A few good months ago I decided to start a new business with a new website. It was clear that I needed some pictures of myself, and it was also clear that the ones I had were no longer fitting. Not only that, I realized that since my kids were born I had almost no pics of myself, other than with them sleeping or climbing on me.
We have a great DSLR camera so my husband took some of me. Nay… Then I thought of asking one of my local professional photographer friends (got a few), but I had no idea what to ask for. I didn’t yet know what my business was exactly about. I didn’t know what my “brand” would be and I was frustrated and stuck. I could not move on with my website, and not move on with what I wanted to achieve in general.
Then somehow, out of nowhere, I decided to try and create some self-portraits. My first attempt was with wet hair and no makeup. I was just playing. The results were promising and I started developing a “look”. I kept doing this. More focused and with makeup this time, I explored my face, my style, my looks and the way I positioned myself.
I accumulated a small “bank” of photos. Every time I wanted to put out there a quote or offering, I would use a different pic. The same with the pages of my website. No more one same pic over and over again. It was fresh, versatile and dynamic. I loved this!
I kept playing with my style. I did some fantasy portraits (looking in a way that I would not dare leave the house, if you know what I mean). I experimented with moods and colors. I developed a new symbol system to follow and this became a very structured and potent creative practice. After each photo-play shoot I would not only have a new stack of photos, but also a few fresh insights about myself. I examined what made me feel comfortable and what not. What was connecting and what not. What I wanted to wear on my sleeve (and what to keep in a private, too sexy, folder!)
This process filled me with confidence. Not only regarding my looks, but confidence about me being the best person to showcase myself. I enjoyed the independence. The experimentation. I liked being able to “act” with no script, and see what came out just by following my gut. There was nothing to be afraid of and nothing to loose. And if I had a bad hair day, or sleepless face, there was always another day to do more, and try something else. I had my Why, What and How, all aligned.
I started observing around me. I saw how many women entrepreneurs were setting up regular photo-shoots, and how that served them. How empowered they looked and felt, how fabulous and ready to claim their territory. They all came out of this experience super positive and cherished. And hey! I was in the same boat! And I could do that over and over again! For free!!! More photos for my bank, more looks, more insights. Transformation inside and out! My brand evolving as i do.
And so I knew that the course I had been working on, about one’s symbols, had to wait. for a little while. I had something else that had to come out, and it could serve SO many people, SO well.
I run a Beta with people I did not know, for 6 days. Six days was too little time to have several photo-play shoots within it. It was very stressful. BUT my clients had their first results AND really enjoyed it. They came out inspired and feeling “rediscovered”.
The six days turned into 6 weeks, and I developed further my color symbol system to evoke more insights and capture more layers of one’s personality. Intertwining symbolic color work with these portraits brings the most amazing results, that it’s impossible to get otherwise. Profoundly inspiring and transformative.
I then added one more color, to personalize the experience. Oh, my-own-personal-brand-like-no-other-here-I-come!
I also put down on paper all my techniques, tips and prompts, not just regarding set up, but how to get you out of your mind and skin, as I started calling it, and really get loose and play. No substances needed…
By mixing different mediums, self-photography, audio, video, journaling and play sheets, there is no sense untouched.
I topped that with tech tutorials, how to treat these pics after, and how to use them for different social media. And if we are speaking a lot about cold, then I had to add a color workshop to define one’s color palette.
I am so excited and beyond myself to introduce you to THIS!
Join me, Ladies?