A personal project that was inspired by a raw and honest blog post written by a woman with Alopecia. The blog spoke about how there is a lack of images of women with Alopecia that show beauty, joy and community and how that has led to her feeling isolated and questioning her identity. This ignited a fire in me to create something and change that. When I started this project I had no idea quite how beautiful the experience would be for me as a photographer but I feel such a huge sense of responsibility to share the words and images of the women involved in this project in the right way.

Before and after the shoot I asked the women involved to share with me what they wanted to say. My hope is that by creating this body of work others experiencing hair loss might be encouraged to find their community, to feel confidence in their baldness and perhaps even the woman who wrote the blog that inspired this project might see the work and realize that she’s not alone.

“Being a part of this shoot was both empowering and deeply emotional. Being in the presence of others who understand the unique challenges and emotions associated with hair loss provided a true sense of belonging and community that has been missing for myself.”

“The stigma associated with hair loss, especially for women, is a significant barrier to acceptance and understanding. The societal pressure to conform to traditional standards of beauty can be isolating and damaging. I want to change the stigma that equates hair with femininity and health, promoting a more inclusive and diverse representation of beauty. It's crucial to foster a culture where differences are celebrated, and where people feel seen and supported, regardless of their appearance.”

A huge thank you to every single person involved and to @CANAAF for connecting me with these beautiful women.

Director & photographer @tillynelsonphoto | Camera operator: @michalurbanekphoto | 1st Assist: @jsegalphoto | 2nd Assist: @reedanthiessen | Producer: @lisakaulback | Wardrobe Stylist: @sarahdanniels | Makeup Artist : @evutu | Makeup assistant: @beautybybreanna98