Bay Area photographer and brand strategist Alpana Aras has launched Luminous over 40 Portrait Experience, an empowering portrait project celebrating women over 40 through storytelling, self-expression, and fine-art portraiture. Introduced on November 8, the ongoing series invites women to step into visibility and reconnect with the parts of themselves that deserve to be seen.
The project was born from Aras’s own journey. After years of photographing celebrities and entrepreneurs, and being featured by The New York Times and Apple, she realized she had avoided being photographed herself. It wasn’t until her fifties that she stepped in front of the camera — an experience that transformed how she saw herself and inspired the creation of Luminous.
“For years, I’ve photographed women who told me they weren’t photogenic or not ready,” says Aras. “But what I see through my lens is strength, resilience, and radiance. We don’t become less as we age. We become more grounded, more confident, more ourselves. Luminous is about capturing that light that’s always been there.”
Designed for women who have spent years prioritizing others, Luminous Over 40 Portrait Experience offers a dedicated space to be celebrated and photographed in a way that honors their depth, identity, and evolution. Each experience is fully customized, whether celebrating a milestone birthday, elevating a professional brand, or simply being captured as art.
The Luminous Experience includes:
• Personalized design and styling consultation
• Professional hair and makeup
• Celebrity-style portrait session
• Private reveal celebration
• One curated image from the shoot
One client shared, “This isn’t the first time I’ve worked with Alpana, and I keep coming back because she brings not only professionalism but also a special eye for capturing the essence of who you are. Going through the photos, I discovered things her camera captured that I hadn’t noticed about myself before.”
Portraits and stories from Luminous will be featured in a special exhibition and printed magazine honoring the brilliance and diversity of women in their 40s, 50s, and beyond. Since launching, the project has received strong interest from women seeking personal celebration and elevated visibility for their careers and businesses.
Luminous also aligns with the growing “40 over 40” portrait movement, offering women a refined, fine-art experience designed to celebrate who they are now.
“We spend our younger years seeking permission,” Aras adds. “At 40 and beyond, it’s time to be seen for who we truly are — luminous, layered, and limitless. You don’t need to be a celebrity. You need to believe you’re worth investing in, because you are art.”
Luminous Over 40 Portrait Experience is now open for ongoing applications in the San Francisco Bay Area, with limited sessions released each month.
Learn more or apply here: Luminous: The Portrait Experience for Women 40, 50, 60, and beyond.
About Alpana Aras
Alpana Aras is a Bay Area–based brand strategist, photographer, and visual storyteller whose work has been featured by The New York Times, Apple, and Instagram. She helps women entrepreneurs and professionals build bold, visible brands through storytelling, photography, and AI-powered imagery. Her tagline, Be Bold. Be Seen., reflects her mission to help women step confidently into their presence in business and in life.
