Curvy Girls! Just say YES!

Disclaimer: I did not write this. One of my INCREDIBLE, FABULOUS clients did! Here's what she had to say about her boudoir experience! 

"Meagan is the best and if you just say yes, you will have so much fun and you (and others) will love your images!  Hey, I get it, I’m a curvy girl – I thought, how can I ever be comfortable enough to dress in lingerie and have a stranger take intimate photos of me, and think they are going to be sexy or beautiful – right… I did it and I think my images are amazing!  

We are our own worst critic, aren’t we?  We don’t believe it when people say we are beautiful or sexy because we don’t believe it ourselves do we?  Well, each of us is our own kind of beautiful!  

Just say yes!  You can do it, and your images will be sexy and beautiful.  You just have to let yourself go.  It’s not about trusting Meagan because she (and team) is the best at what she does, so let go of that concern.  It is about removing your doubt, trusting yourself, giving in to the process and just letting go and having fun!  Be prepared though, Meagan puts you in some crazy ass positions and you will think to yourself – she is CRAZY, how can this possibly be a good photo?  Well, once I saw the actual photo from that whacked out position, it was one of my favorites!  

Yes, I have cheeser thighs and flabby arms. A big booty and I don’t have a flat belly, plus all those other things that you might be thinking about.  Meagan is amazing with angles and positioning you to show off the amazing YOU!  Don’t be shy, get into it. Be as silly, sensual, sexy and as naughty as you want to be!  When will you have another opportunity to just BE the amazing you!?

I can’t wait to do it again someday!"

Unkept Secrets

I LOVE SURPRISES. Like love LOVE LOVE. I love being both the supriser and the suprisee. There's just something about not knowing about something awesome that someone else has thoughtfully selected/planned/purchased for you. A big chunk of my clients do a boudoir session in order to surprise their significant other with an incredible gift. Don't get me wrong-boudoir photos are always a crowd pleaser. But it can be tough and even a little stressful to put something so elaborate together. There have been a few clients who had the surprise get spoiled/found out early-but every single one says that they're significant other finding out actually made the entire process more fun. 

Let me explain. If you're doing this as a surprise, usually you buy some new lingerie that you have to purchase on a card he doesn't have access to you can shell out some cash for. You also use that method of payment to book the session with me. I legit had one client take $20 cash back every time she went to Kroger for a year. She brought a huge wad of cash to her reveal. Nothing wrong with that-it may have felt a little like a drug deal, but that just made it funny. However, I know she planned and worked for a year to save enough in such a way that he wouldn't know about it.

Then you hide any new lingerie until your shoot. For some girls this is easy and for us open-concept loft owners, there's a bit more of a struggle. From the trunk of your car to the drawer beneath your over-there are some crazy places my clients have chosen. The vegetable drawer of the fridge included (because "he never eats his veggies anyway!") Then you have to figure out some reason for you to be gone for 4-5 hours the day of your session. Followed by a reason you leave with no makeup on and come back with a face full of the stuff and big, voluminous hair. Uhhhh...Sephora was having a makeover day? My bestie wanted to play around with some new makeup and hair stuff? Some guys will buy any lie and others (like my hubby) would be skeptical and just ask more questions...

Most of my clients take everything off again before they leave and just throw their hair up-which kinda sucks because you looking freaking H-O-T! You should be on your way out to paint the town red! Plus, you have such a great time at the actual shoot all you're going to want to do is tell him all about it...and you can't if you're trying to keep the surprise a secret. Finally, you have to figure out a way to come back for the reveal and purchase the pics so he doesn't know what you've done and still doesn't suspect anything. That's a lot of mental gymnastics. You can totally do it-lots of my clients have-but I think sometimes my clients underestimate how much fun it can be to have your significant other along for the ride. 

First of all, you can still surprise him with the fact that you've chosen to do this for him! Maybe you get one new lingerie outfit and wrap it for him. When he opens it, you let him know that you decided to book a boudoir session for him and this is the first outfit you've selected to bring along. But he gets to help decide on the rest. Talk to him about what he likes and what he'd want to see in the images. Make a pinterest inspiration board together or go through the some lingerie websites. 

On the day of your session, have him drive you and pick you up when we're finished. Make sure y'all have a babysitter for the kids/furkids and reservations somewhere special because you are going to be looking SO fine! Shoot, maybe even book a hotel room and stay in the city that night. That way, over a candlelit dinner you can gush about the details of the session. Finally, let him come along with you to the reveal to see the images and experience seeing them for the first time together. You'll get to see what he really wants and y'all can decide together what to purchase. Just be sure to discuss budget beforehand because he's gonna want it ALLLL! 

Boudoir: With or Without a Friend?

To bring or not to bring...that is the question. And I totally get it. When faced with a challenge that makes me feel overwhelmed or out of my element, my answer is it's always best to BYOF-bring your own friend! 

If you don't know me, I've been acting since I was seven years old. Once, when I was filming a movie in Savannah eight years or so ago. I'd taken one of my best friends (my brother, Matt-yes, I married a "Matt" and have a brother "Matt" who are not the same person because that would be gross) along for the ride. The scene we happened to be filming that weekend was super intense and involved me sprinting through dense forest after a girl for most of it. I went into the trailer to change into my costume-some jeans, a tank top and a zip-up hoodie they provided. They had two brand new pairs of jeans for me to try in my typical sizes-one a size 6 and one a size 8. I went to pull up the size 6 and could not get them past my thighs...not good. So I switched to the size 8 pants. I got them on, but they were a *liiiitttle tight*. Realizing I was going to be sprinting through the woods and would need a tad bit more wiggle room to do so, I began to do some squat/lunge/stretches across the trailer. You probably see where this is going...I went down for one last long squat stretch and spilt those suckers right down the seam. From crotch to knee. 

This was no minor tear. There was no hiding it. And it wasn't like I could pretend it happened as I sprinted through the woods as I hadn't even exited the trailer yet. Trust me, I considered my options...a rabid raccoon with a denim fetish...the lotion they gave me for my legs must contain some sort of blue jean specific acid and burned through the pants...I could remove all the thread quickly from each pair and pretend they "came like that"...Nope. None of that was going to work. I felt like Ross when he had his leather pants debacle. And if you don't know, Ross is a character on Friends and the leather pants debacle is one of the funniest scenes of any television show ever. 

Nope. Instead, I had to come out and tell the costumer and the director that I'd spit the pants and that I couldn't get the other pair up high enough to cover the areas not suitable for children. Meaning we had to hold off shooting this scene until one of the PAs could run back into town (30 minutes away mind you) to purchase me new pants once the stores opened two hours later. Meaning the entire freaking crew would know that we were going to have to delay shooting for around three hours because my thighs decided to take a cue from the Hulk and that pair of pants was their first victim. Yeah. I have never been more thankful for having one of my best friends there in. My. Life. Matt's presence made it a lot easier on me when the costume designer later decided to make a snide comment about my lunch order in front of the crew. His presence also kept me from hurdling the table and strangling that same annoyingly insensitive costume designer when she decided to bring up my thighs-busting-through-pants moment for group mealtime conversation. Twice. 

That said, you can ABSOLUTELY bring a friend with you to your boudoir session. He/she can accompany you to the studio, enjoy champagne with you during hair and makeup and see you all the way into the first outfit to freak out over how stunning you look. BUT after that they have to head out. I know, I know that seems scary now. But while we shoot your session, I require it to be just the two of us. Everyone else (including hair and makeup) leaves. Here's why: I am SUPER-DUPER committed to getting the most gorgeous images of you. I am going to tell you what to do with your face, hands, shoulders, stomach...all of the things! And sometimes it's just flat out going to feel weird. You may have your legs up the wall, head tilted back, hands in your hair, lips parted...and be thinking, "there is no WAY this is going to make a good picture."

