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She Made Me Look So Pretty

Um…this is what I look like on a normal day (though I’m usually wearing some clothes).

And this is how Mary made me look for my head shot:

And then she made me look like this:

Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

She made me look so pulled together and polished and not like someone who generally spills coffee on herself when she tries to drink it in the morning.

I cannot thank Mary Gardella at Love Life Images enough.  If you live or will ever be in the DC area, you should book a session with her.  She is seriously worth booking a photo session vacation to Maryland in order to work with her.  And if nothing else, peruse some of her other photographs on her blog.  Aren’t they amazing?

53 comments

1 J { 07.07.10 at 7:33 am }

Awesome pic. Even the before one..lol.

2 Genevieve { 07.07.10 at 8:07 am }

You are beautiful no matter what, but these are fabulous photos.

3 Amy { 07.07.10 at 8:23 am }

O-M-G! I was NOT prepared for that “before” shot and I was drinking Dew!! Excuse me now while I go clean off my keyboard. That was hilarious!

4 a { 07.07.10 at 8:36 am }

Wow, I didn’t know I had a twin! Your normal day shot looks EXACTLY like me!

The photos are beautiful – an excellent job by the photographer, but then, she had a fine subject to work with.

I was recently on TV here (a work thing – I would rather not have been shown during that particular story) and when I sent the video to my husband, he said “You look like you’re about 25 again in that video.” I said, “Yeah, it’s amazing what a little make up and being filmed from 20 feet away will do for your appearance!”

5 N { 07.07.10 at 8:43 am }

Okay, you are actually gorgeous in real life, so stop it. But the pics are beautiful!

6 Delenn { 07.07.10 at 8:47 am }

Nice pics!

7 PaleMother { 07.07.10 at 8:54 am }

I agree — except the parts about you not looking swell on a regular day. Though I can relate to the feeling. I avoid cameras myself the way vampires avoid mirrors. I know I will regret that bit of neurosis. After all, I’m not getting ~younger and better looking~ with each passing year (we can’t all be Helen Mirren). But hey, no half-assed hang-ups for me. The silly thing is that I have no problem seeing the gorgeous in eveyone else.

Those are great head shots. I especially like the black and white one. She did you justice.

8 Katie { 07.07.10 at 8:55 am }

You look beautiful all of the time, but these photos are truly amazing. Absolutely love.

9 loribeth { 07.07.10 at 9:00 am }

Great photos! I think the b&w one is my favourite too (you’re smiling in it!).

10 Heather { 07.07.10 at 9:04 am }

They are both fantastic! If all the rest are this good how you will you decide which to use??

And I really really love the hair.

11 Sarah { 07.07.10 at 9:04 am }

Beautiful! I love them both!

12 m. { 07.07.10 at 9:27 am }

now, what about that gorgeous face don’t you see when you look in the mirror every day? Because this is the beauty I see whenever I am lucky enough to get to see you.

13 serenity { 07.07.10 at 9:31 am }

You are gorgeous, my friend. You just don’t KNOW it.

I love these pictures and am thrilled that you love them too.

xxx

14 tash { 07.07.10 at 10:07 am }

Well, she made really great look really awesome. I’d be a tougher case, I imagine. But well done!

15 Jendeis { 07.07.10 at 10:10 am }

Gawrjus!!

16 Lori Lavender Luz { 07.07.10 at 10:24 am }

Wow. That’s quite a transformation, lol.

You look stunning, my dear. In the photos and in real life. With or without coffee on your shirt.

I can’t wait to read the book!

(I would love to host a book tour, if that position isn’t already filled.)

17 jrs { 07.07.10 at 10:32 am }

great pictures!

18 Kir { 07.07.10 at 10:44 am }

beautiful inside and out!!!
I love the pictures, they are fantastic

19 Geochick { 07.07.10 at 10:59 am }

They both look great! I’m pretty sure you don’t really look like the ‘before’ picture.

20 mash { 07.07.10 at 11:08 am }

ha ha hah aha ha! The before picture! Hysterical! And of course the others are gorgeous. I think I need to find me a photographer…..

21 kristi { 07.07.10 at 11:14 am }

Oh man I can’t wait to see it on the back of your book. Your beautiful either way.

22 meghan { 07.07.10 at 11:22 am }

You look amazing…both before and after! My fave is the black and white one. I think she got more of your personality there. Did you do your own hair and make-up? I always wish I had someone to do that for me. I”m so not girly in that department

23 Dora { 07.07.10 at 12:15 pm }

Beautiful! Love your smile.

24 Susy { 07.07.10 at 12:30 pm }

Gorgeous, dawlin’!!! Even though you know we’d take you with coffee stained shirts. 😉 cant wait for the book!

