Beauty over 50 Publication 2022

celebrating 

women 

50 

over 

over

I N T R O D U C T I O N 

A B O U T B E A U T Y O V E R 5 0 

What inspired this campaign is when I looked at the women around 

me thinking "How come I don't see these women on the internet? 

It's already hard enough for women to think about getting older so 

what can be done about it?" 

That's when I decided, as a photographer, it was high time to 

showcase more women on the internet so thus begun the call for 

women to come in and showcase how they are able to love 

themselves and what it means for them to be over 50. 

These photos and stories are nothing short of inspiring, when I look 

at the uniqueness of these women and what their lives are like over 

50, it gives me nothing but excitement to know that getting older is 

nothing to dread! 

Please share this publication with your friends! If you would like a 

hard copy just email me when your address at 

miriambluxuryportraits@gmail.com 

If you'd like to experience a Beauty over 50 session for yourself, visit 

my website www.miriambulcher.com 

BEAUTY OVER 50 | 02 

Miriam

LORI 

SHILTS 

IN YOUR OWN WORDS, WHAT 

DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU TO BE 

OVER 50? WHAT DO YOU WANT 

TO SHARE ABOUT YOURSELF? 

Each decade is so different, and how and 

where we are in our lives. How we live our 

lives, who we surround ourselves with, and 

what we do. 

And as the years go by it gives us an 

opportunity to make sure that we are 

leaving a legacy for our children and 

grandchildren. Not only how we present 

ourselves, but how we treat others, what 

we choose to say, how we choose to 

interact and to be good examples. My 

mother is 102 1/2 and when I visit her in 

the nursing home and take her for a stroll 

down the hallways, or to dinner, she always 

says, “oh I need to put my lipstick on.” 

So no matter what age you are, there is still 

some thing about being confident and 

going boldly. 

HOW DID THIS PHOTOSHOOT 

IMPACT THE WAY YOU FEEL ABOUT 

YOURSELF? 

I do believe I felt stronger and more 

convinced that when we put our mind to 

something we can do anything. 

BEAUTY OVER 50 | 03

FRANCESCA 

JOHNSON 

IN YOUR OWN WORDS, WHAT DOES IT 

MEAN FOR YOU TO BE OVER 50? WHAT 

DO YOU WANT TO SHARE ABOUT 

YOURSELF? 

 

You can feel fabulous 

over 50 embrace itcelebrate 

it always! 



YOURSELF? 

I wanted to show women not to 

be afraid to celebrate life at 50 


JENNY 

SWAIN 

IN YOUR OWN WORDS, WHAT DOES IT 

MEAN FOR YOU TO BE OVER 50? WHAT 

DO YOU WANT TO SHARE ABOUT 

YOURSELF? 

First of all, 50 is YOUNG! With any luck, 

I have half of my life left to enjoy. At 56, I 

have no time for regret, comparison or 

drama. A recent disagreement with breast 

cancer helped to emphasize how fragile 

and precious life is - and how important it 

is to live each day with immense gratitude 

for this one human experience. The only 

"things" that are important are memories 

and relationships with those we love - and 

that's all that will be left of ME 

someday.This second half of my life will be 

spent deepening relationships, traveling, 

snuggling with my precious husband and 

family and learning to just "be" - a human 

Bing instead of a human DOing. 

 

HOW DID THIS PHOTOSHOOT IMPACT 

THE WAY YOU FEEL ABOUT YOURSELF? 

 

It really helped to see beautiful, happy 

shots of myself with my new post-cancer 

hairdo. I've never ever had short hair, and it 

used to be blonde! 


JOYCE 

HANSON 

In your own words, what does it mean for you to be 

over 50? What do you want to share about yourself? 

Being over 50 means I know myself and I do 

what I want. I've never been married and only 

have fur babies. As I get older I realize self care 

is very important and I don't have to apologize 

for being myself. 


Anita 

Peters 

How did this photoshoot impact the 

way you feel about yourself? 

I left feeling renewed and energized and 

seen! I turned 60 a few days after the photo 

shoot and celebrated my 37th wedding 

anniversary that weekend too. I'm a mom of 

4 adult children and grandma to 3 darling 

granddaughters. All of my "nice" photos over 

the last decade have been related to a child's 

wedding or birthday. This was all about me! I 

felt beautiful and strong and valued. 

