The 40 over 40 project - Feat. Erika Galang
Words cannot express the immense joy I feel when women can finally let themselves to be seen, unapologetically. Photographing women in the 40 over 40 project has been inspiring and empowering, not only for my sitters but for myself as a photographer. Today I am sharing Erika’s story as well of some of her favorite portraits from her photo shoot. She is a powerhouse and a beautiful soul inside and out and I am so glad she decide to see herself in a new light.
To be part of this amazing transformational experience visit the 40 OVER 40 PROJECT page in our website. Limited spots available. Don’t miss your chance to see yourself in a whole new light.
I'm a divorced, 45-year-old mother to a wonderful 14-year-old daughter who is my whole world and the first on my mother's side of the family to be born here in the U.S. The fact that I am so lucky to have a life here is not lost on me and is the reason why I have dedicated over 20 years of my life with a career in public service to my local community. Health and fitness are very important to me, both mentally and physically. So, I am constantly working on being self-sufficient and spend most of my spare time honing in on my culinary skills, building things, or tending to my food garden, which was inspired by my grandparents. They converted our entire backyard in south Sacramento to a sustainable food garden that fed our family and a landscaped sanctuary that provided a beautiful retreat from the ugliness of the outside world.
Why did you want to participate in this project?: I instantly became intrigued by the goal of the 40 Over 40 Project when I came across Mayumi's social media account. Although I may project an assertive personality on the outside, the reality is that on the inside, I have always struggled with insecurities about my physical appearance. As someone who is ethnically mixed and who grew up during a time when people like me didn't really exist, I received a lot of negative comments about my looks. Thankfully, times have changed and people are now less insensitive. However, that insecurity still lingers and causes me to be uncomfortable when I take pictures. At work, I even tend to avoid giving on-camera media interviews for fear of hating how I look later on t.v.
Finding the right photographer is a very personal process because you need full trust in the person behind the camera and their team of makeup artists. However, I do deeply feel the universe waited until this point of my journey to guide me to Mayumi to help me confront the challenges of self-awareness and self-appreciation.
What were you personally hoping to gain from this experience?: I hoped to gain confidence with my appearance and get over the mental block I have with letting others take pictures of me. I also wanted to finally have a nice memory of myself to look back on when I am older and to provide my daughter with a keepsake of her mom. I have never participated in an experience such as this, so most of my desire to do this was to face my fears of the camera. I also know that I can't run away from the media cameras at work all the time. So, I also wanted to learn professional techniques to give me more confidence.
What are you feeling now about being photographed? What was your favorite part about this process?: I feel relieved to finally have done this! To some, this was just taking nice photos. However, for me, this was a huge mental challenge and I was extremely nervous up to the moment the camera started clicking. My gratitude for this opportunity to appreciate my outer appearance by confronting my fear of the camera is indescribable. I wish it didn't take me until the age of 45 to finally do this. My favorite part of this process, aside from dressing up in beautiful gowns and having my makeup professionally done, was finally feeling beautiful in front of a camera and having met Mayumi, who instinctively knew how to lessen my anxiety and taught me so much about the art of posing.
What would you tell other women over 40 about doing something outside their comfort zone?: The lens of a camera and the one behind it both hold a special power that can make or break one's self-esteem. This project allows you to put trust into that power and gain more confidence during a transitional time in our lives when that feeling can be fleeting. We spend so many years of our lives focusing on others, making sure others are doing well and not putting enough love into ourselves. This project forces you to focus on yourself, even for just a moment in time.
What piece of advice you would like to give to your child or any young person that you wish someone would've given you?: I wish someone would have let me know it was okay to look different and be different from everyone else. As a mother, I always make sure to let my daughter know how beautiful her dark, brown skin is or how wonderful her quirky and humorous personality is. I can see the confidence in her and how she carries herself knowing she is loved just the way she is. It is so important to love yourself and appreciate how unique you are.
If you had a super power what would it be?: It would be to go back in time and make better decisions as a younger person. But then again, we wouldn't be who we are today without making those mistakes, right?
What would you say your most notable accomplishment has been?: I love to help others grow! In high school and through my twenties, I was fortunate to come across strong mentors and role models who saw potential in me. Now, as someone who is in a position to help others both emotionally and professionally, I just feel it's my life's work to support others and have them also see their potential. Over the years, I have served as an educator and now as a manager. It excites me when I am able to help someone get what they want in life and feeling their happiness from it.
TESTIMONIAL:
“ Mayumi has a magic way with her techniques that made someone like me, who is uncomfortable in front of the camera, feel at ease. I have always wanted to do a portrait session, but was intimidated and scared I would not find the right photographer or make-up artist. Mayumi Acosta Photography gave me all of that in one package and I could not be happier with the results! I definitely know who to trust for my future pictures” - Erika
Feeling inspired? If you are a woman over the age of 40 you are invited to participate in the 40 over 40 project. We are booking session for this Spring and Summer only. To be part of this amazing transformational experience visit the 40 OVER 40 PROJECT page in our website. Limited spots available. Don’t miss your chance to see yourself in a whole new light.