Danielle Koehler | Noir Collection

“….I have always known I was a pretty girl. However, I have also always been the girl who hates herself behind closed doors. I never thought I was thin enough, beautiful enough, smart enough, worth enough. The opportunity presented itself to have a shoot with Kent Smith Photography. My friends had been telling me for YEARS that I would be a natural and I would love the results, it would be so fun, so worth it and life-altering. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe them. It wasn’t that I didn’t think I deserved it. I didn’t think I was THAT girl. I don’t have a partner; I have three teenage kids and I haven’t’ accomplished the goals I put on my body for this year. This was definitely NOT the time to do a sexy photoshoot.

Yet, I did it. I went in scared as a new kitten on Christmas morning. I had hair and makeup done and couldn’t stop smiling at the reflection looking back at me. I was terrified about my wardrobe choices and my photographer smiled and told me they were perfect and she had so many ideas of how to make them outstanding. During the shoot I was so comfortable that towards the end, I actually started believing the affirming compliments the photographer was giving me. I drove home that night in a daze, picked up my youngest son who couldn’t stop staring at me. He’d never seen me so made-up. When I got home my daughter oogled me and let me take a million selfies in her mirror. I didn’t want to wash my face or hair ever again as to not lose it.

When I saw the proofs, I was floored. At first, I didn’t believe it was me. She was gorgeous! We went through the album and I fell in love with myself. For the first time in my life, I loved that girl whose photos I was looking at. It was me! The anxiety and the worry of cost all floated away and I made myself a priority. Not for a partner, not for my kids, not for anything or anyone other than ME.

To all those women who told me all those times to “just do it” and that I would “love it”, thank you! And you were right. Thank you to Kent Smith Photography and those three women who made me realize my true beauty and worth.”