See Yourself The Way Others Do

by Sara J. Hardan

See Yourself The Way Others DoIn our selfie-crazed world, the photos we take usually show the person we want to show. Duck-lip Snapchats, side poses posted to Instagram; the photos we post are the image we want on display.  

Sometimes our best side, viewed by others, is outside the box. 

Think back to the photos of our grandmothers; we may have only one or two images of these iconic women, but they are the true life shots: holding kids with a messy cooking apron on or professional images that look almost angelic.  

But they are few and far between. 

As women, we need to step out of our comfort zones and let others see the true us. 

Start flashing our smile we don’t show in selfies. 

I did. 

I am typically not one who loves having her picture taken but I am all for the side view selfies. That’s the way I see myself and with modern technology, I can always get the exact version of the look I want.  

But standing in front of a professional camera is a whole different story. 

There are very few pictures of me since becoming a mother almost 16 years ago. It was never the right moment for a picture or my hair was a mess.  

There was always an excuse.  

I made an appointment with my hairdresser to have my hair styled. I layered on the makeup and put on that dress that had been bought for a special occasion yet never made its debut.  

Then it was time to step in front of the camera. To be honest, smiling felt really good.  

When the photos popped into my email I was nervous. Of course, the first thing I did was pick apart all the parts I did not like.  

Oh, I don’t like this or oh that is just too large… But then I took a moment to realize how beautiful the photos made me feel.  

See Yourself The Way Others DoThe images may not have been, in my opinion, my best view; but they were me.  

My smile and energy, not rehearsed or posed – just purely me captured by another.  

I treasure these images and what they represent. Not only do I have photos that my children and grandchildren will look at, but I see myself the way others do.  

My true smile, my hair in the wind, my dress in a twirl.  

The me that others see.  

And I love it. 

You don’t have to have a professional photography session to see yourself the way others do. Here are some ideas to help capture your own energy with a photo: 

  • Take a group photo at work, dress up or have a theme to mix it up 
  • Give a child the camera and let yourself be silly, go outside or tell them a story while they take candid pictures of you 
  • While traveling take advantage of photo opportunities at events, many are offered at a lower cost than one may think 
  • Have a family portrait made 

These spontaneous shots not only capture the real you but provide images for your loved ones for years to come.

 

Sara J. Hardan

Photos by Sammy McKenzie Photography
Hair by Chris Seibers/CDS Hair Design

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