Grinkie Files: Lisa

I can’t believe this was just her first shoot!

I had such a great time recently working with Lisa.  I knew I was going to love her from our first phone call and she did not disappoint.  She came in ready to love herself and wanting to do something special for her guy and knocked it out of the park.  Please duplicate her and let me fill all my days with fun people like Lisa.

After her shoot she took the time to answer a couple questions for me: 

What are the three most important things in your life? To have my Cinderella day, to feel free and laugh! To experience new things and be comfortable about my body

What lights you up? Feeling beautiful inside and out!!

What is something People don't know about you? My rough up bringing and how I myself have overcome it!!

What motivated you to come in for a session? To do this fun experience for my husband’s Birthday gift

Guest Blogger: Katie

The beginning of 2019 Didn’t start off well.  I had started a new job after being laid off for a year that I didn’t particularly like. I was experiencing severe depression; my anxiety was through the roof.  Being a Type I diabetic, the added stress only complicated things even more.  I was not in a good place.  My work suffered, my health suffered, but most of all my relationship with my daughter suffered.  I resigned from my job after a month as it wasn’t the right fit, and my mental health declined. One day my daughter L, asked me if she could try going to my sister and brother in law’s. I didn’t realize she was asking to stay with them for a while. Moving in with them became what I thought was a temporary thing until I got better. What I understood was only to be temporary; one month turned into three.  Three into six.  L refused to see me, and my sister wasn’t encouraging her to do so.  I finally saw my daughter after my mother arranged for a covert dinner with both of us six months after L asked to leave.  I began seeing L every couple of weeks, which then turned into once a week.  We started talking on the phone, texting.  COVID happened and we didn’t get to see each other for a few months until she needed me.  My sister called one day and said she thought I might need to come and pick L up.  L came to spend the weekend with me.  The weekend turned into a month.  A month of going to a friend’s camper, watching stranger things, a trip to South Dakota, and then a special bonding moment.

I wanted to do a special mother-daughter bonding activity given the year that L and I had.  I have been a fan of Christi’s Grinkie Girls Facebook page and have always admired her work.  I talked with Christi about doing a mother-daughter photoshoot, I wanted to do a pin-up look, while my daughter was more of an edgy punk kind of girl. What a blast L and I had! Christi and Lela were so great.  The ideas and suggestions they came up with… phenomenal! The look on L’s face when she saw the pictures of herself was priceless and worth so much more than what I paid for our experience at Grinkie Girls.  The confidence in L when she saw herself.  She was edgy.  She was punk.  She was my wonderfully weird daughter. My pictures were just as gorgeous. I loved the confidence they gave me as well. I highly recommend this experience for mothers and daughters, sisters, friends. It was such a great feeling laughing and smiling and loving with my daughter on that magical Thursday.  All of our pictures were outstanding, but if I have to choose, my favorite picture is one of the two of us laughing.  Those are true authentic laughs.  Living with a 15-year-old, those are hard to come by these days.  Thank you, Christi, for capturing this one.  This one will go down in the books.      

Kayla Writes About the Photo shoot with Molly Schuyler; Competitive Eater

Did I tell you about the time I did a pin-up shoot with a world-famous competitive eater?

That’s a sentence not a lot of people can type.  

Here’s the backstory. I spent eight years of my career executive producing a talk show in Omaha, Nebraska.  When you schedule 30 fascinating people for interviews each week, you make some fun friends, like musicians and artists, businesses owner, community advocates, comedians, and yes, competitive eaters.

Molly Schuyler is the competitive eater I’m referring to here. If you’re not familiar with her work, you should really check out her YouTube channel. She lived in the area for a few years and made a few appearances on my show, The Morning Blend. And we just clicked.  After I did my first photoshoot, Molly saw the pictures and fell in love.  

“I want to do that!” she said.

“I want to do that again!” I said.

So we discussed driving out to Minneapolis to see Christi in the studio. And as our wheels turned, we came up with a better idea.  Why not do the shoot at the place where Molly first discovered her talent as a competitive eater, Stella’s Bar and Grill in Bellevue, Nebraska?

Why NOT do an eating challenge and a photoshoot at the same time? 

Stella’s is known for the Stellanator: Six burger patties, six fried eggs, six slices of cheese, 12 strips of bacon, lettuce, tomato, fried onions, pickles, jalapenos, the bun AND an order of fries. Because burgers are better with fries. It was the first challenge Molly ever completed AND she’s the current record holder. She took down all that food in three minutes, 40 seconds. One of her favorite things about this challenge: it’s delicious. In case you’re wondering, all challenge winners get a T-shirt and a spot on the wall of fame and a free meal. Losers pay $35. 

So when I reached out to Christi about setting up a shoot for Molly, we decided a simultaneous food challenge pin-up shoot made sense.

A local TV station came. We broadcast live Facebook video of Molly eating, dressed in a red polka dot dress and heels. She was fierce and feminine! Christi snapped away while Molly adjusted her poses. We weren’t shooting for a time record on the burger, but she STILL took it down in less than ten minutes. Looking like a tattooed, pierced, carnivorous ANGEL! 

I’ve watched about ten of my friends transformed into pin-up goddesses through this process.  Seeing someone who you care about viewing their amazing pictures—now that’s special.  There was the burger eating pictures, which were epic! But there were also some traditional pin-up poses. And Molly rocked them ALL! When you’re a woman known for eating massive amounts of food quickly, let’s be honest. The internet isn’t always kind. The internet can suck it. Because frame after frame, these pictures showed the Molly I know best. Beautiful and BADASS.

Now the funny side story. Not only had Christi heard of Molly, but it turns out Christi’s husband is kind of a fanboy. So that gave Christi a chance to take some super fun “girl fight” pictures with Molly as well.

So the winter pin-up shoot in a Nebraska diner with a woman who can eat THREE 72-ounce steaks in 20 minutes? It happened. And I have the pictures to prove it. 

What's in my bag

This one goes out to the photographers and gearheads.  A tour of my gear bag!  My camera's and lenses for your perusal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyGGOqlhbJ8&t=10s

Guest Blogger: Paige

As a person who has been struggling with depressive episodes and emotion-regulation since the wee age of eight, self-isolating in the name of public health has been intense. While I value my mental health and social life, I feel a strong duty to preserve peoples’ safety. That sense of duty has led me to pursue a master’s degree in public health, starting this coming fall (for which I’m SO excited). However, when applying for a graduate program in public health, I didn’t think I would end up experiencing the first pandemic in a century. The COVID-19 crisis has proven to offer a few more personal challenges than, say, your typical Mercury-in-Retrograde; and like so many people during this pandemic, I’ve found myself struggling to do basic self-care, as I have been busy ruminating on the newest bad news every day. So when my best friend tagged me in a Grinkie Girls’ social media post for a model call, I contacted Christi immediately. I was both familiar with Christi’s glamorous pinup photography and Lela Wright’s makeup and hair magic. I sent the email, and crossed my fingers in hopes that I would soon have an afternoon carved out of my schedule to look and feel like a sex goddess.

