As a young girl my mother always reminded me that I was beautiful and that any moment in front of the camera was my time to shine. I was taught to look and feel my best whether it was for a family photo or school photo. When I was little, I remember her helping me rehearse my smile for picture day. She would say, “Look directly at the camera and put your tongue behind your teeth when you smile!” As I practiced different smiles I could hear her in the background cheering “Go girl! You got it”. At that age, I was not familiar with the word “fierce” but that is what I felt in front of the camera when I got to school.

To be fierce is to own your look with confidence and individuality. I fell in love with this muse because I believe this represents me the best. Often times, natural hair represents a soft and bohemian style. However, it can be an haute couture fashion statement as well. For me, feeling fierce is something every woman should strive for because it is fun and liberating!

Although I am older now, I carry that same confidence with me. Fierce is not only for wearing clothes and taking pictures. Being fierce is an attitude that is about being your best and doing your best. You can be a fierce student, a fierce athlete, or you can be a fierce business woman.

This week’s challenge presented several obstacles for me. On the day of my photo shoot, both of my photographers cancelled. My mother assisted me in taking the pictures with a 35 mm disposable camera so the pictures are not the best quality. Lastly, the sun was going down during this shoot which was the cause of bad lighting and shadows. What I learned from this challenge is that no matter what happens, I have to work through it and not let the frustration of unexpected occurrences show in my photos.