Freedom to Thrive Beauty and Branding Portraits: Ebony
Houston, TX
A Journey Back to Herself
Some sessions are unforgettable because of the special history they carry. Ebony and I went to elementary and middle school together in Kentucky, and decades later she flew into Houston with her colleague and best friend, Whitney, to participate in the Freedom to Thrive Project. What began as a beauty and empowerment session quickly evolved into a custom photoshoot designed to support both her personal renewal and her professional brand.
Ebony is the founder of InsurSuccess, a company that provides Fractional COO and CTO services to small businesses that are trying to bridge the gaps between vision, structure, and sustainable growth. She is a programmer at heart who loves org charts, systems, and intentional strategy. She leads in a male dominated industry where clarity, precision, and deliberate decision making are expected.
At the same time, Ebony is known for her warmth. She smiles easily and lights up every room she walks into. She wanted her photographs to honor both sides of who she is. She wanted to look structured, organized, and polished while still allowing her natural joy and approachability to shine through. Her goal was to present a balanced identity that reflects her leadership style.
Professional, tailored, and confident.
Warm, grounded, and unmistakably herself.
When she arrived for her session, she was navigating a major life transition and working to rediscover the parts of herself that had been quiet for too long. She knew she was stepping into a new season, but she was still figuring out how she fit into it. This session became the bridge between who she had been and who she was becoming.
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The Experience
Preparing for the Photo Shoot
Before she ever stepped into the studio, we met over Zoom for a detailed consultation. Ebony came prepared, thoughtful, and clear about what she needed her images to communicate. She wanted a visual identity that would reflect her strategic mind and her organized approach, while still honoring the joy and connection she brings to her clients.
Whitney helped her curate a wardrobe that supported both sides of her personality. Structured silhouettes for her branding images. Softer pieces that allowed her to relax and breathe for her Freedom to Thrive portraits. Together, they arrived in Houston ready for a full day crafted with intention.
A Day Crafted to Help Her See Herself Again
The morning began in the studio with professional makeup. Whitney stepped in first for her headshots and beauty portraits. Then it was Ebony’s turn to ease into the process with classic headshots and personal branding images on seamless backgrounds. These photographs created the foundation for the deliberate, polished brand presence she uses in her company.
After building a strong foundation in the studio, we headed to downtown Houston for outdoor portraits that brought movement, confidence, and a sense of freedom to her story. From there we transitioned to a content creation studio to capture multiple outfits and settings for her business, giving her images that could fill her website and social platforms with variety and personality.
We ended the day back at the studio for her Freedom to Thrive beauty portraits. These were designed to honor her resilience, her glow, and the fresh strength she had fought hard to reclaim.
Throughout the day, something in her spirit began to shift. She softened. She exhaled. She allowed herself to take up space again.
What Ebony Took Home
Ebony selected a combination of business and personal portraits that reflect every part of her story. Her final collection now supports her brand, fills her website and social feeds with fresh content, and reminds her daily of the strength and joy she carries.
Her session was more than a photoshoot. It was a homecoming to herself.
“Before working with Shala, everything was new. Everything in my life had changed. I was stepping into a new season but I did not know where I fit anymore. I had spent so many years focused on my profession that I was not sure who I was outside of it. My health and family had been through so much that I no longer recognized myself. The new season was welcome, but answering the question of who Ebony was felt completely undefined.”
— EBONY
“While working with Shala, I felt extremely aware that I could not remember the last time I was the full focus of a day. I did not know how to operate in that space. I did not know how to let myself be taken care of or how to relax my shoulders and breathe. She helped me see how twenty years of chronic illness had been living in my body. She helped me recognize that it was OK to release it. I survived. I am thriving. I can smile about it. She helped me rediscover my swagger.
After the session, I was renewed. The next day my friend told me I was walking different. The next week my mother told me she could see my strut again. A day that was about me helped me find me. I had no idea how powerful the process would be.”
— EBONY
“I saw me. Not the makeup or the clothes. Me. I saw a face that was recognizable and illuminated. I saw a big smile that had been missing for too long. She captured my light and my glow and all the things I love about myself.
Thank you. Thank you for using your gifts, your creativity, your passion, and your ministry. This experience was what I needed to walk fully into this new phase of life.”
— EBONY
Let’s Tell Your Story of Freedom
Your freedom story matters because it carries hope. The trials you’ve walked through aren’t wasted—they’ve revealed that you are beautiful, strong, and worthy. When you share your story, you give someone else permission to believe that healing is possible, that courage can rise again, and that joy can return after seasons of pain.