Owner; Mary Ann Halpin Photography

Founder; Fearless Women Evolution

 “Follow your bliss, enjoy the journey and trust life.” –Mary Ann Halpin

Internationally known photographer Mary Ann Halpin didn’t start out to change the world, but because she followed her bliss, that’s exactly what she did.   Mary Ann’s commitment to women’s issues and her eye for beauty led her to revolutionize how society defines what’s beautiful.

She started her career as a model and actress, but she wasn’t earning enough to support herself. Her hobby was taking pictures, so she started taking photographs of other actors. Soon celebrities were asking her to take their pictures, and within six months her hobby became her business.

As Mary Ann photographed young actresses, she was stricken when she heard how critical they were of their bodies. She was also greatly concerned with the way Hollywood was portraying women.

Combining her gift of photography with her love for storytelling, she conceived of a figure study project of pregnant women. Her goal was to aid women in celebrating and embracing their bodies.  The resulting book Pregnant Goddesshood: A Celebration of Life was published in 1996 and garnered national attention.  Her book was the first time the bodies of pregnant women were photographed in this light, and not everyone was supportive. “I was shocked. Here it was almost the turn of the century and people were offended by a photo of a pregnant woman’s body! They weren’t nude! Everything was covered but their bellies!” Barnes and Noble refused to carry the book, fearing their customers might be offended.

In spite of this criticism, the book was a huge success and led to appearances on television shows such as Inside Edition and The View. Her photos were also featured in Life Magazine. This success opened the door for her next project. She partnered with the authors of Not Your Mother’s Midlife, and the resulting book is Fearless Women; Midlife Portraits and features photos of women embracing midlife, including notable celebrities  in midlife such as  Joni Mitchell, Cybill Shepherd, Erin Brockovich and Joan Lunden.

Mary Ann is also committed to aiding people to see beyond stereotypes, and her portraits of the homeless were seen on Mission Billboards across Los Angeles.

She’s a strong believer in women being fearless in their lives at every age, and her commitment to encouraging women to live fearless lives has birthed her Fearless Women Evolution; a series of workshops and lectures that aid a woman in facing her fears and empowering herself.

Her next book Fearless Women; Visions of a New World will be published in 2012.

To find out more about Mary Ann, her photography and her Fearless Women projects go to maryannhalpin.com