Changes

As an intuitive and soul inspired business woman, I find myself often making changes in my business.

And I am 100% okay with that.

Very recently, I made a big one and that was changing the name from B.B. Photography (BBP) back to Chasing Dreams Photography (CDP). I could go on about the history of CDP and how it came about in 2016, but I’ll spare you for the moment. I’ll write a post about that some other time (maybe or not).

For now, just know that CDP was the love child of me and my husband, Eric and came about when we got married. We continued with this until roughly 2021, when I changed the name to Freedom Fotography (dumb move) and 2022 when I got a small business grant and decided to branch out into a newish venture of B.B. Photography (not a dumb move, but my heart wasn’t quite there).

Now, mid 2023, I have elected to not only revert back to the O.G. CDP, but also, I am in the process of converting the LLC to a charitable low profit LLC (L3C).

I don’t regret BBP at all, but I must be true to myself. I learned much in the year or so that BBP existed. One of my biggest take aways was that I came to fully understand that I am a “photographer” not a “boudoir photographer”. I was finding that my identity as a photographer was being improperly mischaracterized as boudoir only. I want to be quite clear that I have zero issue with true boudoir photography. In fact, I love it. However, that’s not all that I do.

As photographers, we are so often encourage to pick a niche and stick with one genre. While I certainly have specialties, this is damn near impossible for me. I will never be able to stop wandering quietly in nature with my camera or setting up my (or someone else’s) kids for a great shot, as much as I will never stop loving weddings and couples and business branding.

That being said, I have discovered a need.

Many people say how empowering their boudoir session was and that they would recommend it to every woman out there. I, myself, have made the same statement and I stand by it.

However, I believe it goes a step further.

In 2016, I did an engagement session with a delightful couple. One day I will blog this session (add it to the list of things I have to blog). I thought the session was enjoyable and by the end, they were brimming with joy and big smiles all around.

Later, I got a message from the bride, thanking me. She explained that her fiancé wasn’t normally very affectionate and while she loved him, the lack of physical affection had impacted her deeply in their relationship. During the session, she had more affection from him than she had in years and she was in tears and ever grateful.

These words stayed with me.

Fast forward to now, and the literal things clients have said to me:

“Thank you so much for the session! I know some photographers wouldn’t even think to take me on because I’m too big.”

“I had no idea I looked like this! Thank you so much!”

“You have changed the way I look at myself.”

“We had so much fun! Can’t wait for our next one!”

“I hate the way I look but I trust you.”

“I’ve always hated the way I look, even though I’m not…fat.”

“I’m self conscious about what I look like, so I’m nervous to take photos.”

All of these and more got me thinking over the years.

While there is plenty of documented research about photography being therapeutic for the photographer, I have yet to find any studies or data about how therapeutic a photo shoot can be for the client, though, my own eyes have seen it time and again. I KNOW it to be a thing.

I know many women personally who do not love their bodies and so many mothers who fell apart during pregnancy and it continued into postpartum and beyond. Many single mothers struggling, and domestic abuse stats are off the charts, while chronic disease plagues our country like never before. Historically and presently, women are always facing insane issues.

I’m working on the business plan for Chasing Dreams Photography, a low profit llc, where the main mission is roughly:

To bring awareness to struggles that women face and to uplift and inspire them through empowerment photography and related photography projects.

With Eric recently accepting and starting a new job, I find myself unable to schedule new sessions until at least fall, and with a good amount of time on my hands, but also, facing a future where photography will not have to pay the bills.

I’ve been thinking about making it a charitable business for several years. I remember first pondering this when we still lived in Rhode Island, one day driving up Maple Ave in Newport while delivering pizza. A problem/habit I have is that I love doing photoshoots so much that I will compulsively do them on a whim and usually for free (I don’t know if I should call this a problem…). I’ve always been like that. So, I am going to take that energy and harness it and channel it a bit differently – mainly through photo projects.

Now is the time.

There are a lot of things to work out and get in place but I have begun the process. After years of mulling over it, I’ve decided to go for it. Things may change, ideas may evolve and I’m here for it.

