“If you ever felt alone…If you ever felt rejected…If you ever felt confused…If you ever felt lost…”
I’ve probably gone to post the photos from this shoot 5 times and couldn’t. This blog post that coincides with the shoot was written long before the shoot ever took place and even it has been reworked multiple times. Sometimes I create something that’s so special to me that I have a hard time sharing it. In the words of My Chemical Romance front man, Gerard Way, “once you put something out, it’s no longer yours,” and I wanted these photos to be mine for as long as possible.
This shoot was COLD and miserable (we’re talking January of this year, 32 degrees with wind at the top of hill) but looking back on it, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. This shoot wasn’t meant to be easy for me because of the personal connection to the concept.
If you don’t “get” My Chemical Romance or you think they’re “gimmicky”, watch the 2006 documentary Life on the Murder Scene and then come talk to me. I love everything MCR has put out over the years but their 2004 album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge started it ALL for me. It’s the reason why I became an MCR fan. I remember hearing the first single off of the album – “I’m Not Okay (I promise)” and instantly feeling okay.
Over the years Gerard has been pretty open about mental health and overcoming alcohol addiction. In the 2006 documentary he talks about how the band saved his life and it’s there to save other people’s lives. He goes on to say the band has been pretty vocal about their message, “ just to know that it’s ok to be messed up cause there’s 5 dudes that are just as messed up as you and we’ve overcome that in order to do what we do.”
It might sound crazy, but this is one of my comfort albums. It never lets me down and always has a way of making me feel less alone. This album has also taught me to embrace the things that make me me. The MCR Revenge Era has always been a constant source of inspiration, motivation and encouragement when I’ve needed it the most. If I could say one thing to Gerard and the members of MCR it would be thank you, so I guess this is my way of saying that.
Vintage strapless dress from Domino Vintage / Black velvet blazer and veiled pill box hat from Most Everything Vintage/ Sequin dress from Vixen by Mitcheline Pitt / Bat cinch belt from Unique Vintage / wearing eye shadow from the MCR x Hipdot Revenge palette
Photography by Vanessa Wolf Creative
Sources: Life on the Murder Scene and My Turning Point with Steve Baltin