Beauty Within - a photo on Flickriver

Beauty Within

            Photography: Frank Sartori
Hair & Makeup: Mish Bratsos
Modelling & Retouching: Kelly Kooper

I've learnt a lot about people's true colours over the last 3 years. Some of it was very positive. You often hear about sibling's relationships struggling when a Will is involved. People lie and backstab without a second thought to the people they should love the most in the world. Not us. My brothers and I had each other's backs from the start and it never changed. I thought that we would but then people started getting into my head and I wondered for a split second if I should have been more concerned. I didn't need to worry. We looked out for each other, like we always had. And in the midst of the worst pain of our lives, I'm so incredibly grateful for that.

On the other side, we saw my Dad's partner's true colours repeatedly over the last 3 years. I wonder now if we sensed them when they first got together 27 years ago. Or if we just didn't like how much everything changed once she was around. 

As a teenager, I saw a desperately needy woman who wore inappropriate outfits to my parent-teacher nights (that she was very definitely NOT welcome to - at least not from my side). I saw a woman who kept trying to make conversation with me about her s#x life whenever I had the misfortune of being alone with her. (I 'think' it was her way of bonding with me but then again, who knows why stupid people think the way they do). And I saw a woman who bitched about my mum in front of us a total of 3 times, which I'm fully aware isn't a lot - but I promise you that a kid never forgets when someone badmouths one of their parents. Nor do they ever forgive it. 

There's so much more. Some I legally can't talk about. But it all amounts to the same thing. Our dad had met a loser. And like it or not, we were stuck with her until he came to his senses.

I'm almost the same age now as he was when he met her back then. I'm also living alone. But unlike him, I haven't gone through a messy divorce and I won't pretend to understand the pain and hurt that would have caused him. I know I don't fully get it. It's possibly why he was more vulnerable to not seeing who she really was. He was lonely, he wanted a partner and she was unfortunately there. 

When I think back on some of the many games she played over the years (and especially this year), I realise nothing ever changed. The signs (her 'true colours') were there from the start. Dad was blinded by lust and loneliness. Such a dangerous combination.

Their relationship taught me a lot about what unhealthy relationships look like. And reaffirmed my belief never to settle just because you want a relationship. It can lead you to the wrong person and once you're intertwined with that person financially, it makes it so much harder to leave. 

One of my favourite sayings is 'When someone shows you who they are, believe them.' 

We see you. We saw you then and we see you now. I choose not to say this to your face because you're not worth the effort. We tried so hard to like you for Dad. Because we loved him and wanted to be with him. We tolerated you only because we had to. 

The only positive in losing our wonderful Dad is finally...FINALLY....losing you too.

Taken on: July 14, 2024

Tags:

kellykooper

corporate

smiling

smiles

happy

curves

curvy

australian

melbournemodel

melbournephotographer

melbournemakeupartist

franksartori

makeupbymish

Studio

smile « less

Groups appears in: • Emotions • Sexy more » • Portrait (real persons only) • Artistic Photography • FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY (real person) • !Catchy Colors • !FlickrSoup for Soul • Portrait of Your Soul • Smiles.... • Gorgeous • sensual!!! • Fashion & Style • Black & White Portraits • The Models That We Shoot • sexy-sexy-group • Female Models (real person only) • *Interesting Portraits • Emotive Portraiture • *Beautiful Girls* ~ No AI • Powerful Portraits • SEXY CHUBBY CHICKS! • Flickr Smileys • Just Hot Women • PIM - Photographers in Melbourne • Emotive Photographs • good looking busty babes • Faces and faces - H.I.G.H.Q.U.A.L.I.T.Y. • Sensual Women • Fashion Photographers • Melbourne Models • Portraits of wonderful people • REAL MELBOURNE PHOTOGRAPHERS • Expressionism/Expressionismus • Portraits 'n Fashion • Deep Cleavage • Hottest, Sexiest Girls!!!! • Sexy Sensual Sirens • Black & White Art Awards (Post 1 - Award 3) • She is Pretty! • Studio Art • Sexy, Sophisticated and Stunning • Real Women Have Curves • Hot and Sexy! • Busty beauty (fully clothed) • "IQ" - Image Quality • CREATIVE PORTRAITS ♠ ♣ ♠ ✿ • Women of Natural Beauty • Smiles/Sorrisi/Sonrisas • High Quality Natural Beauties • busty and hot • Explored Beauty ! • Flickr Beauties • Hot Girls of the worlds • Flickr's Hottest Women • SEXY and PRETTY • I shot my soul • PORTRAIT [expressive,emotional,creative] • Flickr's Most Stunning • Sensual Fine Art (Photos) Women, Girls (Chicas - Mujeres) • Sexy Women Who Drive Men (and women) Crazy **NO PORN PLEASE** • Flickr's Best Smiles • Conceptual Cinematic *Pics with stories* • Black & White ~ • Curvy Goddesses • Sexy Girls • Sexy Is Not Always Naked • The Beauty of Girls and Women • Portrait Beauty ! • Women to fall in love with • It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This • BUSTY BLONDES FOREVER • Curves and Beauty...Because Sexy Women Have Curves • Stunning Girls Teasing • Incredibly Gorgeous Women • Sexy Photo Fans (Women Only) • The sexiest girls - non nude • I can't believe she did that! • Portraits and Faces • Women of All Ages • Sensual Curves and Sexy Woman • Pretty Portraits ♥ • Watch Those Curves • Real Women Have Curves (RWHC) • Sexiest Eyes On Flickr • Gorgeous, Sexy Women • I'm HOT and I know it • Universal Art • Hottie Haven High Quality & Artistic Photos • PORTRAITS *** • Minds Creative Eye • Women - The Mystery! • STREETFASHION MAGAZINE • Busty Blondes are Best! • Great Portraits • Eternal Womanhood • Energized pictures • The Hot & Sexy Group • Hobi-Fotografi (hobby photographers)Only high quality Photo • The best work of the photographer's passion • The Beauty and Sensuality of Woman Art • EYE CANDY FOR MEN • Seduce • SMILES: Gorgeous Women with Magnificent Smiles • DAMN that's HOT! • Women: Beautiful and Sexy • Captivating, Drop-Dead, Gorgeous Women • !Astoundingly Sexy • The Sexiest & Hottest Women On Flickr • Ravishing, Alluring, Enticing Women • INVITATION: Seductive, Alluring, Flirtatious Women • Maximum Female Beauty • Stunning, Drop-Dead Women • White Skin Girl • Gorgeous, Sensual, Enticing, Alluring Fashion Showcasing Women • Curvas over the world • One-mono-a-day • A Woman • Expressions: Exaggerated Emotion • Enthousiasme, rire & sourire « less

Camera: Nikon Z 9, f/8.0, 1/160 sec, 58mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon Z 9
Lens:	NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
Aperture:	f/8.0
Exposure Time:	0.006 sec (1/160)
Focal Length:	58mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	On, Return not detected
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Contrast:	High
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop 25.11 (Windows)
Show full info

Stats: 37,609 views / 13 comments