“I’m a wife, mom, sister, and daughter. I currently work as a Pharmacy Technician, but going back to school to obtain my Bachelors degree in Nursing! My mom works at a local high school as a paraeducator. She’s a ‘grammy’ to 4 little boys!

I was last photographed about 6 months ago for a boudoir photo shoot. My mom has never really done any type of professional shoot in her life. I decided to do the ‘For Real’ shoot because I want to show women that you don’t need to have flashy clothes and layers of makeup to show your true beauty. I honestly felt just as beautiful with no makeup on than I did with false lashes and makeup contouring during my boudoir shoot.

I think as a woman, we always try the next best thing to hide what we perceive as our ‘flaws’. I know I’m not perfect but I loved not being able to hide behind the makeup. This is me, the me that my parents created and I’m proud to show the world. On a typical day, I usually wear mascara and blush, so I was totally in my comfort zone with this shoot. Plus, Trish was awesome! She gave great direction and made us laugh the whole time. She poses you perfectly so you look like you, but at all the right angles! ? I know my mom was pretty nervous going into the shoot, but once she got in front of the camera she relaxed and had a TON of fun. Plus, getting to do the shoot as Mother/Daughter help us relax and just enjoy the experience.

I was so excited to see our images from our shoot. My mom was like, “Wow, I don’t look like an old hag like I though I would!” Seeing yourself through someone else’s eyes gives you a whole new perspective on what your individual beauty is. I loved getting to see my mom smile and embrace who she is.

If you’ve ever wanted to do something for yourself, do a shoot like this. It’s empowering. It feels amazing to look at yourself and realize that all the ‘flaws’ you see in the mirror are actually what make you beautiful. Do I still love every part of my body, especially after having two kids? No way! But I know this is the body I was given and I’m going to embrace the hell out of it!”