Your Yoko: portraits

I'm finally getting some honest-to-goodness portraits of myself! The lovely Jessica Blaine Smith will be shooting me soon and I'm pretty excited. While re-designing my blog yesterday I realized that I had no decent shots of myself that weren't taken:

A. on my wedding day, or

B. when I was much younger and skinnier, or

C. when I was blonde

Even then, the pickins are slim.

Now I'm tasked with figuring out how I want to be represented. As I've discovered, while scouring the w-w-w for inspiration, it's not quite as simple as it sounds. It boils down to: who am I? And, as we all know, I'm in that newly-dubbed-adult what-am-I-doing-with-my-life meltdown phase and answering that question leaves a lump in my throat.

I think I'm many things, though. Conflicting things. Like, sometimes I'm a vixen (OK, in my mind). Sometimes, a prudish, awkward, bookish aunt-type. Other times, I am effervescent, wide-eyed, prone to silliness and giggle-fits. I simultaneously like manicures and hiking. Martinis and back-country camping. Lace camisoles and rubber boots.

I waver between all of the versions of me.

So, how can a photo capture that? And let's not forget how terribly un-photogenic I am! The day I married Alex, I seemed to catch the right light. Or maybe it was the photographer. Or maybe, I was just so happy and natural. I wish I'd bottled that. I love these shots from that day:

But how do I want to be captured when I'm not swelling with matrimonial bliss? I've gathered inspiration, and if Jessica can keep up with me, I hope we can capture the shapeshifting beast that I am.

Just like the must-have list I gave to our wedding photog, I have a few desired outcomes for the shoot.

#1. "Studio" shots: me in my new work space. Colourful and appropriate for, say, an "About me" page on my website. Smiling, confident, fun. With dogs? Here is some inspiration: