Why Boudoir Shoots Are A Treat For YOU!

Raise your hand if you always come ‘thiiiis-close’ to booking a boudoir shoot, but then talk yourself out of it?

Maybe you’ve come as far as actually reaching out for info, or maybe you just scroll and scroll–you stare at the portraits, you get lost in the captions, you think about all the reasons why this CANNOT be you. You aren’t as skinny as this girl, you don’t have the sultry stare of that girl, you don’t think you can afford it, you don’t have anyone to ‘gift’ the images to…and the list goes on.

Can we just land that side plane before it crashes? Lemme speak some truth to you today mkay? If we are gonna get really honest, it’s not about the money. With my flexible payment plans, this experience is 100% affordable. It’s not about the outfits, or the location, or about having no one to give them to. The reason you haven’t booked, is because you haven’t really committed to figuring out your “why”….you need a WHY that is strong enough to make you push PAST all of the EXCUSES.

The ONLY difference between YOU and any client who has been in front of my camera, is figuring out WHY you want/need to do this for YOURSELF. Not for him, or her—for YOU. You see, everyone I’ve ever photographed has been just as nervous, just as worried about the investment, just as scared that they couldn’t pull it off—-but their WHY outweighed their EXCUSES.

Why We Shoot Boudoir

Some of the WHY’s from I hear often:
-‘To heal from all of emotional abuse I’ve experienced in the past, both from romantic relationships and from my parents. I want to see myself for who I am, not for who they say I am.’
-‘To finally be able to see in myself what all of my loved ones see.’
-‘To do something for myself. I always do for others and I’m always on the back burner. Not today.’
-‘To do something out of my comfort zone. I need to know that I can still be sexy and be a mom of four + a wife.’
-‘To remind myself that I am desirable and hot AF even though I haven’t had a date in years.’

I want you to sit with yourself and this question: “WHY do I REALLY want to do this?” Once you DECIDE to commit to that why, the excuses are going to evaporate.

Lemme ask you this question: What is worse? A few nerves leading up to this experience, or a lifetime of wishing you’d gone for it and wondering what could have come from it if you had?

Is Body Insecurity Holding You Back From Boudoir?

Ladies, let’s have a show of hands: How many of you have thought about a boudoir session, but never reached out because body insecurity is holding you back?

That many? Whew, that's more than I thought.

How many of you reached out, came sooo close to booking, but felt like you weren’t in good enough shape/skinny enough so you didn’t pull the trigger? 

How many of you worry that you aren’t cut out for boudoir because you have dimples/rolls/a c-section or mama belly/wrinkles/fill- in-the-blank? 

I just want you to know that any feelings or concerns you ever have about yourself or this experience is seen and heard. I never want to invalidate your feelings.
But… are you exhausted? Tired of letting feelings about your body hold you back from some of life’s most beautiful experiences? Weary from picking yourself apart every dang chance you get?

I want to show you a better way. I want you to see the truth that even with dimples and bumps and lumps and rolls, you are hot AF. Love, it’s true. Boudoir isn’t *JUST* for washboard abs and a booty you could bounce a quarter off of (though they are beautiful too). Boudoir is *ESPECIALLY* for our gorgeous curvaceous divas.

Photoshop is a band-aid

Sure, I could body alter the heck out of you. Photoshop you to perfection, take away every part of you that you hate, instantly drop you 4 pant sizes. But what happens when the next day, you look in the mirror, and the REAL you is staring back at you? You’d be back at square one, because you wouldn’t have learned to value, love, and celebrate the person you ARE. Photoshop is a band-aid, but it’s not going to heal what is broken.

Boudoir is so much less about the pictures, and so much MORE about internal transformation. It’s about you just showing up, celebrating who you are TODAY, and giving yourself some room to breathe and grow.

Stop telling yourself that you are only going to love yourself if you don’t have rolls. Stop saying that you will only be beautiful in a photograph if you are photoshopped or airbrushed. It isn’t true, so don’t accept it..

Your worth is defined by whatever YOU say it is. Shift the narrative. Break the cycle. Self love is a CHOICE, so make the right one.

5 Reasons to Consider Hiring a Male Boudoir Photographer

Boudoir empowers. Boudoir emboldens and gives confidence. I believe in it to its core. While it is most common to have a woman photographer, I want to share a few reasons you should consider hiring a male boudoir photographer for your experience.

The Male Gaze

1. Men and women typically see women differently.  Through a different set of experiences, a different mentality, and a different intent/goals. What men find sexy and what women find sexy are typically different things. A woman might say something like, "That old tank top? That isn't sexy."  But a man might say that that old tank top is his favorite outfit on you, because he thinks you're at your most beautiful when you're casual and off guard.

Feedback From A Guy's Perspective

2. I've been told that since my clients are getting these portraits as a gift for their husband, they want a man's opinion and perspective.  
Me:  "Which pictures do you want in your gift album?"  
Her:  "You pick them out since you are a guy, you will know what he likes more than I will!" 
In the same vein if I needed to get a gift for my wife I would probably ask a woman for advice too. Although she'll probably kill me for not knowing what she wants!

A Familiar Dynamic

3. A common consensus is that it can be easier for a woman to show her sexy side in front of the camera with a male photographer because it's a dynamic they are somewhat familiar with.  

Experience

4. Playboy, FHM, Maxim, and Sports Illustrated Swim Suit Edition are mostly shot by male photographers. Boudoir as an industry is dominated by women photographers because of the perception that the client and her spouse will feel more comfortable if they are shot by a woman. Know that both male and female photographers are focusing on posing, lighting, emotion and experience. We are really not looking at 'you' but at creating the best images. I promise you will have a comfortable, fun and professional experience.  

Find the best photographer

5. Find the photographer who makes you feel accepted, sexy, and with a style you can't resist.  They will leave you on cloud 9 reminding you that you are beautiful, powerful, sexy and special. The photographer should be the best at their craft and make you feel relaxed and comfortable above all.