Thursday, July 11, 2013

Selfies and Making up for lost time...

Someone once asked me what's up with all the Selfies as the young kids call them...

Well Here's my story I've always Loved the camera. Ever since I could remember I always managed to get my hands on one, And that goes back to those film 110 cameras with the detachable bulb flash. (umm Yeah I was very young ;) . I would always take tons of photos with my friends...I have buckets of photos and albums to prove it.

Any way for a long LONG time I didn't take photos. I would hide from the camera at all cost. If I did manage to get a picture developed I would cringe. I Just wasn't happy with myself at all.  It took a lot of things to recover from that...A car accident that could have very well taken my life or my legs for that matter made me rethink life a little.  After a couple of months in a wheel chair and lots of Physical Therapy, I knew it was time for a change. I started counting calories and I loss a considerable amount of weight. Those things mattered but what helped me most, Is the people that helped me to realize my self worth. A special friend that helped me to look in the mirror and see what others saw in me. That's when I really started taking care of myself. I was really and truly able to express myself and be who I AM. When I was able to Accept, Respect, and Love myself that's when the REAL changes happened.

I was studying Photography Professionally which meant a lot of practicing. I had a friend who always liked to turn the camera on me and say "NOPE it's YOUR turn."  I started seeing myself through the lens, and all of a sudden I wasn't cringing anymore. Praise the LORD for that! I started looking forward to being Photographed.

Around that same time someone introdced me to the iPhone. Everyone had one and I was told it was the best thing ever. My boss said go get one and you will be fully reimbursed!! How Exciting!! I started with a 3GS (didn't have the forward camera)...BUT oh how happy I was to have a camera with me at ALL times to never miss a moment. (I was able to get a lot of work done on it too ;)  At that point I had never used the term SELFIE and had just started experminenting with trying to take my own picture.  When I look at those photos I chuckle.  Not great pictures but Hey, atleast I was happy with Myself. Learning to love my self with my Loud lipstick and crazy hair...None of which would have been acceptable working at the Court House by the way ;)  Image Below..My first selfies





























My iPhone had died from over use (jiji) and I was forced (not) to get a new one that had the front Camera.  So let's just say I know how to manipulate that lens to make Myself look and feel great and I am not ashamed to say it!! Technology keeps getting better and so do my Selfies :)
So When someone asks me...Why so many selfies? Well I'm making up for all that time inbetween when I didn't take pictures. When all I had was a flip phone. When I wasn't so happy with myself.

The images below they were selfies too. You might ask...why I am laughing? Someone was trying to tell me that I shouldn't be taking so many pictures of myself. I was thinking but I AM allowed to be happy with myself..happiness comes from within and we shouldn't depend on others to make us HAPPY!!
 I am forever grateful to those that with just a few words were able to change the way I saw myself and help me to regain my self confidence. Now I pay it forward. I do my best to help those around me see themselves and Love what they see :)  I know I DO!! I've come a long way BABY!!!

Normally I would Never post this many...but just so you can get a general Idea..I take a few and then pick the one I like best....I LOVE my new color and style.  Muuaaahhh!!!! ;)

Happy Thursday!!!