I've found that in those moments, if you have a sister/mom/best friend/boyfriend present it intensifies how self-conscious you feel-regardless of how comfortable you are with them or me. You may exchange glances with your friend and their face may confirm your worst fears-that you do indeed look completely ridiculous. But they have no idea what my camera is seeing in that moment. Maybe I'm zoomed in on your cleavage. Maybe I'm silhouetting you. Maybe I'm getting a completely different angle. Either way, when it's just the two of us you are more likely to just go with it and trust me. Ask any of my previous clients...they all have a moment during their reveal when they say, "Ohhhhhhh! THAT'S what you were getting when I was against the wall/bent over the chair/contorted like a pretzel." Yup. There is always a method to my crazy madness. Good news is, I'm pretty comfortable to be around. And bonus, if you find yourself ripping some item of your clothing at some point, you can take solace in knowing that I know exactly how that feels and we can laugh about it together. 

The Naked Truth About Boudoir

One of my FABULOUS (as in all caps and bolded font fabulous) clients named Dana Scott wrote such an incredibly accurate depiction of her experience leading up to and throughout the actual boudoir shoot. This is what most of my clients experience and her words are perfection! She has been so kind as to let me copy and paste her words verbatim, use her images and her name so that anyone who's considering this knows how it goes. SO...here's a look at how a boudoir session goes through the eyes of the stunning Dana who had her shoot just a few short weeks ago...

"Had the address in my maps app. Had all the lingerie stuffed into a plastic bag in my trunk because I snuck it out when he was asleep the night before the shoot. It was a wadded up pile of lace and garters in a Kroger shopping bag. I had a sitter for the kids and an excuse for why I wouldn't be home. I was ready!!! And the night before-he was snoring, none the wiser. But it was 11:00 and I was.....

Nervous. And a little afraid. I tossed and turned wondering, "What if I I don't look like those girls on her website?" "What if my stomach is too fat?"
"I have those stretch marks on my ass/stomach/breasts." "Does she Photoshop?" "Damn it's a lot of money. I should've emailed her or called and ask her if she can remove that stretch mark/tattoo/scar before I committed to spend this much."

Turn over. Rearrange blankets. Stress.

That was the night before. I even appreciate that part of the process because it makes the actual shoot that much better. So I arrived for my shoot super early and nervous! I brought a bottle of champagne. I met my glam squad and sat in a chair drinking my champs and getting my makeup and hair done. The makeup is a lot. It takes forever. But I was a hot number. I looked so pretty and glamorous! Did I say it takes forever? Well it does. Can I tell you the coolest thing about Meagan? She was THERE!!! The whole time through the whole makeup and hair process. She hung out for that part when she didn't really have to. She got to know ME. What makes me tick, what I'm afraid of, what I want to celebrate. And when hair and makeup was done-it was go time. And I wasn't shy or insecure or afraid anymore. I felt pretty sexy as a matter of fact. 

We hit the ground running. And for 3 hours I felt like a sexy super model. Meagan didn't make me feel sexy. She loved and coached and directed and dominated her art in a way that created mutual respect and pulled a confidence from me that I've long forgotten. She allowed me to BE sexy. And it felt really good. She is full of direction and had me posing and contorting in ways I didn't know I could. It was a long, fun, exhilaring day. I left exhausted and hungry but felt like a million bucks! I came home and after a nap and a meal had fabulous sex with my husband. He didn't know what had come over me and I absolutely can't wait to show him!!!"

Failing to be Sexy

I don't care about the NFL. Mostly because if it isn’t college football and it won’t impact UGA, I don’t really give a flying flip about the game. But you know how they have the ability to do an instant replay of any play at anytime? Man! That. Must. Suck. I mean, I guess when you’re “on” and you make a fantastic play, it probably rocks. But what about when you mess up? And then they play it over. And over. And over. From a million different angles. In HD. For an audience of hundreds of thousands of people to see. Hoooolllllyyyy crap am I glad my career doesn’t have the ability to do that. I mean-yuck!

No one likes to fail. Failure is the suckiest. And when we do fail, we’d rather not discuss/relive/revisit those moments. One of the biggest issues for women who are *considering* booking a boudoir session is that they have a complete misconception around how it will go and ultimately, they imagine they’ll fail.

How they THINK the service will go:

Step 1- Immediately after booking they think they are going to spend a ton of money on getting their nails done, buying lingerie, getting various waxes, freshening their highlights, maybe getting a spray tan, and anything else that will make them feel “ready”.

Step 2- They think they are going to show up to the studio a shaky bundle of nerves. They will then greet the photographer who they think will judge their thighs/stomach/size of their head/shape of their ears/angle of their elbows. They will surely have spent all that money on all the wrong things. They will probably hate their hair and despise the makeup.

Step 3- They think they will begin the shoot with the sullen, expressionless photographer who will continue to stare at them, waiting for them to perform and saying over and over “Come onnnnnnnn!!! Just be sexy! No. Not like that. Just BE sexy...ya know...sexy? Do you know what sexy is…? Ugh...nevermind.” They think the photographer will then continue to shoot passively, passing constant judgement on all parts of their body and eventually will just move onto different sets and outfits once they’ve gotten one or two shots that “will do, I guess.”

Step 4- They think they will leave in tears feeling disgusting and terrible about themselves, go immediately to Wendy’s for a burger and then to McDonald’s for the fries (because that’s the best of both world’s...oh, you’ve never done that...right...me neither…). They will think there’s no way the photographer will have gotten anything good and use the drive home to wrack their brain around what other options they can gift their significant other for Valentine’s/their birthday/anniversary because there’s no way the pictures will look good.

Step 5- They think that they will come back to view their images only to find that their worst fears are confirmed and the pictures are terrible. None of them will even be passable. They think they will look awkward and fat and worse than they ever thought they could look. They think they will leave with nothing except a deeper hatred for their physical appearance than they had before the shoot.

They think they will FAIL miserably and horridly.

Buuuuuuuuutttttttttttt (come on, you knew I had a “but” coming!) they are WRONG!!!!!!!

Here’s how the session will ACTUALLY go:

Step 1- Immediately after booking you are going to spend a bit (maybe a ton-that’s your call) of money on getting your nails done, buying lingerie, getting various waxes, freshening your highlights, maybe getting a spray tan, and anything else that will make you feel “ready”. Yeah...this step is pretty accurate from the first scenario. The big difference being that I will be a resource available for you all along the way. I will weigh in on your lingerie options and let you know if I think the spray tan is absolutely necessary or if you should go with a teddy over a corset. 

Step 2- You will show up to the studio to an *almost* obnoxiously upbeat photographer (ME!) who will quite possible talk your ear off (it's happened before). I will introduce you to my incredible hair & makeup staff who will make you feel comfortable and at ease. We will chat while you get ready and I’ll get to know about you and what you’re looking to get out of the shoot. I will then sort through all the outfits you bring and plan the best shoot possible for your body, lingerie, comfort level and personality at the same time. There is NO negative judgement in this or any step. I look at how I can best highlight your gorgeous features and plan around that.

Step 3- You will go through a 10-15 minute “teach” of my posing so you can see exactly what I’m referring to when I’m talking you through it. I will never ever EVER ask you to “Be sexy”. Everything I will use to pose you will be concrete direction like “arch your back” or “breath through your mouth”. All of my instruction is informed by what we do physically when we are aroused/flirt/desire someone. It’s science!!!

Step 4- You will leave feeling like a freaking ROCKSTAR! In fact, I just shot a client who said that was one of the things that shocked her the most. She thought she would leave feeling insecure about the shoot, but she left super excited to come back and see her images. Doesn’t mean you won’t hit Wendy’s/McDonald’s on your way home...but it will be in celebration, not defeat!

Step 5- You will come back for your reveal and FREAK OUT over how stunningly gorgeous you are!!! You will be giddy and worry more about how you are going to keep yourself from showing him all of the things early because you’ll be so excited to see his reaction. Or, if the shoot is just for you, you will check the mailbox constantly waiting for your pictures to arrive!

I’ve shot over 200 women at this point, and I’ve never had anyone hate their images. I feel like that gives me some authority in which to say that the one thing that absolutely, positively won’t happen is that YOU WILL NOT FAIL!!! (*Note* Those last four words are shouted with the same fervor Gandalf uses when he exclaims "YOU SHALL NOT PASSSSSS!")