In your own words, what does it mean 

for you to be over 50? What do you 

want to share about yourself? 

I'm a 60 year old wife, mom and 

grandmother. Life can be hard at our 

age with the inevitable difficult times 

and losses but it is also beautiful and 

full of joy. I am strong and healthy 

and full of love and care for my 

family and for the world around me. I 

am so grateful for the lessons life 

has taught me and what is yet to 

come, it's all growth into the woman 

I want to be. 


Jeanne 

Schommer 

How did this photoshoot 

impact the way you feel 

about yourself? 

It was incredibly empowering. It 

was first time in my adult life I 

let myself be shown on social 

media (or on a camera back in 

the day) without makeup. I 

loved the finalized, clean 

wholesome look.I try to make 

people feel at ease through my 

smile and eyes, and I think 

Miriam captured that, as well as 

my down to earth attitude and 

hope for life! 


In your own words, what does it mean for you 

to be over 50? What do you want to share 


Being over 50 (59) for me means accepting who I am, 

where I am, and what I have become. I accept me. After 

being raped in college (more on that if you want to 

know), it took a long time to accept myself as 'pretty.' I 

felt ugly inside. People can be viscous. Through tough 

therapy, I discovered I was not at fault, and I had the 

potential to lead a wonderful and glorious life not filled 

with anger and/or regrets.I have done just that! I do not 

shy away from telling people about the rape if the topic 

comes up. Believe it or not, it does come up. I am not 

ashamed. I feel I am free now and more focused on 

helping others while still taking care of my own needs. 

My goal is to 'just do the right thing.' Being over 50 also 

means watching my four children mature into amazing 

adults and gifting me four little spirited grandsons. As a 

recently younger retired businesswoman/business 

owner, I hope to begin a non-profit or some type of 

charity to help others. I have a lot of life left to live! 

Being over 50 is amazing! Don't sweat the small stuff!

C O L L E E N M 

O ’ K E E F E 

In your own words, what does it 

mean for you to be over 50? What 

do you want to share about 

yourself? 

It means to me that, I have worked 

hard, taken care of the biggest 

responsibilities of my life and can 

concentrate a bit more on me and my 

happiness, instead of everyone else’s. 

How did this photoshoot impact the way you feel about 

yourself? 

I’ve always hated clothes shopping and having my photo 

taken. Clothes never fit decent and I felt I looked horrible. An 

employee of mine introduced me to a women’s clothing 

store, where the clothes actually fit well and I decided to try 

this photo shoot….I almost didn’t go, the night before my 

clothes were making me crazy but, I did it and was so 

impressed by Miriam’s skills, I actually looked good! 

It made me feel so much better about myself and really 

boosted my confidence!! 

I spent my entire life, prior to my 50th 

birthday, trying to be what everyone 

thought I should be, doing everything 

to make everyone around me happy 

and taking care of everyone else’s 

needs, to the detriment of me. I have 

been through things that would have 

caused many, to just give up but, I kept 

going. I now realize, I was just living in 

survival mode. After my 50th birthday, 

I decided it was time to do what was 

best for me! 

Since then I have, taken a Citizen 

Police Academy and volunteered to be 

tased, taken my lifelong dream trip to 

Ireland with my daughters twice, got 

my first tattoo also 2nd, 3rd, 4th,5th, 

6th & 7th, divorced an alcoholic, 

unemployed husband, learned to ride 

motorcycle, helped my daughter buy 

and renovate her first house only hiring 

Plumbing, Electrical and HVAC, done 

renovations at my own house and 

bought a hot tub. I’m sure there’s more 

but, not bad for the past 6 years. 


S U E 

C A R L S O N 

In your own words, what does it mean for you to be over 50? What do you want to 

share about yourself? 

To me, being over 50 means being free of the pressures I used to put on myself to be a certain way, 

whether physically, socially, or professionally. I'm now comfortable in my body even though my body is 

much different than it was when I was 20. My body tells the story of my life in many ways and it's amazing 

to finally embrace it with the respect and love. I also and thank my body for surviving all the things that it's 

experienced and remaining strong. The reason I decided to do the photo shoot is to celebrate me as I am in 

my 50s: powerful, loving, confident, beautiful. 

