Grand Opening Seattle Headshot Portrait Studio

It’s the Grand Opening of Raven + Rue Headshot Portrait Studio

Recently I laid down in my bed to go to sleep and like a fool I picked up my iPhone to do one last review of Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. I really should not have. When is this ever a good idea? That little red round numeric one sat above the icon photo of an envelope inviting me to read what was inside the digital letter.

There was an email from a woman, an industry peer, telling me how this, Raven + Rue, was not my calling and I should not work with women. She believed I should not open my Headshot Portrait Studio. It was laced with cruel and degrading remarks. She wanted to outline what she believed to be my flaws from a short interaction with me without taking a look in the mirror. She wanted to tell me why I was incapable of having a business that uplifts women all while tearing me- a fellow woman- apart. She is exactly why I am starting this business. As I finished reading her email, I wanted to hug her. I wanted to reach past her mean words and embrace her through the phone. All I saw while I read her words was her pain, her need for competition, and comparison. She like, so many others who feel the need to belittle, just need to be reminded of their power. Their strengths. Their worth. If they knew how amazing they truly were, they would not send emails like this.

Someone said I should never work with women. Challenge Accepted.

This is my calling. This is exactly what I should be doing. Reminding women of their power. Reminding women of their grace. Reminding women to stop apologizing. I am right for this because I will reach out with a hug when I see you hurting and trying to unleash toxic waste on the world. I will help you sweep it up. I will be there for you. I will remind you that as a woman our power is uplifting other women. Media and our culture have breed a world where woman are constantly comparing themselves and not looking or appreciating themselves, me included. I call bull shit. We are enough. We are okay and we are all doing our best.

Raven + Rue is a place you can be insecure, scared, overly confident, smart with a personality larger than life, the sexiest and the prettiest girl in the room. This is a place where it is MORE than OKAY to be you. The you that cusses or you that hates cussing. The you that loves Journey or the you that loves Heavy Metal. Transgender, Mature, Hurting, Skinny, Smart, Pretty or Happy. You are the woman I want in my studio. You do not have to buy that bullshit that the media or anyone else is selling. Robert and I are started a journey to love and embrace all that makes us the bad ass, flawed people we are and we invite you into our piece of heaven. A place where it is all okay. Raven + Rue is more than a Portrait Studio, it’s a transformation. It’s a celebration of all that makes you a woman and the greatness you carry around inside of you. We are here to celebrate it and remind you of it. There are more than enough people reminding us of our failures and sometimes that person’s voice in our head is the worst offender. We are here to showcase your beauty and strength.

Raven + Rue Portrait Studio Celebrates You

Lydia said if she could tell her 10-year-younger-self something it would be: “Don’t buy what they are selling, listen to your gut. You are stronger than you know. Be bold. And girl, you don’t need the shoes. I hope the next generation of girls encourage, empower, and support each other and know that together they can move mountains.”