Shots Fired...By Cupid

OHMYGOSH HIIIII! What’s up, ladies!?! How are you all doing!?! Doing the dance of Christmas madness?? Shopping/baking/planning/listing like crazy!? How are the kids…!?

Whenever it’s been a sec since my last blog, I always feel the need to start my next blog with some sort of “greeting”. As if we’ve bumped into each other at the supermarket over grapefruit and oranges or something. Then I write it out and promptly delete it because that’s ridiculous. But today, I thought I’d let you see how much I’ve missed you all...and let’s be honest, I am ridiculous!!! I’ve also had three cups of coffee…

93.5% of the time someone asks me how I’m doing, my response begins with “I’ve been insanely busy lately…” Don’t get me wrong, it’s always true (as it is for most of us) but the past two months have been

HOLY-EXPLETIVE-I-DON’T-HAVE-A-MINUTE-TO-BREATHE-WHEN-DID-I-EAT-LAST-CAN-DRY-SHAMPOO-EVENTUALLY-KILL-YOU-IF-USED-TOO-FREQUENTLY-WHO-IS-THIS-MAN-BESIDE-ME-OH-THAT’S-MY-HUSBAND-HOW-LITTLE-SLEEP-DO-YOU-HAVE-TO-GET-TO-BE-DECLARED-MENTALLY-IMPAIRED-WHAT-NOW-I-HAVE-TO-BAKE-BECAUSE-THANKSGIVING-----

type of busy.

Why has it been so busy you ask? Well, because I valiantly (haha, re:stupidly) decided that my Christmas rush was the perfect time to take on more than my typical share of clients AND MOVE STUDIOS AT THE SAME GOD-FORSAKEN TIME!!! It’s actually great now...I think the all caps and bolding of that last sentence was just a little residual PTSD-no biggie.

That’s right! Between worrying about the toxicity of dry shampoo and if I’ll ever have a conversation with my husband that doesn’t begin with “Food. Me. Now.” the Meagan O Studio officially moved to Telephone Factory Lofts (828 Ralph McGill Blvd. #313 Atlanta, GA 30306). We put down new marble floors upstairs, hung the chandelier, wired and hung beauty lights in the hair/makeup area and VIOLA!!! A beautiful, shiny, new studio conveniently located on the beltline, walking distance to Ponce City Market-where I have already spent way too much money enjoying myself in between clients. (Seriously, that place is the BEST! #takemymoney) In fact, all of these images were actually taken in the new space! (Aren’t these women GORG!?!) All that just in time for most of my Christmas clients-which means, ALL of my Valentine’s Day clients get to enjoy the swanky new space for their photo session!

The Valentine’s rush started about a week ago and the cut off is the last week of January and there are spots available. SO! If you want to make sure that fat, child pigeon lands his arrow squarely on your significant other making for an extra special V-Day, be sure to get in touch!

Now, I’m off to wrap Christmas presents next to my Christmas tree in Christmas pajamas whilst watching a Christmas movie because my part-elf self wants to soak up every second of Christmas I can! (Picture below is proof of Elfness and perhaps the most accurate visual representation of my personality.)

Make it the Best Christmas EVER!

You guys. It's almost that time of year again...GAH! I can't. Freaking. WAIT! 

Hi. If this is your first time to the site, my name is Meagan and I'm a Christmas-holic...Chirstmas-aholic...? Whichever. I. LOVE. CHRISTMAS!!!!!!! That said, I married one of the most difficult men on the face of the planet to buy for. I'm one of those "wants to surprise you with something amazing that you never knew you needed in your life before I happened upon it and so thoughtfully got it for you" types of people. My hubby is one of those "I want this exact thing and it really will make me so incredibly happy I can't even begin to describe my bliss...here's the link to the exact thing I want" types of people. It has been a problem in the past, not gonna lie. In fact, I've bought Matt countless things for his car he loves to modify that I absolutely couldn't tell you what those things were or what they did. I've also surprised Matt with countless things I thought he'd be super duper pumped about...only to watch it gather dust in the corner of our closet...

BUT! I have the ultimate gift idea for you to get your man this Christmas. It's a he's-never-gonna-guess-it, it'll-leave-his-jaw-on-the-floor type of present. Give him gorgeous boudoir photos!!! 

Now. Here's the other honest truth though. This will require you to be brave. It will also require you to ignore that stupid voice in your head that's whispering lies like "you're too fat to do that" or "you're a grandma-grandma's aren't supposed to do that" or "this annoyingly chipper photographer could never get good (let alone great) photos of you". That voice is dumb and flat out wrong-time to cut out her tongue since she doesn't tend to listen to "SHUT UP!" I'll lend you the scissors.

You are stunning and your pictures will be some of the most beautiful images ever! I will be there with you every step of the way from helping you select lingerie to setting you up with my glamorizing team to posing and lighting you so that even your jaw will drop when you see the pictures. For serious. 

If you are interested in booking for Christmas, here are the deadlines you need to know about:

December 9th-If you are looking to order a tangible product and want to have your sexy images under the tree by Christmas morning, your order must be completed by December 9th.

December 18-This is the cutoff date if you are planning to order digital images only (which are released the day of your reveal).

Last year, Christmas booked up crazy-super-duper fast, so if you're interested inquire asap! 

Give Gorgeous Getaway: How to Enter

I am so excited I almost can't CONTAIN myself! I'm wiggling in my seat and feel like I just want to dance around a'la Ellen style. AHHHHHHH! Ok. Breathe. 

Ok. 

To begin, I'm sure you're aware there is a lot of ugly stuff going on in the world. Refugees facing insurmountable trials, the battle of the political talking heads, mass shootings, homelessness, poverty, natural disasters...the list goes on and on. In our current digitally driven world we are bombarded on a daily basis about tragedy after tragedy. I don't know about you, but it always leaves me feeling small. Too insignificant to help, too overwhelmed at the need and too bombarded to choose where to place my money, time and effort. I was praying about all of this when God reminded me that there are things I can do to add beauty and love to this complex and broken world. 

I am SO pumped about what we're rolling out here at Meagan O Photography! I am giving a huge weekend getaway and boudoir shoot worth over $7,000.00 to one incredibly deserving woman. But YOU have to write in to nominate her. 

Think about the women in your life. The ones who impact you, encourage you to be who you are and spend their lives serving the ones around them. Maybe she has been through something incredibly tough this year? Or maybe the past few years or even decades? Maybe she experienced a heartbreaking loss. Maybe she just came out on the other side of a huge battle. Maybe she is just one of the most beautiful women you know who needs a break so she can reconnect to her beauty, femininity and value as a woman. I want to give that to her and I'm calling it the Give Gorgeous Getaway! *Cue speaker-shaking dance music, go confetti!*

Here's what's included in the Give Gorgeous Getaway so far:

-A round-trip flight/limo ride from their location to Atlanta for two.

-A three day, two night stay for both parties in a suite at the W in Downtown Atlanta. 

-A 1-2 hour hair & makeup session with my hair & makeup artists and a 2-3 hour photography session with Meagan O Photography. 

-A reveal of her images less than 24 hours after her photography session. 

-A digital version of 50 edited images. 

-A 30 Image Leather Album of Images.

Plus more!

In order to nominate that special woman you know, you need to fill out this 5 question google survey. As for the fine print, you can't nominate yourself (duh!) and the woman nominated needs to live in the United States. The deadline to nominate is October 15th, so don't delay!

Maybe you don't know anyone like this. If not, I challenge you to make your own beautiful mark on the world. I'm not talking about curing cancer or saving a nation. Each of us has a unique set of talents and attributes that we can use to bring joy to one other person. Say you're a wiz at knitting-maybe knit gloves for the homeless man who sits outside your office. Or you can lift impressively heavy things so you offer to help an elderly couple put out and take down their Christmas decorations. Maybe you have a beautiful smile. Make a point to make eye-contact and smile at the cashier at your grocery store. It seems small. It seems insignificant. But it's NOT. If we can each be moved to actively look for more opportunities where we can add joy, beauty and love to those around us I truly believe we can make this world a much more beautiful place.

