Nobody Chooses Cancer | Powerful Women Portraits

And yet, so many of us do. So many of us do because we do not have a choice. Cancer crashes into your life and knocks you over. All of your well laid plans for the coming weeks and month come to a stand still as you grapple with the reality of what just hit you. This past week I was privileged to document a part of my friend Nicole’s story in stunning, powerful portraits. I wanted to create images that portray the many facets of emotions you might go through on a day to day or week to week basis. I wanted to create images that allow you a glimpse into the soul of a woman fighting cancer.

Most of all though I wanted Nicole to see her amazing beauty and strength.

Nicole has given me permission to share a few images from her session taken at my studio in Mount Joy, PA. Some images are too intimate and are hers to view alone or share with loved ones.  My hope is that these images will pull you in and show you the strength, beauty and determination of a woman who looks cancer square in the face and says “Not me” (feel free to choose your own words here).

A soft, warm sweater hugs Nicole. It can feel like a cocoon or warm embrace.
It can help you hide in the depth of the folds on days when you
don’t want to or are not able to talk to anyone.

This embrace can also feel like you are loved and carried by many.
The yarn of life knits a protective layer for you to sink into.

Some days you are full of laughter spilling out from deep within.
Those are good days. Life giving. Strength building.
Laughter helps you brave the next day.

As her cancer story unfolds Nicole feels like sitting behind a veil of the unknown.
You get glimpses of information. Some make sense, some not at all.
These are times where you hope to get a view of what is to come.
The good, the bad. You just want to know.

It is moving with determination so that the light beyond the veil
will reach your eyes to bring clarity to the next step, then the next step and yet another.
It is not walking without fear but braving the wilderness.
(I had to throw in a reference to Brené Brown, one of Nicole’s favorite authors).