Why I Shoot Boudoir Photography
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 glammed up and laughing your butt off. 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 I believe every person deserves.
I started shooting boudoir photography because I saw the beauty in everyone that came in our door. I believed I could show any person see what I see through my camera. 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 shoot 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 for 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 takes 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 nervous, sometimes even visibly nervous. Shaky hands and voices, sweaty hands 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 and anxiousness.
Then the shoot would start. The first series is to get you all 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 come out. Then she starts to feel sexy. They 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
Once I show them their pictures on the TV, their jaws drop. They see themselves like they never have before. This is one of the amazing thing about boudoir photography. I get a chance to show them how I see them, how their spouse sees them and be their mirror. When they walk out that door, they are smiling so big and they can’t wait to tell all their friends about what they just did.
Yep! That’s me at my boudoir session.
I do the hard and scary shit too! As a Sioux Falls boudoir photographer, it is EXTREMELY important to practice what you preach and "walk the walk". For me, this was THE hardest session I have ever done.
At the time, I was at my highest weight. I wasn’t feeling confident at all. I didn’t even want to do the session! The baby weight that was supposed to “fall off” while breastfeeding never happened. I was always wearing leggings and my hair was in a bun. All I was, was a mom. Nothing more.
I didn’t know how BADLY I needed this session. I walked out of it feeling so incredible! I was literally in tears when I saw the photos, because I didn’t see the same “me” I saw in the mirror daily. I saw a strong, confident, badass woman who was so much more than just a mom! I saw a woman my daughter would be so proud of, a women she would look up to, and in that moment I finally felt whole.
For me, boudoir photography is a celebration of your body and who you truly are. I take pride in being able to help show women how to celebrate their bodies, their battles and their victories they’ve been through. Let me show you your sparkle. Let me help remind you how to love and be proud yourself.
