On June 9th, 2016, the day after I turned 37, I treated myself to my first ever Boudoir photo shoot. The timing could not have been better. I chose Trish Collins as my photographer because her vision of being inclusive, body positive, and not insisting on editing out my imperfections really spoke to me. Was I in the best shape of my life? Absolutely not. Was I still actively nursing my second son? I sure was. Were my breasts floppy and hanging low? Of course they were. Did that stop me? No, no it did not. For years I had been saying Moms should "get in the picture." And now it was my turn.
The process was blissful and indulgent from start to finish. First, Trish and her Hair and Makeup stylist Katie Donaghy greeted me and instantly put my nerves at ease. Katie started by asking me what "look" I was going for. I said, “let's go big!” I love having my makeup done and usually wear very subtle makeup, so when I get a chance to go big, I DO! Trish and I started talking outfits. I showed her my new bra and panty sets, having used this opportunity to buy some cute stuff. I also brought a white button down of my husband’s and some of my favorite jewelry (pearls, of course) as props.
After my hair and makeup was complete, we started the session. The set-up was perfect—classy and cozy—a crisp white bedspread and lovely filtered light coming in through the gauzy curtains. The room was warm and tranquil and we got to work. Trish was instrumental in helping me out of my comfort zone while also finding great angles (despite Trish being 38 weeks pregnant with her third child). Seeing her genuine excitement at getting shots she knew I would love encouraged me to push through some of my "I don't like my ____ part of my body" issues. She took pictures of my tush and cellulite dimpled legs. And I LOVE them! Thanks to her skill and lighting, the best version of myself was captured that day.
As I mentioned above, the timing could not have been better. The next month I weaned my son, which allowed me to resume my breast cancer screenings. I get screened every 6 months (while not nursing) to see if I have breast cancer, thanks to my pesky genetics and BRCA2 status. You see, I always knew I would end up with a double mastectomy, and this shoot was to remind me of a time before... Little did I know that in 10 months time, this photo shoot would be a reminder of a time before cancer. That's right. In April 2017, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. A routine MRI had found Invasive Lobular Carcinoma that my mammogram had missed 6 months before. And just like that, my world changed forever. 10 surgeries, 16 rounds of chemo, 25 rounds of radiation later, and I couldn’t wait to get back in front of the lens—for Trish to document me, scars and all.
Cheers to you, Trish, and the magical work you are doing. You are changing women’s lives, one shutter click at a time.
Much love,
Jenica
