So often today on social media we are bombarded by images of plastic people, airbrushed and filtered to such an extent that all genuine emotion and feeling, the human connections that shine through the picture and into our hearts, is lost.
Step forward Stephanie and Arryn, a young couple from Texas. They are not models, but friends with photographer Bria Terry, of Wolf & Rose Photography. Stephanie decided to respond to an everyday call for models to take part in a boudoir photoshoot, and as you can see, the results are stunning.
The photoshoot was uploaded onto Wolf & Rose Photography’s Facebook page, which is pretty much normal protocol, but this time the photos went hugely viral. What is it about these particular photos that have caused such a stir? We will leave it for you to decide. But the obvious love, chemistry, confidence and beauty of the images are there for all to see, generating an unexpectedly wonderful response from an infamously mean internet comments section. “This makes my heart so happy and gives me hope as a plus size woman that not all men care about what size you are” is just one example of the body positive message that this photoshoot, breaking the mold of societal expectations, has inspired.
Stephanie has embraced the opportunity to give her message of body positivity to the millions who struggle with unrealistic expectations pushed by both social and mainstream media, leading to self-esteem issues. “I remember being in junior high and looking at myself in the mirror, wondering why my stomach wasn’t the way it was ‘supposed’ to be,” she told HuffPost. “Over the years, I’ve come to accept that I am always going to be considered plus-size. I push myself out of my comfort zone by wearing clothes that I love but aren’t in society’s mold of what is acceptable for bigger women, like crop tops, tight shirts, shorter dresses and shorts. I walk around with my head high, smiling, and show no shame in myself.” The photoshoot gave her a great opportunity to really express herself, and she loves the result. “I honestly have never felt more attractive,” was her reaction to first seeing the album. “I was shocked. I look so in love and confident. Every person should be able to see themselves in that light. It is really eye-opening.”
We at Bored Panda say cheers to Stephanie and Arryn, who plan to wed in early 2019, and to Bria for capturing the connection, emotion and chemistry between them. Bria told Healthline that the couple had made her job seem easy. “The connection they share is truly inspiring, even to me. It has always been my hope as a photographer to show people the beauty that they hold, and I feel like I've done this here. I am a firm believer in love. Size, race, religion, and sexuality are all things that are at times used to divide us, but at the end of the day, we all just want to be loved. I think that's why these photos have become so popular. Above all else, you can see the love that these two share.”
You can scroll down to check out the gorgeous pics below. True love really does know no boundaries!
More info: Wolf & Rose Photography
“I remember being in junior high and looking at myself in the mirror, wondering why my stomach wasn’t the way it was ‘supposed’ to be”
“Over the years, I’ve come to accept that I am always going to be considered plus-size"
"I walk around with my head high, smiling, and show no shame in myself”
“I honestly have never felt more attractive,” was her reaction to first seeing the album
“I was shocked. I look so in love and confident"
"Every person should be able to see themselves in that light. It is really eye-opening”
The photographer believes that “The connection they share is truly inspiring, even to me"
"It has always been my hope as a photographer to show people the beauty that they hold, and I feel like I've done this here"
"I am a firm believer in love. Size, race, religion, and sexuality are all things that are at times used to divide us, but at the end of the day, we all just want to be loved"
The photoshoot resonated with people across the internet
The second article beautifully captures the essence of self-acceptance and the celebration of genuine beauty, which aligns closely with the theme of the first article. In today's world where societal beauty standards often dominate discussions, Stephanie's powerful message underscores the importance of embracing one's true self.
For similar insights on redefining beauty beyond physical appearances, one might explore how Alex Durog's words powerfully challenge conventional beauty norms.