As people, we want to feel comfortable in our skin, as women we want to feel beautiful. That illusive, euphoric feeling of walking on air, where everyone is admiring you, stopping to say hello and every comment is flattering. Beauty is a strange thing; it means different things to different people, but we all share that desire to have it and hold onto it.

Last week I saw one of the popular videos that have been floating around the internet lately showcasing the “ideal body type throughout history”. It covers the female form from ancient Egypt until today. As I sat there watching our ideals of beauty change through the eras I wondered to myself, “why is the ‘social ideal’ so important that we often limit our happiness by it?”

Disregard social norms (because normal is average and you are so much more than average). Disregard what those around you say, if they have nothing nice to say stop listening. Wear rose tinted glasses, you don’t have to love yourself, just stop hating, you are good enough now. I want you to know that it is the crazy little things that make you truly unique. Every scar is proof that you are stronger than whatever tried to hurt you. Every grey hair is a moment shared with family and friends. Every outfit is a reflection of the character you are today. Your extraordinary laugh, that makes the whole room giggle - these quirks are yours and yours alone.

As a portrait photographer it is my passion to make women feel amazing, to spark every persons hidden personality and show them their own ‘beautiful’. Your beauty is unique to you and no one before or after will ever be the same type of ‘beautiful’ as you, so please hear me, “you are beautiful now”.

Know that is intangible, it’s the sparkle in the smile, the swagger in a walk, the fluttering of eyes at someone special. It’s the secret connection you have with the world: your experiences, your emotions your thoughts. You are greater than your physical appearance: it’s everything you have ever achieved, everything you have seen and everything you want to be. Don’t look back and wish you’d appreciated what you had then, how good you looked or how pretty you really were. You can’t change how you felt in the past but you can change how you feel about yourself now, you have the opportunity for your future self to know you have “found your beautiful” here and now.

From me to you, I want you to know I can help you find your beautiful. I promise you'll take home images that will remind you everyday just how amazing and beautiful you really are :)