I truly don’t think anything rejuvenates the spirit so much as dressing up to the nines (or dressing down, *wink wink*). Nothing brings me joy quite like getting fancy, except maybe singing as loudly as possible to the radio in my car. Luckily, Christi invited me to come play dress-up with her, and for a month I sat eagerly waiting. And then, as Murphy’s Law dictates, I started PMSing right before my shoot. I desperately moisturized to alleviate the acne and stress-eczema all over my face, to no avail. The day of the shoot, I felt about the human equivalent of soggy bread. I thought there was no way I was going to feel pretty, let alone sexy or empowered, or do Christi’s gorgeous studio space justice. But I packed my duffel bag full of lingerie and my old prom dress, and hoped for the best. I really got so much more than I was expecting. Not only did Lela paint my face to the gods, Christi immediately made me feel welcome and comfortable. I wiggled into my prom dress, and they pinned a gorgeous floral headdress into my hair. I was a woman transformed, metamorphosed into a beauty from an Alphonse Mucha painting. And this was all before Christi took pictures of me in my underwear. She pumped up the 90’s slow jams and we laughed the whole shoot. Needless to say, my afternoon was a pick-me-up well worth the wait.

Guest Blogger: Kayla

I’ve seen this meme more than once since the COVID-19 pandemic started. And boy can I relate. Life since March has been a haze of wine, cheese, takeout, Zoom meetings, attempting (poorly) to home school and mourning every last moment that was supposed to be special over the past five months.

In March I had plans to take my sons on a road trip to visit friends in the Chicago area. COVID canceled that trip. I turned on my phone on St. Patrick’s Day to record a green beer post on my Facebook page, thinking it would be interesting to look back on the year that St. Patrick’s Day was cancelled.

And then it was all cancelled. Concerts. School. Sports. SUMMER. Everything. All those fun things my oldest was supposed to do to end elementary school. A ballroom dancing performance that all fifth grade students do. Picking which famous person to dress up as to do a “Wax Museum” performance. And all the road trips and zoo trips and birthday parties and baseball games and vacations that should have marked memories of 2020.

I’m not the only person who has taken this hard. The pandemic pity party is universal. And like so many of my family and friends, I needed something to look forward to. That’s when I saw Christi post a beautiful picture of a floral headpiece and say she was looking for models for a free shoot (!!!) so she could try it out. (You should follow her on social media. She does this a lot with new backgrounds and sets and props and other fun stuff!).

I’ve had the honor of shooting with Christi twice before. Both time here in Omaha and both as part of pinup parties. I LOVED the experience. Watching my friends transformed into vintage pinup sirens! Seeing their confidence build every time Christi shared a gorgeous image from her camera screen. It was empowering to see everyone cheering each other on. And the way I felt. Like I was a glamourous Hollywood movie star! So when I saw that post looking for models, I knew how badly I needed that experience again. A chance to break the pandemic fog.

Two points I want to make here. First of all, everyone has to decide what behaviors and activities are comfortable and safe for them in the COVID era. Personally, I was at ease making the six-hour drive to the Twin Cities, knowing I would keep stops to a minimum, mask at every stop and practice rigid sanitary measures. And secondly I felt VERY safe in studio with Christi and stylist Lela Wright. I have never had my make-up done by someone in a face shield before. I highly recommend it, because nobody had to deal with my coffee breath! It was obviously the studio is impeccably clean. And the space is HUGE. No problem keeping that six-foot window of space. Also just being able to look through all the clothes and shoes. It was the “kid in candy store” moment I’d been craving since COVID kicked us all in the throat a few months back.

The shoot itself was amazing. The gorgeous and feminine flowers. The chance to step back in time on the diner set. Christi’s dedication in making my favorite color (yellow!) the centerpiece in several shots. I made a point of having a picture done in my favorite lemon-print mask. That picture will take me back to this moment in time. When I felt helpless, but in control for that special weekend.

The haze of stress and uncertainly and bad food choices hasn’t left me the best version of myself these days. I feel the “chubby” part of that opening meme and I know I’m not the only one rocking a quaran- TEN right now. I knew that Christi would make me feel comfortable in my skin. The 2020 version of me is a little different. But she’s still me and she’s still pretty great. This pandemic has taken a lot away. But not everything. Not confidence or beauty or kindness. Or FUN. I’m so glad I got to accept my renaissance floral crown and take that moment to star in my own work of art.

How to Take a Good Selfie: 10 Pro Photography Tips

The next guest blogger is fellow photographer John Bennet. John is a photographer & a part-time author of the Lensespro blog. He has been a professional photographer for over six years, and he has great knowledge & passion for camera lenses.

Selfies have become increasingly popular with the advent of smartphones with high tech front-facing cameras and social networks. I love selfies. I can crop them out to make new avatars for both Instagram and LinkedIn. 

I can also get quite creative while doing different activities and take pictures of it, even when I'm not around my friends. Want to learn how to make more creative selfies? 

Check the info below, and you'll be on your way to becoming a selfie master!

#1 Take it out in nature

As winter gave place to the summer, it is time to take your phone out! Some of the best selfies you can make are those made outdoors, especially somewhere with beautiful and clear water and/or green leaves. 

Parks and lakes would be my choice, especially since we all have at least one of those places in the vicinity. If you have a selfie stick, you can squeeze in more of the scene into the lens. Still, even if you work without one, you can flip your phone horizontally to fit the greenery and waterfalls behind you.

Pro tip: when taking photos while out nature, try to make them in the early morning or late afternoon. You'll be able to maximize the effects of dawn and sunset colors and to avoid exposure to direct sunlight.

#2 Experiment with the background and blur 

One of the easiest and most effective ways to make a good selfie even in boring places is experimenting with backgrounds. Position yourself in front of some source of colorful lighting or contrasty walls (bridge poles, lamp posts, and lanterns seem to work fine, so do billboards) and utilize their lighting as your background. 

In this way, you'll be able to pull off some mysterious vibes even if your background is, in reality, quite plain. The plus note here is that you can do it during the day if you choose some flowers as a background and in the night if you decide to go with the artificial light. 

Use your phone portrait mode if you have one to achieve the depth of field, or try to position the sensor closer to your face so that you can blur the background automatically. 

