Continuing the Body Positivity Project, today on the blog, we have Ruxi, a professional portrait photographer based in Zürich Switzerland, who believes in the transformative power of photography and implements the same with her clients. Read on to find out how according to her, photography holds the power to completely shift one’s view of self-love and body image.
I wish someone had told me back then that it’s OK to look and be different. I was a healthy kid who lived in the countryside, ate good food, and was very active. My thighs were just more prominent than the skinniest girl in class. Body confidence is a topic very close to my heart, an area where people are desperate to find the magic elixir. Unfortunately, as we all know, it doesn’t work like that. There is no quick solution that will make you confident.
I’ve been bigger my whole life, so I felt forced to deal with my differences at a very early age. I vividly remember looking at my thighs while sitting at the school desk, next to my school buddy. We were in the 4th grade, we were only ten years old, and we were already judging ourselves as too fat or too thin. For far too long, I hated how I looked.
Until one day, when my son saw a selfie picture of me, and he said with pure innocence, “You are the most beautifulest, mommy”. It was a selfie of us, with a client and my beautiful hair and makeup stylist at the studio. We took this behind the scene selfie while we were shooting for my client, a wellness and fitness coach. This moment was my tipping point.
I realised how my children looked at me and decided to see myself through their eyes and start giving myself some love and graciousness.
I realised I was not doing myself what I was encouraging my clients to do: celebrate themselves, make portraits of themselves for all times and for their children to hold in their hands. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and let myself be photographed by Tanja Brueckner, a fantastic photographer friend of mine from Berlin, whose work I loved very much. I packed my suitcase, invited my best friend and made a Berlin trip out of it.
From that moment, my weight never stopped me from anything anymore, especially not from being photographed. It was a healing experience. I remember receiving my images and crying so much in disbelief that that was me. That beautiful, confident woman was ME. Wearing her 98 kilograms, and her 13578543986 pregnancy stretch marks and her expression wrinkles. I needed the PERMISSION and guidance from a good photographer who knows how your body looks better in front of a lens.
After this experience, I started to research the therapeutic effects of Photography and help other men and women on a healing journey through Photography. Here are my key takeaways:
Photography can be healing
Photography reaffirms that you are whole and that you are seen. And then you can see yourself the way that the people who love you do.
Photography is Expression. Expression is acceptance; acceptance is healing; healing is growth.
Whether I’m having a great or dark day, the connection I make with a portrait client and time spent in the studio feel like they exist in another beautiful dimension. I serve clients well and speak affirming truths to them, and they can’t help but do the same for me in my personal life! It’s a beautiful cycle. I love photographing people the way that I see them. When they finally see themselves in that way, they’re on a high; they often leave the studio feeling empowered.
To lift others in that way gives me life
But, besides giving an incredible and empowering experience, photographic skills are equally important. Let me tell you a little secret. We look different in front of a lens than in front of a mirror or human eye. This is why, in my opinion, helping with posing from photographers is so important. Photographs are the universal language of our era. Everyone has hundreds, maybe thousands in their pocket and photographers teach us to look again and look harder in us.
So, here are 5 Reasons Why You Should Use Photography To Heal Your Body
I get it. You’re busy. Maybe you have kids, a family, responsibilities, a demanding job, you want to lose some weight, change your hair colour, the list goes on. Believe me, I understand. I often talk to women interested in doing a photoshoot but keep putting it off for one reason or another. The most frequent one I hear is, of course, weight.
I want to give you five reasons to go ahead and book a professional photographer. If you are a business owner, Photography in your brand helps to show who you are and allows clients to get to know you. It is a way to connect with your customers on a deeper level and create an affinity beyond your brand name. If it is for you or your family, think about how it will be in 20 years. Or even 50 years. What are you or your grandchildren going to see or hold dearly in their hands?
1. You are beautiful and perfect just as you are now, and you deserve to be seen.
Your loved ones don’t care about the flaws you give as excuses for not booking a photo shoot. You are beautiful and perfect for them. Now.
2. You have to have a beautiful portrait of yourself that you love.
It is the photographer’s job to guide you through the posing and during your photo session. No one feels comfortable in front of the camera just like that, without any direction. Choose a good photographer whose work you love. There are so many photographs out there, but you will know you found a good one when you look at their price tag. I am not saying go for the most expensive ones, but something can be out of balance there if it is cheap.
3. Portraits have power.
To see your beauty moves you. Seeing yourself through the eyes of your loved ones is powerful. As a woman, pretty sure you are tough on yourself. Seeing and holding your portraits is a way to relate to yourself again, to remember your beautiful essence.
4. You must be present in photos.
Your children will be looking for you one day. And the portraits and pictures of you will be of immeasurable value to them. If you don’t bother getting into the frames now, what will they find? Everyone of any age is beautiful. Growing older should be celebrated, yet women over 30 are underrepresented in portraiture and media in general. Let us celebrate our lives at every stage and every age. Can you imagine the legacy you leave behind if you did that?
5. Why not?
You deserve to be pampered, to feel beautiful and to have fun! There is no time of its own but now. Don’t wait too long to have some fun for yourself. It’s an experience that lasts long after you’ve put your makeup off and changed clothes. You will have beautiful. Portraits that remind you of how you were in that moment. A hidden treasure for your loved ones or just for yourself.
Hope you enjoyed reading this and would not shy away from photographing yourself more often!
Ruxi is a professional portrait photographer based in Zürich Switzerland. Since 2009, Ruxi gives transformative experiences through her photography so that her clients can end up with the most beautiful portraits they have ever seen of themselves.
For business she helps clients foster a connection with their target clients. With families, her focus is on their connection. Similar, but with a different result and scope!
You can find Ruxi at her studio in Zürich on Streitholzstrasse 7 | 8057 Zürich and online at www.ruxi.photo, @Ruxi.photo on social media or you can contact her directly at hello@ruxi.photo and +41 44 592 35 12
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