Celebrating You Photography Campaign 2016
There are so many women out there who have, like all of us, faced challenges or life changes and aren’t feeling as beautiful or as special as they deserve to. Every woman should know she is beautiful today! Our spring 2016 campaign was designed with this in mind.
This blog is dedicated to the lovely ladies we worked with during our spring campaign. The campaign was titled “Celebrating You” and our goal was to spend time with these women, take images of them and show them their unique beauty. We were so lucky to find that and more! We wanted to share with you some of their entries to our campaign, their reasons for wanting to take part, and quotes directly from them on how they felt when it was all over.
Taking the step to be part of a photography campaign or to set up a private shoot can be a bit scary so I wanted to share with you some of the reasons these amazing women wanted to celebrate with us…
“For me I think self-love, and body image is huge. I think it is so important for everyone to learn to love themselves and to be comfortable in their skin. Something like this where I can get dressed up, feel good about myself, and take pics helps me a lot. My Body image has always had its ups and downs and little things like this keep me motivated! Everyone should feel beautiful!”
“Since having my daughter 7 years ago, I’ve been trying to get back to my original size, without much luck. In the last 8 months I have lost 30 lbs. and finally feel great about my body and the effort it took to get me where I am. I would love an opportunity to celebrate this accomplishment.”
“I have lost 110 lbs. and had skin removal surgery last year. During my weight loss I developed a love for fitness and I am currently taking classes to become a personal trainer. Even though I had skin removal surgery I still have stretch marks and imperfections, but I still love my new me and want to inspire others!”
“I know that other people see me as chubby, but I work hard to stay the size that I am at. I eat healthy, I work out, I take my medications. I have multiple health problems that prevent me from losing weight, but I love my body because it has gotten me this far in life and will continue to get me where I need to go. Honestly, I want to celebrate me.”
“On April 17th I will have one year clean and sober. As a recovering alcoholic, I have become devoted to taking care of all aspects of my health- physical, emotional, and spiritual- after so many years of neglect. I think that given how many women are struggling with addiction and dependency , it would be refreshing and inspiring to see a fellow woman who has overcome extreme challenges and come out happy, healthy and on top!”
“I have long (like past my butt long), black hair that I have been complemented on by a lot of people. I also would like to use this experience as something to lift up my spirits, make me feel beautiful again and more like a woman, since I just got out of an abusive relationship recently. I do not have experience but…”
“I love modeling and photography. It’s my passion and inspiration for life. I learned to express my feminine side through modeling which I think is very important for a woman. I also have some experience through John Casablanca’s modeling and acting agency. I love Menagerie photography and will be happy to participate in the spring campaign.”
As you can see, they each had their own personal reason for taking part in our campaign. Some were doing it in the hopes of raising their own self-esteem while others wanted to inspire the women out there that could relate to them and their story. Their sessions included boudoir, fashion, fitness, pinup and some themed shots inspired by things like “50 Shades of Grey” and “The Big Bang Theory”.
Before going any further I want to say that each of these women, no matter her age, size or history, is to me, an inspiration to all of us. They were willing to share private moments from their life and their feelings to help other women see how uniquely beautiful each and every one of you are. Thank you again ladies for letting me get to know you!
Each session included the full experience of hair styling and makeup, multiple outfit changes, different sets and a same day photo reveal and ordering session. I asked them for feedback after their sessions because I wanted them to let me know how they felt about the whole experience. Here are a few of their responses…
“My experience with my photo shoot was truly memorable. From the moment I arrived at the studio, I felt pampered and special. My morning routine is usually rushed and unenjoyable. That morning, I was able to sit and enjoy my coffee, all the while having my hair and makeup done by a professional. It was extremely relaxing and I felt very comfortable.
I was a little nervous when the camera first started going off, but I quickly warmed up and was able to feel at ease. Surprisingly, during the shoot I wasn’t worried about my imperfections or trying to hide my belly, which I usually do. I trusted Marilyn to guide and coach me into the right positions.
When the shoot was finished, I was very anxious waiting to see the photos. Once they were put up on the screen, I instantly felt like a celebrity. I could not believe the amazing pictures that came up were me. I felt like crying because I was so grateful for the whole experience. It is absolutely something that every woman should be part of, at least once in their lifetime. It could be a gift for a significant other, but ultimately it’s a gift for yourself. It is a celebration of who you are as a woman and that is simply beautiful! “
Yes, when I received this email, I cried! It is such a gift to be able to show a woman how beautiful she is!
“From start to finish I felt nothing but comfortable and very at ease with Marilyn. The whole experience was perfect! I felt on top of the world! I felt beautiful! I felt like a celebrity! This is an experience I will definitely never forget! Getting all dolled up by Tanya (who also was a pleasure to work with) and getting to play dress up and seeing how amazing the pictures came out really boosted my confidence and made me feel great about myself. Marilyn really knows how to make the whole experience a great one! Instructing me on how to pose was VERY helpful! That’s what I was most nervous about!
I would definitely do this again and encourage other ladies to as well. I think it’s very important to feel beautiful, to know you’re beautiful and to see how beautiful you really are in so many different ways! Being comfortable in my own skin has never felt so right!”
I am so proud of these ladies – ALL THESE LADIES! They have each had challenges in their lives and have worked hard to take control and move forward. There is no better feeling than being part of something that helps women see themselves as beautiful, empowered, confident, unique and just AWESOME!
Each of these women are now part of our Dream Girls VIP Group. We will be announcing the winner of our Fall 2016 Cover Girl in September as we prepare to release our new and updated Studio Welcome Guide.
Please feel free to leave a comment or question and stay tuned for our next blog!
