Individual Aspect: Marianna Fosson, Kindness
Posted on May 27, 2024
I swear, she was 5’9.
When I was a kid, I was fortunate to attend 4-H camp at Tar Hollow State Park. I attended with many people I know, that I still know as adults. I did not keep in contact with any of our camp counselors, but I had read news articles about them over the years, and this gave me glimpses of their lives from a very distant view point. This by no way gave me any indication of what their lives consisted of, just things that were noteworthy of them, or to someone else. One day, I was at the salon when I saw one of my favorite camp counselors, and I thought, holy sh*t, that’s Marianna Fosson!
If you have ever seen Marianna, then y0u know she is beautiful. When she was a teenager, she was beautiful then, too. What you may not know, is that she was, and still is, extremely kind. I refer to myself and my friends, at that time of 4-H camp, as little kids, even though we are talking 9-13, because the older kids were the counselors, and they were all 15-18. I digress, Marianna was a favorite counselor of all of us younger kids at camp. She was beautiful, and we girls envied that, the boys drooled over her, but she was fun, made camp fun for us, and she was so sweet and kind to us campers. Basically, my impression of her was very favorable, and I had a bit of an idolization as a youngster, but it was not misplaced.
When I moved back to Chillicothe, I started following many pages on FB to reacquaint myself with the area, the happenings, and the people. One of the pages I followed was Build Chillicothe, which Marianna’s late father, John, had started. I love people that are invested in their community, that want to help others grow or increase in awareness, and that aim to give back to those around them. Yet again, I found myself interacting with Marianna, to see what Business Focus posts I could share and not share.
I found myself at the salon with her again one day, and I thought I should just friend request her, even if I did have some hero worship of her as a kid. Marianna beat me to it, and sent me a request. The child in me felt very accepted, which sounds silly, but I enjoyed the humor of it, and I figured there was deeper reasoning behind our need to be reconnected. Little did I know.
I found that reason not too long ago, or so I thought. Marianna posted something one day, and I was able to tell her the same story I have told you here. I truly thought that was the purpose of bringing us together, and even when we made a coffee date after, I was still under the same impression. When Marianna met me in the parking lot, I chuckled internally, as I stood taller than her. Me, the kid in me, always thought this stunning creature was 5’9. I later told Marianna about this musing, and she laughed so hard, said no, I am only 5’2!!! We still laugh about this.
Back to the coffee date. As I listened, I learned so much about Marianna. I learned about her life, the struggles, the challenges and the heartbreaks, the victories too. I realized I was not meant to have idolization of her, but to relate to her as a woman, to share our stories and see ourselves in each other. We learned we had so very much in common, that we share similar stories in some ways, and that we truly understand those stories for, and with, each other. I am still amazed that life put us together to create a friendship as adults, that is based on two differing experiences as kids. I did not know I needed Marianna Fosson in my life, but I see that I do. We are both on healing journeys, alike, but so different, and yet the timing could not be more perfect. Friendships are an amazing thing, when you meet each other where you stand, and Marianna and I definitely do that.
I told Marianna at one point, that she was very kind to me as a child, which her mother Cris was not surprised by in the least, and that she now, as an adult, has provided something for me too. I am a firm believer in returning kindness, and so I asked Marianna to come in for a photo session with her lovely mother Cris. The session was full of emotion, joyous laughter and fun. We had a spectacular time, and I could not be more pleased with the results of our efforts. So, what is Marianna’s individual aspect that makes her so special? It is her kindness. Through everything, through the years, she is and has remained kind, and that is something we could all use a little more of.
New Feature…a Hint!
Posted on April 15, 2024
Well hello, gorgeous!
The sun is up, the weather is warm and the day is a total joy! Did I mention I have a secret? Well I do, and let me tell you, I am so geeked up about it!!! I am so stoked, in fact, that I created an event on FB about it! I sure did.
