When people ask why I wanted to be photographed, I give them a couple of answers.

The quick and easy response is that I am in a turning point of my career and I wanted to have a professional headshot to represent myself. Being a female in a heavily male centric industry has created some challenges for me. But I chose to push through and find my way. Having a strong headshot only boosts my confidence in any endeavors I take on from this point forward.

Along with that, I have not had a professional photo taken since I was in Middle school. And even those were taken for a Church directory so they were photos of my family and I together.

The deeper answer is that I have felt confident in very few photos of myself. I’m constantly worried about how I look and what others will think of me. “Am I presentable; will others judge me; does my hair look okay; how is my makeup; do I look too young in this?” All of of these are things I have asked myself before posting a photo. The pressure that, we, as society have put on woman is insane. And I finally wanted to feel good about myself and see myself in a different light. I decided to take a step out of my comfort zone and reach out to Jennifer for a consult.

This is where the process began. Jennifer was super friendly from the beginning. Her enthusiasm bursts out of her at every moment! The consult was nothing like what I imagined. I was uncomfortable and beyond nervous. I didn’t like the way clothes fit me but Jennifer assured me over and over again that I was beautiful. Because of her, I chose to wear some outfits that I would have never picked out myself.

The day of the shoot: the nerves are kicking in!!! I got to the studio with my arms full of all my belongings. Jennifer greeted me at the door and immediately welcomed me in. I honestly felt like royalty. She grabbed my bags and began making sure I was comfortable. She had refreshments ready just in case I needed anything. It really helped me feel more at ease. I began with hair and makeup which was a wonderful experience! Katrina was super friendly and talented. Then it was time to begin with the photos. The first few made me uncomfortable but with Jennifer’s warm presence and reassurance, I soon became more comfortable. And next thing I knew, the shoot was done!

The reveal: boyy was I nervous!! The 24 hours leading up to the reveal were the worst. I could’t stop overthinking about how my photos would turn out. I had myself convinced I wouldn’t like them. Jennifer sat me down and turned on a video. Yes, a video! For someone like me, it is very awkward to see yourself like that but very quickly a smile came across my face. I was shocked at how amazing each and every shot looked! THEN! Jennifer reveals this wall of me! All me! It wad quite a lot to take in. Seeing myself in that way, it was certainly a new experience.

Overall, I had such an amazing experience from start to finish. Jennifer is amazingly talented (part of why I chose to do this) and she is so positive in everything she does. For the first time in a long time, I have photos of myself that I am proud to share. I have never felt more confident in photos than I do in the ones Jennifer created. And to that, thank you Jennifer for finding me in each shot and helping me build my confidence.

If you take away one thing from this, let it be that stepping out of your comfort zone can lead to great reward! Take risks, they pay off!” ~Kristi