I didn't think I was going to photograph Logan. As she patiently waited for me to get off maternity leave she moved states away and started a new job.
"Surely she has so many exciting and important things going on in her life she isn't going to come all the way back here for a photoshoot," I thought.
Thankfully, I was wrong.
During Logan's consultation she was forthcoming and open. She's a dry humored, vivacious, confidant woman. Her mannerisms and sense of humor, even her vernacular is unique to her. She's self made. And she's brave. She jumped into a new career, new state, new everything because the opportunity presented itself. She's also funny and had me laughing more times than I can remember. Just typing this has a grin on my face.
But she was also honest about the difficulties that she'd recently faced. Difficulties that, as she said, rocked her world.
"Sometimes I look in the mirror and all I see are these other people," Logan said. "I wonder if I'm even in there." "You just want to see you," I said.
Logan nodded her head. "I want this to be an open door to a new way of seeing myself."
It's amazing to me know that Logan worried about being able to see who she was, to see herself as herself without the shadow or traces of others from her past. I only saw Logan as herself.
I saw this remarkable woman who knew what she wanted and went after it with a smile, some colored hair, and encouraging words on her lips.
Yes, she had worries. Yes, she had a difficult past full of letdowns, disappointment, and uncertainty.
But goodness, did she play her cards well!
Logan had every excuse to be bitter and play a victim. She could have complained endlessly and blamed everyone who let her down. But she didn't. She was compassionate, even understanding. She talked about how she wanted to grow and the type of woman she wanted to become. What's amazing is that I'm already in awe of who she is. I realize now that I've typed all this in past tense but you need to know that this is Logan NOW. She's a woman of articulate explanation and a complementary wordsmith. She is humble yet explosively supportive of others and their talents and abilities. Logan . . . well, Logan is just on of the best.
She walked into my studio and filled it with so much love and hope that my heart squeezes just thinking about it. She praised myself and Shea. Honoring us and our time as she expressed gratitude and soulful affection. She talked about loved ones, hair changes, the excitement of creating, and exceptional amounts of gratitude that she was able to be there with us.
She's a bit of a poet, this darling woman.
She feels like a long lost friend come back.
I know Logan will read this (hello, sweet friend) and I know she'll smile and, if I was with her in person, would make a heart shape with her hands and put it to her chest and tell me she loved me. And I believe it. And I love you right back, sweet girl.
To think, I worried that I wouldn't photograph Logan. I didn't think it was going to happen . . . I will be forever thankful that I was wrong. I would have missed out on a wonderful friendship and a life changing opportunity to share space with the one and only Logan Henry.
Many thanks to Shea Hollister for her makeup skills, behind the scenes work, and constant championing of Logan.
Love, Melinda
Photography Studio in Athens PA. Serving Athens, Sayre Pennsylvania, Towanda Pennsylvania, Elmira New York, Corning New York, and Twin Tiers area.
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