All the Lies

Most of my client's do a boudoir session to surprise their significant other. For some of my client's the beans get spilt and the surprise is found out. In one instance, my client had quite a bit of wine during hair/makeup. After her shoot, she walked up the street to a restaurant where she demolished and appetizer and an entree (hey, boudoir posing is no joke!) She gets home, drops onto the bed and falls asleep. Enter husband. He first finds the restaurant receipt with two meals on it. He then finds his beautiful wife asleep on the bed with big, sexy hair and a fully made-up face. He gets closer and smells a hint of alcohol on her breath. He then thinks back to a few weeks ago when he saw a sizable Victoria's Secret purchase clear their bank account. I don't think I have to spell out what those ingredients seem to mean. He wakes her up and demands to know what's going on and who she's been having an affair with. The fight ends once she pulls up her email and frantically shows him my website and tells him about his surprise. Good news is-he ended up coming with her to the reveal and was a really big fan of his present. 

I tell a lot of lies when I shoot. Don't get crazy, they aren't terrible. Lies like "last shot" and "I don't need to stop for lunch, I had a big breakfast" and "I promise I won't do the chihuahua bark to make you laugh again" (my past clients know what I'm talking about.) Funnily enough, you end up telling quite a few lies yourself around your boudoir shoot if you're trying to keep it a surprise. Lies like "I don't know who could've spent $200 on lingerie...must be a fraudulent charge..." and "I just had a super crazy day at work-sorry I couldn't get to your phone call" and "mom, could you watch the kids? I just have to, um. fumigate the house."

Keeping something super-duper-crazy-fantastic a secret so that you can wow your man with an incredible surprise is tough. Luckily, I've got a few tips!

For brides: tell him you're having your hair/makeup trial. He won't be as suspicious about where you've been and *bonus* you have the option to plan a night out with your love since your hair and makeup will be on point! 

For women who live in small spaces: keep your lingerie in the trunk of your car in a gym bag.

For business women: if you travel a lot or go through bouts of long meetings, let him know ahead of time that your day looks crazy and that you may not be easily accessible.

For all women: engaging another friend (re:partner in crime) to pick up the kids/back up your whereabouts/house the lingerie/let you use her house address to ship the album can be super helpful. 

For all women: pick a night that you will both be attending a gala/function/Christmas party/etc and let him know that you're going to have your hair & makeup professionally done. 

For the sucky liars: I sympathize. Lying is super tough sometimes. In those cases, it may be best not to lie at all. Be honest and tell him that you are working on an awesome surprise for him, but that you really want it to stay a secret. 

Those are just a few of the strategies my client's have used in the past. If you really want to keep it a secret, but are concerned about how to go about it, I'll totally help you figure out a plan that will work. Bottom line, even if the surprise gets "spoiled", it in no way diminishes the awesomeness of the gift. 

Turning 30: What I Learned in My 20's

It happened. I spent the last week of my 20's at an all-inclusive resort in the Bahamas (a surprise birthday gift from my hubby) which is the best way you could ever spend that particular week. I'm a bit surprised that I don't feel even an ounce of intimidation about turning 30. I am 100% excited. My 20's are officially behind me and my 30's unroll before me like a plush, red carpet. It is crazy to think back over all that happened in my 20's...

-I learned more about my identity and who Christ says that I am. I learned a lot about places where I'm weak, but I know those same places will serve as spotlights for His strength and love. I actually crave reading the Bible (teenager Meagan would've never seen that coming) but I have room to grow when it comes to disciplining myself to read it. I've been introduced to and shocked by the power of prayer. I've fleshed out my two dimensional view of Jesus and fallen more in love with His heart and His calling for me.

-I met, dated, was wooed by, fell in love with, was proposed to and finally married my gorgeous husband. Marriage is the hardest thing I do every day, but it also yields the deepest form of support and joy. I am so blessed to do life with Matt. Not only has he walked beside me every step of the way in our relationship, but he actively works to love the parts of me that he doesn't understand. Good Lord, I love that man!!!

-I started regular mani/pedis. My hair still only gets cut twice a year. Gotta leave something to work on in my 30s!

-I had my first drink. And found out how much I love wine.

-I discovered "all nighters" are very different when you're 29 instead of 21. 

-I experienced my first car theft while filming a movie in Savannah, GA. 

-I voted democrat and republican and realized I don't really care about party affiliation. I just want the best person for the job and want to understand how they will enact their policies. 

-I graduated college, moved to Atlanta and worked a lot of jobs that didn't really fit. From waiting tables in a fine dining restaurant to insurance to nanny gigs to advertising firms to acting gigs, I bounced around quite a bit in my early 20's. I struggled with feelings of shame over being "just a waiter" but loved the fast pace on the clock and having freedom around my schedule. I've been proud to say I worked for a prominent advertising firm, but struggled deeply with staring at the clock, willing the time to go faster. It's amazing to think that that occurred less than 10 years ago. 

-I let go of ever thinking I'll like country music.

-I had beautiful, special people in my life pass away. 

-I found photography. The profession that joins my love for creativity and my deep desire to interact with people. 

-I learned how to be comfortable with confrontation. 

-I opened my boudoir studio. I met and shot 100+ women who trusted me to celebrate their bodies through photography. I experienced the highest highs and lowest lows through this process. It is on of the most complexly vibrant corners of my life.

-I lawyered up. 

-I traveled to a lot of freaking amazing places.

-I watched in awe as my best friends became incredible wives and mothers. I adored meeting each of their children. I was able to lean on them as I learned my place in the world as a Christian, wife, and woman, adding another decade to the tapestry of our friendship. Our bonds are stronger and my tribe is my official safe place. I still count it one of the greatest blessing of my life that God brought them to me so early in life.

-I got my first business mentor and basked in the incredible knowledge that an outside source can bring to the table.

-I got the first stamp on my passport (besides when I was like 2-which totally doesn't count!)

-I learned to love the gym. (Love, hate some days...but mostly love...or maybe I'll keep working on this one in my 30's.)

-I went debt free and learned that I like to live so that my bills don't control me. I never realized what a slave I was to them before. Because of this, I was able to buy my first car by writing a check and Matt and I will be able to put 20% down on our future house. 

-I learned to cook really amazing eggs, pancakes, apple pie, lasagna and chili. Like, I'm so good at them, y'all! Seriously. And that says a lot because before my 20's the best thing I could make was cereal. 

-I learned that sometimes it's ok to disappoint people. 

-I figured out that even though I'm not a "morning person", pretending to be one makes me a better person overall. I also accept the fact that I'll hate the first 10 mins of every day because I don't understand why I'm awake. 

-I learned about my boundaries and began to put them in place so I could be healthier in every relationship I'm a part of. I'm still learning how to stifle the "guilt" voice, but I am actively aware when she speaks. 

-I enjoyed the relationship shifts that happened with my parents and siblings. My siblings are becoming who they will be and my parents are adjusting to interacting with me as an adult. These are the relationships I treasure and savor. 

-I figured out that I don't value rest and that I need to. I need to protect the time necessary to recharge. 

There are so many more...but it's 3:54am and I already mentioned how the "all-nighter" doesn't partner well with my current age. But I want to briefly touch on the things I'm looking forward to the most about my 30's:

-How my relationship with God will look. Early in my 20's it was all about "leaps of faith" and "big feelings." Later it became more about a steady pace of discipline and surrender-that He continued to give back to me ten fold. I'm curious how it will continue to evolve through my 30's.

-Having kids. Whether through birthing my own or adoption, I am excited to become a mom!

-Buying a house. We are currently dipping our toes in the housing pool of Atlanta and while the process seems a bit daunting, it's also super exciting! Bring on the yards and walk-in closets!

-Watching my brothers and sisters go through their college years, into their professions and meeting their future spouses. WOW. That's crazy that for some of them that will definitely come true in the next decade! (Pump the brakes Morganne, Alex and Maria! Please stay little forever!)

-Anticipating the growth and direction Meagan O Photography takes. I am FLOORED at how much has happened in the past two years. I cannot imagine what will happen over the next TEN!

All I know is my 30's are going to be AWESOME!

