Castle Dale Native Continues to Expand Photography Movement Featuring Exemplary Women

Press Release

Hundreds of photographers from across the nation are giving away free photo sessions in an effort to show women their true beauty.

Beauty Revived is a photography movement started by Castle Dale native Michelle (Johansen) Gifford. Photographers donate a photo session to deserving women to help share their story. These stories are featured on www.beautyrevived.com.

Women who have battled cancer, have a deployed husband and have lived exemplary lives have been featured. The stories are diverse but the message is the same: beauty comes from a life of courage, kindness and strength.

The movement began first in Riverside, Calif. where Gifford lives with her husband and four children. Gifford is a high school senior photographer and noticed that all of the seniors weren’t like how the media was portraying teens.

“These young ladies are amazing,” Gifford said. “They are doing good in their schools and in the community. I decided that these are the stories that we should be talking and reading about.”

Then Beauty Revived came to Utah. This summer, 30 of Utah’s best photographers searched and found 50 of Utah’s Most Beautiful Women. Some of these stories were featured on KSL News.

The women chosen for The Utah’s 50 project shared very little physical characteristics. They were different ages, background and circumstances, but there is a common thread. They all have shown their beauty by their service when weary, grace in defeat and kindness when tried. These are the women that we should be talking and reading about. They are real women with real beauty.

Currently, Beauty Revived is featuring stories from a new campaign, America’s 50 Most Beautiful High School Senior Girls. Some of America’s very best senior photographers are telling stories of high school girls who have overcome heartbreak in family situations, depression, loss of a parent and those who encourage others with their goodness.

“I’ve been humbled to be a part of this,” Gifford said. “Photographers from all over the world have come together to give back and make a difference and it is working.”

Gifford will be coming back to Emery County on Dec. 30 and is teaching Photo Basics Course in Castle Dale. She will be teaching attendees lighting basics, posing, composition and the basics of shooting in manual mode. For more information, visit www.michellegiffordphotography.com.