I wanted to share my Holiday Cheer Photo Shoot Experience that was a gift from my family to celebrate my weight loss.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the process of losing weight and being absorbed in the journey. My family thought the photo shoot would be a good way for me to take the time to focus on what I’ve accomplished and a good opportunity to see myself in a new way, in my new body.

I will say that I would have NEVER done this for myself. This was a first for me and it turned out to be one of the most memorable days of my life. Having my photo taken isn’t something I enjoy and to have an entire photo shoot where I am the center of attention was definitely way outside my comfort zone.

When I arrived, the staff was so warm and inviting. They were told of my story and were so excited to be part of recording the “after” portion of my transformation. I had my hair and makeup done. My hair was styled very much the same way I usually wear it. It was the makeup application that blew me away. The foundation was airbrushed which I never had done before. At first, it felt like warm water being sprayed on my face, but it was thicker than water. It dried right away and it made my complexion look so even and wrinkle free! I really liked the way the makeup artist selected the color palette and when it as finished, I was absolutely amazed at how different I looked.

It was then show time and we began taking photos. I have a few different outfits to change into and was instructed how to pose for each. This entire concept was foreign to me and was a little intimidating, but after a few minutes, I just relaxed, settled down and had so much fun with it! It was such a great time!

When the photos were ready to view, I felt as if I were looking at someone else. I just could not believe I was looking at images of myself. It was such a strange reaction to what I saw because I look at myself in the mirror everyday, but what reflected back at me from the photo shoot seemed like such a different reflection to what I usually see. I guess I am very critical of myself and normally gravitate to those things that I don’t like about myself, even now, after having lost more than 200 lbs! This experience has brought me to ask myself, “when will I truly be happy with the way I look?” I do believe this photo shoot has been a great turning point for me and I’m certain this is the exact outcome my family had been hoping for, to look beyond my eyes into the depths of my soul to begin the process of real acceptance. I am so thankful for this gift because it was so much more than having my hair and makeup done to get my photos taken. This has allowed me to truly “SEE” the fruits of my hard work and be proud of how far I’ve come.

I highly recommend this as a wonderful gift to give yourself or a loved one to record their “after.”

Here are a few photos from the shoot

 

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