. I was still adjusting to the leap of faith we took in leaving, what we thought was, our 'forever farm' and slowly sinking my roots into the ground to fully feeling at 'home' here on the new Land.
We took a series of photos, some with the Horses, some alone.
I am very comfortable having my photo taken with my Horses. They make me feel beautiful. I feel they make everything beautiful!
I quickly realized that, though I know how to take a great selfie, I was not super comfortable fully expressing myself in a 'photo shoot' type setting alone, without the Horses.
When Bobbi-Jo sent me some 'teasers' of the photos she had taken, this was the first one she sent me. I just remember my mouth dropping to the floor. All I could hear my inner critic saying was 'that doesn't represent you at all!'
And I believed it.
When Bobbi-Jo asked me if she could share it, I even went so far as asking her to share a different one of myself as I didn't feel this represented who I 'really was.'
But the truth is that it was totally who I was! And how we all are! The moment she had captured on the camera was 1000% authentic. I was not posing.
This was a me, feeling joy and, with Bobbi-Jo's encouragement, allowing myself to express it!
It's amazing, this healing journey. It truly is.
I am amazed at the way evolution and growth guides the realization of joy, something I denied myself for so long, feeling that it was somehow 'wrong' to be too happy.
And maybe you have too.
You deserve to feel it. Joy in every ounce of your body. It is not something you need to try to create...it is who you actually are!
Today, I celebrate new beginnings, opportunities for growth and fresh perspectives.
I celebrate joy!
I celebrate you!
It is amazing what we can experience when we quiet the inner critic and fully embrace ourselves in the moment. Even if that moment finds you mid-air in a leap of faith, like it did with me, in this photo.
May this Spring find you taking leaps of faith too, and whether or not they are captured on photo, capturing joy where it matters most, in the heart.
With a shamelessly joyous heart,
Fotini Chandrika
