Crystal Butler Photography Blog

I’m on a bit of a mission.  You’ve read how important I feel it is for Mom to get in the picture…and I’ve taken it a step further to say maybe Mom should even dare get a picture of “just” herself.  So I was a bit thrilled that this Mom, Wife, Daughter – and recent Masters Grad – contacted me to get a portrait of her in cap and gown to send to her mother.

First of all, she wore those shoes.  That in itself deserved a photo shoot.  But, more importantly, I was super-proud of her.  Sixteen years.  That’s how long it took to get to this point.  And for the last two – as I spent many hours in coffee shops and book stores to get my own stuff off the ground – I would run into her pretty frequently, and she was always working feverishly on something.

But besides that, I’ve had a chance to hear just some of her story.   I kept thinking about her strength and sheer will as I photographed her.  I don’t know all of my clients well, but there is often some happy, proud, or profound moment that I witness in my camera that makes me pause.   As I clicked away, all I could think about was S’s determination.  Not just to get through school.  But to get through life.  This is a face of strength:

I wish more women would see what I see sometimes.  I know enough to watch out for decent angles, and straying lipstick…but what I really see, when a client is relaxed enough, is often a whole lot more than a portrait.

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It was a short session and a single location, but S and I had a lot of fun.  Including the surprise blackberry bush we found that had somehow managed to sprout out of the side of a very urban building.  Fitting, actually.  And, of course, S was totally game when I suggested we stop for a quick snack:

Congratulations, Girl!  You deserve whatever success and happiness comes your way.