Why I shoot boudoir photography
Putting into words how boudoir photography makes me feel is difficult. It’s an experience. It’s the transformation I see women go through during their shoot. From initially getting to know my client, getting them into hair and makeup, watching them relax into the session, and coming out the other side refreshed and with a new perspective on themselves. It’s fulfilling and beautiful.
I’ve worked with many types of photography, families, weddings, seniors, newborns…but nothing has come close to fulfilling me the way boudoir does. I’m not just taking beautiful photos, I’m helping women discover their beauty, reflecting back their radiance and seeing them for who they are through all imperfections.
Transformation is beautiful
The transformation I see in women between walking into my studio and leaving for the final time is astounding! Most women come in nervous and feeling pretty vulnerable. You can see it in their eyes and the way they hold their bodies. We quickly get them in and get them into hair and makeup. My makeup artist helps relax them by playing their favorite music and having one-on-one girl time and fun conversations. Then she see’s her makeup! There’s been so many times my makeup artist and I have had to say ‘Don’t cry, don’t cry!’ when a client sees her transformation for the first time! By this time, she’s starting to feel great about herself and we have a lot of fun putting outfits together and playing dressup!
When we go to the shoot, the nerves creep back in just a little! But a few shots in, and we are already creating magic. I usually show a back of the camera picture during our first set so my client can see. The response is usually, “OMG that’s ME?” Yup. On my camera. No filters. That YOU! That’s when her confidence kicks in and she BRINGS IT! 🔥🔥 By the end of the session, every woman we shoot is strutting out of the studio like a supermodel and making plans for dinner because she looks and feel so DAMN GOOD!
When the day of the Image Reveal arrives, my clients and I are basically friends. She’s so excited to see her photos…and again…a little nervous! But once I start playing that video, her jaw DROPS. She cannot BELIEVE how incredible her images turned out! She leaves the studio with a permenant reminder of how amazing and beautiful she is and is ready to tell the world what she did and how much fun she had!
A little about my own story
I grew up with a very verbally abusive and narcissistic mother. One of the things she liked to make ‘playful’ jabs at was my body. As a young girl…as early as 10 I remember her always poking fun at my butt. I got called J-Lo booty (which now I’d consider a compliment because her booty is ROCKIN’), or she’d sing that old Jello commercial as I walked by, ‘See it wiggle, watch it jiggle’. She also targeted my breasts as they began to develop. “Itty Bitty Titty Commitie” was her favorite insult to me. As I grew, I learned to hate the parts of my body that made me feminine. I truly thought my body was disgusting.
At 18, and a mother of two, I weighed 120lbs. My mother was constantly on me about losing my baby weight and getting back down to my slim 100 lbs pre-baby. Mom was always dieting and that was my introduction to the world of dieting. If my weight ever got above 120, it was time to diet. My relationship to myself and my weight was TOXIC.
As I got older, and spent less and less time with my mother, and eventually completely cut her off, I learned to heal. Through boudoir.
Here I am at my very first boudoir shoot! I was about 23 here and this was my first step into my self love journey. I did these photos for my military husband, who at the time who was deployed. This gift to him turned into a gift to myself. While he appreciated them, I think I looked at them more! I ended up doing another shoot that year just for me!
It was about 10 years before I became a photographer after that, but during that time, I started my self love and acceptance journey. I even had another session with other amazing boudoir photographers. I started to look in the mirror and accept the reflection I saw. It’s me in all my glory. I stopped trying to lose weight for vanity. Now, at 185lbs, I consider myself JUST AS BEAUTIFUL as the 119 lb 18 year old I was. I love my ass and all it’s cellulite, I love my breasts (not so itty bitty anymore haha), and I even love my squishy tummy with my tiger stripes from bring 4 amazing humans into this world. My journey isn’t even over. As a boudoir photographer, I’m growing more and I’m learning to lead women on their own self-love journey. I am so lucky and so incredibly grateful.
Let me show you how to begin loving yourself and begin your own healing journey!
Here’s more of the incredible photos I’ve had taken or taken myself over the years!
Photo by Glammar Photography
Photo by Booker Boudoir
Photo by Jennifer La Rue
Photo by Renae Brown
