I had the supreme pleasure of attending #BlogHer17 this year in Orlando, Florida (shoutout to Jouelzy.com for providing the hook up). I must confess I was a tad nervous to attend. As a producer who often works behind the scenes at conventions such as these it was weird to be an attendee. 

   Thankfully, I ran into Cristina, current managing editor of NaturallyCurly.com and my introvert heart was immediately put at ease.  Having at least one person you are acquainted with can make conventions a lot more manageable. 

As a thank you for being an awesome wingman. I offered to take her portrait on the expansive balcony of the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek where the conference was held this year. 

As I continue to take more portraits and figure out a personal style I find myself gravitating away from styles like the photo to the right. Women are usually photographed like this, smiling, looking perfect. Wind at their back, hair in the breeze -- and it's great (I definitely included this one in the final download links), but to me it's almost too picturesque. Too virginal. Too innocent. For lack of a better word...too feminine. 

The whole point of the #BlogHer17 conference is to be mindful and to also be as independent in your entrepreneurial-ness as you want to be. To me that screams strength. Not necessarily smiling because you have to, or because it's what you should do. 

So I focused on a more centered stance for her and had her look directly at the camera. Relaxed. Confident. Above it all.