Elva's Self-Love Journey

Elva's story is one of the most memorable we've experienced at Lins Photo Studio. A single mother, breast cancer survivor, dancer and equestrian expert, Elva is a multifaceted woman whose smile instantly lights up any room.

"There's something magical about womanhood.

Sometimes we let it all the glitter fade away with play dates and car pools, dirty dishes and lunch boxes...and sometimes we try to mask it with nail polish or a new lip gloss. It's a complicated mix of everything strong and fierce, soft and kind and so much of our powerful femininity gets lost in our everyday rush.

Just before my first shoot with Lin, that's how I felt.

Like I had all this goddess inside me that I had let hibernate. In the hopes of finding my own sense of self, I booked a boudoir shoot at Lins Photo Studio. The experience is one in a million. You get all the superficial stuff that makes us all feel better: makeup, fancy lingerie and expensive shoes.

Then you get more.

You get a real makeover.. from the inside out.  You open your wings, stretch and really begin to believe in yourself and your beauty. 

The pictures Lin took show a girl who is still beautiful.  I look bright and soft and un-scarred from breast cancer surgeries. And they are a beautiful reminder that I am still a delicate balance of motherhood and sexual prowess.

Every day I struggle with this journey. It's a softer path that it was last month, and I suspect it will continue to get easier with time. I am learning to re-accept myself.. to embrace my new body and the strength it has now.. not the strength I lost.

I highly encourage women to reconnect with themselves and reclaim their femininity through the art of boudoir photography - it’s a gift to one’s self unlike any other. “