How did this photoshoot impact the way you feel about yourself? 

Frankly, I was stunned when I saw the photos. I now know, deep in my heart, that I am beautiful. I've always 

known I look pretty good, and am smart, strong, compassionate, and all those things, but this experience 

created a transformation in how I look at myself. I love what I see in the photos, which translates to having 

more love for myself. 


T E R I 

In your own words, what does it mean for you to be over 50? What do you 

want to share about yourself? 

Being over 50 brings more confidence, sharing knowledge and life 

experiences with others. 


Realization that all women bring something beautiful to life no matter the age. 


Amy Bauer 

In your own words, what does it mean for you to be over 50? 

What do you want to share about yourself? 

Like most women, I tend to put everyone else’s needs before my own. 

As a mom and spouse sometimes we lose sight of who we really are. It 

took me a long time to be comfortable in my own skin but at age 50, I 

am confident in who I have become and who I want to be. So many 

people do not have the opportunity to turn 50 years old, every day is a 

blessing and I try to live life to the fullest. 

How did this photoshoot impact the way you feel 



Miriam made me feel absolutely beautiful. She helped me see that the 

extra weight I've gained and my curves are beautiful too. She gave me 

back the confidence I lost in myself many years ago.

TINA 

PAULUS- 

KRAUSE 

How did this photoshoot impact 

the way you feel about yourself? 

The photo shoot supported me to feel 

confident to get out of my comfort 

zone. 

In your own words, what 

does it mean for you to be 

over 50? What do you 

want to share about 

yourself 

Seven years ago, I set out on a journey to find my way “home”. I didn’t get what that meant, at the time. 

What I did know is that I was lost. And even though I didn’t have the answers, I trusted my inner voice that 

kept saying “it’s time”. 

I believed there had to be more. I felt broken yet was unsure of how to create change. The challenge with 

the inner voice is that I also didn’t believe I was worthy. I didn’t believe I deserved to be “happy”. 

I kept myself in a self-imposed box and it stunted my growth. Like an elephant tied down by a tiny rope 

believes it can’t walk away, we create these same stories (boxes) that limit our potential. And we manifest 

what we believe. 

Through the support of coaching, I was able to create a new story and this allowed me to let go of fear and 

allow my heart (and mind) to open up to all the wonder and possibility that actually exists in this beautiful 

life. 

Life is pure magic, when we allow it, regardless of AGE! 

Are you allowing it? 

Finding my way “home” has been the greatest journey of my life. The crazy thing is at 53, I am in deep 

gratitude and feel like I’m just getting started! 

Who cares what’s been, what the scale says or how “old” the number is. You can decide in any moment to 

change the story starting NOW. Only YOU have the power to write the ending. 


MARY WEGNER 



YOURSELF? 

It was very empowering. I'm not always 

comfortable in front of the camera, but I 

wanted to prove to myself I could do it and 

put myself out there. I'm excited to be a 

part of the campaign since women over 

50 are rarely highlighted in our youth 

oriented society. I have two adult 

daughters and they both know how 

awkward I can feel in front of the camera. 

They are both proud of me and pleased 

with the way Miriam captured my true 

self.. 

In your own words, what does it mean for you to be over 50? What 

do you want to share about yourself? 

As a military spouse moving every three years it was difficult to have longevity in any 

job. I held numerous positions at various employers and devoted my time to my family 

and my husband's career. At 50, it was important to me to create my own path, so I 

began a new chapter in my life. I went back to school, graduated and entered the 

medical field. I've always enjoyed helping people, the medical field was always of 

interest to me and I couldn't think of a better fit than working as a healthcare 

professional. I wanted my daughters to see that anything is possible at any age. After 

seven and a half years I was able to retire from the medical field. A few months later, I 

had the opportunity to become a clean beauty advocate for Beautycounter. Many of 

us put a lot of thought into what goes INTO our bodies but not so much what we put 

ON our bodies. It helps me educate the public on the importance of using safer 

products with safer ingredients and fulfills my passion for bringing awareness to this 

important topic. As a B Corporation, the company also aligns with my strongest and 

lifelong passion - the environment. As a teenager in high school I was a founding 

member of the En-Act (Environmental Action) Club. At this point in my life, aging is 

my greatest opportunity to focus not only on my family and friends but to make a 

difference in people's lives. 

