It was a sweltering Spring day in 2023 when I first met Tina.
Shortly after moving to Jacksonville, I decided to sell my late father's bedroom curtains on Facebook marketplace, and a petit, fiery woman with a boisterous laugh came to pick them up and told me how great these curtains would be for her photography studio.
We immediately hit it off and easily spent about 45 minutes happily conversing outside of my apartment, quickly coming to an agreement that we would exchange services: I would plan her son's birthday party, in exchange for a photo shoot.
After a couple of missed opportunities, I excitedly showered, dressed and made myself up for my photography appointment on a frigid Sunday morning in January of 2024.
I was a bit flustered: my hair appointment had not gone as planned, leaving me with a ton of gray hairs, and my nail wrap came off of one of my nails. Add in the fact that I am very self conscious and don't typically like photos of myself, and I was a bit skeptical going into my appointment.
Having known Tina for the better part of a year, I knew we'd have a good time, but I can honestly say that we had an absolute blast!
We laughed, joked, and played with props as Tina regularly checked that I was comfortable and relaxed, which I honestly feel went a long way towards getting the kinds of pictures I wanted.
Tina overwhelmed me with her excitement and encouragement. Throughout the session she reminded me how beautiful I was, and assured me that the pictures looked great.
But, what was most surprising to me were the pictures themselves.
I have the horrible habit of assuming people see the worst in me.
I fear when they think of me, they think of every flaw, roll, wrinkle, and gray hair. I assume that I am known for being too clingy, or lecturing too much, or trying too hard.
Then, Tina gave me a sneak peek at this picture:
And….this picture brought me so much joy, that I decided to share it.
So, I posted it on my social media, and I was shocked by the responses I received:
· This is fantastic❣️ That smile is so Y❤️U.
· this captures you so perfectly!
· You look radiant!😍
· Great beautiful natural pic♥️♥️
· Well that was your essence for sure ❤️
And that was the moment that I realized, They DON’T define me by my insecurities.
They define me by my smile and the way I light up a room. They think of the laughter I bring and the joy I share.
The people who love me see me as beautiful.
So – if they can overlook my flaws to appreciate my strengths…then maybe, just maybe….I can do it, too.
To my sincere surprise, the remainder of the pictures were just as awesome. I felt...beautiful...vibrant...radiant...joyful.
It took me a nine months to finally make it to my photoshoot and now, I can't wait to do it again.
If you're in the Jacksonville, Florida area and interested in taking high quality photos that JUST might change your life, check out Tina Bray Photography and book your session today!
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