#3 Clothes matter more than you think

Even though you don't have to show your Gucci shirts and belts off, appealing clothes can actually turn an ordinary-looking selfie into a great one.

If you just bought some nice hoodie or a summer hat, put it on and set your camera to you to focus on it. If your shirt has a funny logo or a sign, focus your camera on it and let your friends read it off your Instagram feed. 

One of the best ways to get people to love your new outfit is to pose in front of a full-size mirror. That way, you can use your back camera to snap it into the mirror to get higher resolution photos and to showcase your new jeans and coat at the same time. 

#4 Think outside the box – a different perspective

Instead of putting your hands in front of your face and smiling (or frowning if that's what you like), spice it up slightly from different angles. Use your phone's camera timer option to get the most out of it.

 Place the phone somewhere below you to get exciting upshots or put it somewhere above you for the different pose. With the same timer, spread your arms, smile, and take the photo of your face and arms spread in a wide arc with a smile. 

Want to take a boomerang video of you crunching or doing a push-up? The timer is a way to go, and it is way more engaging than the plain gym bag selfie.

#5 Lighting is more important than you might think!

Ask any pro photographer or even a photo enthusiast, and they will tell you right off the bat – lighting is what makes or breaks a good shot. The first and foremost – avoid direct light beaming to your face like a plague! 

Although it can cause problems if it is too strong, the light positioned behind you can be your friend if you can tweak angles to get a good photo by using a shadow game. But overall, the best bet is to ensure the conditions of good light that is not just hitting you directly. 

Rooms with ambient light or places outdoors in the morning or late evening can be your ace if you want to master the craft of good selfies. Try going out in the early morning or late evening. Or just turn those granma's old lamps with red and orange flares on, sit between the shadows and take your creative imagination out!

#6 Try out many poses

Practice makes perfect in everything, and photography ain't different. Of course, some photography gurus will tell you that you should take up all of your time in thinking and taking that one perfect shot, and there's nothing wrong with that. 

With selfies, especially with your phone, you don't have to worry about battery autonomy or the shutter count. You can turn the burst mode on and try out a dozen smiling faces and then a dozen of frowned ones. 

Then you can sit down and take five shots while drinking coffee, and then you can lie down and take a photo of only half of your face, while the other is deep in the pillow. People who love taking selfies like to play around with their phones, and that's cool because you can see for yourself what kind of poses suit you. The best thing of all – you can combine this advice with all others from the list for the best result.

 #7 Follow the rules of thirds 

Rules of thirds is an important rule to get your composition right. The guideline proposes that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines. 

Those essential compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections. With that in mind, try to position yourself in the middle of the photo for the best results. Yes, this advice sounds intuitive, but there's more.

 Utilize it with colorful backgrounds and props you'll throw in two other thirds of the screen to achieve the symmetry and details that will be a plus next to you in the photo. This will add richness if you, for example, take a picture in the library with bookshelves equally positioned on your sides. 

#8 Water is your best friend in many ways

Whether it's summer or winter, water can be your best friend. Have you ever tried taking a photo with the raindrops on the glass behind you? Try it! It will be a great reflection photo, especially on the cloudy day! 

Taking about nature, go outside, sit on a bench next to the lake and snap some photos.  Another cool way to get a good selfie is to immerse yourself in the water and take a picture while swimming. For this, you will need either a GoPro or phone that meets the IP68 standard, so take notice not to damage your gear. 

You can experiment with underwater selfies this way. If higher altitudes are more of your thing, climb a summit that overlooks the river or lake and snap some selfies with your hand or selfie stick above your head. Clouds and reflections will be amazing!

#9 Engage in fun activities while taking selfies

Ever been doing something interesting and felt the urge to share it right away? With the advent of smartphones, that became possible. And if you want to stand out with your selfies, make sure they're engaging and fun to look at.

 If you're taking your dog for a walk, post a selfie of you and him taking a stroll down the alley. You can also share the short Snapchat or Instagram story where you're reading a new exciting novel. 

When you're drawing a sketch, utilize multiple options for sharing the process from beginning to end. This way, your followers will be able to see you in all stages of the creative process. 

#10 Crop in to put the focus on your face

Sometimes you don't want to have a messy background, but to put an accent on yourself (perhaps if you've just bought a new set of makeup). The problem with this is that the background will take attention away from you. One way to reduce is to crop your face in the shot.

Pro Tip of the day is – keep your phone close to your face so you can emphasize your look. If you think this will actually make your nose bigger and eyes smaller, don't worry, I got you covered! Zoom in on your phone just a notch and move the camera further away from your face.

So, there you have it. I hope these ten tips will elevate your selfie game to a whole new level and that your friends feed will be filled with great and creative selfies you've managed to pull off!

Guest Blogger: Deb

What do you see in the mirror?   What do you see reflected back to you from your loved one’s eyes?

Has trauma changed that and you don’t know how to fix that? Or maybe even that it is broken? This beautiful pink slip nightgown.  This is what changed my view of myself.

Well, that and the magical gifts of Lela Wrights’ superpower of transformation and Christi Williams’ eye behind the lens.

You see, I have survived and healed from sexual trauma and objectification for 50 years; from the time I was 16 years old to just three years ago. I even endured nine months of intense weekly EMDR therapy to heal deep scars retriggered by PTSD of my assault and all the unhealed wounds that oozed pain and suffering born from that.  I am 68 years old.  I have never viewed myself as beautiful, or attractive.  Now, I know that others have viewed me as attractive because I have been the recipient of much-unwanted desire all my adult life.  The desire that is selfish.  The desire that is self-gratifying. The desire that seeks control.  The desire of ownership that displays the object of desire so others will desire what they can’t have.

It messes with your head.  It messes with your self-worth.  It messes with your boundaries.  It messes with your choices.  It shatters your reflection in the mirror.

Two months ago, I looked at a series of photographs of me wearing that pink slip nightgown and finally saw myself through my husband’s eyes.  It brought tears of wonder and awakening and understanding.

Because when I looked at that photo I saw a beautiful sexy woman who happened to be me.

And I saw the ‘me’ that my husband saw.

That nightgown was my birthday present from him last October. He specifically chose it for me. He went to the mall, found the lingerie store, selected this single piece of lingerie and then carried that little pretty pink bag in his big hands hanging from his long arms around the mall with him.  He is a big man.  A manly man. I can imagine how he looked. It makes me smile. He chose that gown because I can assume, he thought it was sexy, and he thought it would look sexy on me.  He thinks I am sexy.  When I opened it I was so surprised by his choice.  When I put it on that night, I didn’t feel sexy, but I loved that he thought I did.  And that was the case every time he asked me to wear it.  I trusted his feelings, but I never felt his feelings.

