Self-love taken literally
All image rights reserved ©Alexandrina Birsan
Valentine’s Day was approaching, and I wanted to create something special, something that celebrated love in a way that was both silly and fun. When I think about love, the first thing that comes to mind is self-love because, as the queen of drag Rupaul says , if you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you going to love somebody else?
With that in mind, I decided to organize a photoshoot that showcased the love we give to ourselves. I wanted it to be colorful, full of hearts, and radiating joy. I love being silly, and I truly believe we should take ourselves less seriously sometimes, embracing playfulness and confidence in equal measure. I created the moodboard in Milanote where I picked to work with red and pink and started talking with the wonderful model Anna and talented make-up artist Mey.
Images source: Pinterest , app - Milanote
We chose from outfits we could put together to fit the theme and came up with red stockings with hearts, a pink dress and shoes that the model brought, and I ordered this cute small heart-shaped bag from Molo (which is a kids brand, but I just loved the bag so much I wanted it for the shoot, it fit perfectly with my vision). For the make up and hair style I wanted it to be playful and fun. We also decided to use props, including the We’re Not Really Strangers (brand which I follow for about 8 years now, it helped me overcome some dark times and connected me closer with my friends through their game) card game focused on self-care, which added a thoughtful layer to the shoot. The final touch was the generosity of my wonderful friends, who provided us with the perfect space to bring our ideas to life. After weeks of planning our shoot was finally happening.
Videos taken by Mey & edited by Alexandrina in CapCut
The result? A lot of fun & a collection of photos ( for editing I opted for pink, orange and red hues to give warmth and accentuate the pinks already existing in the location, outfit and make up) that I’m absolutely in love with. The entire experience reminded me of the importance of self-expression and finding joy in the little things. It was a reminder that love, in all its forms, starts from within, and that sometimes, the best way to celebrate it is with a little bit of color, laughter, and a whole lot of heart.
