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