What NOT to do during a boudoir shoot
Worrying about what looks good on camera.
If there are certain poses you absolutely would love for yourself, share them! Otherwise if you are looking for poses to direct your photographer to direct for you, it won’t feel authentic and it won’t be fun worrying if you nailed it or not.
INSTEAD, go in with no expectations, move intuitively to get yourself out of your own head.
Telling yourself you’re not good enough. It’ll kill your vibe and you’ll have a horrible time during the shoot. Do you really want that feeling to be memorable every time you look back at the photos?
INSTEAD give yourself some pats on the back and credit when you nailed a pose and your photographer sings your praises! The photographer will be real with you and when they compliment you, bask in it! Give yourself permission to accept it with a open heart and allow it to inspire you to compliment yourself. Theres nothing better than photographing someone who is feeling themself, it is magical to watch a woman love her self.
Eating someting heavy and greasy right before the shoot. You’ll feel bloated and gross and just don’t do it to yourself.
INSTEAD, and this may seem self explanatory, before you order that yummy tall chicken sammie with sides, just ask yourself what foods you love that doesn’t leave you feeling heavy after, and choose that!
Wearing outfits that squeeze you too tightly and make you feel uncomfortable. Sometimes naked is the way to go if you dont want to bother with outfits and your photographer is comfortable with it. You’re already doing the thing, why not go all in! But if you do want to be clothed, make sure they make you feel good. More than likely something that is pinching you and creating rolls and pudges that don’t normally exist can be a vibe killer.
Doubting your photographer. Trust them, know you hired them for a reason and that they know there is a method to their madness. I know being in front of the camera can be daunting, don’t waste your energy creating doubt and a tense experience.
INSTEAD trust, live in the moment and whatever weird position or face you make by mistake, know that will not be in your gallery. Because a good photographer will always make you look like the best version of you in your photos. They will not give you the dupes. LOL!
Why I Am A Spiritual Photographer
There is a void in the women’s boudoir photography market.
Boudoir photographers are only catering to one kind of person, the ‘perfect body’. And the rest of us are not only under represented but not understood. These photographers often dont know how to photograph ‘normal bodies’ and they don’t cater to those who want a shoot but are nervous to.
It’s not personable.
When you think of full nude or boudoir photography, is your first thought; ‘Oh heck yes, I’m stunning, sign me up!’ or is it something like ‘Oh, that’s beautiful but I’m not photogenic..’ or maybe ‘My body wont look that good on camera.’?
We have some fears, whether that be body image insecurties, not trusting anyone enough to be nude on camera, maybe being judged, or even shaming ourselves. Truth is, we are all worthy, we care on some level what people think of us, and we need to feel safe in order to put our walls down a bit.
As a kid, I grew up in a pretty conservative household with patriarcal beliefs. I never saw my parents go on date nights or self- indulge for themselves and I realize now that connects directly with how they disaplined me. I’ll spare you the details, but in a nutshell my parents projected anger. . . a lot. Here’s what I learned about this later as an adult:
Self-care IS NOT selfish, you present your best self when you feel energized and happy.
It is vital that we kudos our own accomplishments in order to contribute to feeling good about ourselves.
We have to cut ties with societies expectations of us to live a fulfilled life.
We are enough, no matter what we do or don’t do. What we look like or what we don’t look like.
Bringing together these things cultivated a business I have never seen or heard of before. I didn’t see photographers investing time getting to know their clients, validating their feelings and experiences in meetings with them, or taking anytime with them at all before or after the shoot . Why not??
It seems so simple, but it’s not practiced. Listening to someone, validating them directly contributes to people feeling much more comfortable, excited even, to having a photoshoot. I wanted to provide that for the folks who just needed to be heard.
Results of this included:
Being less stressed day to day.
More patience and compassionate for loved ones in our life.
Embracing themselves for who they are in this moment.
Being more assertive about their needs.
Cultivating loving and respectful relationships with others.
Stopping self-negating thoughts.
Ever hear ‘You can only love another person as much as you love youself?’ My sole motivation is to remind people who the f**k they are. We get sucked into others expectations of us and often forget our power. Sometimes we just need a reminder, someone to come along and help us see past the bullshit, listen to our concerns and then get after it. When I help people step into their power, there is literally nothing stopping them from creating a world they feel joyfull in. The world can change with confident, unapologetic, happy people. You deserve to be happy, full of joy and stress-free. That’s all I want for you, and it’s ok to have a little help. That’s why I’m here.