 


MICHELE 

EISCH 

HOW DID THIS 

PHOTOSHOOT IMPACT THE 

WAY YOU FEEL ABOUT 

YOURSELF? 

Looking at the proofs on the day 

of the shoot was an eye opening 

experience that brought me to 

tears. It was the first time since 

the heart attacks that I felt I could 

see myself as something other 

than broken exhausted, and 

struggling to keep a brave face 

while fooling my clients and the 

rest of the world into thinking that 

I was “fine”. 



When I stepped into my 50’s, I felt amazing. Empowered. Accomplished. Ready to keep taking 

on the world the same way I had my whole life - pushing myself harder and harder every day. My 

spirit was roaring, but my body had other plans. At the age of 53, I suffered two Widowmaker 

heart attacks. My body and spirit broke. It took me three years of hard work - mentally and 

physically - to redefine everything I thought I knew about myself. When the time was right, I 

decided to celebrate me by treating myself to a new set of branding and personal photos as the 

first step into the remainder of my 50’s. 


BETH 

PERCY 





Being over 50 means reassessing my life 

and deciding a few things to keep, let go 

and to keep. 



YOURSELF? 

The photoshoot showed me that I look 

great at 65, even though I weigh more 

than I ever have. 


In your own words, what does it mean for 

you to be over 50? What do you want to 


Beauty over 50, for me, means knowing, loving 

and being who I am. It means embracing and 

expressing myself fully. Gone are the days of 

allowing unempowering outer voices or 

conditioned inner voices to have influence over 

me or my life. I now claim creative license as 

the leader and artist of my life creating from a 

space of truth, values and purpose. I’ve come 

to trust that the universe always conspires on 

my behalf when I come from this space. That is 

something I find beautiful. 

Being over 50 means allowing my radiance to 

shine. This can be challenging when I’ve heard 

comments throughout my life like, “calm 

down,” “you’re too much,” or “you need to 

focus on one thing.” Plot twist… I learned this 

year at 55 that my brain is a powerhouse that 

doesn’t usually serve me or the world best by 

calming down or focusing on just one thing. 

Being a late-diagnosed neurodivergent women 

has helped me understand my unique abilities 

and multipassionate nature. Owning this has 

allowed me to embrace my brain and 

uniqueness as part of what makes me beautiful. 

It’s helped me love myself more. 

At 55, I know myself deeply and it’s fulfilling 

to continue to grow a coaching business that is 

an extention of who I am and is aligned to my 

truth and values. I think it’s beautiful that by 

being who I am I get to help people know who 

they are, be who they are and create fulfilling 

lives and businesses aligned to who they are. 

T H E R E S A 

A N N 

I believe that when all people are allowed to 

shine for who they are and be who they’re here 

to be, the world will be a more beautiful place. 

I’m so excited about the beauty that is yet to 

be created! 



The photoshoot experience helped me expand 

into more of myself. 


ERIN GEE 



I truly feel like “ I’ve arrived”. I’ll 

always care what people think 

about me because I care that I’m 

a positive force in their lives. I 

want to have an impact that 

improves the human experience. I 

feel like I can focus more on that 

now that I’ve launched my own 

great humans into adulthood! 



I’ve never liked photos of myself because I 

feel like they didn’t ever represent me. I was 

always posing to be what I thought I should 

be. But these photos captured my essence! 

I relaxed and allowed Miriam to “see” me. I 

felt great after the shoot! 

How would you describe your beauty 

over 50 photoshoot experience? 

Life changing because it was freeing! 


ANN MARIE 

FRAKES 

IN YOUR OWN WORDS, 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR 

YOU TO BE OVER 50? 

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO 

SHARE ABOUT 

YOURSELF? 

For me, being over 50 means 

taking stock of my life and making 

the necessary changes to move me 

to happiness and success.Success 

for me doesn't necessarily mean 

financial success. It means that I 

made a difference in the lives of 

others. I helped someone in the 

world become their best self! 


This photo shoot increased my confidence.It really helped me to see my beauty and 

fully appreciate it. 