Photogratherapy

I'd been shooting photography full time for 3 1/2 years when I decided I really wanted to open a boudoir studio. That OR go back to school for a counseling degree. I shared these musings with my mom and she pointed out the glaringly obvious fact that those two things are like apples and seahorses. I mean, I guess they are pretty different...

Honestly, I'd always been incredibly interested in counseling. I come by it naturally, my mom is a school counselor and I feel my personality and temperament has always been well-suited for that profession. I had a stronger desire to open a boudoir studio, but I was also super terrified that I would fail miserably. I won't tell you how many times I cried that stress out in the shower. Or how many pints of Ben & Jerry's were consumed. *Not to toot my own horn, but that number would definitely impress you.* Eventually, my desire to move forward with the studio won out and I set the counseling dream aside to be revisited during a different decade of my life. What I didn't know is that for some of my clients, boudoir photography IS a form of therapy. 

I've shot 100+ women since opening the studio and they each arrive with their unique story. I've had women reach out to me because they have sadly been victims of their spouse's infidelity. Some are choosing to stay and work on the relationship. They tend to use the session as an outward expression of love and commitment to their spouse-despite their betrayal. More importantly, they use it as a much needed reminder that they truly are worthy and beautiful and that the things they believe they "lack" had nothing to do with their spouse making a selfish, hurtful choice. Other women in the same situation come to me because they decide they need to leave their spouse. Their boudoir session serves as a way to reconnect with themselves and their unique sexuality apart from their husband.

I've had women come in who have lost 60+ pounds, but still identify with the "before" weight-loss version of themselves. They still find themselves gravitating to plus-sized clothing and rejecting styles that cut close to the body because they don't feel they can pull them off. Some of these incredible women have been brought to tears by their own beauty during their reveal. Watching image after image begins to build a bridge that connects who they really are to their mental picture of themselves.

Some women have struggled through years of infertility. The intimacy they once savored has morphed into a looming, regimented force that seems only to serve as a blaring failure scoreboard. For them, the studio is a new space-separate from their daily pain and struggles-where they can reacquaint themselves with their identity as they once experienced it. They then get to use the images we create to reignite a deep, honest intimacy with their partner.

I've had victims of rape. Victims of verbal abuse. Victims of physical abuse. To be honest, when I shot my first rape victim I wasn't even sure doing a boudoir session would be a positive thing for her and I told her as much. She was raped as an adult only a few years before and it deeply impacted she and her husband's sex life and marriage. We took it incredibly slow and communicated constantly about doubts or fears (from either of us!) We decided it would be best for her to come in for a consultation to view the space and talk through the details. I assured her that I was more than willing to cater to whatever she needed. That first experience taught me a lot. I now work with victims of all kinds of abuse and I make sure they are as supported as possible from start to finish. By the Grace of God, they've all experienced a sense of growth or healing through their boudoir session. They feel empowered by signing up to do something that intimidates them and deeply validated when they see how truly beautiful they are. 

That said, I've also had women who experienced tragedy and decided that it wasn't the right time to do a boudoir session. That's ok too. This is not something to jump into before you're ready. If it seems to me like you aren't ready I will not hesitate to encourage you to wait on booking. It should be at the right time for you and you shouldn't feel any pressure from anyone to move forward.

A client recently came in for her reveal and afterwords commented that this could be a type of therapy. I laughed with her and said we could call it "photogratherapy"! After she left, I smiled to myself and reflected on the fact that two distinctly different desires of my heart are maybe not quite so different after all.

Boudoir Posing: Good vs Bad

I know it is freaking terrifying to sign up to do a boudoir session. It's heart-thumping, armpit-sweat-inducing, clammy-palming, knee-shakingly scary. I know it *feels* like you'll be the one person whose photos won't turn out as gorgeous as the ones on my website. I know you think it'll probably be just like trying on bathing suits (cause we all know how fun that is) only, this time, there will be photographic evidence of the experience. FALSE. It's going to be a blast, we're going to laugh a lot and we are going to create art together! 

I will never claim to be the best boudoir photographer in the world. I'm not. There are a TON of freaking brilliant photographers who do crazy things with props/light/sets/you name it. Don't get me wrong, I'm a good photographer, but one who will continue to want to learn/grow/improve forevermore. That said, one of the areas I continue to seek more and more knowledge around is posing. Why? Because it doesn't matter what I do with sets/light/props/etc if you look bad in the image. It wouldn't matter if I got Ryan freaking Gosling to appear in that image with you, no one likes a photo of themselves if we look like mierda. (Remembered that one from high school Spanish!) 

*IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER* There has been no body shaping in photoshop to change the way the body looks. The only thing that is changing is the pose.

Photo 1 - The first pose was literally just a test shot. I just wanted to make sure the light was where I wanted it. She's pretty much just laying there. In the second shot, I asked her to space her legs a little further apart so we can see more of their shape. Then I had her wiggle her booty and hips together and arch her back as much as possible. And finally tilt her head back so we could lengthen her neckline. It makes a pretty drastic difference.

Photo 2 - As part of this session, we ripped open a goose-feather pillow and played in the feathers. (Yes, it was EVERY BIT as fun as it sounds!!!!) I wanted to capture the fun, but wanted a more fluid look to the image so I told her to take the pillow and beat it on the bed, but to be sure to stretch as high as she could with her arms when the pillow was on the way up. In the first pose, her chin is pressed back giving her a double chin that she doesn't have, her arm is pressed up against her body making it look bigger than it is and the momentum is coming down, which isn't flattering to the stomach. In the second pose, her arms are up and engaged bringing out their tone, her torso is lengthened and the chin is shifted out and down. 

Photo 3 - Many times one posing direction makes a huge difference. With this pose all I had her do was switch her feet so that she was putting her weight on her back leg instead of her front. That's one golden rule about posing-whatever is closer to the camera will look bigger. 

Photo 4 - Again, this was a simple tweak. In the first pose, I'm cropping in a little too close with my frame and because there isn't any negative space to delineate her waist, it's becoming part of that mass. Getting her to slide that had up so that little area of negative space opens up shows off the tiniest part of her waist. And widening the frame around her head/shoulder area did the same thing for her neck and face.

Photo 5 - This girl has gorgeous legs, but in the first pose, the way she's standing combined with the black leather pants are making those legs look bigger than they are. We need that negative space to show off her curvy legs! So I asked her to slide her right foot behind the left and turn her right knee out. I also lowered my shutter speed to the black wasn't so black. Now we can see those babies! 

Photo 6 - Sometimes it's more about changing the pose completely. I don't hate the first pose, but I knew we could flatter her more. By having her widen her feet, but keep her knees together, we see more negative space, which shows off how shapely her legs are. Putting her hand on her knee gave her leverage to arch her back more while also obstructing the lower tummy area, which most women are self-conscious about. It also completely changes the feel of the photo from relaxed to smokin!!! 

See? Told ya! Posing is a super-duper big deal! 

To Bring or Not to Bring Your Partner to Your Boudoir Reveal?

To Bring or Not to Bring Your Partner to the Reveal? That is the question.

After you’ve come in for your boudoir session, you’ll come back for the big reveal where we look at the edited images together on a big screen tv (sounds scary, but I promise it’s awesome) and decide what you want to order. Some of my women decide to surprise their partner and bring their husband/fiance/boyfriend/girlfriend to the reveal instead so that they can pick out exactly what they want. It’s an excellent option for sure...but one to be considered carefully.

Why you should:

Their “glee” face. Getting to see your man’s reaction is one of the best moments. The only word I have to describe it is “glee”. In fact, here is a snapshot one of my client’s took of her man seeing the images for the first time:

And this is one of the images we were showing him:

The struggle is REAL. I know it sounds horrible to say, but it’s really fun watching them agonize over which images to let go of in order to choose what to order. I’ve had men get up and pace, lean over my couch, and literally sweat trying to figure out which butt shot (of the six) won’t make it into the book.

Whatever he wants. It becomes like Burger King and he gets it alllllll his way. He gets to fight for the images he wants. My women tend to love the images where they look extra skinny or their makeup looks awesome. They are quick to ditch the fourth cleavage shot in favor of a shot where their eye makeup looks super pretty. But when your guy is there, he is quick to fight for the ones he wants. He also gets to decide what he wants-a canvas? Book? Digitals? The world is his sexy oyster.

