We are too hard on ourselves

We are too hard on ourselves

Beauty ideals and Photoshop

That's right not to the rarities that "one" discusses beauty ideals vs photoshop, etc., when it comes to the self-perception of young girls. My ups and downs are when I can use my photography to help young girls/women to see themselves through other people's eyes and maybe (for a while) take the critical hating glasses off the view.

My greatest compliment ever was when a young woman started crying when she saw herself through my eyes…. "I have never seen myself so beautiful...." she said as tears gathered in her eyes (also on me) and it was straight to the shooting...NO PHOTOSHOP.... She was simply used to ONLY looking critically at herself. After all, we are our own worst critics, sissy…. come on, admit it!

Daddy Cool

Recently I got an email from a father…. Father has a 12-year-old daughter who has grown faster than all her friends and suddenly she feels very wild next to her... too tall, too red-haired, too freckled, too (insert self unhappy).

Being the cool dad he is, he books me as a surprise to give daughter mouse Emma. As a confidence boost, by being able to see yourself through a photographer's eyes….. When I saw her I had no doubts… WAUW…. At 12 years old, she is already 1.73 and slim with red hair and freckles. I explained to her that her look is what we photographers LOVE…. That she should carry herself with pride, because she is SO beautiful…. Slowly she loosens up and we really have a lot of fun with the wind machine and the whole mess. She gets the whole "model-for-a-day" boiled down in an hour and a half 🙂

The story ends with a VERY talkative daughter on the way home in their car, who proudly and very eagerly tells father and mother about everything she experienced. I don't doubt for a moment that she will hold her head high... if only for a while, because just around the corner, puberty awaits with all the other problems 🙂

I am VERY happy to be involved in the task - and proud that I was allowed to make a footprint in her memory bank going forward 🙂

We are too hard on ourselves and I hope that you just SOMETIMES feel as beautiful as you are!

Remember: You are all beautiful! Also Emma, as you can see below:

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XOXO

Anja