"I always make sure mom looks good first and that I get images that will make her happy," she said. "Unfortunately, mom is not always in the portrait session. She will say 'Just photograph the kids, I don’t photograph well,' or 'I’m not ready to be in photos. I have to lose weight first.' The excuses are endless but it comes down to them not feeling beautiful or worthy."
Which is where Topalian enters stage right. The Wilton resident recently added “beauty photography” to her business, Moments by Andrea. These portrait sessions are meant to make women feel beautiful -- and confident. With the right lighting and posing, everyone is gorgeous, said Topalian, and should be meant to feel that way.
She said time and time again she's seen women go from feeling shy about being in front of the camera to eventually, feeling more comfortable. "I do a lot of headshots and senior portrait sessions and love what happens to the women and girls during the session," she said. "They come in afraid they won’t look good in pictures. But when I show them a few images on the back of my camera of them looking beautiful, you can see their confidence shift."
Just in time for Valentine's Day Topalian also offers sophisticated and tasteful boudoir photography. "Beauty photography is good for the family," stressed Topalian, herself the mom of three. "If mom is happy, everyone is happy!"
Aside from the beauty side of her business, Topalian continues working with her core: newborns, siblings, high school seniors and headshots. She also does many family sessions on location in different parts of Fairfield County as well as in her Wilton studio.
As for what makes her business different, she says she firmly believes that a photographer doesn’t just see you through her eye but through her heart. Said Topalian: "To me authenticity, connections and inner beauty are most important."
Go to www.momentsbyandrea.com/ for more information.
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