Why you shouldn’t:

Introvert. If your significant other is shy/introverted you may want to rethink bringing him in to view the images in front of a total stranger. He may not feel comfortable expressing how freaking over the moon he is about the pictures in front of me...even though we created them together. My hubby would totally fall into this category. 

Awkward. Let me set the scene for you: your man walks into a cute studio, is introduced to a woman he’s never met and then the three of us sit down and watch an eight minute slideshow of sexy, half-naked pics of you. Now, my quick wit and sparkling personality can win over most, but for some it can still be awkward. If you think he’ll be too distracted by having to respond “properly” in front of other random people (me) to fully enjoy the photos, I’d leave him at home. Choose instead to surprise him with the gift when he is alone and in a place to just savor how INSANELY gorgeous you are! He needs to be the type of person who’ll shout “HELL NO! You can’t get rid of that butt shot!”

Budget breaker. If you are on a strict budget, I’d leave your fellow at home. My sale is almost always higher when the significant other tags along.  They get super excited and then you get super excited about them being excited and the potential to go over budget rises steeply. I would hate to have a client bring their guy along only to tell him he has to narrow the 50 images he’s in love with to 19. Sometimes it's better for him not to know they existed in the first place. 

There isn't a right or wrong, good or bad scenario. It's just really more about what your guy would or wouldn't prefer. At the end of the day, you know your man better than anyone. You know which category he falls into. Go with your gut. Either way, you’ve gotten him a gift that will drop his jaw to the floor.

What is a Couple's Boudoir Session?

A couple's boudoir session is a beautiful, intimate photography session where we celebrate the vulnerable, authentic love between two people. His hands on your back. Your fingers intertwined. His lips on your neck. Your arms tucked into his chest. Your foreheads rested together. It is an artistic representation of one of the most transcendent experiences we've been blessed to enjoy on earth. The art of being in love. 

Choosing to willingly enter into a committed relationship with another human holds a unique form of joy. Even though you don't share DNA with said individual, you choose one another. You choose them when they're 70 pounds heavier or 20 pounds lighter. You choose them when they rail against you. You choose them when they want Chipotle (again) and you want Zaxby's. You choose them when they can't remember for the 2,438th time what happened on Game of Thrones last time...not that I'm speaking from experience. 

A lot about loving another person is intangible. But the physical shouldn't be ignored. The shades of brown in her eyes. The curve of his shoulder.The way her noes wrinkles when she laughs. The way his jaw clenches when he's concentrating. Enjoying the caress of skin against skin. The way it feels when his lips are pressed against yours. 

It's a beautiful thing to know one another so intimately. To know his touch apart from all others. To know her voice above the roar of a crowd. To know her feet. To know his chin. We are each a unique fingerprint. What a beautiful thing it is to treasure every line and be dazzled by every curve. 

Overall, intimate portraits of two people can be some of the most evocative renditions of art this side of eternity. It is a unique, vulnerable way to document your love for one another. 

Posing to Flatter Any Woman

Have you ever seen a photo of yourself where you're in the background talking to someone, completely unaware that said moment was being documented and been horrified about how you looked? You know that heart-breaking moment. Usually followed by thoughts of insane exercise routines and swearing off both Ben & Jerry. One in particular has been burned into my brain where i was talking to a friend of mine from high school with my belly released so far out, I actually wondered if I could have been doing it on purpose. Or if I'd eaten like 12 Chipotle burritos that I'd forgotten about. My shoulders were hunched forward, arms sat across my stomach, and face deep in conversation, blissfully unaware of the evil, sneaky photographer. Immediate untag. In today's picture happy culture, we've all had our fair share of less than flattering images of us. Which makes the idea of going to a studio and stripping off your clothes to have your picture taken sound rather unappealing. 

Posing. Posing. Posing. I have you covered in the posing department. I can pose any woman, any age, any size. Every single woman is beautiful and I know how to prove it to you. A boudoir session with me is really like a yoga session in lingerie. I direct you to move your body through various poses and have you breathe deeply and relax. Granted none of the poses require the ability to stand on your head. If you can play Twister, you can following my posing direction. Left foot blue, right boob green. It's really that simple. All of my posing involves a mix of the following:

1.) It's gotta make you look good! Um. Duh. First off, the pose has to make your body look great. This also goes hand-in-hand with lighting (which is eeeevvvvverything). We discuss what you love about your body and the things you're more sensitive about. You have gorgeous, long legs? Let's highlight those puppies by propping them up the wall. Sensitive about your stomach area? Let's have you arch your back around the end of the bed or pose your on your stomach. Bottom of the line: I could take a picture of you where the moment I click the shutter a rainbow appears and Michael Jackson on a unicorn comes riding into the shot, but if you look fat, you aren't gonna want that picture. (Was gonna say Prince, but it's just too soon.)

2.) Because science. Here comes my inner nerd! There are physiological things that happen across the human species when we are aroused. Your pupils dilate. Your facial muscles relax-which is how you get "bedroom eyes" and parted lips. It's why if you try to part your lips, you just look like you opened your mouth. You have to actually relax your face and then breathe through your mouth. Thus, instead of saying "look sexy", I'll have you close your eyes, relax your face and breathe through your mouth. Once I see that your face is relaxed, I'll have you open your eyes and BINGO! You've got yourself a gorgeous, sexy image that doesn't require you to roll around and moan on the bed. It's true because science. 

3.) It's all about the body language. There are certain things we do with our body when we flirt. Or when we're vulnerable. Or when we're expressing desire. For example, exposing your neck reads as an expression of vulnerability. So if I'm looking to capture a sweeter, more "girl next door" look, I may have you push all of your hair to one side and lean your head down, lengthening out your neck. Women use their shoulders all the freaking time when flirting/interacting with someone they're attracted to. Looking over your shoulder indicates that you're interested in someone, but they're going to have to try harder to enjoy the benefit of your company. But again, instead of saying "imagine the camera is your husband" or "flirt with me", I'll give you concrete instructions that you can absolutely follow. 

4.) The big O...Oxygen! When I tell you my boudoir session is basically a sexy yoga class, I ain't kidding. Your breath pattern is huge when it comes to relaxing your body. It also really helps calm your nerves and it gives you something to focus on. When most of my clients arrive, I notice their hands shaking as we go through the lingerie they bring. I totally understand why! They've fought their way through traffic, navigated the city, guzzled coffee during their drive and lugged their suitcase of stuff up my stairs only to arrive to the place where they're gong to have to get a little bit naked. It's overwhelming. But breathing through the nerves really does help them go away. 

All I'm saying is I don't expect you to have this all figured out. I'm not going to hold my camera and stare blankly at you until you "move" in such a way that I deem sexy. I'm going to direct and talk to you the entire time and all I need you to do is follow directions. My rule of thumb is I only use directions a 5 year old would understand. (Not that I'd ever pose a 5 year old like that-talk about inappropriate!) But it works every single time. 

Lingerie and Mother's Day

My Mom is one of the most beautiful women on the face of the planet-inside AND out. Unfortunately, like a lot of women, she doesn't always know it. She's the type of woman who will waive off a compliment, which drives. Me. BANANAS! In fact, now I usually preface my compliments with "Ok Mom, I'm about to compliment you...here it comes...you either have to say "thank you" or nothing at all, but you're not allowed to disagree with me..." It honestly breaks my heart because my mom is AMAZING! She has raised six incredible kids, has been married to my dad for 32 years, works full time as an school counselor where she makes a difference in kid's lives on a daily basis and manages to do it all with a positive attitude and a genuinely compassionate spirit. That is some sort of super hero! (Mom, if you're reading this, you aren't allowed to disagree! I'm stating facts!)

That said, she's also weathered a lot. She's the last surviving member of her immediate family, which means she's gone through the intense pain of losing two sisters, a mother and a father. She's battled and conquered bouts of depression. She's been the rock that people from all sides have leaned on when someone got cancer or didn't have a place to live or found themselves in an abusive relationship. She carried it all well, but with her empathetic spirit I know it weighed on her. 

I feel like Mother's Day just doesn't cut it when you're trying to celebrate someone so magnanimous. Someone so impactful and special. Someone so vital to your life. We should celebrate Mother's Year or something! 

If I could give my Mom one thing for Mother's Day, I'd want her to experience feeling 100% beautiful. No caveats or qualifiers. No "oh, well, maybe if I lost 30 pounds" or "I was 20 years ago". Beautiful. Just as she is. Fully and completely. 

I'd want her to look at her face in the mirror and see the gorgeous smile I've been captivated by since the moment I was born. I'd want her to see the vibrant hues of color that make up her hazel eyes. The same eyes that have portrayed feelings of love, acceptance, and understanding and have helped assure me that I'm both seen and known. I'd want her to see the freckles and spots on her hands as evidence of the countless hours she wiped my tears, made me pancakes or brushed my hair. I'd want her to see her stretch marks as evidence that she brought me into this world and gave me life. Most of all, I'd want her to see her physical self as a manifestation of every investment she's poured into everyone around her and for her to declare what everyone around her already knows. That she is a masterpiece. 

Happy Mother's Day, Mommy. You have and always will be breathtakingly beautiful. 

The Crappy Side of Business

Have you ever done something where immediately after doing the thing, you regretted it? It's kinda like the moment right after jumping off the diving board, but just before your skin hits the icey water. That's pretty much what owning your own business is like at least a few times a week regardless of how successful you are. 

It was my very first official weekend in the studio and I had finally completed 4 1/2 weeks worth of renovations on a Thursday morning. I had my first client coming at 8:00am that Saturday (I know it's insane, but that's how I roll!) I also had around 80 different things from IKEA to put together and had to move said things into the space. I needed to get the place cleaned up as the construction guys didn't bother with that and EVERYTHING was dusty. As if that wasn't enough, as I'm walking through the studio to see how everything was completed, I notice two things. #1-my landlord allowed the water to be shut off instead of waiting for it to be transferred into my name. #2- the construction workers had used BOTH of my toilets to unload their own #2s. What. The. Hell. 

I immediately started freaking out. I mean, what am I supposed to say to my clients in 36 hours? "Hello...welcome to my high-end boudoir studio...please feel free to use this bowl of water and rose petals to wash your hands...and please ignore the stench coming from behind that door..." 

This is the part where I'm thankful for my tribe. My friends and family who dropped all they were doing to come steam my couch, iron my curtains, hang my television and put together alllllllllllll of the things. Leaving me to fret about the poo problem. I immediately went downtown and completed the process to get the water put in my businesses name (which included showing up in person AND getting something notarized). Everything was transferred over, but they still had to send a guy out to turn the water back on. The lady I spoke with assured me that they'd be able to send one of their guys that very afternoon. However...no one showed up on Thursday...and no one had showed up all day on Friday, so 10 mins before their final appointment time, I called the city. She assured me again that they'd be there by the end of the day, and encouraged me to call back if they didn't show. Two hours later, they still hadn't come. I called back and they were "closed for the weekend". SONOFA%#*$&

At this point, I'm officially sweating. I gather all the individuals helping me put together my studio and desperately try to brainstorm what my other options are??? My dad thinks we should get gallons of water to flush and clean the toilets. My husband agrees and my mom chimes in that I can just dump water in between each girl using the restroom. 

Sure. That won't be weird. 

Client: *Attempts to flush toilet, can't, opens door...*

Me: *Passes her lugging two gallon jugs of water* "...lol...sorrrrrrrryyyy...the water isn't on yet...oh I see you're on your period...hey, me too..." 

NOPE. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. NO. NO!

I decide instead to reach out to my Facebook community. I write up a status asking how the heck I can turn on my water myself? I'm anxiously reading through the comments when my sweet husband comes around the corner, phone in hand, and says, "Love, you can't turn it on yourself-that's illegal!" I nod and say, "Babe, I knoooow...I'd never do that..."

Yeah. I'm a liar.

A few minutes later I grab a wrench, shove it into the front pocket of my sweatshirt and stealthily sneak out past all my friends and family as they continue to work to get the studio together. I'm on my hands and knees, poised over the a metal cover that I *think* houses my water valve, when my husband yanks open the door, catching me red-handed. We lock eyes and through gritted teeth I say, "Either get out here and hold the flashlight, or go. Back. INSIDE." He stares at me for another brief second (probably tallying how much we have in our bank account and weighing whether we can spare it to get me out of jail) before he shuts the door. FINALLY I get my wrench around the right knob pull hard (praying I don't break the city or something) and hear the glorious, heavenly sound of water rushing through pipes. I had done it! I raced into the studio and straight to the toilet, pushed down on the handle and.....it flushed! I never thought in a million years I'd be so happy to hear that sound. At this point, the story should be over...but it's not...

Around 2am, we finish getting the studio together and it looks AWESOME. I have my first client six hours later and get into bed that night exhausted, satisfied and exhilarated. I awoke Sunday ready to meet another client who was coming in at 9:00am. I walk over to the studio, singing a Christmas carol, feeling on top of the world like the kickass #girlboss I am. Until I get to my front door, where my jaw. Drops. There, beside my door and all the way down my wall, is a HUGE pile of human feces. WHAT THE F#*@ IS GOING ON!?!? I mean, my studio is in a great location...I'm one block up from the W for crying out loud. And WHO poops on someone's doorstep?!?!?! I stood there in shock, cursing the individual who looks like he chowed down on the entire Taco Bell menu before resting his rump against MY studio to relieve himself. My mind is reeling...I kept wondering who the heck I'd pissed off (and have they seen a doctor lately...because they should). I wanted to leave. To cancel my client, renege on my lease, crawl in a hole and eat potato chips and watch Dance Moms. Instead, I dealt with it. Well, kinda...I called my husband and screamed, "THERE IS S*#% ON MY DOORSTEP!!!!" and he came over and dealt with it. 

That said, Happy one year anniversary to the Meagan O Photography boudoir studio!!!!!! My studio has officially been open for the full boudoir service for a year now. Originally, I wanted to write a post thanking my amazing clients and celebrating the incredible success I've experienced. BUT. The reason I'm regaling you all with my crazy poop fiasco is because this is the real nitty gritty around what I've had to wade through to get the studio off the ground. While my experience has been incredible, it's also had it's share of crazy difficult moments. I never want other business owners to read about my story without seeing the full picture. I know what it feels like to look around and think that everyone else is successful, but you. If you see someone successful, believe me, they've all had to conquer their own mounds of crap. All that said, if you're reading this in the midst of your own "poop fiasco", don't worry! Lean on your tribe, keep pushing and you'll be a better entrepreneur than you were before you had to deal with the manurer...See what I did there. :-) In the end, owning a successful business is worth every ounce of crap you have deal with. Some days, you just have to plug your nose and keep going. 

What ISN'T Sexy

The first time I can remember feeling "sexy" was because of the Junior Beta Club. Now, if you're familiar with the Beta Club mission statement (“To promote the ideals of academic achievement, character, service and leadership among elementary and secondary school students.”) I can understand why you’d be confused. Definitely no mention of “making pre-teen girls feel sexy”. The thing is, we had these Beta Club meetings on Fridays and we were required to dress up. One Friday, I remember walking in wearing a pair of black pants and my favorite flowy, pink shirt. I bent down to put my bookbag against the wall and heard a girl (let’s pretend I don’t remember her name just in case she reads my blog) remark, “Oh. My. God. LOOK at her panty lines! That is SO. GAH-ROSS!”

Panty lines? What the hell? I didn’t even know that was a “thing”, much less a “thing I was supposed to care about”. Fast forward to that weekend, when I was with my mom in Wal-Mart. Thankfully, she always spent no less than 23 ½ hours in there per shopping trip. So I snuck away to pick out my very first thong. I selected a pretty, satiny red one with lace trim and a little bow in the front. I remember being confused because it was on a hanger and up until then all of my underwear had come in plastic, fruit-of-the-loom packaging. Was this underwear so special, it couldn’t be folded? Also, was I supposed to try it on...I always tried on clothing that was on a hanger…? So I shuffled over to the dressing room, waited for the attendant to leave, and then quickly slipped in to try it on. That’s when I felt sexy for the first time...Yeah. NO. That’s a lie. I read the sign posted and followed directions. Thus, I had two pairs of underwear on and looked ridiculous. When I got home and was able to try it on properly, I remember feeling scandalous, racy, excited and yes, sexy. Thanks, Beta Club!

