"I started following Red Shoe on social media a while back, and was always in awe at how beautiful everyone looked. I thought, I’ll do that one day, when I’ve lost some more weight, when I’m the shape I want to be, when I feel a bit more confident, and mentally listed another hundred reasons why I shouldn’t do it now....
Photography is close to my heart being a photographer myself, but I could never envisage being the other side of the camera, having a fuller figure, it’s easier to hide behind the lens than be the subject matter.
When Sarah dangled the Mothers day offer carrot, it made me think again. I thought, do you know what, I’m going to go for it; sometimes stepping outside your comfort zone is exactly what you need.
I also couldn’t think of a better way to spend some girly time with my Mum who I don’t get to see very often.
Another big reason for wanting to do this shoot is because there are very few photographs of us together as I was growing up, and wanted to capture us both together and have pictures I can look back on and cherish. These photographs will one day be something my son can also treasure. I really love and believe in the quote - ‘If you don’t think photographs are important, wait until they are all you have left.’
So, after biting the bullet and booking the shoot I was still apprehensive.
What do I wear?
I’ll never look good in this.
I need to loose some weight before the shoot.
I’ll be the first Red Shoe girl to look a mess, arms too fat, dark circles under my eyes….
I know my Mum felt a little bit the same, we’ve both got what we call a ‘fat mirror’ - when we look at ourselves in the mirror, we still see ourselves as we were before we dropped 5-6 dress sizes each.
So the day came and we both arrived feeling nervous and with a car FULL of clothes (like, seriously full). We were met by the gorgeous Nicole who did our hair and makeup over coffee, and we then took it in turns for our shoot with the AMAZING Sarah, before having some photographs taken together.
During the shoot I was still feeling a little apprehensive and awkward, but these feelings soon disappear - Sarah talks you through the looks, is so encouraging and has you feeling like Beyonce in no time!
After the shoot you come away feeling very empowered, beautiful and confident. You come away having been able take time out from the noise and BS of every day life.
It is a moment to hit the pause button, take a breath, and remember there is a YOU, not just a wife, mum, sister, friend, colleague.
The you that gets a bit lost and invisible being so many different things to different people gets a moment to look and feel incredible.
Luckily for me, I got share this experience with my Mum.
When we saw our images, we were over the moon, the ones of us together are beautiful and are so important to us, it was a special experience that we will remember and look back on.
I cannot recommend this experience enough; it allows you to see your self, as others do, not how you think you look. But it’s not just about how you look, it is about how you feel, it’s about celebrating a point in your life, it’s about capturing the moment, because all we have is now."