Meet Sofia

Meet Sofia, my beautiful model and muse. It all started with a phone call.

I put out a call for ballet models in 2017. A family friend of hers saw my post and suggested she reach out and apply. That phone call changed her life as it did mine.

The Shoot

On the day of the shoot, she arrived with her husband. I think my first words to her were something along the lines of, “my gosh, you’re beautiful!” The words just tumbled out of my mouth. I kinda speak the truth!!! She was with her husband, Scott who is one of the sweetest guys I know. I put him to good use as we set up backgrounds, etc. I’ll admit, I was a bit nervous as she was only my second adult ballerina model and I was flying by the seat of my pants.

I didn’t know her story at the time and didn’t realize that she, too, was nervous but for a completely different reason.

Her Reveal

When she came in for her reveal, I was really hoping she would like what was to come. It was very quiet during the slideshow. I dare not look over at her. When the slideshow ended, I turned on the lights and looked over at her husband who was in tears and then to Sofia who sat quietly, looked up at me and said softly, “I love them.”

I Am A Ballerina

After telling her the story about the Bald Ballerina who has Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer, she said she didn’t have cancer but does have an eating disorder and was currently in therapy. The images, she told me, made her realize that she was indeed beautiful and that, yes, she could own the words, “I am a ballerina.” It was the turning point for her. She got her power back and knew that she was well on her way to the road of recovery.

A Beauty/Glamour Model

This was a start of a beautiful relationship that developed into a genuine friendship. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of photographing Sofia for my beauty/glamour portfolio. It was during this time that she told me that the photo sessions escalated her recovery and as a result she no longer needed therapy. She was well again and what better way to celebrate than a glamour portrait session!!!

A Boudoir Shoot

And, when I was building my portfolio for my boudoir sessions, I knew who to ask. Lucky for me, Sofia was up for it and we completed two full sessions. She purchased an album for her husband who was ready to deploy for one year. What an amazing gift to give him.

Here is her story in her own words:

I met Linda McCarthy in February 2017. She’s an amazing woman and photographer who has been crucial to my life in so many ways. Linda was looking to photograph dancers and a family member gave me her information. I hesitated to call her because I was in my 40’s recovering from an eating disorder…Being photographed was really stepping out of my comfort zone. When I contacted Linda, she asked me the age of “my dancer,” to which I responded, “I am the dancer” even if the whole time I felt unworthy of the title. The day of the shoot, I changed leotards a hundred times. When I walked into the studio, I was super nervous because I looked nothing like a dancer. I had put on weight and my moves were mediocre. Linda made me feel very comfortable and even beautiful. Although I couldn’t wait to see the images, I was a little afraid. When I saw the photos, I was floored. She had captured with her lens a beauty that I could not see with my own eyes. I now have a canvas in my living room that reminds me of that very moment. Linda and I would go on to build a bond of trust and friendship that allowed me to pose for her many other times, even for boudoir photos, which I love. I had to push away my fears and the results brought me closer to my recovery. I just like myself a little more now. Thank you Linda 💕 Sofia

Bottom line is this…photographs are POWERFUL!!!

By getting your power back, you will greet the world with a renewed sense of energy, confidence and love of self.

To learn more about our boudoir sessions, let’s set up your complimentary consultation by clicking here! Watch yourself be transformed in an Annapolis Boudoir portrait session.

Annapolis Boudoir is a division of Visual Concepts Photography and is located in a farmhouse studio on scenic 424 in Davidsonville, Maryland. We are a short distance from Annapolis and serve the Baltimore Washington corridor. We are a portrait photography studio specializing in boudoir, beauty, branding, headshots, family portraits.

See you in the studio!!