To the strong and fearless ones, the fiery ones, the loving moms and devoted wives, the dedicated artists, the ambitious businesswomen, the trendy tomboys and stylish girly girls, the ladies of Outdoorphoto wish all of you a SPECTACULAR Women’s Day!

“I believe in pink. I believe laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in Kissing. Kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.” – Audrey Hepburn

Each one of the ladies here at Outdoorphoto shares with you how they feel about being a woman.

Photograph of a flower

Photo Credit – Wouda Pitzer

Norma

I am honestly grateful to be a woman! I can’t imagine a life without playing dress-up with beautiful clothing, doing my make-up and blow-drying my hair every day.

On a more serious note though, I’ve always dreamt of finding a respectable husband and being a wonderful mother to our children. I am pleased to say that my dreams came true! Being a wife, mother and homemaker has been my priority; ensuring that the garden is beautifully kept and making sure there’s food in the house for my two hungry teenage boys (now all grown-up). Knowing that my husband and children are happy and enjoying the freedom of expression when it comes to style brings great fulfillment to me.

Photograph of Norma

Photo Credit – Hedrus van der Merwe

Photograph of the Leslie-Ann and her family

Photo Credit – RDK Photography

Leslie-Ann

Being a woman also means that I can love and be loved. Cuddling into the arms of your loved one feeling desired and safe. “Being someone’s first love may be great but being their last is beyond perfect.”

On the other side, it also means knowing yourself and what you are capable of. I know that I am strong, confident and good enough!
I am also proud of the fact that I am a mother. Having the opportunity to raise a little girl and impart in her the knowledge that she’s is beautiful, strong and confident. “She believed she can so she did.”

Melissa

As a woman, I am proud to have the opportunity to shape the life of my daughter, instilling in her certain values. I want to teach her to be loving and compassionate and that she is of great value and deserves to be treated as such. Transforming from a little girl with big dreams into a woman with great vision.

Photograph of Melissa

Photo Credit – Photowise Studios

Daleen

Here’s to women. May we know them, be them and raise them!

“A strong woman is one who feels deeply and loves fiercely. Her tears flow as abundantly as her laughter. A strong woman is both soft and powerful; she is both practical and spiritual. A strong woman in her essence is a gift to the world.” – Native American Saying

Photograph of Daleen

Photo Credit – Jaques Cloete

Photograph of Marike

Photo Credit – Marcell van Aswegen

Marike

As women, we have come a long way. We can be kind and soft-hearted yet stand up for ourselves when needs be. We can work full day and still be a homemaker with brightly coloured lipstick and pretty painted nails. We are friends, sisters, confidants for other strong women and pillars of strength for our husbands and children.

Celeste

To me, being a woman is having the ability to bring new life into the world. Not just in a literal sense, which is one of the greatest joys I’ve experienced, but bringing life into all situations.

Being a woman is to feel emotion; we are passionate, driven, supportive. We love fiercely, laugh wholeheartedly, our tears are unadulterated and woe be to the one so ignorant to anger us. A woman brings hope to dwindling dreams, breathes life into the face of death and she is powerful without the need to use force.
All this, because she feels; she feels deeply and honestly and without limits. A woman becomes stronger during times of trial and tribulation, all because she feels.

To me being a woman is to feel. Where would the world be without the limitless emotion that lies within the heart of a woman? Whether she hides it well or showcases it for all the world to see – emotion is the one thing a woman can never let go of.

Photograph of Celeste

Photo Credit – Jan van der Merwe

Amori

I love that people can hear me before I enter a room by the clicking and clacking of my high heels. If I want to, I can switch from the sexy cocktail dress and heels into jeans and sneakers knowing that I’m still hot as hell!

Then having the choice to play computer games and pig out in front of the TV for hours on end.

Just like most little girls, I’ve also dreamt about that magical day, standing in a beautiful white dress in front of the love of my life. But until that day arrives I’m just going to carry on taking life one day at a time.

To me, this is what it means to be a woman!

Photograph of Amori

Photo Credit – Kim-Rene Scott

Jean

Women’s Day was initiated long ago to establish equal rights for women, such as to vote. Today we can proudly look back on all that we have accomplished, in business and other areas of life, where we have previously been excluded.

To ME, being a woman means:

Gracefully accepting that men will basically always be better chefs and fashion designers.
Shouting the soul-resonating words of the “Bitch” song by Meredith Brooks, whilst driving in my car, for all to see.
Embracing the fact that we are complex creatures, incredibly strong, capable of doing everything men can do and more.
Accepting that even though we may look tough on the outside, we are still gooey on the inside.
Even though we think too much, feel too much and attempt everything we do with too much passion; our ripples of inspiration will keep spreading throughout the world.

Know this – We cannot be defined according to a norm, we cannot be categorised and boxed, and we will not give in to society’s plastic expectations.

Photograph of Jean

Photo Credit – Lleroy Botha

Photograph of Wouda

Photo Credit – Wouda Pitzer

Wouda

I love being a woman! These days we have the freedom of choice. We have choice of career, we can choose whether we want to get married or have kids. We can choose to be a stay at home mommy, focus on our careers or go travel the world.

We have the unbelievable ability of scouring Pinterest for days deciding on the perfect haircut or sit in front of the closet deciding on what to wear, and though it may be filled to the brim, have nothing to wear.

Having a mini meltdown if your ‘cat’s eye’ eyeliner does not match up and feeling as if though you conquered the world when they match up is perfectly normal! I can choose whether I want to dress up super girly with my favourite red MAC lipstick or be comfortable in my worn-out All Stars with a jean and a T-shirt drinking a beer.

I still cry during Lion King, not to mention movies like The Vow, About Time and The Fault in Our Stars! But laugh till I cry when watching those funny fail compilations on YouTube.

I know that one day, I will stand in front of my husband-to-be with stars in my eyes wearing the dress of my dreams; and when I’m ready, look down at my belly knowing that there is a beautiful little miracle growing inside of me.

“A girl should be two things: WHO and WHAT she wants” – Coco Chanel