i need to express somehow the feelings that overwhelmed me as i worked on the photos from our thailand trip. i think i needed some space from it in order to look back and see what we did objectively. it was magic. pure and simple. magic. these women made it what it was. emily and i were just there, giving them ideas of what to do or where to go. THEY brought so much magic to the trip. by trusting us, giving themselves purely to us, being bright and happy and open. by taking in what they learned about us or each other. and holding it close. and now, as we remain friends, they continue to bring magic to my life.
looking through the shots i took while we were staying in krabi was just SUCH a refresher for my heart. ive been bogged down, too busy, grumpy, and stressed since summer it seems. i am stumbling right now, trying to make my life what i want it to be, trying to balance the work i have such passion for, with the family i have such passion for, and the man i have such passion for. these women may tell me that i have given them such a gift, but what they dont understand is that it was them who have given to me. being able to look into their eyes, i was able to see how they saw me, and also how i made them feel about themselves reflected back at me. in the moment, it was powerful. emotional. working on them brought it all back to me. and i didnt know how much i needed it. it was a gift to me. they are a gift to me. these girls are precious. each and every one. i never ever imagined in a million years what *I* would get out of our trip. they probably never imagined what they would give to me. but they did. they gave and gave and gave and trusted me and were just so OPEN and vulnerable. we were in this amazing little bubble. many of them were incredibly nervous about being focused on. i had talks with several of them about how i wanted them to feel about it, how i wanted them to just let go and really trust me when i said that they were beautiful. who they are is so, so very beautiful. and it doesnt even need to be me in these photos, i feel so free and so amazing from just rubbing up against them.
there is a tiny bit of skin shown below, if that makes you uncomfortable, just letting you know.
i hope they can see how they shine. how sexy, special, powerful, stunning they are. total girl power.
lastly, id like to share the email i sent them when i showed the photos to our group. take away from it whatever you need today. sometimes, it is just nice to be reminded of the truth.
“be gentle with yourselves. try and see you as i saw you. i know how hard it is to see yourself and all of your imperfections. just remember, everyone that loves you and knows you sees you just as you are every day, and they love you anyway. you need to love yourselves just as much. we are all very different, and your definition of beauty may not include yourself, but i want it to. because my definition of beauty includes you. all i see when i look at each one of you is immense stunning BEAUTY. each and every one of you is so beautiful and special to me. no matter wrinkles, size, break outs, whatever. it is what makes you YOU. full of character. lovely. unique. (tears!)
please, as you look at your photographs, remember these words. feel my love for you. be gentle. and understand most of all that no matter how much you doubt it-YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL just the way you are.
tara”
Tara, thank you, you just made me cry. These are stunning images and your words touched my heart. I think we all struggle with it and you put it in a way that truly spoke to me. Thank you
Wow!! What gorgeous and powerful photos. You captured these women beautifully. They are more spectacular than any Super Model in a magazine. You have been given a wonderful talent, thanks for sharing it with the world! Merry Christmas…you rock!
These are absolutely breathtaking… every single one. As a female photographer (and one with the body-conscious issues most of us struggle with) these photographs and words are an inspiration to me. As a woman, to be more confident in myself. And as a photographer, to prove to every one of the ladies who is brave enough to get behind my lens, how wonderful and amazing they are. Thank you so much for sharing.
such beautiful photos, such beautiful women!
thank you for sharing.
thank you for doing what you do.
thank you for being you, tara.
you rock!!!
Ohhhh I love these.. each and everyone.. you have really captured thier souls.. well well done
Each and every one of these women is absolutely stunning. Your message at the end brought me to tears and I’m not even quite sure why, just really struck a chord with me. Thank you.
Tara,
You did it again!! These images are stunning and you deserve a bravo for showing these women how gosh darn beautiful they are!
Love your blog, love your style, love your photos, love your writing.
Hoosier Love,
Gail Werner
I am crying. Such beautiful photos and a beautiful letter. These ladies are so lucky to have you in their lives. Everyone needs someone like you in their life.
