Ok let’s be real! When was the last time you actually gave yourself a compliment or looked in the mirror and said “Wow I look freaking amazing!?” As women, I feel like too often we are super hard on ourselves and usually our own worst critic. I see it every day in my practice. Daily gorgeous women don’t see the same beauty I see when we are looking into the same handheld mirror! When we aren’t being too hard on ourselves, we are typically too busy to slow down and show ourselves a little love. “But I’m too busy!” Trust me, as a working mama of 3 toddlers, a wife, and a type-A OCD goal getter, I hear you!
When my friend and world renowned luxe photographer Jai Mayhew suggested I do a photo shoot with her for me, I really had to take a second to think about it! This is not something I would normally do. What do I need a glamorous luxe photography session for? I’m not some model and I’m not one to seek out a photoshoot of myself unless it is celebrating some kind of life event like pregnancy photos, family photos, etc. So when I stopped and took a few minutes to really think about it I surprised myself with several reasons why I should make time to do something like this for myself!
…to feel happy
…to feel great in my own skin
…because I’m only young once
…to show my husband ‘hot’ pics of his wife
…because one day I will be old and I want my kids and grandkids to see that mama used to bring it!
…to make time to do something special for myself
…to celebrate being alive and being ME
So I thought WHY THE HELL NOT! I’m going to step out of my comfort zone and make the time to treat myself to this experience.
Why was this portrait experience with Jai Mayhew so different?
Jai truly has a talent. Her niche as a photographer is making “everyday” people like me feel like a supermodel! This is a portrait session which I have never experienced before! I’ve done lifestyle shoots but portrait is different, I found it really interesting. I knew I was looking forward to the end results, holding glam photos of myself in my hand, but I never realized how liberating and fun the whole experience would really be! That is the difference here. Jai Mayhew has a gift and not only is she a phenomenal photographer, but she has created a unique experience. From the start it was very evident how much planning and care she put into the session. The planning, communication, shooting, the retouching, and the reveal were all top notch.
Jai made me feel like a model. I got to relax and sip champagne while we laughed and had girl talk while her amazing hair and makeup stylist Heather Biernbaum gave me all the glam! Jai styled my wardrobe both from clothes I brought with me and her in-studio wardrobe (yes, she even has an entire wardrobe of amazing pieces and accessories!) Jai knew just how to pose me for every look and gave awesome direction. She is a natural and made everything easy and super comfortable.
Jai’s work is so luxurious, glam, and high end. Most people go through life without ever having pictures like this of themselves. Models and celebrities get pictures like this. But because of Jai, I now get to see myself in this light! I’ve never had pictures taken like this before and I would definitely do it all over again just for the experience alone.
If you are reading this right now, I want to encourage you to take the time to do this for yourself. Busy women often put everyone else in their lives first before themselves. I know it sounds crazy, but giving yourself a little time and space to recharge leaves you more energized for those you love. When you are feeling confident and your best, you make a more powerful impact on those around you. Self care looks different for everyone, but one thing I know for sure is that it is the single biggest factor in boosting your confidence.
Treating yourself as a priority is powerful. Capturing yourself at your best is something to hold on to! I want to be the one to tell you – you deserve it, and it feels good!
If you’re in the STL area get in touch with Jai! Leaving her contact details below as well as Heather’s (make up artist). You deserve to feel this awesome!
Jai Mayhew Photography
Website: www.jaimayhew.com
Email: contact@jaimayhew.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaimayhew
Heather Biernbaum MUA
Website: https://www.heatherbbeauty.com
Email: Info@HeatherBBeauty.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heather_b_beauty
