At the time of writing this, I am 47, well and truly into perimenopause ( I just had to add that word to my computer dictionary - f**king seriously??)….

As I was saying… perimenopause… I am larger & wrinklier than I have ever been and I STILL did a branding photo-shoot yesterday….

When I first saw the images, my heart actually sank.
(The photography & posing was great, but I also see the OUT TAKES, and you as a client would not)

All I could see was the negatives. My face is rounder and my eyes seem to be disappearing, my waist thicker, as are my legs and just about everything rounder and lacking the shapes they once had. My skin is wrinkled and sagging in areas, my freckles are more prominent and my greys are showing through… a lot…

(Before I continue, YES aging is a privilege, and I am grateful for being here!
But for this blog post, I am putting that aside… Thanks.)

Leading up to the shoot, I did my best to align all the stars… I got some new clothes that I felt good in, I got a haircut and felt really good about it all. The shoot itself was brilliant… the photographer was kind & funny and easy to work with. But when I first saw the gallery of images I just plummeted into bummed out mode….

I sat with this for hours & then slept on it… fell asleep promising to whip myself into shape with more gym sessions and less food…. blimmin Gen X traits coming through… maybe all Gens to be honest.
But as a Gen Xer I can’t help but think how incredibly toxic the media was when we were impressionable teens & early 20s…. Friends stars with unfathomably skinny arms, Paris Hilton etc etc… Think about it.
Unobtainable for most!
Yes I have made Jennifer Aniston’s famous f**king salad! rolls eyes

Anyway, a whole 24 hours after initially looking at the shots, I went through them again and chose my faves. The ones I like the most are of me smiling/laughing and some of me simply looking away. The laughing & smiling ones make me forget about the physical aspects, and I actually found myself smiling back at myself. >>> Job done! <<<
That is exactly the experience I want my potential clients to have when they’re looking at the shots!

Also, I simply got used to SEEING myself.

It’s quite strange to sit & stare at a “frozen” version of yourself…..
It’s not how we’re perceived in real life. In reality we are moving, emotional, energetic, and UNIQUE.
And guess what, I now want to do more photo shoots…. 👌🏻

I believe we all have a responsibility to show up! My age group are an incredible bunch of womxn doing all kinds of amazing things.

We have stuff to say and stuff to do……………………Let your light ✨SHINE✨.

Who am I?
I am Nykie, one of the SheShoots Photographers.
Who shot me? Helen of course… my trusty side kick.

Who am I like? Probably a lot like you…. You’re probably navigating the road of aging and changing and trying your best to roll with the punches.

Much love to you my fellow wrinkly one ❤
xxxx Nyk

ps- yes I went to the gym, but as always my emphasis is on strength :)

Me contemplating a world where older women show up…. more often… and are CELEBRATED….and more BAD-ASS.

Shot by Helen - SheShoots

Me having a whole load of fun on the shoot…. If you’re having fun, your images will translate so much more. You don’t have to be in a bath with balls either! Even our more corporate shoots are fun… There’s always time for a laugh & some banter!

Shot by Helen - SheShoots

If you’re feeling apprehensive about a shoot… chat to us about your business and we can generate some creative ways to get your shots done without you needing to be a model ❤✨

Aging ain't fun at all… BUT SHOW UP!

From Face-lift Tags to Frown-lines 👌🏻