In this post, I share a legacy portrait photoshoot telling your unique story for your loved ones. Last year, I made a call via Instagram about getting more women over 50 in front of my camera. There’s the misconception that only women of a certain age should be photographed. A big joke, right? I don’t agree at all with this idea. Do you? 

For me, beauty shines through the confidence of standing in front of the camera, the best use of light and feeling great in your skin. I have photographed women in their early 90s for a photography project about Women who served during World War II. 

These women had many questions about why they should be photographed, which required a lot of convincing. What I saw in them was not their age, but their life, the love they had inside their hearts, how proud they were of what they had accomplished, and the trust they had in me as their photographer.

A portrait is not just about a photograph; it’s about you, the person, and your life, your unique identity. Every picture is always going to be different because every person is unique. 

After making the call for more women over 50 in front of my camera, Elaine got in touch and put me to the challenge, convinced that at 68 she was too old for my challenge. We met up, had a conversation about her dream of being photographed, and came up with the fantastic idea of setting her photoshoot in Seville.

Elaine is a journalist and author who offers writing workshops and retreats in the heart of the Andalusian mountains, the Sierra Nevada, at a gorgeous place called Finca Buenvino. We decided to organise her photo shoot around her next workshop in Spain, taking place in the early summer, and so we did. 

It was essential for Elaine to be herself in the images. She often felt that, in previous photos for newspapers and magazines, she didn’t resemble herself. The excessive makeup and clothes didn’t reveal her true self. She repeated this concern a few times, so I knew that it was vital for her to be herself in the images we would create.

Even the styling recommendations I offered felt too feminine for her, so we met up a day before the shoot to discuss her outfits and made a few decisions. I recommended that she add a belt, as it can make a real difference in defining your waist. 

The next day, we had our shoot, went to have her makeup done and hair styled, walked through the planned locations, the old town, and the gardens I had chosen. We had a lot of fun, despite the tourists. Elaine was very relaxed and laid back. Without realising it, we’d spent two enjoyable hours walking around. We finished at the oldest Tapas bar in Seville, El Riconcillo, celebrating this wonderful experience drinking Tinto de Verano and eating delicious Pata Negra Jamón. 

The images from the shoot tell the story of a woman who is confident and happy in her skin. Elaine said that she couldn’t believe this was her! She even used one of our portraits for the cover of an article she was writing for a magazine. I saw Elaine’s beauty and feel grateful to have documented her personal story with these legacy portraits.

Get in touch to learn more about a photoshoot with me