Why I shoot 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 is about self-acceptance, body positivity, and art. It is about getting glammed up and laughing your butt off. It is about the transformation that takes place between the time you walk in my studio and walk back out that door way more confident. It is about feeling beautiful, and that is something I believe every person deserves.
I started shooting boudoir photography because I saw the level of confidence women gained when doing a boudoir session. I believe I could show any person what I see through my camera. Women tell me they feel they can’t look “that beautiful” because they feel too tall, weight too much, or have too many stretch marks. I loved showing them the photos during their shoot and showing that they CAN, in fact, feel and look beautiful. Seeing their reactions to their images 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 Theon who sees past all 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. When a woman arrives in my studio, most of the time she is nervous and it can be visible. Shaky hands and voices, sweaty palms and feet 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 starts. The first series is to get you all warmed up. When I show the client the back of the camera, 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. The she starts to feel sexy and the sexy eyes come out. That’s when you can tell that it is starting to click with them.
By the time we finish the session and go into the reveal, we are best friends. We’ve just shared an experience that they will always remember. We have laughed and shared stories about our lives and experiences.
Once I show them their pictures on the TV screen, their jaws drop. 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 spouse sees them and I get to be their mirror. When they walk out that door, they're smiling so big and they can’t wait to tell all their friend about their experience.
A little bit of my story!
I have always struggled with self image and body positivity. This is another reason I was so drawn to boudoir photography. When I was growing up, I was never the skinny kid or popular kid. I felt like I was always competing with people around me until I got older and realized that their opinions should NOT define me.
Fast forward, I joined the military and got into the best shape of my life. I was the “ideal” body weight and shape. I found the love of my life and we had a beautiful baby girl. I definitely gained weight and went through a depression stage again. This is where I stopped loving my body and all the stretch marks. Not realizing that I should be loving this body and how strong I was through my own transformation into motherhood.
Still to this day I struggle to lose weight but I am forever loving myself and where I am currently.
