In life, we have to adapt, re-learn and power through so many different experiences. From grief, to change, to the quiet ache of transformation. The Phoenix experience is more than just a photography session; it’s a guided sacred space to reclaim yourself and your power while creating art. This blog explores the heart and inspiration behind the experience and explains how stepping in front of my lens can become a powerful act of self-love and appreciation. Every woman deserves to see herself as the radiant force she truly is.
This offering was born from my own journey of loss and renewal, a path that has taught me the quiet strength to rise again. Each Phoenix experience is a tribute to that journey and an invitation for other women to honour theirs. You are not alone in your transformation; you are seen, held and celebrated.
— Lalah Delia
The Phoenix is a symbol of rebirth through adversity. Rising over and over again, she lives for a very long time, bursting into flames and being reborn from the ashes, young and vibrant. Originating from Greek mythology, there are similar tales of a self-resurrecting bird in various other cultures, like Egypt and Persia. I chose the Phoenix to represent these spiritual photoshoots because it is the emblem of Hope and resilience, with the capacity to rise from difficult circumstances. She is also symbolic of the Sun due to her fiery nature and association with Ra in Egyptian mythology.
I created the Phoenix photoshoot experiences to help women rise up and reclaim their energy. To help them not just see but embrace and love their natural beauty and confidence. To remind women of their power that society works hard to make us forget, and to place it right back into their hands.
I experienced my first spiritual awakening around a year ago, and during a time of immense stress. Like many who have gone through an awakening, I questioned reality and searched for the truth, studying the research of Dr Joe Dispensa and Dolores Cannon, amongst many others and learning breathwork and meditation techniques that I now practice daily. I have been sent many spiritual souls along my journey so far that have further widened my knowledge, from numerology to rituals and breathwork and meditation. It was actually during a meditation that I realised my calling to hold space for and guide other Women through their awakenings with these beautiful, powerful photoshoots. It is a project that is so close to my heart, and the joy it brings me when women come in and view themselves through my eyes during the Reveal of their gallery is everything to me. When they see their power emphasised by dramatic lighting, or their softness and beauty enhanced by soft diffused lighting, it sparks a change in themselves. These changes then become their reality and further fuel each Woman’s power in a beautiful uprising.
I offer four different photo frame options, two that I brought into the range specifically for Phoenix and maternity photoshoots because they are very grand Esque and unique. With gilded gold edging, they look like traditional vintage fine art portraits found in stately homes! When these are coupled with a stunning and powerful portrait and placed in your home, the energy from the experience resides in that piece of art and is sparked again every time you look at it. That is a part of what makes this all so monumental, it isn’t just the experience that is special, it is what you gain every day from looking at your artwork.
I guide my Women through this emotional experience by first having a phone call to get to know them and find out their story. We discuss as much detail as they are comfortable with about their past and their awakenings, and I will often come up with narratives, symbols or ideas that would work well to get their unique story across in art form. We then discuss styling, props and move on to select gowns from my Couture Collection or fabrics that will help enhance and make them feel confident and powerful and help us tell their story. Nothing is set in stone with a Phoenix photoshoot; everything is tailored around each Woman and bespoke to each experience, from posing to lighting.
We honour the Phoenix by honouring both sides of ourselves, our divine feminine and masculine, using lighting, props and fabrics. This can take on many forms and can be as spiritual as you feel comfortable with. I use many different studio lighting techniques to help convey a message, such as Rembrandt, Loupe or butterfly, and I like to play with spotlights and different coloured lights to tell a story. For example, red lighting can emphasise fire, power or danger, where a yellow light would be softer like the sun.
On the day of your photoshoot, we start the experience by setting our intentions with some White Sage and then take some time for a small breathwork practice together or just some affirmations, again tailored around each Woman to get the energy perfect before creating the most beautiful art together.
So if you are now ready, I’ll be your safe space, your cheerleader, and I will be ready to witness your wings as you rise.