portrait photography session for a military veteran Courtnee
“I’m a Goddess!
I don't think I am the only one
but I will confess that I haven't ever thought
I was beautiful.
As a kid, I was the skinny, freckled faced Punky Brewster lookalike.
I compared myself to everyone.
Especially all those women my mind had convinced me
that were prettier than me.
I didn't love myself for most of my life
and had no concept of self love until
I looked in the mirror one day and didn't know who I was.
I had been a chameleon, changing who I was to suit others but never myself.
Since that day, I have poured into me
and continued to discover who I Am.
That meant loving my body
and as much as that is still a work in progress...
I am embracing it as much as possible.
This woman here has been through 20 years of military service
and has seen things many couldn't or wouldn't want to see.
You can't see my injuries and scars but they are there.
Wearing a uniform for 20 years meant
I hid behind the name tape on my chest
and found comfort in looking as uniform as the women beside me.
It wasn't until I retired that I started to embrace my true divine feminine energy.
That is what you see here.
A woman whose is like a lotus that has grown
and blooms despite the muddy environment in which it lives.
Blooming out of darkness and radiating for all to see.
Thank you Francesca Bliss for capturing such a deep but beautiful part of me and my journey.”
When I see women and then get to know their stories, it always amazes me how these gorgeous, powerful, regal creatures have gone through periods of being unhappy in their skin. And I’m ecstatic when I see women coming to embrace their quirks and “imperfections” and start loving themselves and feeling powerful and juicy in their skin. I hope the work I do helps along the way in this self-love journey.
The first time I met Courtnee was right before the photoshoot. After she booked her Goddess Photoshoot with me, I did my research, and was intrigued by the tagline she uses - fearlessly freckles. That’s her Instagram handle (@fearlesslyfreckles) in case you want to look her up. And, of course, I was fascinated by her freckles (something that probably caused her a lot of grief as a kid - I remember trying to get rid of MY freckles when I was little. But mine are not as gorgeous as hers. Wait, what? Stop comparing yourself!)
And what makes her fearless is that this goddess was in the military for 20 years!
We photographed in a park that had a pond and lilies were in bloom at that time. Both of us had zero expectations and we agreed that this photoshoot would simply be a play in the park and whatever comes out of it, so be it.
Courtnee had sent me photos of her outfits beforehand and I told her which ones I thought would work best for the location we chose and for the mood of the photos. I loved the dark green dress and when she showed it to me in the parking lot when deciding what to wear first, she said, “I never got a chance to wear this dress. I bought it to go to a wedding but when the pandemic hit, everything was cancelled.” I thought the dress would almost blend in with the green backdrop, so the focus can be on Courtnee’s fearless freckles and stunning tattoos.
Some of my favorite images from this series are the ones of Courtnee looking toward the golden light of the setting sun. That light was pretty harsh and it is what most beginner photographers avoid at all costs - harsh lines that fall the wrong way are a nightmare. But I have been enjoying harsh light lately because it creates very moody images. The trick is to turn the face toward the light, or just slightly away. Courtnee’s most favorite is the one at the top of this article, with her eyes closed, as if internalizing the self-love she is finally welcoming into her life.
For a more dreamy look in photos, I used Lensbaby Composer Pro 35 mm lens. I love Lensbaby and the dreamy out of focus images it creates, like the ones below.
For the second part of the photoshoot we moved to the pond with lilies and Courtnee changed to a green skirt and a top that accentuated her breasts.
The light was softer by now and when Courtnee sat by the pond, she looked like she was the Queen of those lilies who came out ashore to enjoy her Queendom. I wanted to get as close as possible to the lilies, and even had visions of her in the water, but even though I am crazy sometimes when it comes to getting the right shot, safety comes first.
We then walked over to the other pond where waddling ducks graced some of our photos with their model strut. I love the photo of Courtnee looking fearless as ducks make their way past her, minding their business. I love how feminine and at the same time powerful she looks in these photos. And I love the half-crooked smile that you will recognize in the selfies she posts online. We were able to capture slightly different version of her and I can tell these photos will help her learn to admire and love herself even more, as you read her own words in the beginning of this story.
And of course I made her scream into the sky as she was lying on the ground :) This throat chakra activation/sound healing/permission to be loud/permission to take up space, time and wave lengths is a powerful tool I use in most of my photoshoots. It can seem silly, but it is also liberating and empowering. (If you want to learn more about the tricks I use during Goddess Photoshoots, check out this story.)
To sum it up, I had lots of fun playing with Courtnee :) Here’s some behind-the-scenes magic from our photoshoot:
And this is what Courtnee wrote in a review about working (aka playing) with me:
“I discovered Francesca Bliss on Facebook and reached out to her to inquire about her Goddess Photoshoots. She was super professional and provided me times and dates she was available. She was gracious enough to come closer to my city to shoot. I was very comfortable shooting with her, she demonstrated and explained what she was thinking and made it all seem effortless.
I have photographed with other professionals but she was so down to earth and easy to work with. She made me truly feel like a goddess. My gallery was delivered to me today and it's hard to believe that the goddess in those pictures is me. I don't mean that to say she made me look like someone else but she exposed my true beauty so naturally. I truly feel like a goddess in these photos and what better way to celebrate turning 40 and blossoming into the woman I am becoming.
Need to discover your inner goddess? Let Francesca Bliss guide you. She is her own goddess.”
Curious about your own Goddess Photoshoot but don’t know what that might look like? Check out my article 6 Ways to Do Your Goddess Photoshoot and see if any of my ideas inspire you. And feel free to reach out if you would like to discuss your questions, concerns, inspiration in an online or in-person discovery call.
Remember, having professional photos of yourself taken is a way of honoring yourself, honoring the Goddess within you.