I invited this beautiful soul to be a part of my women’s series almost a year ago, we had set a date but needed to postpone due to weather and time got away from both of us. I touched base again recently and 2 weeks later we climbed the Cathedral Ranges in country Victoria. I have known Sian for many years, growing up with her little brother. It was a really wonderful way to dig a little deeper and to see her in her element. Outdoors, is her place of peace, where she feels most at home and alive.
In preparation for this session she asked me what to wear, I said simply “come as you”. Yes this is my project and I will be displaying my work, but the point of these sessions are for you to be yourself, to let your guard down and to open up and own your story. It’s an opportunity for me to show you and help you see how much you have achieved, to be proud of who you are. Comfortable enough to share, and be photographed, completely open minded about the process. As I share your stories from my perspective. It is truly a joy for me to combine connection and photography, to dig deep with people, to look past the facade. So when we arrived and she said I thought of packing another outfit but who climbs a mountain in nice clothes … off we went.
Sian is a person I find such ease in talking too, no matter the topic. She has seen many places in this wide world, travelling alone and with friends. She has created a niche in her career finding a place to create positive change and influence for our future generations working within the education system and gives all who come in contact with her a feeling of warmth and comfort. There is an unexplainable ease about her, which until this day climbing a mountain I thought was largely her natural state. Although a lot of it is, just how she is and how being in her energy makes you feel. She is one to comfort and please, to support and lift up, she naturally puts others before herself, without question.
In recent years life is teaching her to ask for more, to push boundaries within and ask of others what they ask of her. To expand goals and tell comfort, ‘thanks for being here but I have so much more to offer.’ To some this comes naturally, others not so much. It takes strength to find what you want and courage to ask for it.
Sian has been dependable to others who need her, a word of wisdom in moments of uncertainty without hesitation or judgement. Life presented Sian with questions of her own she was not sure she could ask out loud, but internally searched for the answers. It’s often those things that are unspoken that shape us the most, trying to find answers without context, untold stories and confusion as the outer world tells us one thing, our personal experiences another and a little voice inside seeking the truth.
It also takes courage to seemingly stand alone; we are constantly surrounded by social norms, even though our hearts and eyes know better, we still have this tug to conform. Having all aspects of lives advertised to us constantly through social media, shopping outlets and unintentionally, the people we are surrounded by.
Being a female in your thirties, there is still a societal expectation you will settle down, have children, marry, find comfort in another whom you will share your life with. These social ideals are still strongly present in our lives. Even though we encourage others to ‘be you, follow your own path, and normal is boring…’ blah blah.
Do we really believe it, in our core? It is truly part of our values to accept everyone for who they are and appreciate that life has a different plan for us all?
As friends and family move in together, marry, have children and follow their own path, prompt questions like ‘when will you find someone?, are you looking?, what are your plans for a family?’ and so on. It shines a light on the fact that we still think these things are a part of growing up, that we need to set goals for relationship statuses, not for happiness and space to find our passions and values as we navigate this time here. No two paths are exactly alike, finding the whole within is still a new concept. Some learn it young, but most don’t and we find ourselves looking to others to fill spaces and create light. While creating a self that is whole should really be a priority. Accepting that we can and will change several times within this life, and asking someone to come along for the ride, is truly a commitment to the unknown.
Achievements come in many forms and are different for us all, receiving acelade for sport, education, workplaces etc are wonderful and commendable, but to achieve comfort and happiness to seek to give, share and be a person of integrity and courage in this world I believe may be the most understated achievement of all. We can only give what we have and I as many others am grateful to receive her unique perspective.
Here I shared a story, with many many different facets of a woman who has received traditional accolades in many areas, but who’s life differs from the majority. One that’s really only beginning with trust to lean into the hard, as great things never come from comfort zones. Trust yourself innately. If nature is where you need to be then go, sit, recharge and take on the world tomorrow as life has a plan beyond us, but some plans are made to be broken.
