As 2017 came to an end, I realised that I really wanted to collect an inspirational series of stories to start 2018 off to a positive BANG!
Every week at Johanna Elizabeth, I am touched at the emotional stories…many of which can be seen in my portrait page reviews and our boudoir page reviews!
So, the ‘Love You Challenge’ was created.
I find out why these unique people, applied and how their journey with us…really made a difference.
Only intended to last a few weeks, I got such a phenomenal response… that I am still shooting these amazing men and women!
So good to see Alex again!!
I first came to you in 2014, I was introduced to you by a friend, and we attended an open evening, I was lucky on that night to win a shoot with you. I did this shoot and when i first arrived at your studio I was petrified, I also had really low self esteem. Everyone put me at ease straight away and they soon had me doing poses I never thought I would do, when I saw the images I was blown away. Three of these are on my bedroom wall, some would say it’s vanity but to me it is a reminder of the journey I have taken.
Then in 2015 you ran another competition, by this time I was a keen runner and was completing half marathons, I had also lost a lot of weight and couldn’t wait to show it of in the images you had taken. I was put straight at ease and was having such a giggle during the shoot. Roll onto reveal and wow again I was blown away, i didn’t think you could make me look that good twice but you did. This was also an emotional time for me as I had been made redundant from a job I had been in for 16 years, we did the shoot with my uniform in it, and also under the flag that identifies my service, I was in floods of tears on my journey home (3 hours), I am so used to being photographed in my uniform and the pride this brings but these were on another level.
Roll on 2017, I have been fighting with my weight along all this journey and although addicted to exercise it is still a battle, 2017 like it was for everyone was a rubbish year and then I saw your Love You challenge, I realised i needed a boost again, never expecting to win as i had won with you twice before, but i was lucky and also because you had done so much for me; i decided that if you needed help then I would volunteer. The shoot was amazing, my first thing I said was an apology – sorry but you wont get me smiling, how wrong i was, giggling the whole time even when the dress i had bought along didn’t actually fasten at the back, this would have had me in a melt down normally! We then we moved onto the photos I would say had a fifty shade feel to them, how much fun that was and also very empowering I never knew i could feel that way.
I took a friend with me to the reveal who i have known since i was 13, and well my friend is honest and isn’t one for paying a compliment if it wasn’t deserved, but she was very complimentary, Also apart from two photos were I was looking moody, I was smiling in every image and a genuine with the eyes smile! I loved all the images that were shown at my reveal.
Thank you so much throughout my journey with you over the years, you have never failed to make me smile even through my darkest days, you make me feel attractive and not how i usually feel which is dreary, fat and too booby! Whenever i feel like this I just look back at my images and remind myself – i am none of the latter! I would recommend that every woman has a shoot with you no matter shape, size etc you will walk away feeling a million dollars,
Thank you again
Follow me as even more ‘Love You Challenge’ stories unfold here at Johanna Elizabeth…
If you’d like to feel the way that Alex does now – contact me and my team here and let’s get you on your own journey!
Love Jo
x
