portrait photography in delray beach - one woman’s sunrise goddess photoshoot

There are some people who are the embodiment of JOY. Lola is one of them.

She's originally from Peru. She has a perfect body, a deep love for dogs (she trains them, too), and she is as playful as playful gets.

For her Goddess Photoshoot, we met right before sunrise. She showed up with an armful of treasures: a dress, a poncho-like scarf, a unicorn headband, a wild fur coat, and a few pieces that resonated with me on a personal level. Lola wore no makeup. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen her with any. Her hair was down, and she was simply, entirely herself.

At one point in the shoot, she was down on the sand, crawling toward me like some wild sea creature, salt water clinging to her skin, sand across her face, and somehow, woven through all of it, so much sheer joy at being alive. I loved that about her. Another woman in her place might have paused to ask, how do I look, is my makeup okay, is there too much sand? And I'll admit, for a second, while editing the photos, even I wondered the same thing. Is it too much? Then I caught myself. How often do we chase "pretty" and "proper" and forget to simply feel, to be fully inside the moment? Lola reminded me how to just BE.

She said yes to every idea I brought her. Whatever I suggested, she leapt into it fully. When we shot her in the unicorn headband against that wide blue sky, we were laughing so hard I nearly cried. Being around people like that is its own kind of therapy: total permission to be unhinged, to be the silliest version of yourself. What a gift that is.

So often, when women plan a photoshoot, they load themselves with pressure: the perfect outfit, the perfect makeup, the perfect hair, the perfect location, the perfect pose, and therefore (supposedly) the perfect photo. Maybe this goes back to childhood, to the one day a year your mother could get a professional photo of you: picture day at school. Put on your best dress, wipe your face clean, smile. I understand that a photoshoot is an investment, and with any investment comes the wish to get it "right." But really, what's the worst that could happen? The photos turn out badly? You don't love how you look? What if you loosened your grip on the illusion of control you think you have (yes, I am talking to you) and simply let something unexpected be born instead? You might meet a version of yourself you've never seen before.

What if you let go of "perfect everything" and let yourself become a little bit of a Lola: rolling in the sand, soaked in salt water, dancing in the wind without a thought for who's watching, feeling your body instead of studying it? I'm guilty of the same thing, trust me. Lola taught me something valuable that day. Maybe she can teach you something too.

It was a very productive session, and here are some of my favorite images from that morning. Which ones are your favorite? ♥