To every teen who stepped in front of my lens this February- this is for you!

This is a love letter to the girl who showed up in leggings and sneakers, the one who was nervous but still came, the one who barely wore makeup, the one who thought “I’m not photogenic,” and still let me photograph her anyways.

This is a letter to remind you:

You are beautiful. Just as you are. No filters. No editing magic. No distractions.

Project Beauty is my way of celebrating real self-love- not the kind you post about after a trip to Sephora or when your curls are finally cooperating. I mean the deep kind. The kind that sees your bare face, your natural smile, your real laugh- and calls it stunning.

What is Project Beauty?

Each year in February, I offer a free Project Beauty sessions for high schoolers as a way to remind teens that beauty doesn’t have to come from a ring light or a retouching app. These are 5-10 minute photo sessions that include two black and white images- minimally edited, intentionally raw and full of heart.

This year, we held our sessions in Winter Park, Florida and last year it was Oviedo. Most of the amazing teens came from Oviedo High School and Hagerty High School- and let me tell you they blew me away.

Why Project Beauty matters

Let’s be real: We live in a world where mirrors, selfies and Facetune filters are all telling us different stories about what we “should” look like.

But here’s what I’ve learned: What you see in the mirror isn’t the whole truth. What you see in the selfie isn’t either. But when you let someone else- someone who sees your light, your joy, your personality- photograph you without all the extras, you get something powerful: A glimpse of how the world actually sees you.

I don’t want you to fall in love with a version of yourself that’s been smoothed and sculpted in something “perfect”. I want you to fall in love with you- the real you. The version your friends already adore. The version your mom already cherishes. The version the world needs more of.

Moms, this is for you too!

I know watching your teen navigate beauty standards, social media pressure, and self-worth struggles can be heartbreaking. You want them to see themselves the way you see them- strong, capable, radiant.

Project Beauty is a pause in all that noise. It’s a moment to capture your teen’s true essence and remind them they are already enough. No fancy outfits. No false perfection. Just their real beauty, captured in a timeless way.

And when your teen posts those photos and the comments start rolling in- “So gorgeous!” “You’re glowing” “Obsessed!” – it’s not because of Photoshop. It’s because people are drawn to authenticity. To character. To confidence.

This is only the beginning…

Project Beauty will return every February as a reminder that the most important kind of love isn’t the one you get from someone else- it’s the kind you give yourself. And I’ll keep showing up to create space for that.

Until then, keep showing up as yourself. Keep loving the real you. And remember- you are beautiful, always!

With Love,

Stacee