PORTRAITS
Gina makes amazing food from plants. She also is an incredible public school teacher but has wanted to stop teaching to start her own food business. She's been hesitant because, well, starting anything new out is scary, and throw past-the-age-of-35 into the mix and it is straight up shell shocking. I get this because I remember at 34, questioning whether I was too old to pursue a career in photography, and then at 40 jumped the cliff, and I still feel confused as hell most of the time in this new working for myself space.
Anyhow Gina has this vibrant, aware soul that is sensitive and kind and she really cares about all the moves she makes in her life. She is vegan and has a passion for creating food from plants. I mean real food that is hard to get - like mouth watering gluten free raviolis.....!!
Her and I have always clicked, but very-much-so on this idea of having the courage to do what you feel compelled to do, which is why I really wanted to photograph her doing it!
One of my goals in life is to support all people, but primarily women (and even more primarily mothers) doing what they love, especially well into adulthood. I am fascinated by people who go for it. To me , having the courage to go for what you feel called to do, regardless of age, is the medicine we all need.
So I came to Gina's kitchen and photographed her making wildly colorful and crazy delicious vegan, gluten free cheesecake and creamy kelp noodles. I wanted to make her pictures that one, she could use to drum up business and two, would show her shining in her element so as to remind her, if and when she feels badgery doubt creep in, that she is perfectly capable of doing this. So I edited them sort of shiny, rich and bright-I wanted her to see them and think of herself in the pages of a foodie magazine.
And the pictures speak for themselves; her happiness, presence and confidence of her being her. You can follow Gina's delicious food on her instagram @ginademariakitchen
