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Tonya Bolton Photography

PORTRAITS FOR WOMEN OVER 40 IN CINCINNATI

You don’t need a reason to celebrate the woman you are right now.

Woman over 40 in a sequin dress relaxing barefoot on a gold couch during a Cincinnati portrait session

When did you start believing you weren’t worth photographing?

Maybe it happened slowly.

You became the one taking the pictures instead of being in them. You made sure everyone else looked good, had what they needed and felt celebrated.

And when someone suggested turning the camera toward you?

“I need to lose a little weight first.”

“I’m just not photogenic.”

“I hate having my picture taken.”

“Spending that kind of time on myself feels selfish.”

I hear these things from women all the time.

But you don’t need to change your body, know how to pose or suddenly become more confident before you walk into my studio.

You just need to show up. I’ll take care of the rest.

Woman over forty posing for a portrait to celebrate this time in her life in Cincinnati.
A candid portrait of a woman laughing while being photographed.

You don't need to know how to do any of this

You don’t need to know what photographs well, how to pose your body or what to do with your hands.

That’s my job.

Before your session, we’ll talk through wardrobe and choose pieces that photograph beautifully and make you feel like yourself. Hair and makeup help you feel polished without turning you into someone you don’t recognize.

And once you’re in front of my camera, I’ll guide you through everything — where to stand, where to look, what to do with your hands, even the smallest adjustments that flatter your body and create the photograph we want.

You don’t have to arrive knowing how to be photogenic.

You just have to let me photograph you.

There doesn’t have to be a special occasion.

Some women come to me because they need a new professional headshot or want branding photographs that finally reflect where they are in their career.

Some are celebrating a birthday, a new chapter or a major accomplishment.

Some want beautiful photographs with their children, their partner or the people they love most.

And some come for no other reason than they finally decided they wanted photographs of themselves that they actually love.

All of those are good enough reasons.

Portrait of a woman over 40 in a red jumpsuit sitting on the ground with a matching red backdrop.
Portrait of a 70 year old woman in a colorful, patterned dress with a bright yellow backdrop.
A portrait of a mother with her grown daughter.

You deserve to exist in the photographs, too

Look through your phone and you’ll probably find thousands of photographs of the people you love.

But how many beautiful photographs include you?

Photographs become part of a family’s story. And the people who love you aren’t looking at your arms, your weight or the things you wish were different.

They’re looking for you.

Maybe it’s time to make sure you’re part of the story, too.

Portrait of a family with grown children and their two dogs sitting on their front porch.

in her words

“Tonya is a rockstar! From the moment I met her for our wardrobe consult, we were chatting like long-lost friends. When you are in mid-life, it’s easy to lose yourself. Tonya FOUND me in this process. She pushed me to think more boldly about how to present myself. What a wonderful gift it is to have someone really SEE you and help bring lost, or forgotten, pieces of yourself to life.”
–Shelly D.

Portrait of Shelly during her Women Over 40 photography session in Cincinnati

From “I could never do this” to “I can’t believe that’s me.”

You don’t have to figure out any of this on your own. Your portrait experience is designed to take care of the details that usually make being photographed feel overwhelming.

wardrobe

We’ll choose pieces that flatter you, photograph beautifully and still feel like you.

styling

Professional styling helps you feel polished and camera-ready while still looking like yourself.

posing

I’ll guide your body, hands and expressions to create flattering, natural-looking portraits.

selection

Together, we’ll choose the photographs you love and how you’d like to enjoy them.

A monochromatic portrait of a woman in pink on a pink backdrop for her Woman Over 40 photo shoot in Cincinnati

Maybe it's finally your turn

You don’t need to lose the weight first. You don’t need to become more comfortable in front of a camera. And you don’t need a milestone or a special occasion to give yourself permission to do this.

If you’ve made it this far down the page thinking, “I would love to do this, but…”

Let’s talk.

Portrait experiences are customized around you, with options beginning at $1,290.

Schedule a consultation and let’s start planning photographs of you that you’ll actually love.