Sara has a unique photoshoot experience with Playa regular, Ashlie Woods
Have you ever noticed how some people always seem to look great in photographs? Whatever the angle, whatever the time of day, whatever the hairstyle?
For the rest of us mere mortals, having our photograph taken is a slightly daunting process. Will the hair look OK? Will it look natural? Will I cringe when I see the end result?
But being photographed can also be an exciting and enjoyable process. What makes it so positive versus potentially negative? Well, I believe a lot of it comes down to the photographer, of course.
Whatever your reason for having your photograph taken (and rest assured, you don’t actually need a reason other than wanting a great photograph), the interaction between you and your photographer will be one of the main factors that determine the end result.
Working with Ashlie Woods was a different experience to any photographer I’ve previously worked with. Ashlie met with me beforehand to discuss the purpose of the shoot, what I would like to portray, and the end result I hoped to achieve. These questions encouraged me to think about what I was grateful for in my life and what I wanted to see when I looked back on this time.
We narrowed it down to three separate shoots, representing three distinct keywords:
- Empowerment: A photograph that embodied the confidence and success of this time in my life
- Femininity: Embracing my feminine energy, sensuality and sexuality
- Happiness: An expression of pure joy, gratitude and love of life
From there we chose three locations, decided on the best colors and outfits and off we went. The process and the resulting images are something I will treasure for many years to come.
As a retreat leader and photographer, Ashlie splits her time between Playa del Carmen, her hometown of Dallas, Texas and wherever she chooses to hold her retreats; the next is in Guatemala. www.ashliewoods.com
Sara Jones
Spa, Wellness & Lifestyle Expert, Spa Consultant and Founder of Spa & Wellness Mexico magazine
