Gorgeous, strong, sensitive and successful Sini

25/04/2018 • erikafromstudiometsa •

Studio Metsä Erika Lind Muotokuvaus Helsinki

It’s finally time to introduce the amazing Sini.

Sini is a 40-year-old successful interior designer who loves to travel and photograph. Sini has also modelled although she hasn’t specifically liked the way she has looked.

Sini has had it in her head before that she’s fat. This has prevented her from eating in public all the way until she was about 25 or 27. And even though many photographs have been made of her, she’s never felt that any of them represent her – it’s always been a part she’s played.

So she came to me. It was time to make some photographs of the real Sini.

Sini turned 40 last year and has really grown to her own woman. She’s learned to be kinder toward herself, more loving and accepting. She told me how she’s gained 15kg from the time when she previously thought she was fat and is now more comfortable in her own skin than ever before.

This is an example of how external factors really have nothing to do with our insecurities. No external factors can define our worth or understanding of ourselves. It’s simply our mind that creates an illusion of what we should be in order to be enough.

And when we finally reach that goal, we don’t come to any more peace about it. In fact, our mind will have already given us a new goal that makes us believe once we reach that, then we’ll be enough. It’s a vicious cycle, you’ll never win.

The only option is to take control of your mind and start walking down the path to self-acceptance and self-love. It’s the only path that will lead to permanent peace. After all, being loved and accepted is part of our emotional basic needs. Sometimes it just takes us a while to understand that those start within us.

Sini has understood this and you can see that in the way that she carries herself. I’m really happy that I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Sini because she’s inspired me by being who she is. She’s so warm, so kind, so friendly, so empathic and loves to laugh! And actually she has the nicest laugh, which flows out of her quite easily.

You’ll get a sense of that in the photos.

Photos of the real Sini

The photoshoot with Sini went great despite the somewhat cold weather. It’s such a pleasure photographing her and seeing the enjoyment she was also having!

At the photo reveal Sini told me that this is her. She’s in the photos. As her real self.

Yay! Mission accomplished!

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Here’s what Sini had to say about the experience:

“After gaining some weight, I had managed to become somewhat allergic to the camera. I was afraid that if someone would capture me in photographs, I’d think I look too big and then I’d start to hate myself and the way I look even though in my everyday life I feel good about myself and the way I look.

This is why I declined opportunities where others could take photos of me, even for work.

I ended up getting photographed by Studio Metsä because I liked Erika’s photos – they have this type of authenticity that I hadn’t seen much. I liked the idea that everyone is beautiful and worth being photographed. Even though I was afraid to see myself the way I am, the real me, I knew that’s precisely what I needed.

The experience was really wonderful❤

The photoshoot was really relaxed and I wasn’t nervous at any point. Erika was so warm and guided me really well with different poses. When I saw the photos myself I thought wow, do I look that good.

I went to other photographers as well but I didn’t think anyone else was able to capture the real me, from the inside and the outside, the way Erika did. Every photo makes me feel something. I even recognized my mom’s mischievous smile in one of the photos, which I’ve apparently inherited.

I got so excited about the photos that I sent them to some modeling agencies in Helsinki (the one I’m in right now is in Tampere) and two out of three told me they’ll take me!

Now I no longer worry if I’m not good enough or photogenic because of my weight. I’m good enough just as I am.

Thank you Erika ❤“

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No, thank you, Sini for coming to me, trusting me and through that opening your heart to me. You’re precious, amazing, gorgeous, supportive, warm, loving, goofy, funny and such a beautiful woman. I can’t wait to hear about all the things you end up doing in your life!

You’re a star.

With the warmest of hugs,
Erika

Satu and the struggle with her teeth

06/08/2017 • erikafromstudiometsa •

Satu photographed by Studio Metsä in Helsinki Finland

When Satu and I sat down to have our face-to-face getting-to-know-each-other-chat, I knew her and I would get along just fine.

She had been emailing me for a while and shown such openness and trust towards me long before we’d ever met.

This always speaks so highly of people: when they’re willing to be vulnerable and candidly open.

Satu was that from the get-go.

She’s had a tough past but she’s learned a lot.

Satu is now 54 years old and proud that she’s come a long way from how she used to be.

However, she still doesn’t enjoy being in photographs.

The fear about photography

Her main concern are her teeth. She doesn’t like them and she definitely doesn’t like seeing herself smile or laugh in photographs.

She specifically remembers this one photograph where the shadow falls on her face in a way that accentuates her teeth. And she strongly dislikes that photograph. That’s also one of the reasons why she hasn’t liked being in photographs anymore.

Although I thought, “but there’s nothing wrong with your teeth!”.

And this is usually how it is.

It’s not really ever about our physical appearance, because truthfully, we can all find something in us that we don’t like.

But it’s about how we look at it.

I like to say that the way you see yourself is not the ONLY way to see you.

What a comforting idea, isn’t it!?

There are people out there in the world, some that you know, some that you don’t, that look at you and admire you for those precise qualities you think are horrible.

But let’s do it anyway!

On the day that we were having our photoshoot, the sun was out and it was a totally gorgeous day.

She told me straight-up-front that she’s nervous.

That’s okay. It comes with the territory.

I like to start the photoshoots slowly, to let my beautiful clients get used to it.

We did a little relaxation exercise and started off sitting next to the water.

Satu was amazing!

She got the hang of it so fast and I could visibly see her relax.

Later she told me how positively surprised she was about my ability to make her relax. She was so nervous, she wasn’t sure I could!

And that’s really the number one thing: to relax.

But it’s my job to relax you in front of the camera. And I work so hard to do that.

Sometimes it works especially well –>
(Haha! I just love her in these photographs.)

