Maryland Professional Photographer: Empowering through Art

"It's important to remember and grieve the sadness, trauma and pain but we can't stay in that place forever. We have to be able to move forward in life and move forward with love."
- StephenKing

These are words that Netta Joy lives and loves by.
She and her husband have faced many challenges some visible and others not as much.

This shoot was meant to tell her story and empower her in her journey and the strength she has found along the way.

The roses in the photos represent the miscarriages she has been through and the love she still holds.

The tattoos on the backs of her legs are her mark of beauty on a part of her body that does not work in the way she always needs due to her diagnosis of MS.

In her life she has faced pain and struggles that bring dark times. For Netta, rainbows represent that sometimes life brings us darkness, 'it seems like the darkness will never end. But it does. And there's usually a beautiful rainbow waiting for us.

"One day I said to myself, “Girl, you can cry and be a miserable shell of a human for the rest of your life if you want but you know miserable people only attract other miserable people. You know nobody wants to be around that shit!” So I decided to find the silver lining in just about any situation. I met Brandon after he was blown up but before I knew I had MS. I knew we were destined to be together but I had no idea exactly WHY we were meant to be together. I always thought he needed me to make him better and to help him. It turned out to be completely opposite! MS broke me down enough to accept unconditional love whereas before, I never would have let myself be vulnerable enough to accept that type of love.
I also learned to love myself."

Netta has learned to lead a life of vulnerability, no secrets.
"It's quite amazing what happens when we open ourselves up to giving and receiving love."

She is a brave and beautiful human living in her vulnerability and sharing her story so others do not feel so alone. And her equally brave and beautiful 'partner in crime' have decided to "live out loud" and show up and embrace all that life gives them.

You are not alone!

Thank you so much for inviting me into your story and allowing me to share some and show your beauty and power back to you through my art.

xoxo
SarahRachael, Photographer "