Ok, let's start here: Photoshoot Friday isn't so much an actual thing as an excuse for using alliteration. Which is to say it won't be anevery Friday kind of thing. The name just popped into my head and I couldn't let go of the alliteration (regular readers readily remember that I'm always all about alliteration.) Photoshoots are pretty far out of my comfort zone, so when Lindley Ashline offered to do this shoot while I was in Oregon, I decided it was a face your fears kind of thing - especially since her commitment to fat positivity made it far less scary.
Lindley is the photographer behind Sweet Amaranth: Body Positive Boudoir & Portrait Photography and she is also the person behind the Body Love Box, a fat positive and intersectional monthly subscription box.
We did three locations around Portland. The pictures in the red dress are taken at the Rhododendron Garden. It was beautiful and freezing cold (for an LA by way of Austin girl - it turns out that the cold weather tolerance I developed in my youth is looooong gone!)
In addition to giving me posing tips (I have talents, but modeling is not one of them) and creating a delightful air of fat positivity around the whole shoot, Lindley would tell me what parts of me weren't in the shot and let me cover them with a coat - she's the best!
The pictures of me walking and running are also in the Rhododendron Garden and running around, not to mention wearing pants, helped me keep warmer. Normally I'm not a big proponent of pants but in this case... A million bonus points to Lindley since she was working in those conditions.
Lindley then drove out to the ruins of a stone house. My experience of Portland was that you can fall off any curb and into the woods - there are trees EVERYWHERE. This was no exception - a stunningly beautiful location that was just a few feet off the highway. Though I will say that those feet were straight up a muddy embankment with me lugging my suitcase full of various outfits and other photoshoot detritus, and Lindley having to haul all of her stuff up as well. It was totally worth it and we had fun playing with the existing "furniture" at the site, as well as Lindley's fabulous blue sequin fabric.
We finished with a little scale smashing in my Fatties Against Fascism Shirt ( get your own here!) I'll let you in on a little secret - because we were on a public street and we didn't have the supplies we needed to clean it up properly, we didn't actually smash the scale.
It was an incredible day, working with Lindley was a joy, and I'm thrilled with the pictures. (You can click on them to enlarge if you would like.) Pictures are not authorized for use without express permission. If you'd like permission to utilize the photos, e-mail me at [email protected]
A million thank yous to Lindley, who is a true professional and a joy to work with! You can find her, and her fab pictures, in all of these places:
Instagram: @sweetamaranth Twitter: @sweetamaranthus http://www.sweetamaranth.com Representation Matters - Diverse Stock Photos Disclosures for Transparency:Lindley gifted the photoshoot to me (Thank you!) I don't get compensated for linking to her work, or for any purchases made from her.
Junonia gave me the red shirt from the walk/run photos as part of a campaign that they are working on, these pictures may become part of that campaign. Other than the shirt, I won't be compensated for the campaign, and I don't get compensated for linking to their site, or for any purchases made there.
I'm not affiliated with the makers of the Fatties Against Fascism shirts (other than loving their work) I paid full price for my shirts from them, and don't get compensated for linking to their site, or for any purchases made there.
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Book and Dance Class Sale! I'm on a journey to complete an IRONMAN triathlon, and I'm having a sale on all my books, DVDs, and digital downloads to help pay for it. You get books and dance classes, I get spandex clothes and bike parts. Everybody wins! If you want, you can check it out here!
Book Me! I'd love to speak to your organization. You can get more information here or just e-mail me at ragen at danceswithfat dot org!
I'm (still!) training for an IRONMAN! You can follow my journey at www.IronFat.com or on Instagram.
If you are uncomfortable with my offering things for sale on this site, you are invited to check out this post.
Hi, I'm Ragen Chastain. Speaker, Writer, Dancer, Choreographer, Marathoner, Soon to be IRONMAN, Activist, Fat Person. View all posts by danceswithfat