I told this story to my therapist.  She knows my deepest secrets.  She knows that survivors of sexual assault have wounded souls who diminish their own self-worth.  She knows that she can heal the mind, heal the memory, guide the behaviors and choices to healthy and loving ones, but she is helpless to heal the heart until the survivor joins the head-healing to the heart-healing.  She knows the disconnect between what the survivor sees in the mirror and what is real.  She said she wishes she could write a prescription for a boudoir photoshoot for all her patients healing from sexual trauma.

My husband started this healing the day I met him by respecting me, by setting boundaries for himself and ultimately me, and by being open to tell me and show me his desire.  My therapist listened to my fears about loving him, helped me self-check myself during our 3 years of dating and reassured me it was okay to love him, trust him and ultimately marry him.   I was happy.  We married on May 19, 2019.

I didn’t realize I was not yet whole.  Because being fragmented was my normal.

And then came Grinkie Photography.  And then came Lela Wright.  And then came Christi Williams.

And then came a photoshoot in a beautiful, safe studio in January 2020. 

And then came those pictures.

I brought along the pink slip nightgown because I simply wanted to honor my husband, even though I had no intention of wearing it … you know why ... I didn’t look sexy in it. I had an idea of just having it draped on the floor or sofa or something with me next to it covered in something else.

But Christi had different ideas.  And Christi is a natural at weaving safety and sexy together. 

The photoshoot was over and I sat on the couch next to Christi to view my photos.  I love words, but I can’t find the words to express the overwhelming emotion of seeing myself as beautiful and desirable for the first time in my life.  Not seeing myself as desirable to someone else.  Just simply seeing myself as desirable.  Period.  Even now, two months later, I get a lump in my throat remembering. 

The photoshoot was a gift for my husband’s 60th birthday.  He did not know I was doing it.  It would be a surprise. 

There were two surprises.  His.  And mine.

The end of the story is this:   My husband is in love with my pictures.  In love with them.  The wall photo of me in the pink nightgown is hung at eye level when he is laying down by his nightstand.  He says he sleeps between his lovee and his smoochee now.  And when I look at that picture of me, I ‘feel’ what he means. 

The extra gift that comes from those photos?  Use your imagination.

Guest Blogger: Mischa

In 2014, my grandma died and I inherited a little bit of money from her estate. I’d been unemployed off and on for about half of the previous four-ish years, so my plan was to use the money to pay down my credit card debt.

My mom vehemently disagreed with that. Sure, she said, I should do that with most of it but I had to spend at least a little bit on myself. "Do something fun with it!", she said. I bought myself a new entertainment center and a smart DVD player so I could stream things on my TV. My mom was not satisfied with this because "those were things you needed".

I pondered for a little bit. Something that would be fun? Something that would be just for me? I've gotta admit, after being in scrimping and denying myself mode for so long it was really hard to come up with anything.

When I was a teenager (in the 90s), Glamour Shots were very popular but we didn’t have the money for them. The only professional photographs I had of myself were my yearbook and school dance pictures. Maybe a couple from friend's weddings but I wasn't the focus in those photos. I had candid and other random photos but I never felt like I looked my best in them. Some were cute, some were awful, but mostly they were all just ok. I didn’t feel like I looked good in them. I figured I was just one of those people who wasn't very photogenic.

There’s a quote from When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger that I have always liked, "I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked awful, but I always look awful in the mirror. I keep myself going with the firm belief that my real face is much better looking." I thought maybe there was some alchemy to a good picture that I didn’t know but maybe hair and makeup done by someone other than myself would get me a good portion of the way there. I also think that posing your subject is a bit of an art that wasn’t really practiced by the school photographers I’d interacted with.

I had been looking into pin-up art/photographs off and on for quite a few years but it was a pipe dream. I knew I’d never been able to afford a photoshoot so I placed it in a not-for-me box in my head. I hadn’t even considered using my inheritance on it until my mom started challenging me to do something just for me. I had a major birthday (40!) coming up and so I rationalized it as my birthday present to myself.

I did a search and looked at a few of the photographers in the Minneapolis area and while a lot of them looked like fun and seemed reasonable as far as prices went, I found myself put-off with how the pin-up/boudoir shoots on their web site were marketed as being for a husband/boyfriend. That was one of the things that initially drew me to Grinkie Girls. Christi billed her shoots as empowering for the person doing them first and possible presents to wow your honey with a second.

I made an appointment. My private pin-up photo shoot to celebrate my 40th birthday was scheduled for July 30, 2015. When I talked to my mom on the 19th of July we talked a little about how exciting it was and how she couldn’t wait to see the pictures. She was very enthusiastic about the idea. I thought about how cool it might be to do a shoot sometime when she visited MN from TX if I decided that the shoot was worth it and fun.

On July 29th, I got a call around 2am. I’d been sort of expecting a call from my mom because one of my cousins was in the hospital dying of cancer. I didn’t catch it before it went to voice mail so I called my mom back. My stepdad answered. My mom had had a heart attack and died just an hour or so ago.

So instead of being pampered and having my photo taken, I spend July 30th traveling down to TX for my mom’s funeral. And then I went to TX again for my cousin’s funeral just a couple of weeks later. Christi had said to just contact her when I had dates in mind so I waited a bit and then rescheduled for September.

Honestly, it was awesome. I was still a little raw emotionally but Christi and Annie (who did hair and makeup) were both wonderful and got me through the day. My mom would have loved the pictures I got. At that time, one of the things you got with the photo shoot was a little accordion booklet with all your photos in it. I carried mine around in my purse/pocket for months and showed it to everyone I thought might have a passing interest in seeing pretty pictures of me. When a friend saw it he noted that while he thought the pictures themselves were very good, what he was mostly struck by was that he felt like Christi really captured me - my personality, who I am - and that wasn't something he saw all the time.

I discovered that for me at least, doing these photoshoots with Christi is as addictive as getting tattoos is for some people. Since that first shoot in 2015, I’ve signed up for a mini-shoot at least once a year (twice in 2019!). And I’ve already scheduled my private 2020 45th Birthday Shoot.

While I couldn't say that pin-up changed my life, it has changed things for me a little. I don't wear makeup or elaborate hair in my everyday life, but the dress collection in my wardrobe has gotten significantly bigger (and I actually wear them!). I've used vintage styles as an inspiration for cosplay for a local science fiction convention. I've gotten out of my comfort zone, met new people, made some friends and had a lot of fun. I'm really looking forward to seeing where it takes me.

Guest Blogger: Cindy Stoffregen

I'm a "lean in" kind of gal, so the idea of turning 50 never bothered me.  And I'm sentimental and I love pictures, so photographic evidence of being 50 really appeals to me. 

