A Client's Perspective: Her Boudoir Photography Experience
This is probably taboo and TMI and way too personal but I’ve decided I don’t care. I had boudoir photos taken and I can not recommend this experience enough.
Go do this. Do it for you. Sure, share the photos with your partner if you want, but do this FOR YOU. Do it now. In the body you are in TODAY. And don’t go into it longing for the body you had 10 years ago or one you might have 10 months from now. Don’t starve yourself from the moment you sign the contract to the second you walk in the studio. Go as you are. You are enough.
Go do this. And if you’re lucky enough to be in Atlanta, do it with Meagan from Meagan O Photography. I not only loved the photos, I actually really enjoyed the process. Perhaps it’s because all of my shame flew out the window the same time my first child exited my body, but I felt instantly at ease with her. I was also fascinated by the science and psychology behind how she frames her shots and trusted her implicitly the moment she started shooting. I’ll be honest, I did find myself wondering if her exuberant “YESSSSSSSSS GIRL!” exclamations were genuine at first. I was like eh, don’t get too excited, it’s her job to make women feel beautiful and sexy. But what I quickly realized is that this is her job because she really BELIEVES in the inherent beauty of every woman. She sees what you may not. She’s the real deal. So are you.
I’m 25 pounds heavier than I was when I met my husband, and about 10-15 away from where I “should” be. Over the course of my adult life I’ve been thin and curvy and fit and pregnant twice and everything in between. I haven’t given up or “let myself go”, but I’ve accepted that where I currently am is something I can maintain without wanting to crawl out of my own skin. That said, I don’t parade around naked, I buy clothes a size too big to hide the imperfections, and I don’t spend a whole lot of time looking in the mirror.
TRUST ME. To see yourself, tangibly, through the lens of someone who is there to capture nothing but the beauty that is you is so damn empowering. And, yes, also awkward at times. Bring booze.
If, like me, you’ve thought “I don’t know how to be sexy”, listen, you ARE sexy. And you don’t even have to try (ok, maybe you’ll have to try a little - I was legitimately sore from arching my back and flexing so hard during my shoot ). I don’t own a thong or anything else that passes as legit lingerie. I thought trying to slip into something like that for my shoot would be so out of character for me that the results would make me look just that - a character. Meagan asked me to give her two adjectives describing how I wanted to look in my photos and I told her Confident and Authentic. And I was. And I looked fucking gorgeous. And I looked like me. And I didn’t have to pretend to be sexy because I am sexy. And so are you.
I understand that my ability to budget and save for a session like this is a privilege and a luxury. Photographers are not cheap. But I think the lesson learned here that is applicable to EVERYONE is to take the compliment. To appreciate yourself EXACTLY the way you are. To listen when your partner tells you how beautiful or gorgeous or sexy you are. To see the reflection of yourself in your kids eyes. In your parents eyes. In your friends eyes. They probably see a you that you yourself rarely acknowledge. They see you, and they fucking adore you. It’s time you did, too.