"I See My Mother's Eyes In Every Woman I Photograph…"
When I said this to a group of women, in a networking meeting's breakout room, I saw the emotion that this totally spontaneous phrase created.
My beautiful mum… Photographed by her brother, who was a professional portrait photographer!
But I wasn't trying to elicit emotion!
I was simply asked why I enjoy my work so much and that was one of the reasons I gave, as it is a genuine reason.
It is no secret that I miss my mother, every day. It is also no secret that she is a huge part of "My Why".
She is my inspiration. My hero.
She is the reason why I want to elevate all women, in the same way she elevated me.
She filled me with unshakeable self-confidence, and I want to do the same for those women I photograph.
Yeah. I miss her.
She left this life too soon, at the tender age of 50.
But what do I mean by "seeing her eyes in every woman I photograph"?
My mother was a trained and skilled seamstress.
A gift I did not inherit!
I do not mean they remind me of her, physically.
I mean that I see the same expressions in their eyes, that I saw in my mum's eyes:
❤️I see vulnerability
❤️I see hopes
❤️I see battles fought and won
❤️I see worries
❤️I see pride
❤️I see laughter lines, which tell the story of a life of both joy and tears
❤️I see femininity
❤️I see strength
❤️I see nurturing
❤️I see power
This list is far from exhaustive, as not all of these expressions are present in every woman, but…
We all show something of our lives, our thoughts, our experiences, in our faces and in our eyes.
Just like she did…
I guess this is why it is said that the eyes are the windows of the soul!
As humans we all have this one thing in common, don’t we?
❤️It is my hope and aim that I can continue to recognise these visual cues in my clients' expressions, and that I can continue to empower them into embracing their life experiences on the journey towards enhanced confidence…
Just like my mother did for me!
Who is the one person in your life who has inspired you the most, and why?
