It’s been quite some time since I have gotten the chance and courage to write. As my journey into spirituality continues, I feel the need to document it in writing as well as photography. As many of you may know, I am a professional photographer. I haven’t always been a photographer, and didn’t believe I had a creative bone in my body.  

A breast cancer diagnosis at 28 years of age (13 years ago) changed my life in so many ways! After completing the conventional medical treatments of chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries to remove and reconstruct my breasts, I began to choose spirituality as my form of healing. I chose yoga to help from the physical challenges not realizing how much more powerful the practice was, a few years later I received a 200 hour hatha certification. Yoga teacher training was the door to a better understanding of the tools to heal myself and others. I also believe body healing has helped me tremendously such as, massages of all kinds, reiki, sound, crystal healing, and so much more.  

Photography has been a healing component as well, but I have also made it my profession. If you know me, you may have heard my story about how I began my journey into the world of photography. You know, me hating the world after beating breast cancer, then noticing flowers outside my window…my perception on the world changed in that moment! 

After 10 years of exploring the world of photography by attending workshops, shooting all subjects, learning all the rules…Today I am an Intimate Lifestyle Photographer focused on photographing women.  RAW.REAL.REDEFINED is a series of photographs of women in their natural state, in natural light, with minimal posing involved. This particular style may have been called Boudoir, Implied nude, or nude photography…my style captures the rare intersection of sensuality, sexuality, warmth, beauty, and class.

Check out my portfolio of images here RAW.REAL.REDEFINED

I have spent too many years struggling with self doubt, and choosing the creative path didn't make it any easier. I have taken many workshops to begin to understand the reasons why I felt the way I felt, sought therapists, and finally met a shaman. I am extremely grateful for the path I have been on, although I had many struggles, it feels great to be on the other side. I am intrigued with what I have experienced/learned and yet to learn as I continue on this path. Today I am learning to protect myself and others with mapacho tobacco, clear homes of negative energy, reiki, crystal healing, sound healing..and many other magical teachings. 

When you survive something as traumatic as breast cancer, and other negative experiences in your life, you too may choose the path to find your purpose in this lifetime. My spiritual purpose (Im still learning) is to heal others with my vision/photography. Many may not understand why I chose to photograph subjects in an intimate way…but in my opinion, we all want to have that intimacy with ourselves. Many may even judge the women I photograph..but in my opinion, they are brave for allowing themselves to become vulnerable in that moment. We create art that they can cherish for the rest of their lives. My perception on women is not sexual in any way, I just photograph their beauty in the most natural way, in ways they can never photograph themselves. My purpose when photographing women is honoring and connecting to the Divine Feminine, not only to oneself, but also to the Divine Mother — the essence of all creation. It is a sacred connection to Mother Earth and to the very energy of giving birth … to ideas, expressions, dreams, life and existence. And that is what fulfills me in my life. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read about my journey.  More to come ;)

Francine Duffy