Inspiration for Shoots

The Most Important Photo Shoot I’ve Ever Done

Me Ra Koh

Pascaline wants to be a costume fashion designer someday.  She finished her first dress this year with her grandma’s help.  The dress turned out beautiful.  It has a gold embroidery overlay for the skirt made from fabric she found in Thailand.  I told her we had to do a photo shoot to celebrate her first dress being finished.  But I had no idea this would be the most important photo shoot I’ve ever done.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

I’ve photographed my daughter since she was a baby.  She’s used to being in front of the camera.  But over the last couple years, Pascaline has shied away from the camera like most tweens and teens often do.  With hormonal changes, battles with blemishes, navigating friendships, feeling all your insecurities rise to their greatest height, and trying to keep your chin up…it’s not an easy season of life.

I wanted to walk her through this photo shoot just like I had walked countless women through the fear of being photographed.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

I asked her to start by turning at an angle and gently holding her hands behind her back.  I asked her for a soft smile without showing any teeth.  She wasn’t sure where her mom was going with this, but thank goodness she trusts me with a camera. 🙂  I wanted to capture her confidence, the deep rooted confidence she was gifted with from the moment she took her first breath.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

Pascaline has watched me get excited doing photo shoots.  She’s seen her mama light up and jump up and down, when the shots are turning out even better than I could imagine.  But this time, she was on the receiving end.  I was getting excited about HER.  And I slowly watched her fears and insecurities fade away as her beauty unfolded.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

We were having so much fun that I had her change into one of her favorite dresses–a beautiful piece she found in Italy last year.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

I took a moment to show her some of the shots I was getting.  Her eyes widened, and she looked at me almost in shock.  “Is that really me?  Is my smile really that beautiful?”

Everything in me wanted to cry.  Her question was so genuine, raw and exposing.

“Yes baby.  That’s you.  You really are that beautiful.”

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

When she asked me that single question “Is my smile really that beautiful?”  I felt as if I’d worked to master photography for the purpose of this one photo shoot.  This was the most important photo shoot I’d ever done.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

I asked her to turn, sway, and lift her arms like a bird who is gliding.  And I waited for her to catch the light so she could see how much she radiates femininity.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

I asked her to slowly walk toward me with arms outstretched, gently brushing over the tall grass.  I shot every photo with a wide open aperture at f/1.8 because I wanted the world around her to be dreamy in blur and magical in light.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

I asked her to slowly walk away from me and look up into the trees.  I wanted to capture her endless sense of wonder and curiosity.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

More than a few times, she took my breath away.  I had to pause and take in this beautiful young woman looking back at me.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

When she was four years old, she loved to dance in princess skirts and dresses.  A framed portrait of this moment hangs in our home because I never want to forget her dancing in the morning light.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

Ten years later she still loves dancing in the light.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

As a professional photographer, I’ve learned one powerful truth in working with all the different types of people I’ve photographed over the years.  Everyone, whether they are a mom of young children, a bride on her wedding day, teenager, and even professional model, are afraid of the same thing.   We all fear that when the camera is pointed at us, it will capture all the things we don’t like about ourselves. We desire to be confident in front of a camera, but we don’t know how to obtain it.  This is the role of a photographer.  My mission with my camera is to capture the depth of how beautiful the human spirit is so my subjects not only love what they physically see of themselves, but they also see how radiant their spirit is within.

When Pascaline and I trekked out into the open field on a hot summer, Texas-heat type of day,  I knew we wanted beautiful photos of her first dress.  But I didn’t realize how deeply she needed to see the beauty of her spirit, her smile, her unfolding femininity.  Something in her shifted that day.

A lightness has replaced a heaviness.

There is no question that this was the most important photo shoot I’ve ever done.

Me Ra Koh documents her teenage daughter in the most important photo shoot she's ever done

(I love you baby.  Always, mama)

Share:

  1. laura says:

    mera,

    this is so beautiful. i love it when we go into a photo shoot thinking one way and afterward, it turns out to be so much more important and wonderful than we expected. i love this post, mera. pascaline shines inside and out.

    laura

  2. Me Ra Koh says:

    Thanks so much Laura! Love you to pieces. Isn’t it amazing how fast Pascaline’s grown? So crazy. And this was the best memory with her.
    xoxoxo
    m

  3. Mihaela Gruita says:

    Me Ra,

    This melts my heart…I am so excited for you. Pascaline is blessed with so much beauty but also with a special Momma. hugs.

    Mihaela

  4. Michelle McMullen says:

    I am a talker so rarely am I at a loss for words but all I can say to this post is, “Wow!”

    I am so deeply touched by this precious moment in Pascaline’s life and your beautiful appreciation of it. Thank you for sharing.

    • Me Ra Koh says:

      Dear Michelle,

      I love how you started your comment. My heart smiled so wide! I’m a talker too! LOL! Thank you for enjoying this special post. It’s like every photo I’ve ever taken, every technique I’ve ever learned, finally served its full purpose in this shoot.

      xoxo
      m

      • Michelle McMullen says:

        Dear Me Ra,

        I have a 3 year old boy and an 1 year old girl both of whom I waited a long time for as I dealt with infertility. We were blessed with both a miracle pregnancy and adoption. I’ve always like photography but I’ve really become obsessed with it since I became a mom. Your books have so inspired me and I hope to one day take the Confidence Workshop with you and learn some of those techniques. It’s been a dream of mine for the last four years but somehow life hasn’t cooperated. I feel like the years fly be and I treasure each and every photo that I capture documenting this precious time. Thank you for giving me a glimpse into the future moments to look forward to.

