03/11/2025
Cancer photoshoot. What does that even mean? When this inquiry first came in, it scared me. I had never photographed anything like this before. I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to do this vision justice. But then I thought, if this girl can boldly stare down cancer then I can surely document it. Meet Kate-a 29 year old fearless bombshell battling brain cancer for the second time. I had the honor of capturing this moment last summer after hearing Kate describe her journey over the last few years. She reached out because she wanted a photoshoot to commemorate her long, glorious hair before the probable loss of it during treatment. So many fears ran through my head while prepping for the shoot. What if I blow it? What if I make her uncomfortable or say the wrong thing? All of these worries vanished the instant I heard two sisters giggling while rifling through a duffle bag full of gowns in the trunk of an SUV. Their positive energy was contagious and we became instant friends. Kate is full of life and is very brave. A true warrior with a loving family supporting her. She nailed every look! She blew me away. I had to ask multiple times if she had modeled in the past because she was THAT good. Kate oozes confidence. She just laughed and said no and continued to share what her life is like. I remember feeling awestruck. Being 29 and fighting cancer for the second time isn’t fair. In fact, I bet the odds of this happening are pretty high. But Kate’s attitude was one of nonchalance. She could have easily succumbed to the role of “woe is me.” And rightfully so, but I honestly don’t think that thought has ever occurred to her. She doesn’t have time for that. She is a girl on a mission. She isn’t afraid. She is too busy kicking cancer’s ass! Again. I am so grateful Kate trusted me. This is hands down, my favorite shoot ever. There are hundreds of images from this day that are breathtaking, but something always pulls me back to this photo. A fearless girl, running off into the sunset. Unafraid of what the future holds and taking a moment to celebrate being alive. Update: Kate is almost done with chemo and is planning her epic 30th!
