All beautiful you are
my darling;
there is no flaw in you.

Song of Songs 4:7

I read that verse about a month ago, and it brought a flood of tears to my face.

Because this is what I want to say. With every photograph I take to say to you that you are ALL BEAUTIFUL. And there is no flaw in you.

There may be imperfections. Little things you wish you could change. Things that have scarred. But those things are a part of what makes you real, and I don’t see them the way you see them.

It takes a great deal of trust on your part.

Trust that what is within is greater than what is without.

I think that is why photographs of my friends are my favorite. We have already done the work of trust. You can tell by the way they look at the camera. They trust me when I tell them they are beautiful.

The moment I got my film back of these photographs of my dear friend Meg – I felt that they were special. In a way, perfect.

Not because we were lucky enough to have been in an incredible location, or because we had glowing magic light, but because in her eyes, I can see that she knows how beautiful she is in this moment. She’s always beautiful, of course. But right in this moment, it’s different. The gravity has changed.

I can read in her face the truth that this life inside of her is more precious than anything that has come before or will come after.

And that is the truest beauty I have ever seen.

Meg,

Thank you for trusting me and for being my friend. You and Tim are going to be incredible parents.

&

Little girl,

I can’t wait to meet you.

xo,

Em