For now, I am following where I believe spirit is leading, and chasing my dreams.

Chasing Dreams Photography, a charitable business.

11 Replies to “Changes”

  1. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?

    Reply

  11. While these are essential for dimension and strength, neglecting the rear delts can go away your physique
    looking incomplete. The TRX low-row exercise is extremely efficient for constructing a
    stronger and wider back as a outcome of its unique benefits.
    By using suspension straps, it engages the muscle
    tissue of the higher again, together with the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and rear deltoids.
    This train emphasizes scapular retraction and shoulder extension, promoting improved posture and stability while focusing on multiple muscle teams simultaneously.

    The rowing workout routines to include are a
    matter of non-public choice, but try to decide dissimilar actions.
    To give consideration to building back thickness, incorporate Workout #1 centered round rows into your routine.

    Make The Most Of quite lots of rowing exercises featuring completely
    different gear similar to dumbbells, barbells, and cables to effectively goal various areas of
    the back including the lats, traps, and rear delts. To develop a
    wider back, it’s important to focus on workout routines that target the lats.

    Pull-up variations, similar to wide-grip pull-ups or lat pull-downs, are notably efficient in partaking the
    lats.
    They’re all slightly completely different, and plenty of function several
    choices for grip width and hand placement, allowing you to
    attack your lats from distinctive angles. He did “corner rows,” which implies setting one finish of an Olympic bar in a corner.

    If you do these, you will discover you have to set a heavy dumbbell throughout that
    end within the nook or else the bar comes flying
    off the bottom whenever you row. Most gyms now have devoted platforms with a sleeve to place the top of
    the Olympic bar into that on a hinge to avoid that concern. You’re also setting yourself up for a potential muscle tear, but that’s a
    whole different subject. The point is that you must squeeze the
    lats as you raise and really feel them stretch as you lower.

    Studies have shown that the stretch place of the rep
    is actually liable for more of the growth stimulus than the contraction.
    Hadi Choopan, the Iranian sensation, has gained a
    reputation for his incredibly dense and detailed back, helping him
    rise rapidly through the bodybuilding ranks. His back’s combination of mass and definition has made him a high contender on the global stage.
    Roelly Winklaar, some of the muscular bodybuilders in fashionable instances,
    is understood for his jaw-dropping measurement and dense back.

    Winklaar’s back has been one of the most dramatically improved lately, showcasing each width and insane
    thickness. Levrone’s rear double biceps pose showcased his dense middle back, one of
    his strongest areas, together with the general balance of his again muscular tissues.

    In this submit you’ll discover ways to construct a
    wide again using true and tested, scientifically valid methods of constructing that wide cobra back.
    This exercise additionally helps to right muscle imbalances between your left and right sides due to its unilateral nature.

    Focus on controlling the load throughout both
    the concentric and eccentric phases of this exercise
    for maximum benefit and decreased danger of harm.
    So, if you’re somebody who enjoys the ache of an intense back exercise, listed under are some suggestions for getting probably
    the most out of your back thickness coaching sessions.

    For added problem and variation, try using an underhand grip or dumbbells as a substitute of
    a barbell. Maintain your core engaged all through to guard
    your spine during this train. This unilateral exercise
    corrects muscle imbalances whereas constructing back thickness
    and definition. Now, let’s break down the highest seven again workouts you
    want in your bodybuilding routine. I suspect our again muscle tissue fatigue much less
    easily as a outcome of it’s tougher to challenge them at lengthy
    muscle lengths. Bench presses, push-ups, and dumbbell flyes problem our chests
    underneath a deep stretch, making every set much more environment friendly.

    His exercises included a combination of compound actions like rows and pull-ups, together with
    isolation workout routines that fine-tuned his back’s intricate details.
    Haney’s consideration to posture and technique ensured that he developed a back that was both muscular and
    safe from injury. He believed in going heavy, pushing his limits with large compound movements like
    deadlifts and bent-over barbell rows. One of his most
    famous feats was performing 495-pound barbell rows for over 10 reps, an illustration of his raw power.
    You’re pulling the weight up by driving your elbows again, your
    shoulder blades are stretching out after which squeezing collectively, and your spinal erectors are keeping
    your posture rigid. Rows won’t work all three muscle
    groups onerous enough to stimulate muscle growth, although.

