Why Boudoir Photography?
Sometimes I find it hard to put into words why I shoot Boudoir Photography. To me, it is so much more than photos. It’s about self-acceptance, body positivity, and art. It is about getting pampered and enjoying your own presence. It’s about the transformation that takes place between the time you walk in my studio and walk back out that door. It is about feeling beautiful and that is something every person deserves.
I started shooting boudoir photography because I saw the beauty in everyone that came in the door. I believe I can show any person what I see through my lens. Women tell me they feel they can’t look “that beautiful” because they feel too tall, weigh too much, or have too many stretch marks. I loved showing them the photos from their session and showing that they CAN, in fact, feel beautiful. Seeing their reactions to their pictures changed me. From that moment on, I knew I had found my passion. It was now my job to be a mirror from my clients. Not the mirror that the world shows you that shames you, but the one who sees past all of the lumps, bruises, and imperfections. The one that shows you your sparkle.
The Transformation
The transformation that took place in our studio is the best part of the whole experience for us. When a woman arrives in my studio, most of the time she’s anxious, sometimes even visibly nervous. Shaky hands and voices, sweaty palms and faces are things I see all the time. Once they sit in the chair to get their hair and makeup done, the transformation begins. the client slowly starts to shed those signs and feelings of nervousness.
Then the shoot would start. The first series is to get you warmed up. When I show the client the back of the camera after the first series, I usually hear “OH MY GOD, that’s me? NO WAY that’s me!” As we go into the next series and then the next, the laughter and smiles start to show up more. Then she starts to feel sexy. The strong, empowered and sexy eyes come out! And you can tell that it’s starting to click with them.
By the time we finish the session and go into the reveal, we’re friends. We’ve just shared an experience that they will always remember. We’ve laughed and shared stories about our lives. Sometimes we eve shed a tear for the release that they feel, due to the experience. You see sometimes when you shed your outer layer. You reveal what makes you…you. It’s a very liberating and self-actualizing experience.
Once I show them their portraits on the computer monitor, their jaw drops. They see themselves like they never have before. This is one of the amazing things about boudoir photography. I get a chance to show them how I see them, how their spouses see them and be their mirror. When they walk out that door, they are walking taller, head held higher and they're smiling so big! They can’t wait to tell all their friends about what they just did. I've even had women sit and cry tears of joy. The elation that they feel around the session rivals no other experience I have ever come across.
A Piece of my Story…
The images above are from my own healing boudoir session. In order for me to connect with the client’s I photograph. I needed to place myself in that vulnerable state as well.
I didn’t quite grasp the gravity of what I was accomplishing for women until I had a client ask me to do a boudoir shoot due to her weight loss journey several years ago. I wanted so badly to make sure she loved her images because this is such a vulnerable experience. I knew my past with my weight loss and struggle to love my body. I had fought my weight and self-image my entire life. I struggled with eating disorders throughout my childhood and didn’t believe I had worth. This wasn’t just a healing for her. It was for me as well. My hope was that I could show her that there was beauty in her body. The day came and we talked about the struggle and how proud she was. We laughed and just enjoyed ourselves. When the day was done, I knew there was more to this than pictures. There was an awakening. There was magic.
I wanted to lift other women up in this way. I wanted to show them their strength and beauty. I wanted to talk to everyone because I knew that I could show them a side of themselves that they didn’t know they had, or at least hadn’t seen in a long time! It was such a pivotal moment. When she received her pictures, she was so proud. She was emotional. She didn’t believe that was her! I beamed with joy and so did she. It was in that moment that I knew that I had found my purpose. I knew I had to give this experience to as many women as possible.