Wow. Your photos are beautiful. Your words are beautiful. And you are beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever read a blog and started crying the way I did after reading this entry. Thank you.
<3 dee
these – you ladies – are all such beautiful, lovely REFLECTIONS of eachother. i see two people (and also an everywoman) in every photo . . . beauty is permission to allow others to see you as they choose. and accept that your own version is every bit as gorgeous. thank you for allowing yourself, tara, and each gorgeous lady here . . . to just. be. such emotions. thanks, you.
Today was a day I really needed to see these wonderful photos…thank you. Even though I don’t know you or these amazing gals, I GET IT. And thank you for recognizing that most women doubt themselves and for teaching us to overcome that…you are inspiring Tara, real and honest.
Sorry, I don’t think I put my name in properly. It’s the tears…I can’t see!
Gorgeous,stunning, amazing. What a gift to be seen in your most beautiful light. I am stunned and yes, jealous.
Wow.. they really are each such beautiful women! Seriously, they are each just totally uniquely stunning in their own way! The photos are awesome and truly show personality. I hope they are able to enjoy them and don’t see the photos in a critical light. I didn’t see one flaw, personally!
Amazing. Stunning. Beautiful. Thank you sooo much for sharing them.
my husband wants to give me a trip to thailand with you and emily because it just looks so magical and wonderful! these photos are stunning, these women are stunning, and you are wise to see the true beauty in all of us. thank you for this :)
these women take my breath away.
each one of them.
and your note…your beautiful note to them made tears spill.
we all need to hear these things.
love that you all experienced one another in Thailand.
xo
Merry Christmas Tara! I am so pleased you were able to feel the gift you give the world radiating back at you. I hope 2009 brings balance, love and peace.
Tara
Just from reading your blog everytime you blog I knew you were an AMAZING photographer. (what I would give to capture just some of the emotion you do.
But from the words that you wrote to your friends about these photos I can tell you are an AMAZING person as well.
I know those words are intended for these ladies but they really touched my heart.
I Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and then a trip. and mostly I I hope you have an AMAZING new year.
Anna
Tara, you don’t need me to say it, as I’m sure you know it in your heart already. But clearly you do see us (women, mothers, sisters, wives, friends) through very clear eyes. What a true blessing for us all to see through your eyes if even for a few moments a week.
Wow.
I looked at these AMAZING pictures, then read your words and thought ‘what wrinkles…what breakouts….’ I noticed none of that. (if indeed it was there to notice!) What stunning women. What a strong message about beauty, not just your words but these photos~!
p.s. I wish i had a bumcracker shot like that ;)
They are all beautiful…just like your photos. When is the next trip like this? I need some time to plan accordingly ;)
such beautiful women. they are all gorgeous and i hope they can see that when they see these photos. the one lady that really stood out to me was claire. stunning.
WOW! so I think you should come to SC so you can take pictures of me! How inspiring…
Thank you for such a perfect post right when I needed it most. I always go to my husband’s family’s holiday celebration worrying that they think I should be thinner and it ruins my night every year. Tomorrow I am going into the holiday to enjoy it with an open heart and the knowledge that being surrounded by loved ones = happiness. I may even have a piece of pie. ;)
I know why I stalk your blog on a regular basis. you inspire me. you amaze me. you intrigue me. you validate my stalking with each and every post. thank you for beautiful photos and words.
I can’t say it better than the people before me have. BEAUTIFUL photos of BEAUTIFUL women. How powerful.
You rock my world, Ms. Tara! You can really feel each individual woman’s beauty in these pictures. I absolutely adore them. Fabulous job, yet again!
Love the photos Tara…and love your philosophy of beauty. Thanks for sharing such stunning images of your trip! It looks like a trip of a lifetime! Maybe another down the road?! :)
Wow….this challenges me to endeavor to pass this message along to my girlfriends. Beautiful, touching, real, very special. Thanks for sharing.
