Reinventing Boudoir Photography

Some people find my transition from Senior Portrait Photographer to Boudoir Photographer to be confusing -- but it makes perfect sense to me!

When I started as a Senior Photographer, I wanted to create the experience I wish I had had when I was a teenager. Someone to guide me, someone who would help me plan out the details and handle all the things I found overwhelming like getting my makeup done. I wanted an experience that would be tailored to me, and not force me into a box I didn't fit in. I wanted to leave it feeling confident and beautiful even though I felt terrified and insecure going into it.

So when you read that, is it still confusing how I ended up at boudoir? ;) Boudoir is just the adult version of that feeling. We don't stop feeling insecure and like something wasn't made for us as teenagers. 

I wanted to have photos of myself that were beautiful and artistic. Something that captured me, actually me, and not some sort of performance of sexy. I didn't want headshots, I didn't want glamour. I wanted the heart, soul, drama, and femininity of boudoir but I didn't relate to the male gaze focus of most boudoir photography.

So what's a girl to do? Create it myself for all of the women who could relate. This is a visual world! I have always wanted gorgeous photos of myself. I have always wanted to feel like I could be the girl in the editorial, the fine art portrait. I see myself in a museum, not a centerfold. So I took the time to study, to practice, and create the style I was dreaming of.

And you know what? I think I have finally found exactly it. It will surely evolve, it will get better (I can't just stay stagnant after all, I have ADHD haha)...but right now? I have found it. Let me tell you about it, because if it relates to you, I want you to know.

Enter my Boudoir Studio:

I have more than a decade of experience helping people plan photoshoots. I know what you need to do. So I made an in-depth planning guide to help you release the breath you were holding and calm the overwhelm. You'll fill out a survey so that I know what you want and I can guide you even more personally into finding the perfect outfits, what sets we will use, what music we will play, what vibe we're looking to accomplish.

The girl who didn't know how to do her hair and makeup as a teenager...uh, never learned. Instead, she made friends who were professionals at it. ;) And those professionals will be there to get you ready on the day of your photoshoot, so you don't need to learn how to curl your hair or perfect your eyeliner. Oh, and they can do hair and makeup for anyone. That's big for me. They have more foundation colors and an ability to mix colors that will blow your mind. It's why they are makeup artists.

I love clothes, so my studio is full of things for you to wear if you couldn't find anything you liked in stores or that perfect editorial piece. I have everything from lingerie, to slips, to glamour dresses, and editorial body jewelry. Playing dress up is fun and liberating. Take this time to wear everything you've always wanted to wear but had no reason or event. You don't have to wear lingerie!

Okay, now you're ready and it's time for your photoshoot. I hate it when I'm in front of the camera and I feel like I can't move or breathe and I'm holding a super specific pose. I am more of a movement type of girl. You can breathe. You can laugh. I will guide you into a pose and you can hold it or you can stretch. I'll give you the pose and you can make it work for you. We're in a dance when I'm photographing you, but don't worry, I'll always lead. Oh, and when I said you're allowed to laugh? I sometimes become an accidental stand up comedian during shoots, so time will fly, you'll be laughing, vibing to music, hardly aware that you're being photographed at all. We'll just be in our flow.

The last part is showing you your images. I'll carve out a specific time for you to come in and see your images so that you can give yourself the time and energy you deserve. I'll challenge you to give yourself a chance. You don't have to love every single image, but you'll love way more than you expected. Now you have images of yourself that hold your self love, confidence, power, and beauty. You'll have them forever. You can access that feeling whenever you need it. 

That's the experience I wanted, so that's the experience I created.

If I could do that four times a year, that would be the freaking dream. Growing every time I allow myself to be vulnerable and get more in-tune with myself. Looking at the images and being like daaaaaamn, I am that girl. It's art that gives you power.

You don't have to be anything, you don't have to wait until ____. That's the thing about what I wanted to build -- it's for anyone at any time. You can be 9 months pregnant, you can be turning 50, you can be looking for a pick me up on a random Tuesday. You can love your body or you can wish you loved it a little more. You can be single, you can be a mom. You can be 21 or you can be 65.

And that's the beauty of the Reinvention of Boudoir. It's not for giving to your husband on your wedding day, it's not exclusive to skinny women in Louboutins. I'm reclaiming it. For all of us. It's ours now. It's for us. Join me. Whenever you want.