Monica’s 50th birthday

Monica moved here from Ecuador with her two children, leaving all their belongings behind to pursue a happier, healthier life. She has faced adversity, loss, confusion and many challenges, but still she still rose from the ashes. Monica is beautiful on the outside, indeed. But the light in her soul is blinding in the most peaceful and beautiful way. The healing she has done touched me to my core and truly inspires me every single day. Her resilience and strength is unbelievable. She has risen above everything, and uses her story to empower others, and there was no greater honor than photographing her beautiful soul and celebrate her 50th birthday! I can’t think of any better way to celebrate than with a 50th birthday boudoir session!

I wanted her images to show her softness, sensuality, strength, maturity and her natural beauty. I love the variety we got from sweet & soft to a strong, powerful woman. 

The pressure society puts on women to stay “young” makes us often times hate or dread our birthdays. All we tend to see is a number and it gets in our way of appreciating all we’ve accomplished over the year, and throughout our lifetime. I love birthday boudoir shoots because it allows women to celebrate, instead of dread their birthdays, and helps them see numbers DO NOT define who they are!