so There I was, naked in a magazine for the world to see

When I was a teenager I started modeling on the side. Mainly I got approached by clients in the nude scene. For me these jobs didn't feel like something that I could be proud of, they made me feel like an object that men could get pleasure from. I said no to most jobs, except one. I said yes to the 'Arty nude'. I was extremely nervous about my first naked shoot. I was nineteen at the time. I remember the first publication in the JFK magazine (Dutch magazine) I felt remorseful. I didn't show them to anyone except my boyfriend back then, who was quite jealous. He wasn't proud, so why should I be proud?

Looking back at these pictures now, I could see a beautiful but insecure young woman who didn't love her body and was leaning on other people's opinions. Over time it made me realize that no matter what age you are or how beautiful your body may be if you don't embrace yourself from within it will never happen. No matter the age, size, or weight. As women, we are so used to being criticized and always pursuing unrealistic body images that make us feel stuck and unhappy.

For me, nude shoots were in the end deeply healing on all kinds of levels. It's a process that starts small from within by saying yes to transformation. This is why it became my mission to guide women toward a path of more self-love and awareness through naked photography sessions.