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Photography collection aims to empower girls

Posted at 10:47 PM, May 10, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-10 22:51:13-04

COLOMA, Mich. -- A West Michigan photographer is focusing on empowering girls in his glam athletes photo collection.

Fierce face, bat in hand and a pretty dress to go with it.

It’s not your typical photo shoot attire but then again its not your typical photo shoot.

"This is a chance to empower young girls to say you can be tough and strong but then you can also feel beautiful and graceful and delicate and you can be a Disney princess who is also the hero of the story," West Michigan Photographer Josh Fairbanks said.

Fairbanks is putting girls into frames and hoping less people will put them into boxes.

"I wanted to show girls that you don’t have to fit into a mold  or in a cookie cutter that society has put out," Fairbanks added.

"I coach competitive cheerleading with my wife here in St. Joe and I love to being in a position where I can empower young women. Even though its 2019, a lot of young girls from my experience coaching them still struggle with feeling powerful and relevant and unique and okay with being themselves," Fairbanks explained.

That could mean wearing eye black on top of your makeup.

For sisters McKenna and Emma Kirksey, it’s a message they can share with their friends.

"To not judge someone of how they look and they can be sporty and beautiful at the same time," McKenna said.

"They get a message that it doesn’t matter if you are perfect or not you can do whatever you feel like doing," Emma said.

A message Fairbanks hopes to spread with help from his lens

"Its really about giving people the freedom to find out who you are and live that life, and no one wants to be 40, 50, 60 and had never felt the freedom live who they felt like they truly were.

You can check out all of Fairbanks' photos on his Facebook page.