check your surroundings

Where are you right now? What device are you on? Are you in a moving car? Hunched over the sink? Sitting on the toilet?!

Before diving in, take a second to check in with your surroundings. I know you’re probably excited to see your photos — and I want that for you! But is this the moment you want to experience them in? Is there a cozier chair, a quieter corner, a little more spaciousness waiting for you somewhere else?

There’s no perfect setting (though I would personally recommend a computer a not a phone) but just… clock where you’re at. And if it’s not quite right, you’ve got time. You can come back to this later! 

close your eyes and BREATHE.

Maybe this is the first time all day you’ve paused to take a conscious breath. Take a moment to settle in. Bring your body back online to NOW. Feel the weight of the device in your hand or your hand on the mouse. Notice the temperature in the room, or any ambient sounds you might be hearing.

reflect

For just a moment, think back on the day you were photographed. What do you remember? How did you feel at the begining? The end? Is there something you want to continue remembering as you look through the photos?

remember

What you’re about to see will surprise you.

You think you know — but you don’t. Not really.

This surprise might land in your body as something strange or hard to name. For some, it feels like a jolt. For others, it’s confusion, excitement, disappointment, awe, joy, discomfort, curiosity, or pleasure. You might even feel numb.

Whatever it is, don’t rush to pin it down. Let the feeling be. You might need a moment. You might need to walk away and come back.

This, my friend, is the sensation of your brain working to close the gap between your felt experience and the final images. It’s a strange little dance, but totally normal.

Whatever comes up for you is just energy moving. Your brain putting the pieces together. It’s a process. Some people complete this process in a matter of seconds, while some of us need a few days, weeks, even months! Your pace is your pace. Your journey is your own. There is no wrong or right way to complete this process.

Give yourself grace. Let your body do its thing. Let your eyes settle into the wonder and phenomenon of seeing yourself in a new way.

enjoy

I’d be a fool not to remind you to ENJOY. Enjoy the end results of something YOU showed up for. It’s a big f*king deal being photographed. Not everybody has the guts or makes the time and space for it. BUT YOU DID. You could have said NO. But you said YES. And that is something worth celebrating. This is your giant permission slip to point at something you made and say, TA-DA! I made that!

As your photographer, please believe me when I say: these pictures would not be what they are without you. <3 

Metabolize + Share

This might sound strange, but I’ve found that in order for my mind to really wrap itself around a new photograph, I usually have to share it with someone. Not just anyone — someone I trust. A friend, a therapist, a safe space. Maybe even just my future self. You do not have to post your photos on Instagram — no matter how much money you spent. They are living and breathing and valid even if they are kept private. 

It’s okay if sharing feels tender or a little nerve-wracking — that doesn’t mean it’s not the right move. I really believe photos are meant to be witnessed — even if the witness is just you, years from now, seeing it with new eyes. And if you do decide to share online PLEASE TAG ME so I can celebrate and gas you up ;)