How would you describe your beauty over 50 photoshoot experience? 

It was a wonderful and comfortable experience.Miriam was the best make-up artist 

AND photographer I have worked with in my 55 years. She has a real flair for this 

work. I am so glad I came back to Wisconsin all the way from Pennsylvania to 

participate in this project. 


KATHLEEN 

WISEMANDLE 





When I turned 50, I became more aware of my 

strengths and values and how they might serve 

me more. As my children became more 

independent, I was able to reflect differently on 

my career.I wanted to continue helping people 

and start-up companies do more than accept 

the status quo, and to help professionals find 

more balance and meaning in their lives, 

relationships and careers. Covid was a real eye 

opener to what my new vision for myself could 

and should be. 


IMPACT THE WAY YOU FEEL 

ABOUT YOURSELF? 

This photoshoot helped me look at myself as 

the brand of my new company, Aspire to 

Grow. I was able to see that I was still able to 

continue to give so much to others 

professionally, but also find inner peace and 

gratitude. It was initially an investment I had 

not considered making in myself, but it allows 

me to show others the confidence I have in 

them. 



The experience required me to be vulnerable, 

which as a new entrepreneur is essential. While I 

was nervous to begin, Miriam listened and 

encouraged me during the session. 

I the shoot left me feeling comfortable, 

authentic and empowered. 




Open letter to my younger self. As I look 50 square in the 

face there are a few things that I would love to share. You 

are brave and your soul guides you. Some people make 

decisions on logic and others with heart. You are all heart, 

and your heart will lead you on a fantastic journey where 

your logic will help you be successful with your decisions. 

SHAR 



Taking time for myself and scheduling this appointment 

was extremely difficult. Arriving at the appointment was 

easy, the first thing we did was an easy before picture. I like 

my natural look and it's very comfortable for me to arrive 

natural faced. 

I was greeted by the makeup artist who asked me about 

my skin type, color preferences and desired look. She 

checked in with every decision to be sure that I was happy 

with the color and style choices. She was amazing. I was so 

impressed that the makeup was me, but fresher and with 

more pop. 

Next we did the hair, and Miriam was fantastic and styled 

my hair in a way that I can see myself. It looked like me, 

just on a really good day. I can count on one hand the 

number of times that I have taken time to do hair and 

makeup in one day. Investing time to take care of my 

appearance usually is sacrificed for exercise, or just making 

it somewhere on time. 

Next was the selection of attire. Miriam was excellent at 

making suggestions from the clothes I brought and adding 

in wardrobe from the studio. She found the right color 

combinations and added in jewelry to enhance the look I 

wanted to achieve. 

Next it was the photos, it is incredible how confidence 

comes out when you have a beautiful look, hair, and 

makeup in a fantastic studio setting. Her eye for color, 

lines and emotions is a natural talent. She was quick to 

make suggestions and change scenes if the first idea didn't 

work as we hoped. She is a true artist with the eye for 

bringing out all your beauty. 

Miriam was encouraging to try something new, 

unexpected, and even a little edgy. She is an artist and is 

able to see the beauty in her customers. She brings out 

your confidence and captures it for all to see. 

When making decisions don't labor too long on them. Your 

gut instincts are always correct and where the real 

opportunities lie. You will have a safe choice and you will 

have a brave choice. Choose the brave option. You are here 

you might as well go for it. You may never be here again. 

Opinions are free to everyone. Don't worry much about 

others'opinions of you.They truly don't notice you and don't 

think about you as much as you think about their opinion of 

you. Make the choices that feed your soul. This gets easier 

every year, and I wish I understood it at twenty. 

You get a new sunrise every day. So #wakeup and move 

your body. Exercising as the sun rises has so many healing 

properties, it helps you think deeper, bigger and see others 

clearer. 

When you get opportunities in life do your very best. 

#showup for each new challenge. We learn so much by the 

personal and professional challenges that come up.Try to 

look at them from a new angle, and allow your mind to find a 

new solution. 

Making plans is easy but using your time wisely is hard. The 

best advice is to #calendarup every day. When you are at 

work, be at work, when you are with friends be with your 

friends, and save valuable time for your family. 

Being 50 is opening myself up to new experiences and 

opportunities. 