Wow. Really stunning.
wow. this is the most beautiful and touching blog post i’ve ever seen. from anyone. these women are all stunning, and i’m so incredibly blown away by your ability to showcase the beauty in everyone. you are truly gifted.
Beautifully said Tara!
And fabulous job on the photos. Truly.
what gorgeous, exquisite, precious, beautiful, adorable, profound WOMEN.
and what gorgeous, exquisite evidence of them.
Tara~these are some of your best work yet I think. I have never met you but you make me want to finally get into some pictures & learn to like what I see. Ever coming out to PA?? I am first on the list if you are!
Oh, Tara…I am quite weepy over here. I will add my voice to the chorus of thanks for these beautiful images, amazing women, phenomenal words and spirits shared. Thank you. As a photographer and large woman who never gets in front of the lens if she can help it, who has struggled with my own body issues for a long time, thank you for celebrating the beauty in us all. At the risk of being a bit cheesy (and definitely a little mooshy), you are my hero. I hope that’s ok. :-) xoxo, Lilia.
as always, you have touched me, not just with your pictures but your words. These ladies are so very lucky to have met you.
WOW ! All these women are GORGEOUS ! They radiate !!! If you ever stop by Paris, you can come to take my pictures !!!! Thanks for sharing. I wish you a wonderful holiday. Take care.
I too had teary eyes reading your post, and I too am not sure why. You can’t read your words and see your images and not be moved by the incredible beauty of these women, and at how you’ve captured it. They are all absolutely gorgeous Tara but the 2nd color one of Clare I find particularly enchanting. You have her essence.
S x
all of these ladies are incredible, brave and absolutely beautiful…you should be so proud of yourselves and definitely…I don’t see imperfections…I see beauty…wow…how exciting for all of you to have these incredible photos of yourselves…enjoy!
wow. these are amazing. these women are gorgeous! i have a favorite one of each gal . . . but they are all incredible and so special! what a gift you gave them! wow.
Beautiful, simply beautiful. The women, the passion, the emotions, everything. Beautiful.
these are gorgeous!
please come to indiana and
do a photoshoot with me!!!!!!!!!!
Tara,
Wow! I love every single shot. I, too, wept tears as I read your beautiful message. You are an incredible person and I know first hand the incredible gift you have of bringing out the beauty in people you photograph. Thank you for your gift and sharing it with the world.
Merry Christmas!
your trip sounds like such a life changing moment. you captured a beautiful ‘realism’ in these photos. great job. i think it may be just as tough to be vulnerable behind the camera as it is in front of it. you all did that so well. excellent! take care. merry christmas.
your words along with your shots moved me, so beautiful I had tears rolling down my eyes.
thank you for such beauty.
val
breathtaking ans so so special.
Tara, you are lovely – really. What a gift your time and your perspective are to these women and to many, many more. You did a shoot for my family in October 2007 in SF. It was a big stretch for us, but it was important to me. We have enjoyed these photos on many levels, but two really stand out for me today. One is of Nathaniel – looking full into the camera, I’m holding his hand and so is my daughter, you can only see a tiny triangle of my smile in the upper right hand corner. I think this is the most beautiful photo of me ever taken – in it I can see that my deep, unconditional, incredibly costly love for my son is what makes me shine. In another you have the entire family surrounding Nathaniel while he blows out a dandelion. Thank you for all the work you do, your heart, and how your life force is reflected in every photo. I hope you know how special you are! Peace. Susan
you have a gift…
thank you for letting me be part of it…
these are amazing…
love you dear friend…
kiss kiss
m
Gosh, I’ve never started tearing up in someone else’s blog post before but this one sure made the tears come. I don’t know if its the stress of the holidays or the fact I’ve been feeling very vulnerable and frankly feeling ‘yucky’ about myself recently. You hit a chord with your words and pictures and for that I want to send you a huge thank you.
May you and your family be blessed this holiday and in the new year.