Simply Extraordinary Photo Project: Samantha

Seen Through My Eyes: A Body Positive Photography Project

Beauty is not based on size, shape, measurements, or specific facial structures. Beauty is how we see the world around us; it is how we choose to see those around us. When we see this beauty, we can begin to recognize the beauty within ourselves.Through my camera I hope to inspire moments of feeling beautiful. I hope to capture soulful smiles and heartfelt giggles. I hope to capture confidence, apprehension, strength, weakness, sexiness, modesty, poise, and unruliness. I hope to capture the beauty of the woman in front of me, in all her unique glory. 

Simply Extraordinary Photo Project is my way of giving back to those around me. I treat each portrait as art without the use of Photoshop to change my model. Our bodies are gloriously beautiful as they are, no editing needed. 

Meet Samantha. Samantha is a special model for me. Sam was once a student of mine. I have watched her grow from an adorable middle schooler into a confident college student. I knew I wanted her shoot to be extra special.  I want to give the gift of personal empowerment with every model that stands in front of my camera, and with Sam, it gave additional purpose to the shoot. The person who stood before me was not a little girl, but a young woman beginning her journey as an adult. At a pivotal time in a person's life, I had the opportunity to remind Sam that she is a strong, confident, beautiful woman and I took that opportunity very seriously. 

Samantha and I talked about how she feels about her body on our drive to our photo location. The transition from a girl’s body into a woman's body is mentally challenging. American culture idealizes the thin young body and because of this, anyone who doesn't wear the smaller single number pants sizes feels left out. That message was there when I was 19 and it is still there for current 19 year olds. Sam is a "normal" young lady, in a love/hate relationship with her body. We all are. Regardless of age we, as people, are always in a love/hate relationship with our bodies. Wanting to be perfect and learning to forgive ourselves for not being perfect. Let us remember there is no "perfect" body. 

 Then there is that one thing we wish we could change about ourselves. We all have something. Our “this or that” would be better if they were “this way or that way”. For Sam, it is her hair she wishes was different. Her thick luxurious curly locks are not her favorite feature. They can be unruly and difficult to tame. I adore her hair and made it my mission to highlight it in her shoot. I am in love with results!

This will always be a special shoot for me. To have had the opportunity to photograph a young lady I watched grow up with the purpose of inspiring her to love herself now; that was the greatest gift I could receive. I am honored to be trusted to capture these empowered moments. Sam, you are a natural in front of the camera. Thank you for being a part of my body positive photo project. You will inspire others to embrace their "new" bodies with confidence and pride. 

To the young girls becoming women and finding themselves in changing bodies, this one is for you...

Thank you Sam for participating in my photo project! Your confidence is contagious. 

In your empowered moment you will set other young women free to feel empowered in their beauty. 

Thank you for trusting me to photograph you with love and care. 

If you are in the Las Vegas area and would like to participate in Simply Extraordinary please contact me via email at Alyson@newfigureforward.com. Let me treat you like a model for an hour!