Transformations

When Channing scheduled her Girls Day Out Luxe Portrait shoot at our new Downtown Joplin studio, we sat down to plan the details. She chose to bring her mom and sister and since her wedding is coming up, at first I was surprised she didn't choose to bring her friends or bridesmaids - but she told me that since she's from a big family, they don't have many professional portraits of just the women. How beautiful, I thought. One of the best parts about shoots where one woman brings others along is that usually these other women wouldn't have thought to book the shoot themselves.

Maybe they don't think they'll photograph well, don't know what to wear, feel nervous in front of the camera... I hear all the reasons, but continually I'm blown away at how amazing those same women feel when they step out of their comfort zone. Channing, her mom Patty and her younger sister Miranda had a magical day in our studio with Frosted Cakerie treats, pampering by hair and makeup artists Chloe Bartlett and Natalie DeMint, and a beautiful photoshoot with me. When they came to their portrait reveal yesterday, they were in awe of what they saw.

I think sometimes we just know ourselves too well. We think about every bad photo we've been in, how much better our figure could look or has looked, the time someone said we weren't ___________ enough. We've seen our own worst so we forget what our best looks like. I love when a woman walks into my studio - Do you know what I see first? The things that I think are most beautiful about her. Her smile, her eyes, her hair, the way her nose wrinkles when she laughs. I start to plan a "transformation" for her with outfit plans and hair and makeup artists... And then it happens. She transforms like a blooming flower. The best part is that her beauty was there all along - the rest of us just led her to a place where she could finally see it.

And Channing: As you enter this transformative season of life with your upcoming wedding, I hope you'll cherish this day with these women you love and remember how lovely you felt in that pink tulle gown. And please - remain in awe of the woman you see in your portraits.

Humbled and forever in awe of you all,

Mitzi

If you'd like to learn more about the Luxe Portrait experience, reach out at www.mitzistarkweather.com/luxe-portraits and I'll send you all the information!