CHICAGO WEDDING & FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

Tag: women in photography

  • Chicago Self Portrait Photographer | The Art of Being Seen

    Chicago Self Portrait Photographer | The Art of Being Seen

    Oh failures, how bittersweet they are. You never truly set out to fail on purpose. However, we sometimes self-sabotage until it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I truly believe that.

    Earlier this year, I struggled to find the drive to move forward with this project. Life has been a steady flow of ups and downs lately. Consequently, I was naive to assume the hardest parts of my life were behind me. Leaving a decade-long marriage was incredibly difficult. Furthermore, the years that follow are just as challenging. Trying to find yourself again is a constant, daily battle.

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    Using Self-Portraits as a Flashlight

    On certain days, I am still not sure of my direction. It is often hard to remember my true identity. Therefore, I use self-portraits as a flashlight. These images offer a way to pause and see myself clearly. Additionally, they help me decide what I want to document. Photography provides a little light into my soul during dark moments.

    I could not complete this specific set of images in February. Nevertheless, I know I can always try again. Failure is always an option in this space. In fact, it is an essential part of the creative process.

    A black and white image of a woman sitting by a wall, her profile partially visible through a sheer curtain. A vase with flowers is in the foreground, adding a soft, artistic touch to the scene.
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    self portrait photographer in chicago Chicago self-portrait photographer artistic session

    In conclusion, I hope I never stop trying. These images show that when I show up for myself, great things happen. They are tiny keepsakes of a season of grieving and growing

  • Chicago Photographer Self Love | North Carolina Alley

    Chicago Photographer Self Love | North Carolina Alley

    This Chicago photographer self love project started with an alley in North Carolina and a decision to stop making excuses. I spend so much of my time documenting other people’s most tender moments and this was my reminder to document my own.

    The journey to strong self-love is hard. It reminds me of that one terrible Chicago street you know the one, riddled with potholes, the kind you navigate like MacGyver just to make it through. Self-love is like that. You brace yourself, you maneuver carefully, and sometimes you hit a rough patch anyway.

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    Why This Chicago Photographer Turned the Camera on Herself

    Self-love gets sold to us constantly. Buy this, follow that routine, and you’ll have it. But nobody says out loud that you can’t fake it. It shows up in every action, every word you use about yourself. I hope it shows up in these images.

    Turning the camera on myself keeps me honest. It reminds me what it feels like to be in front of the lens — the vulnerability, the in-between moments, the ones that end up being the most real. It makes me a better Chicago family photographer for my clients too.

    Nearing 30, I found myself caring less and less about what others think. And somehow, a random alley in North Carolina became the place I put that on film. Imperfect, a little raw, completely mine.

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    Chicago Photographer Self Love — A Practice, Not a Destination

    I don’t have it all figured out. But as a Chicago photographer self love is something I come back to again and again in my work, in my personal projects, and in the way I show up for myself and my clients. This alley in North Carolina was just one reminder of that. There will be more.Self portraiture has a long tradition in art — explore the history at The Guardian’s photography section.