There is a burning desire I have, and I am not sitting idly by. Oh no. I am jumping like a gazelle, ready to leap and bound, running toward something, no longer away from what is meant to be. I am ready to turn up and turn out something else amazing! Want a clue?
INDIVIDUAL: of or for a particular person…
This word definition, according to Oxford Languages, says something but nothing all at once, yet here we are at your clue. There may be some missing context, you didn’t really think I would give it all away, did you? I thought not.
Stay tuned, New Feature is coming soon!!!
What’s Your Why, It’s YOUR Session
Posted on November 5, 2023
Yesterday, I posted some fairly revealing photos of Allia, and I am overwhelmed by the positive responses I have gotten. When you share photos of skin, people are not always receptive to that, are often appalled by it, and sometimes you will get the oddest replies to a question you never asked someone. Why do I tell you this? It’s YOUR session, tell me YOUR why and we’ll come up with YOUR custom session.
When you contact me, are you wanting to see yourself through my lens because you like what you have seen or you trust I can deliver on your concept, maybe both, maybe more? Do you need visibility for your business, in your job, in your industry, or are you trying to elevate your ability to get hired? Do you want to capture this moment in time that is important to you? Have you made an accomplishment you are very proud of? Or did you see work that I have done and you love the concept for yourself? Maybe it is something I haven’t asked here, and you wish to inquire about making your ideas come to life in captured images by me?
When I contact you about a shoot, it’s because I have seen a vision of you in my head that I want to capture, and it then becomes a process of you telling me no, telling me yes, or working through details that match your expectation and comfort level and seeing how this will work. That last part holds true for both approaches, YOUR session is always about YOU, and your comfort level, and there will always be details to work through.
In both approaches, your comfort level is important, but it is my job to suggest ideas around the concept to help you see yourself in varying ways, ways you may not see yourself, ways you may not be comfortable seeing yourself, ways in which you would love to see yourself, ways in which you feel may be cliche, and ways in which make you think I have bumped my head. It is my job to capture you, authentically, in a safe environment, in a loving environment, in an objective environment, and in an environment where you can not only tell me no, but you can tell me hell no. And then we can laugh about it and move on. It is YOUR story, YOUR why, YOUR session. While I am the photographer, you are the client and subject. We are doing this together, for YOU!
I have been told no many times. I have been laughed at many times. I have had a senior look at their mom, with a help me expression, and me ask if they will try anyhow and I can delete it later. I have heard a yes, and a no on those. Sometimes those are the most cherished shots, other times they say please burn that image. I am good either way and take no offense. It is YOUR session.
So, what’s your why? Why are you having a photography session? Does it serve a purpose for business or work, is it for your self esteem, do you need a yearbook picture, or are you marking a moment or milestone with your loved ones? Maybe you just want to see how I would capture you if given free reign? Why do you want to capture this moment? How does that look to you? What is the importance of the image for you? What have you moved through to get you to this moment that you want to step in front of the lens and see reflected at you? In consultation, we discuss the why. Thoroughly. We discuss details, and we work through the information, communication.
I had someone that I have been working on to shoot a concept with me, tell me I did not want to see their ass. This is true, I don’t want to see your ass just because I saw Allia’s. In fact, I was very comfortable seeing Allia’s derrière because she was very comfortable with showing me. We worked on the concept, embracing ideas around it as we shot the session. We talked about it prior, in consultation, so she could have boundaries in place if any aspect was not good for her. It is about YOU and YOUR why.
During your session, I may throw out an idea, see my idea did not work, and I always acknowledge that isn’t about you, but that my idea was not right for you. Other times my client may make a suggestion that I am unsure of but when we work on it together, it produces pure magic. Again, the session is YOURS, and I never lose sight of that. We have the same goal…YOUR why, for YOU.
YOUR why. YOUR session.
My concept, YOUR session.
Either way, it is about YOU.
Now, I will tell you that your session will change your life. It may not be noticed today, or even tomorrow, but stepping in front of my camera will leave you seeing yourself in a different light, and that is all about YOU.
Behind the Lens
The Photographist Life 