Why Boudoir Photography?
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If there’s one thing I’ve learned most in life, it’s that perspective is everything. Shooting boudoir is a way for me to use my artwork to show others a different perspective, and how beautiful they really are. I have been in a space where loving myself felt selfish, and I didn’t feel deserving of compliments… a space where hearing someone say I’m beautiful didn’t make sense. I have also been in a place where life gets busy and I forget to make myself a priority.
No matter what the circumstance, EVERY woman deserves to feel beautiful. Boudoir for me isn’t just photos. It’s a way for each person involved to feel seen, valued, and as beautiful as they truly are. In their own skin! When you have a session done, it sparks your passion for who you are. It reignites your intimate connection with your soul. In a boudoir shoot, you become the artwork and your body (and all that’s a part of it… scars, stretch marks, etc…) tell a story of your life journey. A story that deserves to be told and is worth being heard.
I began my journey in boudoir after I had my confidence reawakening moment in life. I never realized that confidence in yourself and trusting yourself were very connected. Having even the smallest bit of confidence in who you are can make a huge difference in your decisions! It can be the one emotion that pushes you to your highest potential or what leads you away from your greatest tragedy. In a long string of events, my confidence was completely taken from me and it resulted in years of heartbreak. If I can take one of my talents and use it to help others see their beauty even a little more clearly… If what I do can help someone gain the confidence to trust their instincts and do right for themselves, or show them that they are WORTH being loved and valued… then it’s where I belong. Women have come to our studio from all walks of life. Believing there is no way they’ll be able to “pull off” a boudoir shoot. Showing them their images on the back of my camera during their session and seeing their reactions has been such a moving experience! Then they see themselves on the big screen at their image reveal nd realize quickly how stunning they really are, AS THEY ARE. This point of every shoot just further confirms that everyone in that room is right where they belong.
The Transformation
Seeing each unique woman transform throughout the process has been so rewarding for me. Most clients will show up for their shoot a little nervous at first, which is completely normal! I’ve had my own shoot done a couple of times and even I still get nervous beforehand! Some clients are a little more shy at first and some are nervous but ready to jump in. Once we get into hair and makeup though, the nerves start to disappear. We keep a very open space for every woman, so we spend that time talking about whatever comes to mind at the moment! Girl time on full blast ;) We play music, sip on some deliciousness, and allow our clients to relax and be pampered. Usually, clients feel a lot more comfortable once they see their finished look! And into the session, we go…
This is the most fun part! Throughout the shoot, I’ll show every client the back of my camera so they can see themselves without any editing whatsoever. The response is always along the lines of “WHAT?! There’s no way.. Wow that’s me!!” Once clients see how the session will go and can see that even just in-camera they look incredible, they start to lose their nerves altogether. The laughing begins, the goofiness surfaces, and their inner goddess starts to show!
To say I become besties with clients by the end of their shoot is an understatement. We’ve laughed together, cried together, worked out together (because let's be honest, the shoot is definitely a workout!!), and we have walked through an experience that neither of us will ever forget. At this point, I’ve seen each client go from nervous at the beginning of the day to confident as ever!! They have an afterglow that radiates for miles.
The ordering appointment happens 2 hours after each client's session ends. A lot of the time, they don’t really know what to expect. They just did a session where posing sometimes felt weird, and they have NO idea what it could possibly look like. Then comes the slideshow… the slideshow every client gets to see before putting an order together. I have seen every range of good emotions possible during this time. Tears of joy and shock, laughter and giddiness, silent awe, their partner hollering “do you get it now?! Damn babe!!”... Putting their order together is always fun for me, but the slideshow is definitely the best part. Seeing them walk out the door ready to take on the world? Yes please!
A Little Snippet of My Story
I have always been a helper. I always put others first and tried helping others with their problems… hell, a lot of times I would try to just fix their problems for them. I also am a silver lining type person. No matter what, I saw the good in people. I believed if I treated others the best way I could, they would do the same to me. This belief of mine turned into an easy way for others to take advantage of my kindness. Through some very difficult and emotionally damaging relationships, I realized I was codependent. Severely… codependent. I immediately started the healing journey, which was the hardest thing I’d ever done. I had to learn to rely on myself, to be comfortable in silence, to enjoy doing things alone, I basically had to learn how to be my own best friend. I made rules for myself through this time. Things like “ I will not let anyone around me in life that doesn’t love me for exactly who I am or support me in my passions” and “I am a 10 to someone, it’s ok that I haven’t found them yet.” I learned to say no in a healthy way and within 9 months of implementing my rules for myself, I was the happiest I’d ever been. I took my art into the world of boudoir to show others that this type of happiness and safety and comfort is available to them! It exists and they deserve to have that for themselves. Sometimes, the first step is gaining a little confidence and trust in yourself. Learning that loving yourself is NECESSARY and wonderful. I see boudoir as each woman giving themselves that chance.
How did boudoir even start? It’s actually all my husband’s fault! I had done some sessions prior when I offered every type of shoot, so I knew already that I loved that type of artwork. The art, plus providing women with the outside perspective on how badass they are?! Sign me up! Anyways… I was working a desk job in the same office as my husband and we were chatting about what I would do after working there. Desk positions with not much social contact are definitely not for me, so we knew it wouldn’t be long term. This is how that conversation changed everything.
Hubs: Or, you could follow your dreams and go full time with photography!
Me: hahahaha, you’re funny, but I appreciate your enthusiasm!
Hubs: … I was being serious. You’d crush it! You’ve always wanted to, why wait any longer?
Me:... wait… you’re for real? All the financials would fall on you, and thats a lot! What if it doesn’t work out?
Hubs: then you just pick up another job! And you won’t fail, you’ll just keep learning and getting better. You could definitely do it.
A week later, that job consolidated positions and my position in the office was cut. I took that as a sign and the rest is history!
For me, boudoir photography is a magic mirror. It shows you proof that you are enough! It shows you your outer AND inner beauty. It reminds you how far you’ve come and allows you to feel an appreciation for the journey. When you open yourself up to being vulnerable in this way, you open the door to understanding who you are, and falling in love with that side of you all over again.
I am so passionate about the healing work that takes place in our studio and I’m grateful for every woman who trusts me with guiding them through this experience.
Let me remind you what it’s like to be in awe of yourself. Be brave… take a step towards embracing the beauty in your story, your body, and who you are.
Interested in booking your boudoir experience with me?
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