This year I did something I've never done before. I loved myself well. Last year was the most difficult of my entire life. Going through a divorce really does wreck your soul. I had a moment, in the midst of it all, when I was having a particularly difficult day.

Sometimes you have to walk the walk...and I did! Back in April, I flew to DC to do my own boudoir session with the lovely Julie Socher. She. Is. Amazing. Warm, kind and just has the kind of energy that is contagious. I know most of my clients show up a bit nervous, but I wasn't nervous at all-I felt 100% excitement.

Life is a journey. It’s full of moments of celebration and confetti as well as heart-wrenching grief. There are places to see, people to meet, things to create and every emotion under the sun to experience. During some seasons, you may stand steadily at the helm of your own ship, steering with confidence and choosing your own destiny.

It’s April, which meannnnsssss it’s the Meagan O Studio’s 7th birthday!!!! We’ll be running a special in our facebook group April 1st-8th! SO! Whether you’ve been toying with this idea for weeks, months or years, here’s your sign to pull that trigger, lady! And if you need more info, here’s one clients experience in the studio in her own words:

Well done, babes! Somehow, we made it to November…not sure how, but here we are! And as insane as this year has been, there is one SUPER exciting thing that will be happening! Meagan O Photography is excited to announce that we are running our first EVER Black Friday Special!!! *Cue the confetti!

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.

"So, what do you do?"

"I'm a boudoir photographer."

My answer usually gets two responses.

It's about time for a little Covid-19 update and what you can expect at your boudoir session. First of all, friends! We are opennnn! The Meagan O Studio started shooting clients again this month. I cannot TELL y'all how relieved my itchy fingers are!!! I haven't gone that long without picking up a camera since I opened the studio! I've never been so thankful to get to do what I do for a living because it is just SO FUN!!! That said, we are absolutely engaging in additional protocols to help keep our clients and staff safe.

Hey there, mama! I see you! Waking up early, staying up late (especially during this quarantine!) Kissing boo boos, watching for the millionth time when your kid begs you to “WATCH ME, MOMMMM!” Picking up that same toy again. Reading books, playing games and folding laundry. Trying to make food that your toddler will actually eat. Potty training by just letting them go pantsless and crossing your fingers. Working towards making the days fun, creative and survivable. You. Work. HARD. And with the current state of things, it’s like you’re all also having to work double overtime.

Ok. How's everybody doing? Y'all hanging in there? I have been surprised at how much I'm loving about this quarantine life. I have also been surprised that my mood around it changes...well, hourly. I can be on a walk, breathing in fresh air, enjoying the sunshine on my face one minute, and the next find myself lost in scary thoughts, yanking at my dog's leash, annoyed that he's stopping to fake-pee again! While I am absolutely someone who feels her feelings, I'm not typically this dang moody. I feel like I'm playing emotional hop-scotch. Anyone else?

Alright, we are all officially fighting the good fight and staying home to try and curb this COVID-19 thing. I’m sure we’ll all do our fair share of binge watching shows, reading, playing games, etc. But we all know how stir crazy we can get when confined to our homes. That said, I think I have something that could help-if only for a night or two. When Matt and I went to Italy (only a month ago-SO CRAZY!) I put together a list of fun questions to ask one another.

Every day we get up and gear up. We put on our hats. The mom hat. Boss hat. Wife hat...It's so ingrained in us that it's how we introduce ourselves to others. Think about it..."Hi, I'm Meagan. I'm a photographer. Married. Mom to three furbabies." There's nothing wrong with listing facts about yourself to someone new so that you can begin to connect with them. But sometimes I'm not so sure that's what we're doing-or at least that's not always what I'm doing. For me, something as benign as an introduction can suddenly morph into making a case for my worth. It's like stepping up to a scale and trying to pile in all the aspects of me where I find identity in order to convince the other person that I’m worthy.

Have you ever been dancing a choreorgraphed dance with a group of people and messed it up? You turned left and everyone else turned right? Or you threw your hands up for the “YMCA” and were too early? Maybe you were at a wedding and it was the cupid shuffle or electric slide. And suddenly you realize you are not in sync with everyone else. There’s that momentary freezing followed by the frenzy to get back to “the steps” before too many people notice.

I never really shared about my trip to Assisi, Italy back in July. I didn't post about it or share pictures because it was 100% not what I expected-mostly because it included my biggest tragedy of the year. But as I reflected over the past year, I realized that it was one of the most pivotal moments I experienced in 2019.

When winter weather hits, I dream of snowy backdrops, cozy fires and fluffy blankets. I have *always* wanted a gorgeous chateau-esque spot to shoot some dreamy, winter boudoir images. The problem is my studio location is HOT-lanta where temps can be 60-70 degrees on Christmas day. Out here, you leave the house in a cute fall/winter outfit complete with scarf, jacket and hat and you end up stripping all that off before you even get into your car.

Ahhhhh, marriage. Is there a more complex relationship than when two people decide to choose life with one another for the rest of their lives? The height of the highs and the depth of the lows are impressive to say the least. I'll never forget a boudoir client I shot a few years ago. She came in to do a session as an anniversary gift for her husband. One of her props was some seriously gorgeous crystal Waterford champagne flutes she wanted to incorporate in a shot or two.

If you've been around this blog or me for more than .5 seconds, you know I love Christmas! I always say I'm part elf. I have a "Christmas music only" rule that goes into effect on Thanksgiving and I have around 1,431 different Christmas traditions. We get our real tree (because fake is NOT allowed) and it must be wrapped with 800+ lights. We unwrap our Christmas ornaments carefully while reminiscing about our travels (that's my thing, I get ornaments whenever I travel) and drink something Christmas-y. There are traditions all through the month of December, straight through to the day after Christmas. I know. Just imagine being married to me-I guess I'm more of a Christmas drill sergeant than an elf!

Tiny confession: I love love LOVE trying new products. New hair smoothers, eye shadows, curling irons, masks, bath bombs. Give me all the lotions and potions! (And bonus, I get to write it off as research!) I am the girl who goes into Ulta/Sephora and always grabs a bag because even if I'm just going in for one thing...that sucker’s gonna fill up! Well, I sat down with my main makeup artist, the lovely Jamecia Bowers (shout out to Jammy J! She's INCREDIBLE!!!!) to chat about the products we love and use most! Plus, y'all she owns a spa and get access to allllllll those extra goods!

What if your best life is on the other side of your worst experience?

Y'all. This beautiful client of mine from just over a year ago walked in after experiencing one of those horrible life bombs. Like the kind you don't get out of bed after for a long, long time. But not Rachel. She told my makeup artist and I the entire crazy story. My favorite part was that in the midst of the worst conversation she's ever had, she said it was like she floated above herself. As if a second version of herself materialized and was looking back at the first calmly asking, "What do you need? Do you want to hit him? Ask more questions? Because ultimately, this is going to change your life. There's no way around that. The life you thought you'd be living is gone. BUT you can let this be the worst thing that's ever happened to you, or choose to make it the best thing that's ever happened to you."

Hey youz guyyyysssss!!!! Or at least anyone who’s wanted to do a boudoir session for a wedding/anniversary/your birthday/his birthday/a Tuesday…(For any skeptics out there, I'm not terrible at spelling & grammar-that's just a reference to The Goonies. And if you don't know The Goonies, it's a movie that was part of my childhood you should 100% check out!)