This past week I was able to pull off a shoot that I had been visualizing since I built my “luxurious boudoir” set. I imagined a room full of babely humans lounging about in their skivvies, being bad ass, powerful, unapologetic and glorious, so naturally when it came time to choose my “models” for this vision I reached out to some of the most positive social media influencers in my immediate sphere of Winnipeg. Every single one of these humans has posted something that made me think differently, nod my head ferociously or taught me a better way to be a human to other humans or myself. I talk all the time about the importance of curating your feed to surround yourself with positive role models, well I am about to introduce you to some fierce folx who are fabulous as fuck (say that 5 times fast!)
Brooke - @mybodywpg
Brooke is the powerhouse behind the inclusive fitness center located in Winnipeg and she is also well known globally for her social media presence. She is an amazing advocate and ally for marginalized folx and uses her platform and gym to educate and lift up voices that tend to go unheard. I personally first met Brooke a few years ago at a screening of the Embrace documentary and since then have worked together on a few projects. I have been so proud of all the amazing work that she has done to revolutionize the fitness industry and she is doing it here in little ol’ Winnipeg!!
This shoot was the first time I had the pleasure of meeting Natalie in real life, but let me tell you….THIS WOMAN IS LIKE THE SUN! Positive vibes bounce off her like no others and one of my favorite things about Natalie’s instagram is the fact that she really shows the amazingness that is Winnipeg. Even though our city is on the smaller scale and we usually get shit on by other provinces, Natalie shows us the hidden gems and all of the beauty the city has to offer. Her feed is unapologetic, powerful, educational, and full of raw honesty and beauty.
Kemo
I met Kemo through one of the other beauties from the shoot (Charmaine!) and I was so pleased to meet her! As part of the shoot we did little interviews with each fox to learn more about their relationship with body image and this student/actress is in such an incredible place with herself. She is a walking billboard for self love and confidence and she brought exactly that to the photoshoot. She actually threw Jill off a little bit when she said “I love myself - look at this!” because rarely do we hear those around us professing self love with such fervor. I think she is a good example of knowing that just because you aren’t doing it on instagram or facebook, doesn’t mean you can’t be a positive influence.
Chantal is a coach specializing in body image, shame, and self love and she also shines like the sun! This babe is a true hugger and when she hugs you it’s with her whole body! She is an incredible cheerleader and hype woman (I could see her in the background of the other girls’ photo sessions grinning from ear to ear.) She hosts workshops and does one on one coaching with people to help them open up and get to the root of their body image or self love issues, giving them different perspectives and methods to move forward. Her instagram feed is curated beautifully, but moreso than the images, the words she uses are poetic, thought provoking, and full of love for her passion to help and spread positivity!
I stumbled across Cailey’s instagram and was immediately hooked. She writes honestly, authentically, and incredibly raw bringing light to her own experiences in an effort to help others not feel alone with their mental health and body image issues. Don’t mistake Cailey’s introspection for shyness, because as soon as the camera was on this saucy minx was killing me with her gaze. I think one of my favorite aspects of Cailey’s presence online is that her writing is spectacular. When she writes about her own experiences its like you are there with her, walking alongside her and experiencing life with her. Her gift for communication and thought provoking dialogue is a necessity for anyone wanting to unravel their own life struggles.
You may recognize this glorious ray of sunshine from a previous shoot, but this is Ms. Charmaine and she is effervescent af. Seriously - she walks in the room and the party starts. I was so pleased when she said she wanted to participate because when it comes to group shoots, energy is NECESSARY and I knew she could help facilitate that for me! I also asked because her feed is always gloriously curated and full of amazing tips for social media mavens! Charmaine and I both had the pleasure of speaking at an event and I loved hearing her speak about the importance of unconscious bias and how it plays into her role as a social media manager and community leader - she mentioned that when she closed her eyes and pictured a blogger or social media manager she saw someone that was thin, blonde, wearing a hat, sipping on their Starbs - EVEN THOUGH SHE HERSELF IS A SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER AND COMMUNITY LEADER. So, even though she didn’t set out to be someone who helps improve the representation of that profession, she gladly takes it on, hoping people will realize that anyone can do anything as long as they don’t get in their own way! Also, follow her stories because she’s just a joy to listen to.
Nicole hates the word influencer so don’t even THINK about using that with her - so for now we will call her a content creator who has a positive influence on her audience. She considers her news feed as more of a journal that speaks to the highs and lows of her own body image and self love journey, letting people into the inner workings of her mind. Using beautiful imagery and clever captions, Nicole has created a name for herself in the instagram-sphere as someone who is uplifting, positive, and playful, never shying away from showcasing her body bits in an effort to normalize it. One of the main parts of her interview with us focused on the importance of listening to oneself and not being swayed by the opinions of others - and DEFINITELY not the haters on the internet.
Karina is an educator and community leader with her Rising Strong workshops. She works with youth to build their self esteem and help them become the best versions of themselves. As someone in the school system, she recognized that kids would end one school year as vibrant and full of joy and a short time later, they would be more sullen and more anxious over the way they looked and their bodies and as a result, she knew she wanted to make a difference. She not only works with youth, but also with parents to help bridge the gap to show how generational trauma and diet talk trickles down through the family tree. Karina has a playful spirit which makes her a perfect candidate for the work that she does, empowering the younger generations and this playfulness was evident during the photo shoot as she pranced about in her glorious robe! Every time I have been in the same room as Karina, my spirits lift just with her being there and her social media is exactly the same.
These amazing humans are only a handful of the powerful change makers in our Winnipeg midst, but I am incredibly pleased to have been able to capture the spirits, the brilliance, the strength and power of these 8 this summer. I cannot wait to see what other great things they will accomplish and I will continue to look forward to seeing them in my newsfeed (and now, I hope you will look forward to seeing them in yours!!) Keep scrolling to see a few more group shots from this epic session!
