About a month ago, I blogged about my lifelong connection to The Wizard of Oz. It’s something that’s been with me since childhood, and I shared a post reflecting on that and where I’m at in life after some significant changes. Since the start of this year, I’d been dreaming about doing a Wizard of Oz-inspired photo shoot, with me as Dorothy and my cat Max as Toto.
The Midnight Scroll That Changed Everything
I didn’t expect that idea to come to life so quickly.
I posted the blog on April 13. Two nights later, on April 15, I was up in the middle of the night (as I often am), scrolling Instagram, when I saw an ad from a photographer offering unique medieval and fantasy photo shoots. At first, I sent the link to two friends who are into that vibe, but then I took a second look.
The photographer, Boris Frantskevich, had these stunning photos of women portrayed as queens: powerful, ethereal, radiant. Something clicked. I wanted that, too. I checked out his website and saw that he also did fantasy shoots, and suddenly it hit me: this could be my Dorothy moment. I’d wanted to take professional author photos for my website and brand. I wondered if he’d also be into my Wizard of Oz idea.
I followed him on Instagram, and even though it was 6 a.m., he followed me back almost immediately. That felt like a sign. I messaged him and pitched both ideas: the author shoot and the Dorothy shoot, and he was instantly in.
Becoming Dorothy (and Bringing Max)
Everything moved fast. Boris came back with beautifully detailed concepts for both shoots. For the author shoot, I envisioned myself as a sort of “queen of writing” sitting on a throne of books. For the Dorothy shoot, I wanted exactly what I’d imagined earlier this year: me, a Black, plus-size, middle-aged Dorothy with dreadlocks, and Max as Toto.
Boris honoured both visions so beautifully. He clearly did his homework for the author shoot, where I gave him less direction. He referenced the mechanical heart motif from my website and even incorporated the cover of Extraordinary Machine into the photos. I cried multiple times throughout the process, overwhelmed by how much thought and care he put into making my ideas real. I couldn’t believe I’d stumbled onto such a kindred creative spirit.
Things continued to come together like magic. I’d pulled my Dorothy costume together quickly, but I didn’t have a picnic basket, and didn’t want to spend $130 on a prop I’d never use again. So I posted in my local Facebook group, asking if anyone had one I could borrow. Within minutes, a woman replied; she not only had a basket that could fit a cat, but it had blue gingham lining. Perfect. It felt like the universe was conspiring with me.
The shoot happened on April 26 and was a dream come true. To see my vision brought to life in such a gorgeous, tangible way- I’ll cherish these photos forever.
I remember journaling earlier this year about wanting to do the Dorothy and Toto shoot “once I lost more weight.” But when I met Boris and everything started falling into place, I stopped waiting. I didn’t care that I wasn’t at my “ideal” size.
What mattered was capturing this moment, this chapter of my life, where I’m walking through seismic change, headed toward my rainbow (rainbow symbolism has been everywhere lately, but that’s another story). The point is, when I saw the finished photos, I didn’t care about my weight. I looked at myself and thought, I look beautiful.
No, I’m not a size zero. I have never been and probably never will be. I still have psoriasis on my legs from stress this year (thankfully, Boris did edit that out!). But my body is my body. It fills the frame with presence. If I were 20 kilos lighter, the photos would still look good. But there’s a particular power in how I show up in these photos now.
I’m so proud of what Boris and I created. Max was slightly less thrilled to be photographed in a stranger’s home, but he did his best.
This photoshoot also reflects the energy around my creative work lately, especially my memoirs. Things just flow. And when they do, I know I’m on the right path—the yellow brick road, so to speak.
Want to Work With Boris?
If you’re in Sydney and looking for a photographer, I highly recommend Boris Frantskevich.
He’s professional, creative, collaborative, and genuinely excited about his work. His prices are fair, and I have a special referral code if you’re interested.
- Check out his website; his work speaks for itself: https://fineskevich.com/
- Follow him on Instagram: @fineskevich
- Or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fineskevich
Special Thanks: My Makeup Artist, Elvy ❤️
I have to give a huge shoutout to my makeup artist, Elvy, who truly made the magic happen behind the scenes.
She created a natural look (as directed by Boris) that enhanced my features and made me feel beautiful and confident in front of the camera.
Elvy is not only incredibly skilled, but also warm, sweet, and genuinely lovely to work with (I knew we’d get along when she immediately put on Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” and started singing and dancing with me!).
And, because it needs to be said: as a Black woman, getting my makeup done can sometimes feel risky; will they have the right shades? Will I look washed out? But Elvy had the perfect colours for my skin, blended everything flawlessly, and treated me with so much care and respect. I can’t recommend her highly enough.
Thank you, Elvy, for helping me feel like the best, most radiant version of myself!
- You can follow Elvy on Instagram: @elvy_makeup_architect
- Check out her website here: elvymakeuparchitect.tilda.ws
Without further ado, here’s the gallery from my shoot with Boris:
And yes, I already have more shoots in mind. I haven’t deluded myself into thinking I’m a model now. Still, I know this: I love expressing myself in this new medium. It’s creative, it’s fun, it’s very me.
It means everything to represent myself and my brand in a way that feels professional, personal, and fully mine.
I’m just a girl, not from Kansas but from Sacramento, who dreamed of life in Technicolour.
And now I’m living in it.
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