The entire time I spent with Satu was amazing. She’s an incredible woman and I’m so happy and privileged I got to meet her, get to know her and photograph her.

Once she saw the photographs of her teeth exposed, she actually liked them. “Oh, they don’t look so bad at all!”

Thank you, Satu, for reaching out to me and for baring your soul to me.

With so many hugs, and much love,
Erika

Mari + Helsinki + Sun = Joy, joy, joy

11/06/2017 • erikafromstudiometsa •

Voimaannuttava kuvaus Helsinki Studio Metsä Erika Lind

Until next time lovely.

With hugs,
Erika

Portrait Series: Tuuli in the center of attention

14/04/2016 • erikafromstudiometsa • 2 Comments

Four portraits of Tuuli by Studio Metsä Photography

It always feels so surreal to me when I meet ladies who tell me they never look good in photographs and therefore hate being in front of a camera.

I always think ‘If only you saw what I see’.

Which is why I do the work I do. I want every woman who gets in front of my camera to feel beautiful, accepted and loved. I want to give them a different perspective on themselves; to show them what I see, to show them their inner and outer beauty.

We were all created different and in those differences is where our beauty lies.

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Today I’m presenting you the beautiful and amazing Tuuli.

She originally contacted me because she has been on a quest to challenge herself, to do things she never thought she would and to build up her self-esteem.

One of the things she dislikes, normally, is being in front of a camera and she, like many women unfortunately, is very critical of photographs of herself. The idea of being photographed in front of people also made her very uncomfortable.

So naturally that’s where I took her – in the middle of people, right in the heart of Helsinki.

Let’s see what happened..

Tuuli in the center of attention

Sanomatalo was our first location. Sitting here something magical started to happen. I had photographed Tuuli for a little while when she said to me: “You know what? I’m no longer nervous! I feel really relaxed.”

Magic!!

That made us both shriek in joy and excitement – we had somehow managed to move past her fears in the first location already.

I felt giddy.

“HAPPINESS IS AN INSIDE JOB.” -WILLIAM ARTHUR WARD

“You yourself, as much as anyone in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.” -Buddha

Our second location was the beautiful Musiikkitalo with its gorgeous clean lines. At this point Tuuli was radiating – you could see how she enjoyed being photographed.

Imagine that! The girl who, until now, has very much disliked being photographed.

Our photo session became so natural and such a beautiful moment.

Later on this is what Tuuli said about the experience:

“I tried not to think too much about where we were going to go, but like I said, the first thought was oh I hope we are not going to really public places! On the other hand I thought, I trust you and your vision. Besides you have a nice and calming presence.

So beforehand I was scared and nervous about the whole thing, how could I be in front of a camera when it doesn’t feel like me at all. I was nervous about being the center of attention and the unnatural feel of it. What will other people think of me and of the entire situation? That thought has eaten me for years. I still arrived with a relaxed mind. And the whole thing started off with good vibes and relaxed atmosphere. I wasn’t nervous about the people around me (the biggest surprise) nor did I feel uncomfortable (the second WOW). I didn’t even think of what I looked like.

And I was left with a winner feeling! I felt so good.

This is a long road I am on towards an overall self-respect, courage and stronger self-esteem. I’m also after a more merciful attitude towards myself and my shortcomings and accepting myself for who I am. Our photography session brought me much further in this goal. It might sound shallow and meaningless to someone else, and in some way I find it hard to articulate all of the positive and empowering feelings that came with this experience.

Thank you so much again, it was such a great moment with you!”

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If you would like to be photographed to increase your confidence, to face your fears, to do something you never thought you would, contact me via info@studiometsa.com – I would love to work with you and help you move towards a stronger path.

Thank you so much for reading the story of the beautiful Tuuli and checking out the photographs we created together. If you found this blog post and these photographs touching, please share them with friends and family who might gain something from them as well.

Thank you again – I wish you a wonderful day!

Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika

Photo Series: The Beauty and The Breast

10/02/2016 • erikafromstudiometsa • Leave a Comment

Portrait of a breast cancer patient by Studio Metsä Photography

Of all the messages I got regarding the “I Challenge“- photo series, the one from this woman was the most impactful.

She had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and wanted to document her breast before it went under the knife.

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For a moment I didn’t know what to say – all I knew was, I had to and I wanted to do it.

On the day of the photo shoot, I arrived to her house and she opened the door smiling. We had a long conversation over tea before getting to what I actually came there to do. She told me a lot about herself and we shared many experiences, thoughts and emotions with her.

This woman is fantastic. She is so friendly, so open, so strong and she has such a good heart. It was easy being around her and I nearly forgot why I came there in the first place.

Once we started the process of photographing, there was no sadness, there was no awkwardness, it was just her and I conversing, sharing a moment that will forever be marked by the photographs we were producing.

We were creating work that she will carry in her heart forever.

Photo Series: The Beauty and The Breast

She didn’t find a lump in her chest, but instead she was alarmed by the oddity of her breast – it had changed in appearance. The breast felt different, it was resting oddly and she noticed her nipple had turned inward.

She is going under the knife next week.

And she will come out of it without her left breast.

This will, I’m sure, take a lot of time and emotion to really understand and come to terms with. But I have no doubt in my mind that she wouldn’t come out of this stronger.

Through, and with, these photographs I send her my wishes, my prayers and my thoughts. I’m honoured that she trusted me with such a sensitive and fragile subject matter. She opened her heart to me even though up until we saw each other, I was a complete stranger to her. But it is, in fact, in these moments that we experience life at its best – when we jump into the unknown simply following our hearts. And I am so glad she did so with me.

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Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika