Sometimes it's fun to raise a little ruckus in the street to create a photo.

Started in the early 1900's as a day for women to advocate for their needs, such as equal pay, voting rights, and shorter work hours, International Women's Day is now celebrated worldwide annually on March 8.

Activists Athena Kazuhiro and Steph Flati, organizers of the Ladyfest 2015 Pittsburgh music festival, take it to the streets of Polish Hill in Pittsburgh for a portrait I made for the cover of Pittsburgh City Paper. To read the full archived story, … — Activists Athena Kazuhiro and Steph Flati, organizers of the Ladyfest 2015 Pittsburgh music festival, take it to the streets of Polish Hill in Pittsburgh for a portrait I made for the cover of Pittsburgh City Paper. To read the full archived story, go to: http://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/under-a-new-name-ladyfest-returns-with-a-lineup-of-female-dominated-bands/Content?oid=1840286

I dug the above image out of my recent archives to share. It wasn't made for IWD, but it sends the same message. It was created as a preview image for a local music festival featuring rock bands with female lineups. The same year, I also shot a local organization called "Girls Rock! Pittsburgh" that "an empowerment program for female youths of all definitions, abilities, & backgrounds. Our program utilizes the process of making music to instill tools for the amplification of self-confidence, creative expression, independent thinking, mutual respect, & cooperation while cultivating a supportive & inclusive community of peers and mentors."

As a woman photographer, I cherish opportunities to work with other females, older or younger. It's so special to have a chance to celebrate and share them, their talents and their stories with the world and I feel a responsibility to make a photo that is respectful, not just superficially attractive. I mean, in certain of my work (headshots, professional portraits) I, of course, strive to have anyone putting their best face forward. But a person is so much more than their outward appearance and I think that good photographs tap into all the depth below that surface. At least, that's what I strive to create personally.

I take this all pretty seriously. But sometimes, too, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIb6AZdTr-A ) And it's important to know that you can create work that accomplishes both.

Heather Mull Photography

Happy International Women's Day / March 8, 2016 by Heather Mull

Sometimes it's fun to raise a little ruckus in the street to create a photo.