    Nor will they problem each area of every muscle in each muscle group.

    There are a couple of things you ought to be doing
    to make certain that your quest for a thick neck bears
    fruit. And although it doesn’t goal neck muscle tissue
    directly, it might be an excellent factor to do throughout the day
    if you work at a desk. The scalenes are a gaggle of three muscle tissue
    on each side of the neck, running from the cervical backbone to the first two ribs.

    They help with neck flexion, lateral bending, and rib elevation throughout respiratory.

    Perhaps on Monday, you do some deadlifts and face-pulls,
    on Wednesday, you do some pulldowns and rows, and then on Friday, you
    do some entrance squats and chin-ups. That will prepare all
    the muscle tissue in your back with a number of overlapping exercises.
    It’s also essential to activate the rear deltoid muscles throughout specific
    exercises to enhance posture and shoulder mobility. Moreover, incorporating
    split stance or staggered foot positions can improve stability and balance throughout
    bent-over row movements, making certain a secure and
    effective workout session.
    Convey in your back and shoulders and you’ll discover it’s
    easier to lug issues round subsequent time you’re dragged to Ikea.
    Research in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery
    found working on your rotator cuffs at the prime of your arms improves energy in other again muscles by 80%.

    Partnered with effective stretching routines and dynamic movements, these moves might help to make lower-back pain a thing of the previous.
    The shortcoming there, in distinction to Dorian deadlifts,
    is that after you set the bar down on the blocks or rack, everything will get unloaded –
    you lose tension. With the Dorian deadlift, the lumbars and
    upper back keep contracted to hold the backbone in correct place
    in the range of movement the place they’re required to work the toughest.

    For best results in achieving a strong and sculpted back, it’s important
    to emphasise consistency not simply in exercise but additionally in relaxation, hydration, and vitamin. – Add
    in strongman exercises for a enjoyable and difficult way to construct back thickness.
    Successfully constructing such a robust frame hinges on greater than mere
    repetitions; it requires precision in train choice.
    Amongst my arsenal of top-tier workouts is the Dumbbell Palm Rotational
    Bent-Over Row—a powerhouse move geared in path
    of amplifying back depth while engaging pivotal help muscle tissue.

    If your rotator cuffs are already sturdy, and if you’re following a balanced program that
    features some overhead urgent, you might not want any extra rotator cuff work.

    Then, as quickly as you’ve constructed a big again, it’s simple to
    take care of your dimension and strength. If you
    do some chin-ups and deadlifts every week, that’s more than enough to maintain all of
    your back muscle tissue.
    Remember that gravity pulls free weights down in a straight line towards the middle of the earth, so you should bend over to get any actual vary of movement (ROM).
    As Soon As you identify that deep connection, you can gradually
    start growing the weights you utilize. A true master of
    mind-muscle connection can pantomime any back exercise and not
    solely really feel the lats working but in addition obtain an precise pump.

    That mentioned, while there is not any denying the facility of
    pull-ups, there is a couple of approach to
    perform them. Named after the late bodybuilder John Meadows, this unilateral rowing train is great for rising again width and addressing muscular imbalances.
    By specializing in one aspect at a time, the Meadows row enhances mind-muscle connection and
    forces larger stabilisation.
    That’s why, as a veteran private coach with over three decades of expertise, I tend
    to write down shorter packages that emphasize only a few primary lifts.
    Most of my purchasers choose this more minimalist strategy, and
    missed exercises are a rarity. The floating clear pull is an train you will
    only see in Olympic Weightlifting. However Weightlifters have thick backs because of their big pulling volumes.
    The bonus with carries is you have to deadlift the awkward loads to hold them, putting more stress on your again muscles for thickness.
    Hold pushing yourself to new limits and watch
    as your again turns into thicker and stronger with each workout session.
    There’s additionally a chance that regardless of how hard you practice, you’ll
    never develop a back like mine. Every of us has an inborn set of strengths and
    weaknesses, and it’s our job as bodybuilders to maximize our potential to create the most effective
    physiques potential. T-BAR ROWS If your gym does not have
    a T-bar, you can improvise one with a regular Olympic barbell.

