Beauty.
I have been trying to write a blog about it for the last couple of weeks, but I have been endlessly conflicted.
Why, you ask? It is a short word, overused, and I suppose a bit common. I work in the “beauty industry,” an industry dedicated to making physical “improvements” on a girl. I color hair to enhance desirable skin pigments or eyeshades. I completely cover grey hair for a more youthful appearance, and often women ask me for a coif that detracts from an undesirable facial feature.
“Oh, no! I can’t let anyone see my ears.”
“I need bangs to cover up the wrinkles in my forehead.”
And where do I begin regarding makeup? The whole purpose of makeup is adding or subtracting. Makeup is about creating a clean palette, and then adding color wherever we want it to go. Hiding acne, crow’s feet, and eye circles; contouring wide noses, thickening lashes, and distracting from a double chin are all regular components of my repertoire.
But how much does all of this have to do with beauty? When I surveyed some of my friends, very few of them mentioned anything about physicality. Most of them, in fact, responded with more ambient qualities such as “contentment,” “strength,” “poise,” or “the way a run makes me feel.” If these answers are honest, then what is going on in my chair? How are we supporting our family with this “beauty” profession?
And moreover, why do images like these evoke so much emotion in me?
True: I believe that real beauty embodies all of those noble qualities everyone lists. I believe it is confidence, conviction, security, and grace. But so very often these elements aren’t captured in photographs. It seems that when someone is photographing us we are more likely to think about where to put our hands, or that we aren’t photogenic, or that we have gained 10 pounds since our last photograph. In too many photos, our eyes say “I am insecure,” when we believe that beauty has little to do with weight, makeup, or hand placement.
And that is the line that defines what we do as a photography studio. We take care of all of the details that make most women nervous in front of a camera. Full makeup and hair styling by an experienced and licensed professional is a part of every Acuity Photography portrait session. Patrick, our photographer, works tirelessly to insure that every pose shows your best "you:" down to the very tips of your fingers. We polish and preen away the silly insecurities, so that when the camera clicks, admirers only see beauty (however it’s defined).
So venture on this journey with us. Explore the relationship real women have with beauty, and I promise you will not be disappointed. Better yet, I'd suggest making an appointment.