        From one mom to another,
        Michelle

  5. Brian says:

    I can’t believe that young woman is our little girl! I’m in shock every day!
    Gorgeous photos Me Ra!

  6. Amy W says:

    Your photos always take my breath away and these are even that much more beautiful in that they are of Pascaline and capture her light so wondrously! I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to take your workshop and I love following your life journey! thanks for sharing!

    • Me Ra Koh says:

      AMY!!! So fun to see your name. It makes me smile when I instantly remember all the fun times at the workshop you did! MWAH, MWAH, MWAH!!! Thank you so much for your words. I appreciate your constant support in this crazy journey of dream building.
      xoxoxo
      m

  7. Natalie Johnson says:

    Stunning, just Stunning! What a special gift as a mom to use a camera as a mirror so Pascaline can see for herself just how beautiful, strong, confident and stunning she really is. I love the dress she made! I learned as a young girl how to sew and it has become a lost art. It is such a great skill to learn especially if she will design one day. Love and hugs to you!

    • Me Ra Koh says:

      Dearest Natalie JOHNSON!!!!!
      So fun to hear from you and thank you for everything you said. Miss you girl! Hope you and your sweet family are well. xoxoxo, m

  8. Grammie says:

    When I saw the title of your post today I was so excited to see what it might be!
    Our beautiful Pascaline!!
    How amazing for you as a mom to be behind the lense & capture how your little girl has evolved into such a beautiful woman . . . her eyes can still penetrate your soul!
    Pascaline is the very essence of strength and innocence, determination and feminity, intelligence and mystery . . . she will always be our Pascaline while she conquers the world & slays her dragons!
    Much love to my beautiful daughter Me Ra Koh who taught Pascaline to be a woman of strength and character and to know all things are possible when she listens to her heart & follows her dream!!! ???
    Love you both, mama & grammie ??

  9. Denise Karis says:

    This fills my heart. WOW. I can’t believe how grown she is now. Her ambition and potential is gorgeous!

    • Me Ra Koh says:

      Wow Denise! So fun to see your name! You’ve been a part of our journey, following along and always cheering us on, for YEARS! YAY!!! Thank you for still being here and leaving me with your kind words. xoxoxo, m

  10. Christen says:

    MeRa, you are a beautiful and radiant mother who has nurtured such a beautiful heart in your daughter. What an amazing experience to see your daughter awaken to her stunning beauty. May you continue to have these kinds of moments in your own family as you have gifted these moments to so many others. Pascaline, you are absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for sharing this sacred moment.

    • Me Ra Koh says:

      Wow, thank you so much Christen. I love what you wrote “experience to see your daughter awaken to her stunning beauty”. Thank you for every beautiful word and especially those. xoxo, m

  11. Tonya says:

    Me Ra, your photographs of your daughter are absolutely beautiful and inspiring.

  12. Donna Anderson says:

    Lovely shots and even more lovely post. Thank you for sharing it.

  13. Denise M says:

    WOW! This brought tears to my eyes…….you are so talented and she is so beautiful! An amazing memorable day that neither of you will ever forget.

  14. elana says:

    this brought tears to my eyes. you are both amazing and so lucky to have each other.

  15. Kryston says:

    Oh my goodness! I am bawling my eyes out looking at your beautiful pictures and reading your narratives. As the mom of a 3 year old who thinks she is “gorgeous”, I hope she always looks in the mirror and sees how “gorgeous” she truly is!
    Thank you for sharing your “gorgeous” daughter!

  16. Dear MeRa and Brian,
    You are blessed with two amazing kids and having each other.

    Dear MeRa,
    I was so moved to read every word you wrote and feel the emotions dancing along. You are a very sensitive woman and very intuitive and the photo shoot was a reflection of all of that. You have the talent to stand behind the camera and capture the soul of the ones you shoot.
    What a great moment in a mother’s life to realize the magnitude of the connection between you two.

    Thank you for sharing these amazing 14 photos of Pascaline.
    Love and hugs to you
    Batsheva

  17. Theresa LaFrance says:

    Seriously….beyond beautiful. You photographed love, talent, confidence, and joy.

  18. stacy says:

    I’ve been saving this post to read all day. I knew it was going to be a good one, girl you got me crying ugly tears 🙂 Love everything about you woman. Every single stinking thing. Your daughter reflects that same gorgeous light you have. She gets from her mama 🙂

  19. Jennifer Tacbas says:

    Your words and these photos…so beautiful, I could cry. I think like this every time I photograph Logan with my “big” camera. I hope she always knows her beauty, her strength. I hope that by capturing her essence and sharing what she radiates in her photos, she will grow into the confident woman I know she will be. Already planting the seeds…

  20. Carole Barfitt says:

    This post was absolutely awesome. Makes me want to get out there and take more pictures. Your daughter is beautiful and you have done such a great job of capturing all her inner beauty as well. I love seeing your emails and getting inspired by all you do. Wish I lived closer so I could get in on some of your classes. Was so surprised to see you on TV a few weeks ago. Way to go girl.

  21. Claudia says:

    Awesome. Simply Awesome.

  22. Jenny says:

    BRB Crying all over my keyboard!! This was so wonderful. How touching that you were able to share in this moment with your daughter… You can see how happy she looks and the great job you did capturing her spirit! =)

  23. Amber Fox says:

    These are beautiful! Your daughter is such an impressive young lady, filled with confidence and beauty. I am so happy that you captured such gorgeous portraits of her. So very beautiful.