A dear friend did a Grinkie Girls photo shoot several years ago and I just knew that's what I wanted to do to commemorate the Big 5-0.  My best friends of 30+ years also have the big milestone birthday this year, so we agreed that this is what we would do to mark the occasion.  While this definitely would have been a fun thing to do solo, it was an absolute blast to do it with these girls! 

We helped each other with outfit selection, and we had fun getting "made up" together.  But the real magic of the day was sharing it with these lifelong friends because they laugh with/at me, they see me through different eyes and think great things of me that I really don't see in myself, and because I trust them to tell me when to push my boundaries.  So don't be afraid of the milestones.  Grab your besties, find some silly glasses, and just lean in.  

Guest Blogger: Nancy Dowd

What can I say about Christi and Grinkie Photography?

My daughters, Krista and Jennifer, and I have all had the opportunity to have Christi take our photos. The results are beautiful, and the sessions are fun and creative thanks to Christi and her stylist, Lela.

My girls are beautiful and are the joy of my life. I enjoy spending as much time with them as possible. To make that happen, I moved from Texas to Minnesota. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is. We have a great family.

I knew after we each had our own sessions with Christi that I wanted her to do a family shoot with all of us, including my beautiful granddaughter, Vivian.

You see, Vivian was my 60th birthday present and she turned 6 this year. I wanted to capture all of us in a special way that shows all our love. Our day-long session was exhausting, but the pictures are amazing. Vivian had a blast trying on the outfits with high heel shoes and vintage earrings. I was reminded of my childhood playing dress-up with my mother’s clothes, shoes, and jewelry.

Guest Blogger: Sarah Hamann

From Broken to Bombshell

a woman's journey to loving her body

This is a story about overcoming a lot of life plot twists to become a big, sexy, sassy woman. No, this is not about Lizzo, but she has had a lot of influence on the shift in my attitude in the last year. Here is my story. 

I first heard about Grinkie photography over 6 years ago when my friend Kate did a pinup shoot. I hadn't ever really thought about doing something like that because I was "not photogenic". I am overweight and always have been. I'm also a 6 foot tall woman. I was bullied about my size in high school and have struggled with body image ever since. 

But when I saw a post about the opportunity to do a pinup shoot with classic cars, I had to do it! I was nervous and felt awkward, but Christi was amazing and we got some awesome shots! Admittedly, while the pictures were beautiful, I still looked at them with the lens of "what I need to work on" - my arms were too fat. My chin stuck out too much. I needed to lose weight. Now that I knew it wasn't scary and with Christi and her glam squad, I couldn't screw it up - so I'd lose the weight and do another shoot!

Well, life tends to happen while you're busy making plans. My husband and I ended up pregnant later that year, and since we hadn't planned on children, this life change was really hard on both of us. Growing a human tends to do a number on a woman's body and hormones, and this one was no different. I gained weight. I wasn't prepared to be a parent. Self-care went out the door for about 2 years. Our marriage suffered. It took about 2 1/2 years to get back to the gym and in the first year, I lost 30 pounds and was feeling great! 

Then...I got a moderate/severe case of C-diff that held on for almost a full year. In addition to gaining back those 30 pounds, this disease changed my body chemistry. I have spent the last 2 years trying to figure out my new body. I work out regularly, I eat healthy, but I haven't solved the mystery of weight loss. I spiraled into a pool of frustration, anger and depression.  

Last October, I turned 39 and I have a 5 year old. As my daughter gets older and is looking to me for an example, this is not what I want her to see. I have been focused on trying to model healthy eating habits and bringing her to the gym with me. She sees me striving to be strong and healthy, but I want her to know that I am happy and really love my whole self - Lizzo-level love! I can't honestly say that I loved my body, or that I feel beautiful or sexy - well, ever.    

I needed to own my journey and learn to embrace and love my body as it is now - a beautiful, life-producing work in progress! I knew I needed something to make me feel beautiful - or at least comfortable in my own skin. I had seen Christi's boudoir pictures for the last several years, and I thought those women were beautiful and so brave to be photographed wearing so little! I thought it would be so cool to do a boudoir shoot, but my brain couldn't wrap my head around it because I was not sexy, not skinny, too tall, too pasty, too awkward......and then I told that voice in my head to shut up because I was going to do this.  

So, I did. Christi and Lela made it easy to be comfortable throughout the entire experience. Lela is a GENIUS with hair and makeup - when she turned the phone around after taking an "after" shot, I was shocked. I looked amazing!! Christi made it so easy to be wearing lingerie and she knew exactly which posed and angles would work the best, and somehow, without really even trying, I looked HOT! I looked sexy! I felt beautiful in a way that I don't think I've ever felt. 

It blows my mind that I had a hard time narrowing down the number of pictures that I wanted to keep - I would have liked to keep them all!! While I'm not quite at self-love level: Lizzo, I am on my way. And, now, I will have a reminder to hang on my mirror that I am beautiful, no matter what. 

Want to learn more? Join our Facebook boudoir community here.

Guest Blogger: Candace Michelle, Editor-in-Chief of Black Pinups

“Please welcome our guest blogger, the fabulous Candace Michelle. Get to know Candace and visit BlackPinups.net to learn more about her passion.”

— Christi

Why I Created Black Pinups

What is a “pinup”? A pinup is a picture of a model or celebrity that is “pinned up” on a wall of their fans. This has been going on since the early days of print publications and entertainment. But it gained more traction in the 1940’s particularly with actress Betty Grable who was “America’s pinup”. Many “pinups” were to follow; Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, Jayne Mansfield, and the Queen of Pinups, Bettie Page who was more of a pinup in the sense that she wasn’t a singer, dancer, or actress, just a model, a pinup model.

When people think of old Hollywood and the word pinup it is of the aforementioned actresses and model that are thought of. But what about a black pinup? Who was a famous black pinup? Were there any black pinups? Did black pinups even exist due to racism? Well, yes! Due to racism many cultures had their own magazines, their own clubs, movie stars, models, etc. The three most famous black pinups known are Josephine Baker, Dorothy Dandridge, and Eartha Kitt. Josephine Baker was the first major black superstar, she was a singer, dancer, actress, humanitarian, activist, feminist, and Nazi spy. Dorothy Dandridge who was famously married to Harold Nicholas of the famous tap-dancing duo, The Nicholas Brothers got her big break as Carmen in Carmen Jones, she was nominated for Best Actress, the first Black actor to be nominated in a leading category. Eartha Kitt who was a singer and dancer and is most known for her role as Catwoman in the 1960’s TV series, Batman was a famous pinup due to her sexy costume, and perfect purr as the nemesis of Batman. Her costume is still a go to in today’s time.

