Angelina's Photoshoot
“Life
is like a camera. Focus on what's important. Capture the good times.
And if things don't work out, just take another shot.”
Some
events in life are memorable in the most unexpected ways. My pageant
photoshoot was one of them. From before I even arrived at the the
studio, I already had a crazy, little adventure. The directors of NDYM
(my platform) were kind enough to send me a backdrop and t-shirt for my
shoot. The backdrop arrived days beforehand, but, the day of the shoot
came, and my t-shirt still hadn’t arrived. Due to a printing error, the
shirt had been overnighted to my house with the hopes it would get there
before I left town for the shoot. When I got home after work and my
shirt hadn't arrived, I texted my husband “What do I do?!” because he
is the best problem-solver I know. He said that I could drive around and
look for the FedEx truck. So, that’s exactly what I did. I packed all
my clothes, shoes and accessories quickly so I could get to looking
right away. I threw open the trunk of my car, and because I was in a
hurry, I didn’t notice that it didn’t go all the way up. So, when I let
go of it to put my stuff in, it fell…and BAM! The trunk smacked me right
in the forehead. I thought for sure I was bleeding. I touched my head,
felt no blood and had a sense of relief. My head was throbbing, but I
wasn’t gonna let that slow me down. I ran inside, grabbed some ice, and
headed back to the car. With ice on my forehead, I drove around town
looking for the big, brown truck. After driving for 40 minutes and
flagging down two trucks, I miraculously located my shirt just in time!
Although a large red bump was developing on my forehead, I felt like
things were finally starting to turn around.
My husband came along with me to the shoot, and during the drive, he insisted that the bump on my head wasn’t that
bad. When we arrived at the studio, my hair & makeup artist,
Janelle, asked me how my day was. All I could do was let out a huge sigh
and say, “It’s better now!” Thanks to the magic of airbrushed makeup,
the bump on my head was no longer visible and I was ready to start the
fun! At first, I was a little uncomfortable in front of the camera. I am
by no means a “model” but I have done a few photo shoots before for
pageants and dance teams. I remembered that posing is very similar
dancing: having strength, confidence and knowing your best angles will
help you perform better. Once I remembered those things, I felt more
relaxed and my session went with ease. I am excited to see how the
photos turned out!
My
T-Shirt and backdrop was a success. Special Thanks to my husband and
Payton (Miss Teen ND Intl) for being my props people! #TeamAwesome
After
the individual session, I had a little time before all of us ND
International Queens had our group session, so Jake and I decided to get
some food. I was really craving Taco Bell, but I decided go a little
“healthier” and get a pita from Pita Pit. After my snack, I headed back
to the studio for round two. Taking pictures with Alexis, Payton, Siam
and Wiljar was a blast! Ludvik Herrera, our photographer, helped us with
creative ideas and even incorporated some of our own suggestions. My
favorite part was the “Go Red” campaign shot. Just for fun, I threw up a
heart with my hands and the directors and Ludvik actually liked it! I
can’t wait to see the finished product!
During
any down time, I had the opportunity to chat with the other queens and
some of their parents. It was great to be all together in one place,
especially since some of us live far from each other. Even though things
took an unexpected turn earlier that day, the experience of the
photoshoot was beyond worth it. It was great to connect with my sister
queens and directors all in one place. That day was a reminder of how
blessed I am to have Meg & Janelle as directors, and to have Janelle
Finseth from West 13th Salon and Luvik Herrera Photography as sponsors.
They were great to work with, always kind, and wiling to do whatever it
takes to help us succeed. Special thanks to all of you!
Oh, and I did finally get that Taco Bell I was craving ;D
Turning Moments Into Movements,
Angelina Yarbrough
Mrs. North Dakota International 2017
