Humans in Bloom Project – by Crystal Hernandez
“The art of self-acceptance told through portrait photography”
I had SO much fun participating in an incredible project by Crystal Hernandez called “Humans in Bloom.”
The goal of this project is to use Crystal’s artwork of portrait photography to help folks cultivate more self-acceptance in their lives.
I was so worried about doing this photoshoot. I had been flared up with chronic migraine-related issues for weeks, and I didn’t want to have to reschedule again. My face was swollen from the migraine symptoms, and I became keenly aware that most of my clothes no longer fit after two years of migraine triggered by too much exercise or movement.
Crystal accommodated me like a true Queen. Whether or not she realized it, she was a disability ally. She suggested having the photoshoot in my backyard – it was a place she knew I loved, and it would make it easier to take breaks inside and use whatever tools I needed to manage my symptoms. It made ALL the difference. Thank you, Crystal… being made to feel safe and then seeing these photos that capture my beauty in the midst of a flare-up… it is hard to describe how meaningful it really is to me. Thank you for capturing this time of my life through the lens of beauty and self-acceptance.
More about this project in Crystal’s own words:
“This project originated from a place of insecurity and my personal struggle to see my worth outside of my appearance, titles and the approval of men. I constantly compared myself to other women and often felt jealous of or intimidated by their greatness. It wasn’t until I started doing this project (originally titled the Beauty in Bloom Project) that I was able to let go of that feeling of insecurity among other women. This project allowed me to see that we are ALL beautiful in our own wonderful and unique way and that, more often than not, we are all struggling with the same insecurities. For me, vulnerability has been the greatest gateway to self-acceptance and I hope that participating in this project and sharing your heart will help you achieve greater self-acceptance, too.” – Crystal Hernandez, Humans in Bloom Project
Check out the pics from our photoshoot and the rest of the Humans in Bloom Project here: https://www.instagram.com/humans_in_bloom_project/