So now that you have an idea of what pinups are and who were famous pinups of the years gone by onto why I created Black Pinups. Due to the lack of seeing black pinups of the golden age of Hollywood or black pinups in general including black celebrities not recreating the pinup look I noticed the absence of it. When the female celebrities like Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera, Katy Perry, and even J.Lo recreated their looks to be pinup, there were none to be found of black female celebrities unless it was a for movie role. I always thought it strange and why this look wasn’t recreated if only for a short time (like how Christina Aguilera did an album and era as a 1940’s pinup). Halle Berry played Dorothy Dandridge in her biopic, Beyonce’ and Jennifer Hudson only did a few vintage photos because of their roles in Dream Girls. But none were for a period of time or widely shown at the time I created Black Pinups. I would go to car shows in California only to be the only black pinup there. I felt completely alone and that no one understood me. I loved my classic movies and would dress vintage going to vintage events but felt alone not seeing anyone that looked like me. Was there a black pinup out there? Someone that lived and dressed vintage? Someone that loved Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe as much as I did? I didn’t see any of that, so I changed it.

On January 12, 2012 in the library of Art Institute of Hollywood, I created Black Pinup Models on Facebook. I looked up old black pinups and of course the first ones I saw were Dorothy Dandridge and Josephine Baker, but they were actresses not models, I came across Madeline “Sahji” Jackson who was an exotic dancer and was stunningly beautiful at that. And then I came across, Angelique Noire. She was stunning! She was a beautiful tall brown skinned model, who dressed vintage, she was a pinup model! Even though she is a model and has been cast in music videos and commercials as well as being featured on the runway, she also did pinup! And it was there that through her connections I saw more black pinups! I saw the ladies that followed her and were friends with her and befriended them and took their pictures and posted them on Black Pinup Models. Two models became my cover models because of Angelique’s association with them; Ashleeta (March/April 2014 issue 2) and Jenny Rieu (November/December 2014 issue 6).

The page quickly grew, and I was shocked that there wasn’t a magazine for it! So, I decided to start work on a magazine and on December 30, 2013 I released Black Pinups, the first vintage modern publication of black pinups. Angelique was my first cover model. I’m amazed at the impact because I didn’t set out to be anything special, I just didn’t see anyone that looked like me and I felt alone. I felt that there wasn’t a place for me out there and in creating a place for black pinups, I have been told many times that they felt the same way I do. Black pinups from all over the world have submitted to be in my magazine and are fans of it. Fans from all over the world follow Black Pinups. These two words “representation matters” are very important to me because I didn’t see anyone like me, I felt alone and sad and wished there was someone out there that was like me. Everyone wants to see a representation of themselves out in the media whether it’s in mainstream media or social media on a platform in the entertainment industry, or any public forum whether it’s cosplay, burlesque, book nerds, activism and so on. People want to see a version of themselves out there in the open, someone that has the same interests and likes and feels welcomed. I just wanted to showcase the beauty of black women in the vintage world and because of that black pinups have come out of the woodwork to be a part of what I have created and that makes me happy because we all want to feel that we belong.

Representation matters.

Top 3 things you can do to live your best life now

We all want to live our best lives and go through our days feeling joy rather than pain, right? As true as that may be, life can throw curve balls your way, or you could have a shitty night’s sleep, which will turn the next day on its head. It’s hard to radiate all that is good when you are utterly exhausted.

Life happens. It’s true. But even as life is happening, there are ways for us to take it by the balls and show it who’s boss: you are. Here are some ways that I do to live my best life now.

1) Amplify your joy:  When people ask you how you are, you may be tempted to give them a real answer, even it’s crappy. I challenge you not to, though.  “In any given day you have moments of awesomeness as well as moments of negativity.  So, when someone asks how you are or how your day is going, challenge yourself to amplify the awesomeness rather than any irritation. Positivity is contagious  and in your answer, you may remind whomever you are talking to about something similarly joyful that happened to them. By making a conscious decision to be happy and that will make it easier to make the people around you happier too.

 2) Get out of your head: It’s no secret that many of us suffer from anxiety. I know I do, but one trick I have found to help me minimize those feelings is to try and get out of my own head.  If I am doing something nice for someone else or thinking about how I could be of service in general, I cannot get lost worrying  about if I said something wrong or am not where I should be. I use the following tricks to get out of my head; you should try them, too:

1) Try to notice something positive about one stranger and one friend today. Pay them a heartfelt and specific compliment. This could be in person or online.  Witnesses are a bonus. “I’ve always loved how you talk about your children”, “The way you’ve been styling your hair really brings out your eyes”. It’s free and it can be contagious in a good way.

2) Do something extra without expecting it to be noticed.  When you see that something needs to get done think about something nice someone has done for you and just pay it forward. No need for anyone to notice or acknowledge you doing it; just do it to add joy or reduce stress for someone else, not for the pat on the back.

3) Take a minute to breathe and count your blessings. Do your parts work? Do you have someone to love? Can you still rock your favorite socks? Think of all the people in your life that struggle in different ways than you and send good vibes, prayers, thoughts whatever you can send.  The process of sending is good for you and for them. When you are thinking of others you cannot get lost in your own thoughts.

 3) Your oxygen first

This may sound contradictory to that last one, but each tool has its turn.  You also need to take some time to do something for yourself. You work hard to care for your people, but there is that “put your oxygen mask on first” idea that if you are not at full power you cannot help others.  Think of the last time you felt amazing. Did someone compliment you? Did you accomplish something? Did you try something new? Spend time with people you care about? How did you feeling spectacular affect the other people you interacted with?  If you have a crap day or even a fine day you come home with different energy than if you had an amazing day. Think about some things that might equal an amazing day for you. Some ideas for me are 1) hiking in the woods 2) nail salon day 3) hammock & a book 4) makeover for a fancy night out 5) doing something memorable with my friends. (Did you know you can do group shoots with your best friend, mom, daughter?)  

Disregarding shameless plug, I want you all to take care of yourselves, and I would love to hear about what you do to live your best life. 

Get to know Grinkie hair and makeup artist, Lela Wright

I am fortunate to work with great clients, as well as great partners. Lela Wright is one of those great partners.

A hair and make-up artist in her own right, Lela and I began collaborating over five years ago. I love having her by my side, and if you haven’t already, I’d love for you to meet her so you can understand why I’m so happy that she’s part of the team.

Enjoy this Q & A and get to know why I simply adore this woman!

Question:  How did you and Christi begin working together? 

