I’m Meagan Thomas, a photographer in Atlanta. I create Soul Portraits: a few weeks of conversation and one day of photography that help women step into who they’re becoming. Last month I got to try my own process in Milan. I got to go to Milan for Fashion Week last month. I know. I was also completely blown away. Without bragging (re: FULL brag) I’ve literally never looked better in my life. Not even on my wedding day. That said, I had an entire team around me to make it happen. Geniuses, each and every one of them!
I was fussed over, champagne was poured, stylists chose outfits for me, jewelry was paraded on velvet trays, and there was even a red carpet or two. I do think I dress well, but you would’ve thought I had an invitation to Buckingham Palace when I had to consider what outfit I’d wear to even go shopping with a stylist! And when I consider ‘jewelry’ I’m thinking earrings. A necklace? Maybe a ring if I’m getting fancy…but there were clutches, hats, glasses, arm cuffs, hand jewelry, anklets. The list was long, and honestly, I get it. As we swapped this for that, and traded these shoes for those, that clutch for this satchel, I saw it coming together like it does in my photo sessions. Not only did it make a difference, experiencing experts weigh in and share their reasoning, it started to really matter to me as well. It started to make me feel different.
Around the same time, I had a Discovery Call with a client and one of her discovery words was “limitless”. I felt like I was almost planning my own Soul Portrait, so I decided to practice my process. “Limitless” was my word (I went with one instead of three). That was how I wanted to feel. So, to put it simply, with every decision leading up to fashion week, I asked myself what would make me feel “limitless”.
What outfit? Which accessories? What type of styling? I took the slightly more intense road when offered, because being bold led to my feeling limitless. Somewhere along the way, I went from feeling like I was faking it, to actually becoming her. I found myself walking differently. Speaking to people I may not have had the courage to connect with. And the STRUT I was strutting around Milan. 48 hours into the trip, Cardi B walked onto our rooftop to party and I was not surprised. It felt inevitable.
Who knows what’s really going on here? Maybe it’s a placebo effect. Maybe it’s “faking it til you make it”. Maybe all those things would’ve happened even if I wasn’t attempting to be “limitless”. Regardless, I can tell you one thing. It made me far more present, which made everything feel more exciting and vibrant. I have many ideas around the various benefits to this type of exploration, and if this sounds like a path you could benefit from, send an email to hello@meaganophotography.com and we’ll start the conversation. Maybe you’re one photo session away from the next iteration of you?