I Photograph People Who’ve Been Told They’re ‘Too Much’ or ‘Not Enough.’ Here’s Why That’s My Whole Brand.

 

I Photograph People Who’ve Been Told They’re ‘Too Much’ or ‘Not Enough.’ Here’s Why That’s My Whole Brand.

I need to tell you who I’m FOR.

Because I think a lot of photographers try to be for everyone, and that’s a great way to be for no one.

So here’s my line in the sand:

I’m for the people who’ve been told they’re too much or not enough.

Too loud. Not pretty enough.

Too fat. Not feminine enough.

Too disabled. Not “inspiring” enough.

Too queer. Not queer enough.

Too broken. Not healed enough.

Too much themselves. Not enough like everyone else.

If that’s you—if you’ve spent your life being measured against someone else’s ruler and coming up short—then you’re exactly who I want to photograph.

Let Me Tell You Who Told Me I Wasn’t Enough

Not Disabled Enough (But Also Too Disabled)

When I started using a wheelchair, I got this from both sides:

From able-bodied people:

“But you can still walk sometimes, right? So you’re not REALLY disabled.”

From some disabled people:

“You’re not disabled enough to speak for the community.”

I was Schrödinger’s disabled person—simultaneously too disabled to be “normal” and not disabled enough to be “really” disabled.

Guess what? I’m disabled. Full stop. And I don’t owe anyone a performance of disability that fits their expectations.

Not Queer Enough (Because I’m in a “Straight-Passing” Relationship)

I’m a queer woman married to a queer woman.

But because we both present relatively feminine (sometimes), people assume we’re straight.

I’ve had people tell me: “You don’t look gay.”

I’ve been told I’m not queer enough because I didn’t come out until my 20s.

I’ve been told I’m “basically straight” because my relationship looks traditional from the outside.

Newsflash: My queerness isn’t determined by how you perceive me. It’s determined by ME.

Not Sick Enough (But Also Too Sick)

Chronic illness does this thing where you’re never quite sick enough for people to take you seriously, but you’re too sick to function “normally.”

From doctors:

“Your labs look fine. Maybe it’s just stress.”

From employers:

“If you can work some days, you can work all days.”

From well-meaning people:

“But you look so good!”

Yeah, I look good. I’m also exhausted, in pain, and managing a body that doesn’t cooperate.

Both things can be true.

Not Professional Enough (Because I Talk About This Stuff)

When I started talking openly about disability, queerness, and chronic illness in my business, people told me:

“You should keep that separate from your work.”

“Clients don’t want to know about your personal life.”

“You’re going to alienate people.”

And you know what?

They were right.

I DID alienate people.

The people who think disabled people shouldn’t be visible.

The people who think queerness is “too political” for a photography business.

The people who want their service providers to be bland and palatable and QUIET.

And good. I don’t want to work with those people anyway.

Here’s Who I DO Want to Work With

The Person Who’s Never Felt Beautiful

You’ve avoided cameras your whole life.

You’ve been told you’re not photogenic (which is a lie, by the way—there’s no such thing as not photogenic, only bad photographers).

You’ve internalized the message that people who look like you don’t deserve to be photographed.

And I want to show you that you’re wrong.

Not by changing you. Not by making you look like someone else.

But by photographing you EXACTLY AS YOU ARE and showing you that you’ve been beautiful all along.

The Person Who’s Been Told to “Tone It Down”

You’re loud. You’re bold. You’re A LOT.

And people have been telling you to be smaller, quieter, less yourself for as long as you can remember.

You’ve learned to apologize for taking up space.

You’ve learned to dim yourself so other people feel comfortable.

And I want to photograph you at FULL BRIGHTNESS.

I want to capture the version of you that makes other people say “wow, that’s too much” and say “NO, THAT’S PERFECT.”

The Person Who Doesn’t Fit the Boxes

You’re not quite this, not quite that.

You exist in the in-between spaces that society doesn’t have language for.

You’re nonbinary. You’re bisexual. You’re disabled-but-not-how-people-expect. You’re [fill in the blank with whatever way you don’t fit neatly into categories].

And I want to photograph you WITHOUT trying to fit you into a box.

No “hide this, emphasize that.”

No “can we make you look more [thing you’re not]?”

Just: YOU. As you are. Celebrated.

The Person Reclaiming Their Body

Maybe you’ve been through medical trauma. Mastectomy. Gender-affirming surgery. A disability that changed your body.

Maybe you’ve survived an eating disorder and you’re learning to see your body as something other than an enemy.