25 HereWeGoAJen { 07.07.10 at 12:30 pm }

She just showed your beauty and how you REALLY look which sometimes gets hidden by daily tedium.

26 Jem { 07.07.10 at 12:48 pm }

You looks tunning and smart (must be the glases). Love the curls!

27 Jackie { 07.07.10 at 12:54 pm }

Gorgeous pictures! And nice try giving all the credit to the photographer… I’m sure she’s amazing, but a photographer’s best talent is bringing out beauty that’s already there.
But I hear ya about that “before” picture. Ugh, that’s pretty much what I see every morning in the mirror too.

28 Tara { 07.07.10 at 1:04 pm }

Those are beautiful shots! The photographer is great, I’m sure…but she had to have something to work with in the 1st place! You’re beautiful inside & out!

29 Justine { 07.07.10 at 2:21 pm }

She didn’t *make* you look that way. You DO look that way. She just captured it on film. 🙂

30 Melissa G. { 07.07.10 at 2:31 pm }

Fantastic pictures!!! Always a fan of the black & whites!

Thanks for posting them!!!

31 Another Dreamer { 07.07.10 at 2:39 pm }

LMAO about the “before” shot! That’s great. You look lovely, they are really wonderful photographs of you!

32 Ms. C { 07.07.10 at 2:55 pm }

You look beautiful!
In the professional pictures. Cuz that “every day shot” you showed us? Man, that’s scary shit. Good thing you had a photographer work some magic!
😉

33 Somewhat Ordinary { 07.07.10 at 3:00 pm }

Well, I’ve met you and yes, she did a beautiful job with the photos, but she also had a beautiful subject to work with!

34 coffeegrl { 07.07.10 at 3:53 pm }

Awesome photos. You look so professional. So author-like!

35 Calliope { 07.07.10 at 5:06 pm }

WOLF WHISTLE!!! which, as part wolf, should be a special complement to you 😉
she captured your total and true beauty

36 Vee { 07.07.10 at 5:48 pm }

You are beautiful, always. But they are lovely photos.

37 Bea { 07.07.10 at 7:07 pm }

So this is like one of those “do I look fat in this?” moments, because if I say, “Wow! You look… wow!” then it makes it sound as if I’m stunned you could ever possibly look like that. Which I’m not! I always knew you had it in you.

She has managed to beautifully capture a certain quiet, introspective thoughtfulness, though hasn’t she? And the second, though a completely different type of shot, is great, too. Definitely a good investment.

Bea

38 Jodifur { 07.07.10 at 8:19 pm }

There is a picture of us together from the DCMM event I like. And I hate all pictures of me.

39 LJ { 07.07.10 at 8:32 pm }

You look beautiful everyday, but I agree that these photos capture you at your best.

40 Jess { 07.07.10 at 8:54 pm }

You look fantastic! The first picture looks very professional and literary 🙂

41 luna { 07.07.10 at 11:55 pm }

that’s because you ARE so pretty. and of course you look super smart too. which is cool for a book sleeve and all. bravo!

love the normal day pic too, gave me a good laugh.

42 Kristin { 07.08.10 at 12:14 am }

You ARE gorgeous! And, that before picture almost made me spew iced tea on my keyboard.

43 Mina { 07.08.10 at 3:33 am }

Why do women always have this low self-image? You are perfectly pretty, with your curly hair and warm smile and THAT look in your eyes… Come on! Yes, good photographs know how to capture that composed image, without you blinking, or talking – which makes the mouth askew, or scratching behind your ear, etc. But YOU ARE PRETTY. The photographer just took the time to let you pull all the funny faces out of your system and waited until you could just be yourself. And this is how you look like.

Now, if only I were half as pretty… 😉

44 SCY { 07.08.10 at 4:47 am }

Amazing photos Mel – you look gorgeous! (all the time, it’s those eyes of your’s, such depth and soul)

xxx

45 Keiko { 07.08.10 at 11:09 am }

Those are some really awesome headshots. Nicely done! You look fahhh-bulous 🙂

46 April { 07.08.10 at 12:02 pm }

lol. those shots look amazing. i’m passing the info on to my DC friends!

…and don’t we all just wish we could get someone to help us look that good EVERY day??

47 Jenni { 07.08.10 at 1:01 pm }

While I agree that those are some really really excellent pictures – I’m sure that you’re pretty all the time.

48 flying monkeys { 07.08.10 at 6:02 pm }

Those are great shots but the beauty has more to do with you than with her.

49 myinfertilitywoes { 07.08.10 at 9:04 pm }

Fabulous!! Love the pics!!

50 Carrie { 07.08.10 at 9:56 pm }

You look fabulous!!!!!

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