Beauty over 50 is an important project for me.We celebrate 

ourselves in youth, at graduation, and weddings. Women do 

not take the opportunity to celebrate their age. The fact that 

we are blessed to have a long and meaningful life is something 

to be celebrated and shared. We do all love a young fresh 

look, but there is something so regal and admirable about 

Beauty over 50. 

We do have more experiences at 50 and let's celebrate it. I 

appreciate that this vision was created and made available 

here in Madison. We are so fortunate to have women who are 

blessed and willing to share their beauty with the world. 


In your own words, what does it mean for 

you to be over 50? What do you want to 


Being over 50 has allowed me to 

embrace my true authentic self. 

There is a turning point when you 

come to realize there is only so 

much time left on this planet and 

that time should be used wisely. It’s 

a time to embrace new experiences, 

be intentional about practicing selfcare, 

and living your best life. 

How would you describe your beauty over 

50 photoshoot experience? 

Working with Miriam was truly a 

wonderful experience. I enjoyed 

being pampered with hair and 

makeup walked me through what to 

expect throughout the morning. 

How did this photoshoot impact the way 

you feel about yourself? 

It helped further build my 

confidence and allowed me to see 

the beauty she was seeing through 

her camera lens. 

MARYBETH 

BAY 




Being over 50 for me is an amazing experience.At 50 I felt 

empowered. I had the ability to experience difficulty and 

healing, and marvel at the beauty of life. I felt that I had 

experiences that brought me strength, and that I had 

wisdom to share with others. In my mid-50s I had a 

devastating personal experience of betrayal and loss that 

deeply challenged my strength and ability to move forward. 

I slowed way down, re-evaluated and found there was no 

where else to go . . . but up! 

I am now 60 years old, I feel contentment with myself, 

while still progressing and improving. I have found myself 

looking at the spectrum of life often. I reminisce in 

childhood and life experiences that have shaped me. I use 

that youthful sense of awe about life, while applying the 

practical wisdom I have acquired. And most of all, I enjoy 

life with all it's trials - testing my endurance and grit - and 

finally feel as if I am growing into myself. 

Never give up, find the lesson in the experience and keep 

moving forward to the next level. 



I was so very excited to do the photo shoot, and I had a little 

bit of doubt about it beforehand. The photoshoot itself was 

an uplifting experience emotionally.I can embrace my 

physicality with self-love. I feel confident and stunning. She 

brought to life and captured me in my essence - both sassy 

and sexy. I feel elegant, playful, elevated, and simply 

gorgeous. 



LORIANN 

STANISLAWSKI 

It was like second nature . . . I could have stayed all day. When 

I entered Miriam's studio and we began the process, it was like 

fading into dreaminess. Miriam is so very down to earth, and a 

true professional. She imbues her kindness, her big heart and 

her skill to make people feel comfortable. 






I embrace the age I am. Being active adds to 

the wonderful glow of maturity. 

I’ve been very fortunate in my life to have a 

career that I love, a family of 4 wonderful 

adult children, 11 grandchildren, 3 great 

grandchildren and a husband that is always 

here for me. 

As a professional woman, I wanted most a 

work-life balance that included the gift of 

time. Funny thing, I now have that time and 

a husband that I can share my daily life, 

laughter and adventures, a friend and a 

lover. A relationship based on honesty. 

Always take time for yourself every day and 

mentor others! 

JENNIFER 

WOOMER 

DINEHART 


IMPACT THE WAY YOU FEEL 

ABOUT YOURSELF? 

Miriam was great to work work. She made every 

effort to make my pictures look perfect. She made 

me comfortable and felt like she really wanted to 

know me and engage me to make each picture a 

replica of me. She worked with me to make the 

composition just right. I enjoyed working with her 

and would recommend her to others who want a 

professional picture that reflects the real you! 


THANK YOU FOR 

READING! 

Hosting this Beauty over 50 campaign was the absolute highlight of 2022 

and I am so thankful to all the women who have participated and 

supported it! 

 

Beauty over 50 sessions will continue on (without a future publication) 

and can be booked at miriambulcher.com 

 

You're also invited to join the exclusive VIP group on Facebook here!

Beauty over 50 Publication 2022

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