Answer: It all started with a photo shoot and it has evolved into both a partnership and a rather beautiful friendship. 

Question:  What do you do for the Grinkie models?

Answer: I will never forget the first time I set foot in front of the camera. I was excited—but DAMN I was nervous! My general personality is nurturing and kind, and I bring that to every photo shoot to help create an environment that is non-intimidating and fun. My job is to ease tension and encourage. My goal is for our models to feel at home and to see Christi and me not only as a professional team, but as two people who are also easy going and comfortable to be around. 

Question: What do you like best about working with Grinkie models?

Answer: I absolutely love making a difference in people’s lives and I truly believe that is what we do. We offer people the opportunity to step out of their comfort zones in a safe environment. We create an experience that is fun and nurturing. We allow people to see themselves through someone else’s eyes. 

Question: What's the most rewarding thing about working with Grinkie models?

Answer: As I mentioned previously, the most reward thing about my job is impacting people’s lives in a positive way, and I know for certain that this is true for Christi as well. I love meeting people and getting to know them and more often than not the photo session turns into a major love fest—tears, hugs and all!  

Question:  Where else do you work and what else do you do?

Answer: I stay very busy. When I’m not holding a make up brush or a curling iron, I’m teaching yoga, playing volleyball, gardening, cooking or visiting local breweries (most of these activities are done with my best friend and partner by my side!). My life revolves around my family. Both of my sons are in local bands and I get out as often as I can to support them. I also have one-year-old twins who add joy and adventure to each day! I am a big believer that life is what you make of it and the universe will always provide. I have a deep sense of gratitude for every single day and all the people in my life. It is truly a gift.  

Question: Where are you from, and what do you like best about the Twin Cities?

Answer: I am from Madison, Wisconsin. I moved to the Twin Cities with my son nearly 21 years ago! It’s hard to believe I’ve been here for that long. Minnesota is my home. There is so much to do and see here and the communities are strong. I appreciate the diversity and the culture and though I love to travel—I will never leave. I will go off and explore often, but I will always return home.

Question: Anything else you want to add? Can we get your website and social media channels and contact information?

Answer:  Though I love doing pin up/vintage/period MUAH—I also do a lot of work with brides and bridesmaids, preparing for senior photos, special events, headshots, cooperate identity photos and much, much more!  

Please feel free to connect with me on my website, getstyledbylela.com, Facebook page, Get Styled by Lela, and/or Instagram, getstyledbylela. You also can call me at 651-269-9380.

The Grinkie Mother/Daughter Experience

I’m not sure who was more excited for our “Mother and Me” photo session with Christi at Grinkie Girls, my 11-year-old daughter or me.  Although I’ve known Christi for about seven years and I’d seen lots of her photos, I truly was not sure what to expect. And my daughter, Sasha, had no idea what was in store, either.

We got to the studio a little before 4:00 pm on a Saturday looking forward to what awaited us. When we walked into the Grinkie studio, Christi met us with a warm smile and offered us some water and a tour.

Then, it was time to get down to business. We met Lela, the hair and make-up artist (and that’s truly what she is), and we started to think about our wardrobe for the shoot.

Christi has a room dedicated to vintage clothes of all sizes for most shapes, and the shoes – oh, my. Does she have shoes!

At first, I admit I wasn’t sure what to look for, but with some guidance from Christi, I was on my way. Or, actually, Sasha began taking out dresses for both her and me to try on.

Once we agreed on what we were going to wear, Lela worked her magic on us. She set my daughter’s hair, then mine. Then she did my daughter’s make-up and finished up her hair, and finally she did the same to me.

I won’t lie; it took some time. Christi says that to do one person’s hair and make-up usually takes about 60-90 minutes, and that was true for us. Times two.

But, wow. She made us both look amazing. I didn’t want my 11-year-old baby to look too grown up, and she didn’t. She looked so naturally beautiful, because she is, but in a way she hadn’t looked before because she hadn’t had her hair and make up done this way before.

And, not to brag, but I looked pretty damn good, too.

With my daughter’s hair and make-up done, it was time for her to get in front of the camera. I can’t tell you how much fun she had, and I think Christi was enjoying her time, too. From my chair, I heard lots of laughter, lots of banter back and forth, and even some suggestions from my daughter, much to Christi’s delight.

Just as Lela finished my hair and make-up, my husband and 13-year-old son arrived because we were going to toss in a couple of family snaps, too.

But before we did though, it was my turn to get in front of the camera. I’ve never been a pinup girl before and certainly never photographed as one, but Christi made it easy. Her comfort behind the camera helped me feel comfortable in front of the camera, even as my family watched from the side.

After about 15 minute of me posing, the rest of my family joined in and we took a few pictures of the four of us. By this time it was about 7:30 pm, and although my daughter could have stayed for another hour or two, I could tell my son was getting antsy.

And, just like that, we were done with the pictures. The great thing is, we got to look at every single one right then and determine which ones we wanted and which ones we didn’t. I won’t lie; it was difficult to choose because they all were really, really great. Christi guided us through this process as well, just as she had been guiding us all evening.

We settled on the ones we would keep, and then changed back into our street clothes. After saying good-bye to Christi, my family went out to dinner at a restaurant nearby. Although we were in jeans and sweatshirts, our faces and hair were still glammed up and it was a fun way to eat a burger.

Later that night, Sasha told me that her brother mentioned to her that she should be a model. “You looked really great in every picture,” he said, proudly.

She’s already thinking about our next Grinkie session, and so am I.

Go on location with Grinkie Girls

Go on location with Grinkie Girls

While it’s true Grinkie Girls has a very comfortable photo studio in St. Paul, did you know Christi can do both pin-up and boudoir photo shoots out of the studio and on location?

It’s true, and it’s a lot of fun. In fact, Christi has done photo shoots in one-stall garages, grand ballrooms, and everything in between. And what makes these on-location shoots interesting typically is the location itself.

“Either the location is interesting on it’s own, or I can bring a simple backdrop to make it so,” says Christi. “Sometimes we need to accommodate a large prop, like a plane.”

That’s right. If you have an airplane, Christi will be happy to use it as a backdrop.

Why go on location?

People choose to take their photo shoot out of the studio and on location for many reasons. Some are on location to accommodate groups, and more still are booked to incorporate a large prop or backdrop that simply cannot get inside the studio (like that plane we referenced above).

Still others choose to do a boudoir shoot in the comfort of their own home, and Christi has been known to go on location across state lines for a large group shoot.

Regardless of where the location is, you still get hair and makeup done for you (remember to ask Christi about the time she was shooting in the woods and the challenges the hair people had with the curling iron!). And, it takes about the same amount of time, so there’s no extra charge for Christi to go on location (of course, if you are renting a place out for the shoot, then that would be an extra charge you incur).

