I'm not too sure but I find at this point in my life that I'm more inclined to spend any extra money I might have on my children or my house. I have to consciously talk myself into spending money on something for me. Usually. I've been trying to make a concerted effort lately to find a happy mix of it all. Obviously I'm not oozing with money so it's not often an issue but when I have it, lately I've been trying to look after everyone, including myself.
This is my 40th year my lovelies! FORTY! Like fo' real?? Yes, for real. I can hardly believe it myself, so I'm sure my mother is struggling with it. But it's not like I'm struggling with it. Quite the contrary. I'm embracing it and welcoming it. Forty is the new twenty! So I'm making more of an effort this year to make it MY year! Greedy? Perhaps, but no one I'm legally responsible for is suffering for it, so I'm good with it.
So in this year of the Holly (It's actually the year of the Horse, but who's being petty? Both start with an H.) I have scratched off one of the items on my list of things to do at least once! I've always wanted to do a photo shoot. Back in the late 80's/early 90's it was a Glamour Shots thing (Thank goodness I didn't bother with those! Or maybe it would have been awesome to have them too!). For the past few years Pin Up photo shoots seem to be all the rage. I constantly looked at photos wishing I was brave enough to step outside of my comfort zone and rich enough to fork over the money. Then last summer fate found a way to step in (Do I believe in fate?) and I won a gift certificate for a basic Pin Up photo shoot with the lovely Michelle Boulay (Michelle Boulay Photography) from a friend's Stag and Doe night. The gift certificate covered the bulk of the expense (hair, make up application, one outfit and three edited prints) so I scrounged up some extra cash and upgraded that package and booked my shoot a couple of weeks ago. Now I got to use a couple of outfits and get more photos in the end.
Michelle was awesome. Like I said I was out of my comfort zone and completely nervous about looking like a moron whilst trying to pose like a model with zero experience. I am 100% positive there were tons of those awkward photos in amongst all the shots she took, but she was kind enough not to share them with me. Thank you for that Michelle! Before my actual appointment we chatted back and forth about what my expectations were (I had none), what kind of background/theme I wanted to use/do (I had no preference) and what to generally expect. So when I got to her place I was more excited than nervous.
She had so many little sets around her space. It was like I entered a time vortex back to the 1950's. I loved it immediately. She had a vintage dining set, lamps, furniture, hair salon, and more props than you can shake a stick at. I loved it all. Her dressing room looked like a costume department threw up in there. Clothes, shoes, hats, everywhere!! So many options! We ended up going with some clothes I had brought with me. We knew they'd fit and I think she was excited to work with the colours and outfits she wasn't used to working with.
Michelle, aside from being a great photographer, is also a hairdresser by trade. So she did my hair and make up for the photo shoot as well. She also prefers to rely as little as possible on Photoshop and as much as possible on her actual camera skills. I almost wished she hadn't told me that. I'd talked myself into a state of calm knowing she'd just Photoshop all the bad stuff out. Nope! Eeek! Now I was worried I'd spend all this time, effort and "money" and I wouldn't get a shot I was comfortable with but more importantly loved! (I am my harshest critic - aren't we all?) I was so wrong. She sent me so many wonderfully, fun shots. I am so pleased with the results and I would recommend doing this to all women out there. I swear, I felt like a model for 4 hours that day. She has so many package ideas, Pin Ups are only one of them.
So this my friends, is what 40 looks like, and I'm loving it! Thanks for the great experience Michelle! Be sure to swing by her web page and check out her talent and if you're in the Niagara Region and interested in something like this, reach out to her and ask your questions.
