Self Portraits
Portraits. why are portraits important? I write about confidence, seeing yourself differently, and having portraits around your home for kids and family. But aside from those wonderful reasons, you will leave behind treasures for your family. If you don’t think photos are important, wait till they’re all you have left. (Missy Mwac)
What do you gravitate to when family passes, hold onto when homes are lost, and look to, to remember those precious memories? Printed portraits of loved ones.
Family portraits are important for your kids, to help them feel important seeing photographs hanging and the feeling they belong (An article about how family portraits boost your child's self-esteem). But portraits are important for them when they’re older. To remember details, and hold onto the memories they have of you. So whether or not you feel you need to lose a few vanity lbs, your kids are going to remember just loving you. be present in photos. and if weight is your issue to “wait until you’ve lost x amount” be present now, and when you DO lose weight, get another session to celebrate. But your family loves you no matter what size. be in photos for you, be in photos for them.
As much as i didn't want to be a downer, I think it's important to talk about. My grandparents passed away, and although i was able to hold onto a few of their things, the most important are photographs of them. Prints are what I wanted most, and what i ask my mom to send me so i can print more. When they're younger and when they're older. Changes in fashion and how they changed through the years. I'm sure they didn't realize the importance of those photographs in the moment, but they mean So much now. "The full value of a photo is only understood years after it's been taken." (Missy Mwac)
i bring this up, because in these photos i weigh the most i have (i’m still lifting, but right now i have a little extra fluff before i started my cut again) I thought for a second that maybe i should shred before i take photos, and i thought how hypocritical that would be of me, since i ask you all to come to me before you cut. Because you never know what will happen, or if you can lose the weight. So at my heaviest, i took my first full nudes. I took sexy photos, and i felt extremely beautiful. fluff or not. it’s about angles and showing off your best assets. I take photographs of myself about once a year (and hundreds inbetween on my phone) but it’s almost been a year since my last set of photographs, and I needed to again. It helps me look in the mirror a little differently and say "I am beautiful. rolls, fluff, weight. it doesn't matter."
After much debate, i decided not to show my nude, although i’m extremely proud of it. I sent it to a few close friends. The only reason being, is i am around a lot of wives and their husbands, and in no way would i want to make the women uncomfortable. So if you want to see it (ladies…) i’m more than happy to show you but for now, it’ll stay offline. and printed. ahh the beauty of printing.
One more thing about importance of prints. Yes having digitals on your computer is so important, but I think it's equally as important to print. You don't flip through those important photographed moments several times a day, but you will walk past walls everyday. Walls that need art and memories. Something COULD happen to your home, but almost always something will happen to your computer or phone. If you have a great back up system, that's awesome but many people don't. Printing allows you to see those moments everyday. And, you did pay for a session, you should enjoy it daily.
Keep Printing
Keep Shining
Shanna Star
