A Fun Photo Shoot

I had made arrangements to have our family photos taken by a friend of mine. I met Erica last year when I had the chance to run the Banff to Jasper relay with a great group of women. She works a full-time job and then pursues her passion for photography, taking pictures for friends and family, on her days off. Because both of my boys have their birthdays in February, we try each year to get some shots of them around that time to fill the frames on the walls. However, the weather usually restricts us to inside photos that we take ourselves and the results are usually less than stellar. Being that this year has been so mild, the weather has finally worked in our favour to have pictures taken outside!

The day before we've planned to meet up, Erica sends me a message that says, "I actually have a couple ideas for pictures for your blog. Could u bring a pair of black running tights or leggings to wear. And I have a top I bought that would look smoking hot on u! I also have a pair of new CRAZY fuchsia runners that I want to incorporate into the shot as well!". I was immediately nervous....my rear end is still a sight for sore eyes in tights! would the top fit? what would it look like? crazy shoes? what kind of shots did she have in mind? But at the same time, there was something about her thoughtfulness that made me excited!

So, I borrowed a pair of black leggings from my friend (my aversion to fitted things on my behind means I don't even own a pair of running tights!) and we got the boys all spiffed up and away we went!

We started out at Erica's house. She had her dinning room all re-arranged and set up as a back drop. We took some family pictures and a couple shots of the boys. Then we set them up downstairs with a movie and it was time for me to don the tights!

The top was pretty foxy (it had lots of complicated straps and a low back) and it fit! The shoes were definitely a crazy shade of fushia; but, it was their vibrant pink colour that had inspired Erica to take these shots for me. She knows that I'm a 'mom on the run' trying to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society and the pink runners reminded her of the breast cancer awareness pink ribbons.

I should have known better than to be so nervous. We had a fun time shooting these pics! Erica had the vision for the shots and I just did what she told me to. I trusted her judgement. Then we got the boys to come and join me. A 'mom on the run' is not so without her kiddos. And, that was that. I switched back to my regular clothes and away we went to an acreage for the rest of our family pictures.

It was a really fun afternoon. The weather was perfect and it was super nice to have a chance to catch up with Erica!

When we were on our way home, my husband said to me, "I think you're going to be really happy with the pictures she took of you." But, when I asked him why he wouldn't be more specific and just said he thought they'd turn out good.

Then the next day Erica posted them to Facebook.

This is one of those times for me, that my self-perception does not line up with reality. I was shocked at how good the pictures turned out. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I've experienced this lately when I look in the mirror or walk past a window and I see my reflection and it catches me off-guard. I've heard of this happening to people when they lose weight really fast. They have a hard time adjusting to their new self. But, I've lost weight SO slowly, that I didn't expect to feel this way.

Don't get me wrong, it's a good feeling for sure; but, I've never really been happy with how I've looked before. So, I felt funny to be pleased with how I looked in the photos.

When my husband got home from work, he was surprised that I wasn't over the moon excited.

I said, "I am happy. I should have known Erica would make me look good." He looked at me kinda funny and said, "she didn't make you look like anything. I was there, this is what you looked like."

I LOVE him.

......I went for a run.....I mulled it over....I cleared my thoughts.....I decided it was alright to feel this way and I went home over the moon excited!

Thanks so much for this awesome experience Erica. If you hadn't suggested these shots, this is not something I would have ever had the chance to experience. This is MY version of boudoir photos and I am so happy with them!

The family pictures turned out awesome too....but I wasn't nearly as worried about them....my boys would look cute even if they were wearing running tights!