As some of you may know... I spend a MAJORITY of my camera time helping to empower women. Well it just so happened I had one woman cross my path who REALLY needed a boost.
Without going into a big drawn out story, know that she was going through a tough divorce. Her husband (and father of her children) had been cheating on her and she was done.
When we sat down to take these pictures (her husband was there and didn't know she knew), I had been hired because he wanted her to get into the adult film industry; I was to shoot a portfolio collection for her.
What followed, while we got to the portfolio... EVENTUALLY (and I don't be sharing that today)... The change I saw in her was more than I expected. More than she expected.
First a took some tastefully simple, yet elegant photos. But once her clothes began coming off something happened. She changed. To start, she shut down.
Halfway through the nude section a light came on. I felt it, though I didn't know at the time what had happened.
After the fact (3 MONTHS later) I received a very touching email from her. She explained that it had been an awfully abusive relationship, one that she was afraid to leave. He told her she was ugly and would be alone forever, that all she was good for was stripping (what she had done when they met).
She then said that during our shoot she realized SHE was all she needed. She couldn't let her daughter see anymore of the disfunction.
She asked that I keep the boudoir but throw the portfolio. He still has a copy, but she's happy and single.
Take this as a testimony of strength! Everyday I'm honored to work with the women I work with. Paycheck or no.