{"id":12381,"date":"2016-07-07T16:25:13","date_gmt":"2016-07-07T20:25:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ten2tenphotography.com\/?p=12381"},"modified":"2016-07-07T17:46:45","modified_gmt":"2016-07-07T21:46:45","slug":"dear-self-conscious-bride-doesnt-like-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ten2tenphotography.com\/dear-self-conscious-bride-doesnt-like-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"Dear Self-Conscious Bride: An Open Letter for all Soon-to-be-Weds"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear Self-Conscious Bride,<\/p>\n

I’m sorry that you feel like your engagement photos<\/a> are awkward or that you don’t look your best.  I’m truly sorry if you feel that way about your wedding photos<\/a>, too.  My heart bleeds for you not only as the photographer who got to capture your beautiful smile but as a self-conscious woman.  The thing is, I too, am self-conscious.  Extremely.  I don’t like to look at photos of myself and would much rather offer to capture someone else’s photos than to be in photos.<\/p>\n

When I look at photos of myself<\/strong><\/a> I see my flaws; the extra pounds that late-night pizza and poutine created, the bumps and lumps that even Spanx can’t handle.  I see a nose that isn’t as defined as I’d like and a smile that seems too small for my face.<\/p>\n

When I look at photos of you, however, I don’t see any flaws.  I see pure beauty.  I see sparkling eyes, I see soft skin, I see amazing hair but most importantly – I see the bond between you and your partner.  I see the love that you have for each other.  I see how he holds you in his arms and how when he breathes in he’s remembering the smell of your perfume.  I see how he chuckles when you kiss him and leave lipgloss on his lips and I see how he wouldn’t change it for the world.  I see how truly loved you are and how loving you are to him.  I see a bond that is so strong that I know you will carry out your wedding vows with every breath you take, each and every day of your lives.  I see you next to someone who loves you unconditionally for who you are at this very moment in time.<\/p>\n

Feeling self-conscious is normal but it’s important to remember that despite what you see in a photo and despite how you criticize yourself based on that, others will look at that same photos and think that you are amazing.<\/p>\n

Learning how to reduce those feelings of self-consciousness can be difficult; trust me, I know.  But I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned over the years and hopefully you can apply it to yourself.<\/p>\n