Thursday, April 26, 2012

Working Woman to Glamour Goddess!


I recently attended a photography seminar in which the photographer told us that she has a Before & After gallery…and I immediately thought, ‘amazing idea!’

You may wonder why I think this is such a great idea…

One of the reasons I find myself so drawn to working with women is because I personally know how incredibly empowering the experience of a glamour/boudoir/fine art nude shoot can and should be.  Most of us live our lives at a relatively quick pace: rushing from work to home, squeezing in getting groceries, remembering that it’s pajama day at ballet (comes to mind because I forgot this year :(  ), keeping the kids/dogs/husbands fed and in clean clothes, staying in touch with friends and family, and the list goes on and on.  Many of my friends are able to fit in a trip to the salon once in a while and maybe even a workout or two a week, but most are busy enough that the time they spend on themselves is very limited.  <Enter Bella Faccia!>  Imagine showing up for your session, in your jeans and tee, un-styled hair, no makeup…and then being pampered as the hair and makeup artist helps accentuate your inherent beauty followed by a session of us capturing you at your most glamorous!  This experience, in my opinion, has very little to do with ego (although, being honest, what woman doesn't secretly want a shot where she looks smokin' hot!) and everything to do with re-establishing your belief that you are important, beautiful, valued, and worth time and effort toward feeling healthy and strong on a daily basis.

Bella Faccia Studio...chilled champagne and fresh strawberries awaiting my client's arrival
The other reason I believe this gallery is important is because I think many of you may look at images on my site, and others', and think: ‘that is an unattainable goal’, or ‘they must be models’, or ‘I live in Lulu Lemon, I don’t ‘fit’ the part’…enter the Before & After gallery in which you will see women who could be your neighbour, your co-worker, your best friend, your sister, your mother, your xyz!  The Before & After gallery is where you will see women who are just like you! 

It is my intention, with the ‘Before & After’ gallery, to show my clients, who arrive in their daily uniform and from their hectic lives, and who then leave as the sexy, strong, independent, and empowered women they always were but may have neglected or forgotten amidst all of life’s other commitments.  This experience should be fun and relaxing; and, I hope, it also provides a deeper sense of self-worth and a reminder that we must stop putting ourselves at the bottom of the list.


Note: participation in the Before & After gallery is something I request; it is not obligatory in any way!  That said, most of my clients are pretty thrilled with their transformations and are happy to share so that other women will see how amazing the experience will be!

Life is beautiful!

Lori

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Opportunities

When I was 15 I had the opportunity to participate in an exchange program to Natal, Brazil.  It was the beginning of what has been a lifelong love affair…with the country, its culture, and, ESPECIALLY, its people!

I have now had the absolute privilege of travelling to Brazil three times, with a cumulative time spent there of about a year and a half.  Even though it has been years since my last adventure to this colorful, vivacious, and welcoming land; the memories and my friendships made on all three trips continue to be as cherished today as they were 20 odd years ago (no need for detailed math here I figure! ;) !).

That first trip, before I’d even turned 16, planted a seed for me: that worldly experiences benefit young people in ways that are hard to quantify or qualify, but that undoubtedly have lifelong impacts on how we view the world and its inhabitants; regardless of colour, religion, or culture.  I believe that if every young person were given the opportunity to live, learn, and love in another country, our global society would be much healthier, more forgiving, and more accepting resulting in an even more wonderful world. 

Tomorrow my family will welcome Joao Paulo Gil Cavalcanti to our home for the coming few months.  Joao Paulo is my Brazilian nephew, by way of being grandson of the wonderful couple who hosted me for nearly all my time in Brazil, and he is now 19 (gasp, time flies!).  JP will be attending an intensive English course while here, amidst having the adventure of being an international traveler, as he prepares to begin his University career.

Photos 1 & 2: Me & JP at my farewell party in 1994
Photo 3: JP & Vovo Teca (his Great Grandma & a woman who
showed me consistent kindness)
While this post isn’t photography related; it does speak to what I hope for Bella Faccia to represent: admiration of beauty in its myriad forms, love of life, fun, music, memories, commitment, trust, family, and friendship. Brazil will always be an important part of who I am and I sincerely hope to provide a similar learning/growing opportunity to Joao Paulo.

Life is beautiful!

Lori

Monday, April 2, 2012

TomAto / Tom-ah-to


Over the past few months, as I’ve contemplated Bella Faccia’s move to specialize in women, I have been a little overwhelmed with what terminology to use.  For some the word ‘boudoir’ has significant connotations (not all good!), for others ‘glamour’ spurs thoughts of the’80s, and then there is ‘contemporary portraiture’, which I love but seems to leave people perplexed with what it actually means.

Whatever words you or I choose; I hope that you will see Bella Faccia’s portraits of women and girls as: beautiful, strong, elegant, alluringfun, sweetsexy (when appropriate!), and a visual testament to how amazing my subjects truly are. 

My absolute goal is to provide stunning images from a wonderful, empowering, and memorable shoot with Bella Faccia – no matter what ya’ call it!

Life is beautiful!

Lori

HMUA & Modelling: Talyn Stone