Lately, I’ve been recognizing this new trend with my clients. Most of them come in feeling super nervous and as we chat while they get their makeup & hair done, I press them to find out the source of their nerves. Is it getting in their skivvies in front of me, a perfect stranger? Is it fear around posing? Insecurities about their body? All of those are a factor, but the answer I’ve gotten the most frequently is, “I’m not sexy like the girls on your website. I can’t do that.” Interesting.

Let’s define “sexy” shall we? Merriam-Webster defines sexy as “sexually appealing, attractive or exciting.”

Alright. I think I’ve found the source of the disconnect. Advertising has long been a force we are inundated with on a daily/hourly/minutely basis and their #1 tool to sell is by making things “sexy”. Because of that, we as a society have decided to let that redefine what is sexy to us. My clients come in believing they must be like the models in ads/heroines in movies/actresses in commercials. They picture coming in the studio and being forced to conjure this “sexy feeling” and writhe and moan on the floor; lips pushed into a perfect pout, eyes big, head-thrown back. They picture this being something they should muster, achieve, accomplish, or carry out. In short, they think they have to perform. You know what is absolutely, without a doubt not sexy? A woman being fake.

You know what has been “sexy” since the beginning of time? Women.

Women of all shapes, sizes, ages and ethnicities. Way before advertising wormed it’s way in and bastardized the term, women have been “sexually appealing, attractive and exciting.” It’s all in the history books! There have been wars fought, kingdoms conquered, treaties broken all over women. It is innate. It isn’t about putting things on or affecting yourself in order to change who you really are. It’s about being you. The real, raw, beautiful, fierce, unique woman that is you. That is what I look to capture in my images. I want my clients present and decidedly UNaffected. Whether turned away from the camera, laughing, or staring straight into my lens. There is nothing sexier than a woman being vulnerable enough to just be herself.

Alternatives to Lingerie

I am a girly girl. I love makeup. I love lace. I love anything that sparkles. I love sugar and spice and everything nice! When I was 5 years old, I would make my wardrobe choice based solely on whether or not the article in question *twirled* well. AKA: how much it fanned out when I spun in circles. (Spoiler alert: The winner was always this Osh Kosh B'gosh skirt that I remember to. This. Day.) My ideal life would be as Princess Meagan who wears billowing, lighter-than-air dresses, travels by white unicorn while tossing handfuls of glitter through the air. That's not my ideal life as a 5 year old. It's my ideal life now...at 29. I can feel you judging me.

All that said, I have had clients who are very interested in shooting a boudoir session, but they just don't connect to lingerie. Either they are more of a tomboy/girl next door or they just flat out don't like it. Dudettes. Great news! You can totally do a boudoir session without any lingerie at all!

Tomboy/sports fanatic

I am a huge fan of the GA bulldogs. All. The. Way. And no, I don't want to talk about last season. A great option to try is either an oversized jersey...or an undersized one.

Classic Man's shirt/work attire

This can be extra hot because the next time you wear that outfit or he wears his work shirt, he probably won't be thinking about the office, if ya know what I mean. *Insert smarmy chuckle*

Hidden treasures

These are articles you already have hanging in your closet that you've probably never considered wearing for a sexy photoshoot. Sheer shirts, slouchy, thin sweaters, even some bathing suit cover ups can be sexy. 

Cute t-shirt & boy shorts

This is a classic, girl next door look that looks great on everyone and *bonus* it's comfy!

Super fun props

Hunting gear, balloons, scuba flippers, hats, cigars, boxing gloves, golf clubs, motorcycle helmets, bourbon, instant tattoos, aprons, baseball gloves, cat ears, mac computer boxes...you name it and I've found a sexy way to shoot it. (And, yes, all of those are actual props I've posed in a session.) Props that mean something to you or to your significant other make a great edition to boudoir photos-doesn't matter how crazy they are, that just makes it fun! 

Naked

Uh. Duh. This one's a classic. Whether you're wrapped in a sheet or we do a fine art body-scape, your birthday suit will never let you down. 

The Weirdest Thing About Boudoir Photography Is...

"So, what do you do?"

"I'm a boudoir photographer." 

My answer usually gets two responses. "OH! Really...? That's...interesting..." or "What is that?" As I  explain that I take gorgeous sexy, images of woman for their significant other/for themselves, my new friend usually leans eagerly across the table and says, "Wow! I bet you have some stories!" 

The fact is, I do. I have a ton of stories. Hilarious stories. How can I not? I use some of the same phrases used by doctors, strippers and therapists all in one session. I joke that my retirement plan is to write a book about my experiences as a boudoir photographer. Random situations I've experienced that result in tantalizing dinner ditties to recount. My clients and I have a blast together. I say ridiculous things, ask them to do things that seem totally silly and we laugh A. Lot. But my clients aren't weird and none of those stories are weird. Interesting, hilarious, and entertaining, absolutely! But not weird. 

The fact that I spend more time with my clients in lingerie than clothed isn't weird. The fact that I've seen well over 100 pairs of breasts isn't weird. The fact that I sometimes have to edit out tampon strings isn't weird. Nope. None of those things even register as strange to me. 

By far, the weirdest thing I experience occurs once the service is finished. It happens once they've had their shoot, come in for their reveal, and received their product. I acknowledge that this is going to sound super awkward, but let me just embrace my inner emotive nerd here and say that the weirdest part is, I miss them. I know-even saying that makes me feel like that girlfriend who accidentally says "I love you" first before she can clap her hand over her mouth. But it's true. 

My relationship with my clients is so different than any other relationship I could have with clients in any other profession. First off, my ladies are showing up to don lacy scraps of material in front of me (a total stranger at that point) and trust me to take flattering, beautiful images for them. That takes guts! It's vulnerable and at times downright terrifying. And I'm not sure if it's the combination of bravery and vulnerability, if they just trust and feel comfortable with me, or if the stars align a certain way, but they often also end up sharing pretty intimate details with me about their lives.

When you think about it, it makes sense. I mean when you plan to get naked in front of someone, discussing the Braves season or all this rain we've been having seems a little odd-yes? They're already stripping down in front of my physically-why not bare a little soul too? Plus, they don't plan on seeing me again after their session and reveal is over. Kinda like how many people find it easier to share intimate details about their lives with a bartender/hair dresser/etc. The result is I get to hear about their struggles with In-vitro. They detail for me their experience beating cancer. They share about the rough spots in their marriage. They tell me they're very newly pregnant and no one knows yet. They share about how difficult it was to adopt their son/daughter. They're open about their physical and emotional fears and insecurities. And, y'all, not for nothing, but I literally have the bravest, most beautiful clients on the face of the planet. And yes, I know what the definition of the word "literally" means. 

By the end of their session, I always feel overwhelmingly proud of my client for doing something that was so far outside their comfort zone. And I absolutely love seeing how empowered they feel by the end. Y'all, it's so beautiful. And then when they come back and they're a little nervous again, I love seeing their jaw drop at how stunning they are. I just sit bouncing in my little chair, grinning widely and saying "I KNOW!" whenever they make an exclamation about how beautiful they are. 

They make their order, usually text/email me when their significant other freaks over their pictures and eventually they return to their lives. That's when I find myself thinking about them-wondering how their pregnancy is going, if they ever got that big promotion, how splendidly their wedding day went, etc. Now don't get me wrong, I have lots of repeat clients and meet up with some for the occasional lunch/dinner/coffee. I could (and sometimes do) reach out to ask, but that isn't really practical when you shoot well over 100 clients per year. It ends up feeling a bit weird for me. Weird, but also really beautiful. When all is said and done, I truly am honored that I get to meet such amazing women and I get to occupy such an incredible, unique space in their lives.