Hot Mess

So the other day I drove into work probably screaming at some parent for stopping in the middle of the road and blocking traffic. Anyway, later on in the day one of my students comes up to me and tells me that they saw me driving in. He said, “I saw you in your car. It suits you.” A 2004 blue, dented Chevy Cavalier with only one hubcap, no air conditioning and a sticker of The Shins suits me. Um, thanks? Then, a friend of mine told me how the word Scruffy comes to mind when she thinks of me. Scruffy. She said that with all the love in her heart; as a term of endearment and I believe her, but really? Scruffy?

The day that I shot Josh and Kelly’s engagement pictures, I spotted another photographer shooting a couple for what looked like an engagement session. She looked all cute in leggings, a dress and ballerina flats. I didn’t. I was wearing jeans, a t-shirt, my one stars and sporting some frizzy hair. She was shooting the couple on the grass, doing just what I was about to do, but I noticed that she was almost shooting blind. She didn’t want to lay down on the grass so she just shot without looking through the view finder. Meanwhile, I was sprawled on the grass trying to take this picture:

This is what I look like when taking pictures on the grass. Two words: Hot. Mess.

I realize, though, that I can’t take the pictures that I take wearing a cute dress that I’ll be bummed if I mess up. It’s just not going to happen. I wish that I could look fabulous while I take pictures but I I like to climb trees…

…or lie down on down on the ground. Because, really, you need to look like this…

…if you want to take pictures like this…

That’s Sherry and Sanjay looking gorgeous. More of their e-session coming soon.

I guess I’m just going to have to embrace the hot mess that I am and hope that my clients will look past it. What matters is that they look wonderful even if they have to stare at this for a couple of hours:

Here’s to being a hot mess and lovin’ it!

Love, e