“She was beautiful, but not like those girls in the magazines. She was beautiful, for the way she thought. She was beautiful, for the sparkle in her eyes when she talked about something she loved. She was beautiful, for her ability to make other people smile, even if she was sad. No, she wasn’t beautiful for something as temporary as her looks. She was beautiful, deep down to her soul. She is beautiful.”– F. Scott Fitzgerald
I’m often asked why I started committing myself to photography as more than just a passion in my early 40’s. The reason is so simple, as nestled in my mind, not as easy to articulate.
And then here comes Christa. The visual embodiment of why.
Every session I capture whether a wedding, photo shoot or other event there is someone. Someone who doesn’t understand the beauty that either peeks through their smile, shimmers in their eyes or shyly emerges in repose. A child, young adult, middle age woman, teenage young man, senior citizen – large, small, skinny, wrinkled, smooth, clean, messy – someone.
And then….. we embark together, me, my Nikon and this someone. A moment in time, captured by the lens. Their beauty memorialized. Maybe seen by them, exactly this way, for the very first time.
And, they are forever changed.
The truth telling of photography. Capturing exquisite moments, sharing their beauty. For me, this is why.
This is Christa.
