When Regina Barnes walked into my studio, she carried more than just a change of clothes and a nervous smile—she carried 13 years of survival, faith, and a story that needed to be seen as much as it needed to be told.

Her journey began in what seemed like an ordinary season of stress at work. She was in pharmaceutical sales, drained and ready to quit. But before she made any career moves, she decided to check on her health—making sure she still had the insurance coverage she needed. That’s when the diagnosis came: breast cancer. Stage 3.

Regina had lived a healthy life. She never imagined hearing those words. At first, she thought, “I can manage this.” But 18 months of chemo, radiation, and treatments quickly became her new reality. And while she lost her job in the process, she didn’t lose her hope. In fact, she started a blog called “I’m Still Alive!” where she chronicled not just the medical journey, but the lessons God was teaching her through each step.

“I wanted people to know the diagnosis didn’t mean I was dead,” she said. “I’m still here. Still alive.”

And alive she is.

Faith When It Doesn’t Make Sense

At the five-year mark, doctors often say you can exhale, but for Regina, that’s when new complications appeared. Scans revealed cancer had spread to her hip bone and later to her lungs. Doctors missed things. Others dismissed her concerns. Fear and fatigue set in.

There were moments she had no words for prayer—except for Job’s cry: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”

But Regina is transparent about the reality of the fight. “Now, I’m in the phase of pure exhaustion and anger and just being tired,” she admitted. “It’s been very hard. I don’t always feel like saying the right things. Sometimes I just feel defeated.”

That’s when God sent her a Christian counselor who told her something freeing: “You can be angry and still have faith. You can be tired and still believe. You can look over your shoulder wondering what’s next, and still trust God.”

Her honesty doesn’t cancel her faith. It deepens it.

Why a Photoshoot?

When Regina’s mother mentioned that she didn’t have many updated pictures of her, something clicked. She hadn’t taken professional portraits since she was 30, and now at 60, she knew—it was time.

“You get to this age, there’s not a lot people can buy you as a gift,” she laughed. “But pictures? Pictures are forever.”

She came into my studio with quiet courage, unsure of how it would feel to be in front of the camera again. But as the shutter clicked, something powerful unfolded.

“When I see these photos of me, I see my fierceness,” she told me after viewing her images. “I see strength. I see resilience. These pictures remind me that I’m still here… still living. And when the hard days come, I’ll use these images to remind me not to give up.”

More Than a Photoshoot

Regina’s session was more than poses and lighting—to her, it was ministry. It was a visual testimony of God’s keeping power, of a woman who refuses to let fear write her story, and of a survivor who still finds reasons every day to say, “I’m still alive.”

Her portraits aren’t just beautiful images. They’re proof of her fight. They’re reminders of her faith. They’re snapshots of strength that will inspire her, her family, and everyone who sees them to keep going—no matter the battle.

And maybe that’s the message we all need today: Don’t wait for the perfect time. Celebrate the right now. Capture the evidence that you are here, alive, and still standing.

Because sometimes a photo isn’t just a photo. Sometimes—it’s survival, it’s testimony, it’s hope.

A Note from Gianna

Photographing Regina reminded me why I do what I do. So often, women come into my studio carrying invisible battles—grief, fear, loss, exhaustion and sickness—and yet, when they step in front of the camera, something shifts. We get to freeze a moment where their strength outshines the struggle, and they see themselves the way God sees them: powerful, resilient, and deeply loved.

After Regina left my studio, I sat quietly for a moment, letting it all sink in. My eyes filled with tears as I thought about the strength it took for her to show up. She is still in the fight—the cancer has returned and spread, and she is literally praising God for every day. She shared what the chemo has done to her body, she shared the mental battles she faces and I could sense the weight of what she has endured. And yet, in spite of it all, she smiled, she laughed, she put on her crown and celebrated her 60th birthday with portraits.

She came all the way from D.C. to give herself this gift—and what a gift it was.

For me, photography isn’t just about beautiful images. It’s ministry. It’s about showing women that their stories matter. It’s capturing proof of God’s faithfulness in the middle of life’s hardest battles.

That day, Regina gave me the honor of photographing not only her image, but her testimony of resilience and courage. And I’ll carry that reminder with me always.

Ready to capture your story? Let’s Chat! Book your consultation here: https://hello.dubsado.com/public/form/view/5fa4c701651511460421ea00

Want to see more? Click here to visit my website: https://giannasnellphotography.com/

To follow Regina’s blog, click here: https://everydayiwillpraisehim.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/all-results-are-in/