    Put one finish of the bar on the ground towards a wall, preferably
    in a nook, and place weights (such as the handle of a heavy dumbbell) over that end to maintain it down.
    Load the other finish with your required resistance, then slip a V-handle under that aspect, towards the collar.

    Together With protein-rich foods in your food regimen, similar to lean meats,
    fish, eggs, dairy merchandise, and legumes, is important for building a
    powerful and sculpted back. It’s advisable to perform the barbell bent over row with a pronated
    grip and an overhand grip to maximise its benefits.
    By customizing your grip placement, you’ll find a way to emphasize different areas of your again during this train. Maintaining correct form
    and approach is essential to keep away from harm and maximize the benefits of this train. When mixed with different effective
    again workout routines, corresponding to those talked about
    on this article, the Barbell One Arm Bent over Row can contribute to a well-developed and outlined back.
    Focus on managed movements, feeling the contraction in your again muscular tissues
    with each repetition. Keep your neck in a impartial place to avoid strain and keep a smooth, steady tempo with out speeding via
    the workout routines.
    Reps are normally done singularly or in pairs quite than prolonged sets.
    This train targets the fast twitch sort IIb fibers that give your muscular tissues most of their size.
    Coaching your rotator cuff, infraspinatus,
    teres minor, and rear delts is crucial as these smaller muscle
    tissue help major lifts that contribute to general back thickness.
    Working these muscle tissue successfully requires time underneath rigidity with controlled actions geared toward building power with
    out risking harm.
    It’s as a outcome of we all know that given the selection males want to see abs and arms,
    chest and boulder shoulders, not back muscle tissue.

    But in phrases of working out, you should be paying the same consideration to again exercises as you do some other muscle group.
    A lot of individuals discover that using the narrower grip with palms facing in feels extra
    pure in comparability to regular overhand lat pulldowns, so it’s positively an train you’ll need to try out.

    His again had a grainy texture, crammed with muscle striations and detail that few could replicate.
    Yates’ combination of width and depth made his rear poses virtually unbeatable,
    particularly in the rear double biceps, where each muscle fiber appeared prominently defined.
    The higher fibers elevate or raise your shoulder girdle, whereas
    the center fibers retract it, pulling your shoulder blades together.
    Your traps, particularly the middle fibers, give your upper back its thickness.

    Pull the bar towards your abdomen by retracting your shoulder blades,
    then slowly return to the beginning position whereas controlling the burden. Building a thick, highly effective again requires a strategic blend of workouts that
    focus on both the breadth and depth of the back muscle tissue.
    When you are not capable of transfer your physique, you probably
    can actually give consideration to contracting
    the muscle tissue in the back as you move the weight.
    So, if you’re seeking to test the boundaries of your t-shirts, we’re outlining the most effective workouts for thicker back that hit each of
    the muscles above. We’ll cowl each of these workouts in higher element, as properly as
    sharing some example coaching routines that characteristic them, later in this article.

    Stick to your exercise routine, specializing in incorporating
    the highest 10 workout routines for back thickness into your coaching plan. Incorporating
    proper type is essential to reduce the risk of injury
    and guarantee most effectiveness when performing this train. By including the Cable One
    Arm Bent over Row to your routine, you probably can work in the direction of reaching a
    defined and robust back with improved muscular improvement.

    Incorporating variations like completely different grips or adjusting body angle can add
    range to this exercise routine for optimum muscle engagement and development.
    Consistency with correct approach is important to maximize effectiveness whereas minimizing harm risk when performing this train. It not solely helps in strengthening and rising the dimensions
    of back muscular tissues but additionally contributes to
    improved posture and lowered danger of again accidents.

    References:

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