Do you have an idea for an amazing on location photo shoot? Contact Christi to discuss! And see the upcoming location shoot schedule.

Grinkie Does Pet Photography

Grinkie Does Pet Photography

Pets are people, too. OK, not really, but pets are definitely a part of the family. I, unfortunately, cannot have any pets in my home due to allergies, so I get my animal fix by working with other people and their pets.

That’s right; Grinkie does pet photography.

In fact, I love working with people and their fur-babies. There is something magical about watching a dog or a cat with his or her person. Seriously.

The unconditional love they have for their owner is so sweet and so pure. And, I love watching and capturing the love people have for their pets.

In fact, I love it so much, I want to do even more pet photography.

Animal Imagemakers Conference

You may or may not know that I am a proud board member of the Twin Cities Professional Photographer’s Association.  We are sponsoring the first pet photography convention in the U.S., the Animal Imagemakers Conference,  on April 13-16, 2019, and I am super excited!

The conference will kick off with an Haute Couture Pet Fashion Show that I am coordinating, and will continue with speakers, exhibits and other educational opportunities. The whole idea is to serve pet and animal photographers with a comprehensive event that is all about the business of photographing our four-legged friends.

I look forward to taking what I learn from the conference and applying it to help animals show their personalities in front of the camera. Because they all have personalities!

So, if you and your pet want a photo shoot by me, please let me know. I’d love you have you come in to the studio, or if it’s easier and more comfortable and convenient, I can certainly come to you. Or, we can choose a different location altogether.

Whatever works best for your and your fur-baby. Just let me know. Contact me today for details, pricing and to reserve your time!

Thank You For Your Service

Happy Birthday, America!

I read somewhere that Americans consume 150 million hot dogs and 700 million pounds of chicken on the Fourth of July. Seven. Hundred Million. Pounds.

That’s a lot.

I love the holiday that commemorates the 13 original colonies’ adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. I love the parade and fireworks that accompanies the celebrations, and I love picnics with watermelon and yes, fried chicken.

I also love veterans for many reasons, one being for all the sacrifices they give to our country. And, I really love my grandfather, who fought – and was a POW – in World War II.

He was captured in France and has many amazing stories about his time in the Air Force as well as his capture.

So it’s very important to me that I support veterans any way I can. One way I do this is by giving all veterans who come in for a pin up shoot one free image.

And, for the month of July, all veterans who come in for a solo shoot will get one free 16 x 20 photo printed on metal (valued at $499).

Are you a veteran and considering a pinup photo shoot?

Two veterans I’ve recently worked with agreed to share their stories. First, please meet Janelle, who was in the Air National Guard.

“The photo shoot with Christi was so much fun! There was swing music playing in the background (I believe it was the Squirrel Nut Zippers). I remember a huge collection of retro clothing for me to try on, and I fit into everything. I always had self-image problems, and they were all gone that day. I was fully celebrating what God gave me and it was a nice change from the regular pinch and poke at myself.

“For anyone considering a shoot, I’d say to do it. In your gear, you are hidden. You are the same as everyone else. But in this shoot you are transformed into the woman or man that you are! You are free to express yourself in any way you want. Christi is so energetic and loving, and is completely different than the officers you work under.”

And now, hear from Aimee, who was in the U.S. Air Force.

“I wanted to do a Grinkie shoot because I never really felt very girly or attractive. Also, I had just gone through a divorce and I really needed to feel like a woman again. It was so nice to be dolled up.

“I most remember how comfortable Christi made me feel. I am a very awkward person, yet she managed to get so many beautiful pictures of me.

“I did a photo in part of my military uniform for myself. I didn’t share it with anyone via social media, and I love the way I look. I want to do another shoot with her and bring in items that are significant to me, like my wings I earned as a flight attendant and probably my dog tags from the military. I know with her creativity she can find the best ways to use them.”

Thank you for your service, Janelle and Aimee, and thank you to all veterans!

If you are curious about what’s involved in a pinup shoot, give me a call. And remember, if you come in for a solo shoot in July, I’ll give you one free 16 x 20 photo printed on metal, valued at $499.

Contact me to learn more, and Happy Birthday, America!  

Identity Portraits – Creating a safe space for transgender people

So much pressure exists for each of us to fit into a certain mold. But the truth is, we are all unique and we each have our own mold to fit into. So, every day when I work with clients, my mission is to help them tap into – and feel comfortable with – their inner and outer beauty. Two recent clients made me realize just how important that mission is. Both are transgender and are transitioning – one from male to female, and the other from female to male. The experience of working with both was so powerful and fun that I realized that although they are both unique, their stories might not be. I also realized I want to help more people like Michaela and Justin confidently express just who they are though photos.

And so, the idea of Identity Portraits was born to provide a safe place for transgender and non-binary identifying people to decide how they want to present themselves to the world. I admit that working with Michaela and Justin was one of the most powerful experiences I’ve had in my professional life (with all due respect to my other clients, of course). And, based on the tears shed during each session, I think it was a pretty good experience for each of them, too.

Justin says:
“I had wanted to do a shoot like this ever since I had top surgery, and I admit that I was a bit nervous going into the shoot. But Christi made me feel at ease. “I went in knowing it would be fun, but I didn’t realize how much fun it was going to be. Christi’s passion for what she does is reflected throughout the entire experience. She captures so much beauty, her energy is infectious, and her compassion for people will leave you speechless.” He is so pleased with the end product that he is hosting a party to unveil the photos that we took that day.

Michaela says:
“I won a photo shoot from a Valentine’s Day drawing, and Christi and her team were amazing from the very start. “I had not told Christi that I was trans, but it didn’t matter. From the beginning, I was treated as me without anyone batting an eye. I felt accepted as the woman that I am. “Being the center of focus was amazing, and this photo shoot was one of the most affirming things I have ever done. I had never seen myself like I did that day, and Christi helped me realize that’s how other people see me. “It truly changed how I saw myself. When we looked at my pictures, I cried.”

What’s included?
All Identity Portraits are custom-designed for each participant. That means that participants will receive a pre-shoot consultation with me to brainstorm and discuss ideas. Hair and make-up are also included. The goal of the session, along with some quality pictures, is to ensure the participant feels like the exceptional person they are.Pricing for the shoot and any prints are at my standard rates. In addition, I have set up a private Facebook group for my Identity Portrait clients as well as others in the transgender community. I want to extend the safe place beyond my studio, and this Facebook group is an invite-only resource for discussion and questions. For more information about Identity Portraits, including the cost and how to book your appointment, please contact me directly by clicking here.