Happy SUMMER!!!  I hope y'all are getting plenty of sunshine and eating lots of watermelon like there's no tomorrow!  

 

Lots of great things are cookin'!  First, I would like to share that I have been working with a couple of remarkable coaches on some biz stuff, which has enabled me to focus on the importance of discovering the whys of what I do.   The past few months of coaching has forced me to take a much deeper look at 'the person behind the lens'...yes, me!  Let me tell ya - it wasn't all fun looking in the mirror!  It's been a wonderful but yet an incredibly difficult journey.  Coz really, who wants to dig deep?  It's an easier route to 'go with the flow' and live doing what you do but never questioning yourself WHY.  Secondly, my website will soon be getting revamped, woohoo!  (it's about freakin' time) Thirdly, my friend Heather Wood of BodyLove and I have teamed up to form a movement for women, called Imperfect Beauty!  We are pouring our hearts into this project and cannot wait to share some videos we've created to help empower women of all ages and sizes.  "Stop Shaming.  Stop Apologizing.  Start Loving."  This is our mission, so if you want to join and help, please like our Facebook page to get updates! 

 

And lastly -- I have a guest writer on today's blog!  I invited Christine Brae, author, to share a little bit about her recent boudoir experience with me.  If you know me you are aware of how much I LOVE what I do.  Working intimately with women allows me to really get to know them and their unique life stories.  Most of the time the professional relationship blooms into a beautiful friendship and Christine is one of the many clients I'm happy to now call a friend.  

 

To Christine:  

Thank you for allowing me to celebrate and capture the beauty that I see behind those soulful eyes and sweet smile of yours.  NYC is only the beginning. :)

With so much love and friendship, Effie

 

***********************************************

 

 

Hi, it’s me, Christine Brae. I’m so excited to be here! I’m thrilled that I get to tell you all about such a

 

wonderful experience. I met Effie through a very close friend of mine (also an author but a much more 

 

well–known one) who knew what I was going through in my life during the past year. Simply put, I 

 

was struggling with turning fifty. Despite accomplishing the goals that I had set for myself in my life – 

 

write a book (Or two. Or three), succeed in my career, give my children a happy and stable home, etc-

 

something happened in the past year that made me resent growing older. I was in official mid-life crisis 

 

mode. I couldn’t explain it – waking up each morning became such a daunting task for me. I’m sure so 

 

much of it has to do with the stigma that we placed on our parents at this age. They didn’t dress the way 

 

we do, act the way we do. And I didn’t want to fit into that mold.

 

I started to do things way outside of my comfort zone. And I don’t regret a single moment of it.

 

As soon as I reached out to Effie to inquire about this photo shoot, I knew that I had made a friend for 

 

life. I’m sure that it was for a variety of reasons – the same ethnicity, life experiences and outlook in life 

 

– we simply clicked. By the time I met her in New York for my session, it was like reuniting with someone 

 

who I had known for years and years. The shoot itself was fun and easy – I got to wear what I wanted 

 

and explore new ways of looking sexy without feeling dirty and foolish. Effie just had that way about 

 

her – she made me feel at home. She made me feel loved. She treated me as if I was the most beautiful 

 

woman in the world. I felt invincible, carefree. I felt young and alive. There is much to be said about 

 

the empowerment that comes with self-confidence and assurance. The laughter that you see in these 

 

pictures reflects the real me. We laughed and giggled about so many things that day, like old high school 

 

friends sharing secrets only known to us. I didn’t want the day to end. It was a fitting conclusion to my 

 

birthday celebration.

 

And the viewing session! It was surreal. Effie’s art and creativity was immediately brought to life through 

 

these pictures. My poses. My facial expressions. My smile. In them I see a happy and vibrant older 

 

woman who is comfortable with who she is and where she’s been. I truly believe that I wouldn’t have 

 

been able to do this with any other photographer. The way that Effie made me feel during this whole 

 

experience is priceless. 

NinaGomez_2014-6 NinaGomez_2014-73-Edit-2

NinaGomez_2014-43

NinaGomez_2014-235 NinaGomez_2014-259

NinaGomez_2014-122 NinaGomez_2014-103 NinaGomez_2014-154

 

NinaGomez_2014-342

Every woman deserves a day like this. A day of pampering. Of being treated like a fashion model. A day 

 

where she lives outside of herself and throws caution to the wind. A day of courage and bravery, of 

 

telling the world to go f*** itself because today she is it and everything revolves around her. A day to let 

 

the man in her life know how she’s feeling with her eyes. With her face. With her body. 

 

We all have something captivating about us. Let those pictures speak for you. After all, didn’t someone 

 

once say that they paint a thousand words? 

 

Love Letter to Effie:

 

My Eppy. You don’t know how grateful I am that you came into my life. You and your camera and that 

 

gigantic make up bag with so many different types of eyelashes! That weekend in NY is one that I will 

 

always remember (for many reasons). I am so so glad that I was able to share this journey with you. 

 

Thank you for making this such a wonderful experience for me! Love you always, dearest friend.

 

Christine