Fabulous Over 50: The Story Behind My 50 Women Over 50 Project

I have a favorite quote that sits in the back of my head whenever I plan a portrait session, and it comes from a photographer I never got to meet. "Photography should free women from the terror of youth and perfection." That is Peter Lindbergh, and he changed how I think about portraits of women over 50.

This is the story of where my Fabulous Over 50 sessions came from, and what you can expect if you book one.

How the idea began

It started in the spring of 2019. That was the first time I heard Peter Lindbergh's name, on a list of speakers for Sue Bryce's Portrait Masters Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, scheduled for that fall. I had never heard of him, which felt a bit embarrassing for a portrait photographer, because he was one of the biggest names ever to photograph fashion and movie stars.

So I looked him up, and the more I read, the more I liked. He was born in Lissa, Poland, under German occupation. He went on to make a masterful shoot of five young, little-known models in Yamamoto shirts on Santa Monica Beach in California. What struck me most was what he did not like: women plastered in makeup, perfect hair, a carefully curated backdrop. His style was far more journalistic, and a good portion of his work was in timeless, classic black and white.

Sadly, he passed away just two days before the conference, so I never got to hear him speak or watch him work. Thankfully his images are still out there for anyone to study.

The Pirelli calendar that stuck with me

When I got home from Phoenix, his work was still on my mind, especially his 2017 Pirelli Calendar. Interviews with Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, Julianne Moore and several others, done around the making of that calendar, connected with something deep in me. I truly believe that women over 50 should be able to enjoy being in front of the camera exactly as they are. We do not have to be photographed the way society thinks we should look, and we do not have to hide from the camera altogether.

That calendar was the single biggest push behind the 50 Women Over 50 campaign I launched at the end of 2019.

What 50 Women Over 50 turned into

Covid meant the campaign ran much, much longer than I planned, and it only wrapped up at the end of 2022. The feedback from the women who took part was heartwarming. I loved how much positive energy came out of sessions built around women over 50 embracing where they are in life, and I wanted to keep that momentum going.

Those sessions are now my Fabulous Over 50 sessions, and the thinking behind them has not changed. Nobody needs to be recorded the way the world says a woman her age should look. The goal is a portrait that looks like you, on your best day, in the kind of timeless black and white or color you actually love.

What a Fabulous Over 50 session looks like

Most women who book have never been photographed professionally, or have not been in years, and they often arrive a little nervous. So the session is built to take the pressure off.

• A wardrobe consultation over Zoom first. We talk through whether you want classic black and white, color, or both, and settle on three outfits you would love to be photographed in, plus one backup.
• A relaxed 60 minute session. I coach every pose and expression, so you never have to wonder what to do with your hands. You just show up.
• Three outfit changes and looks, each planned with you ahead of time.
• A same-day reveal. Right after we finish, we sit down together with refreshments and look through the images on a large screen. You choose only the ones you love.

Professional hair and makeup can be added when you book, for an additional fee. It is completely your call.

What it costs

Fabulous Over 50 sessions start at $299, which includes one 8x10 matted print with its matching digital image. If you want more images, wall art or an album, we go through those together at your reveal. Digitals are delivered within two to three weeks.

Is this for you?

If you have been the one behind the camera for years, or you quietly stepped out of the family photos, or you are marking a milestone birthday or a new chapter, yes. You do not need modeling experience or a special occasion. You just need to be willing to turn up and let me do the rest.

You can see the full details, the process and more images on the Fabulous Over 50 session page. When you are ready, get in touch here and we will find a date that suits you.