Abi's empowerment session | New Jersey portrait photographers

Way back in Fall 2017, while I was transitioning to part time nursing so I could get back to my photography, I was googling photographers in my area & landed on Abigail Gingerale Photography. Within minutes of being on the site, I was consumed by Abi’s story. She was a colon cancer survivor, at age 23, and a total badass. I remember getting giddy that I found a boudoir photographer who “includes her ostomy bag in her photos!!”. I was blown away.

Abi’s strength is unique. She is small in stature & unfortunately still struggles with a myriad of health problems. Her hair is currently 3 shades of citrus & she’s constantly rocking the cutest, most Modcloth-esque outfits I’ve probably ever seen. She’s a wedding & boudoir photographer by day & an amazing mother & wife by night. She is her own woman & has developed her own breed of power, which includes making zero apologies for who she is or how she looks. She takes no shit, from literally anyone, but is wildly good hearted. In her moments of triumph & in her times of of weakness, she hides nothing & makes no qualms about telling it like it is, even when it’s not easy- or “attractive” or “popular”. See that’s what ultimately drew me to Abi the most: her tenacity isn’t in spite of her vulnerability, it’s married to it.

One of the hardest facts of life is that horrible things happen to really good people. I don’t even pretend to understand why. But I do know, as Abi has said herself, that everything happens for a reason. The good people rise above their challenges, but the bravest people lend their pain to help build other people’s strength. That’s Abi. What most people try to hide, she happily exposes. (“Suns out, bags out” is my favorite instagram caption of hers.) You just cannot dim this woman’s light. And she encourages every other woman to shine just as bright. Her story is such an inspiration to so many of us. Finally being able to capture her, in body & in spirit, was nothing short of an honor. I know that’s trite, but I mean it. Abi, you are incredible. Thank you for trusting me with these xo