Maybe you’ve just spent your whole life hating your body and you’re ready to try something different.

And I want to photograph you in that process.

Not “before and after.”

Not “look how far you’ve come.”

Just: HERE. NOW. THIS BODY. YOURS. WORTHY.

The Couple That Doesn’t Look Like the Bridal Magazines

You’re two women. Two men. Two nonbinary people. Three people.

You’re disabled. You’re fat. You’re old. You’re unconventional in some way that means your wedding photos won’t look like The Knot.

And you want a photographer who’s not going to try to make you look “normal.”

You want a photographer who’s going to celebrate your specific, weird, beautiful, YOURS love.

That’s me. I’m that photographer.

Why “Too Much” and “Not Enough” People Are My Ideal Clients

Because I GET IT.

Not in a “I read about your experience” way.

In a “I’ve lived some version of this” way.

I know what it’s like to be too disabled for able-bodied spaces and not disabled enough for disabled spaces.

I know what it’s like to be too queer to be straight and not queer enough for some queer spaces.

I know what it’s like to have your body be a battleground of other people’s opinions.

And I know what it’s like to finally say: “Fuck it. I’m done trying to fit. I’m just going to BE.”

What This Means for Your Session

1. You Don’t Have to Explain Yourself

You don’t have to justify your body, your identity, your existence to me.

You don’t have to give me your whole medical history or coming-out story unless YOU want to share it.

You can just show up as you are.

2. You Don’t Have to Perform

I’m not looking for you to pose like a model.

I’m not looking for you to “suck in” or “stand up straighter” or “tilt your head like this.”

I’m looking for you to EXIST. Comfortably. In your body. As yourself.

3. You Get to Set the Boundaries

You want to photograph your face but not your body? Cool.

You want to keep your shirt on? Cool.

You want to include your mobility aids in photos? Cool.

You want your photos to show your scars? Cool.

You want them edited out? Also cool.

YOU get to decide what being seen looks like for you.

4. Your Pronouns Are Respected

I will ask. I will use them correctly. I will not make it weird.

This is baseline respect, not a special accommodation.

5. Accessibility Is Built In, Not an Afterthought

Need breaks? We’ll take breaks.

Need to sit? We’ll incorporate sitting.

Need low-stimulation environment? I’ll adjust.

Need clear communication about what we’re doing? I’ll talk you through everything.

You don’t have to beg for access. It’s already there.

What I Won’t Do

I Won’t “Fix” You in Photos

I will not Photoshop you into a different person.

I will not erase your disability aids.

I will not make you thinner, younger, more “conventional.”

I will edit for color, lighting, and polish. I will NOT edit for conformity.

I Won’t Make You Perform Inspiration

If you’re disabled, I’m not going to photograph you as “inspiration porn.”

If you’re fat, I’m not going to photograph you as a “body positivity warrior.”

If you’re queer, I’m not going to photograph you as a “pride flag.”

You’re a PERSON. With a story. That’s what I’m capturing.

I Won’t Center My Comfort Over Yours

If something I’m doing doesn’t feel right to you, SAY SO.

I won’t be offended. I won’t be defensive.

I’ll adjust.

Because this session is about YOU, not about me being right.

The Photos You’ll Get

They won’t look like magazine spreads.

They won’t look like everyone else’s photos.

They’ll look like YOU.

Maybe for the first time in your life, you’ll look at a photo of yourself and think:

“Oh. That’s me. That’s actually me.”

Not the version of you that’s trying to fit.

Not the version of you that’s trying to hide.

Not the version of you that’s trying to be less or more or different.

Just YOU.

The version that’s been there all along, waiting to be seen.

For the People Who Think I’m “Too Political”

Some of you reading this are thinking: “Why does she have to make everything about identity?”

And to you, I say:

My existence is political whether I want it to be or not.

Being disabled in public is political.

Being queer in public is political.

Running a business that centers marginalized people is political.

I’m not “making it political.” It already IS political. I’m just refusing to pretend otherwise.

And if that makes you uncomfortable—good.

Maybe examine why.

This Is Who I’m For

If you’ve read this far and you’re thinking “this is me,” then yes. YOU. You’re who I’m for.

Book a session.

Let me photograph you.

Not the version of you that fits.

The version of you that EXISTS. Loudly. Fully. Unapologetically.

Because THAT version?

That’s the one worth capturing.

Empowerment portrait sessions for people who’ve been told they’re too much or not enough.

Sessions from $375.

Book online: www.ourmindfulmatters.com/book

You’re not too much. You’re not not enough. You’re exactly right.