random beauty contest

update... congrats to our winner of the "random beauty" free photography session....YAY  Jenn Cutting !!!  also a shout out to my second place winner  Rosalba Fasan-Buffat  of www.rosesflowersandgifts.com..she won a $100.00 off her "random beauty" photography session!!!

thank you to all the AMAZING women who entered...you all touched my heart!!!

i thought it was only fitting to have a contest for my NEWLY launched "random beauty" photography session.  with mothers day right around the corner it would be a great gift to win!

what's this random beauty session all about anyway?

this session is for women (no kids, babies, dogs or hubbies who don't smile in pictures). it's meant to be fun, relaxing and fully clothed to capture your beautiful, strong, natural self for you and all generations to enjoy and cherish.  the shoot is a hybrid of fashion model meets headshots meets boudoir that can be done at your home (light permitting) or on location. it takes an hour to an hour and a half and leaves you feeling like a career change is in order (can you say fashion model!).

HERE'S HOW THE CONTEST WORKS:

*post a photo of yourself  (remember it's not a photo contest so any picture will work) or "nominate" a friend or loved one (they don't even have to  know your doing it...wink, wink) to my KLUTCH PHOTOGRAPHY (by dina ferreira stoddard) fan page wall.

*tell us a little about yourself or about the woman you've posted.

*share the link with others and get them to vote for you or your nominated female by clicking the "LIKE" button under their picture!

*on march 19th whoever has the most likes WINS!!!

what do you win????

first place wins... a "random beauty" session with me (dina) of klutch photography (valued at $280.00)!

second place wins....

$ 100.00 off  a "random beauty" photography session!

the finer details are below...

an hour of regression...

THE PHONE CALL: i hang up the phone and in a mad panic i dial another number located on the my fridge.

a soft voice answers: "hello?"

i respond with: "omg, i need headshots."

s.v.: "ok."

me: "so can you hook me up?"

s.v.: "sure."

me: "i'm the photographer.... i'm suppose to be the one shooting, not being shot!"

THE INTERNALIZING:

many years ago when i was a bar going kind of girl, i took many pictures of myself.  i have a wicked amount of albums that my girlies will NEVER see!  why did i do this you ask?  because i was young, confident and well, i could be anything, back in the day before marriage and children (and being a cute, posing 20 something year old was FUN).  i had all the time in the world...no commitments or "real responsibilities" other than looking good! in my current life (which i wouldn't change for anything) it's far less glamorous and no longer self centered! makeup and showers are a "privilege" not a right and stretchy black yoga attire is standard uniform.

so the thought of having to get gussied up was a little stressful…but exciting.  after sorting out some form of outfit and figuring out who the heck would watch amara during the day (thanks jen), i got my head in the game and thought... no kids and no hubby in the pictures making that "i hate pictures but i'll attempt to smile face"......  just classy, fun poses of myself…this could be fun!

THE DAY OF THE SHOOT:

agenda;

6 am –gym.

7 am –shower, get ready (and make a miracle happen!).

8:40 am- get che' to school (looking like a night walker in front of the other mommies).

9am - chiropractor (looking like a night walker in front of the doc...she did like my hair though?).

9:15 am - drop off amara.

9:30 ish - pick up s.v.

s.v. is know to most as (jessica)..my neighbor, great friend and fantastic photographer (jeska photography). we take off to cloverdale and we have an hour and a bit.  not a ton of time, but enough! and the regression begins.....i'm all business, i'm back in my glory, i'm that young, feeling good, selfish girl from the 90's!  i'm sitting, standing, crouching, pouting  and spontaneously laughing all in the name of a good shot!  during this "transformation" of cambridge mommy to sexy professional"  jessica seems shocked and yet likes the confidence. she stops shooting and asks "dina, do you want to tell me more about those PICTURES you took back in the day?”

i respond with "umm...no thanks my Christian friend", and we both start laughing!   the hour was a success.

THE RESULT:

beautiful, fun and classy photos that I have forever! this session really got me thinking…we, as "unselfish" moms never do this for ourselves! we take FAMILY photos, BABY photos, MATERNITY photos and  NAKED photos, but NEVER photos that are just about US to document our strong, beautiful selves.

back in the day it was customary to take a photo of yourself to "document" an age. my mom has a few really beautiful images of herself that i'm so proud to have and now my girlies have "documentation" that i too was a young mom.  now don't get me wrong boudoir is fun, but your kids are more than likely NOT going to put up a picture of you in a thong and explain to their children "now there’s a picture of grandma back in the day".  these are photos my kids can have on their walls and be a little less embarrassed of.

THE OUTCOME:

in lieu of this great experience, i'm going to incorporate a package for women.....to celebrate OUR beauty and for other generations to have and cherish! details to follow but I think it shall be called "random beauty" seeing how i have a category for it!

shocking what an hour can do....

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