Boudoir Session Surprises
When you officially book a boudoir appointment, you expect certain things. Or maybe not. Maybe your expectations aren't that high. Maybe you cross your fingers, toes and elbows *hoping* that one or two images will be passable enough that you won't want to claw your eyes out when you view them. I get it. 100%. Your doubt, your fear, your hesitation. But here's the thing, a boudoir session has a few completely surprising benefits.
1) The shoot itself is a HUGE ego boost.
I know that sounds crazy. I mean, how can stripping down, nearly naked, summon your inner Beyonce instead of your inner Eeyore? Well, I can only attest to this via my research *pushes up glasses*. I've shot over 500 women and 90% say they thought the shoot would be HORRIBLE. That they thought they'd have to endure the session itself. I've had women break into hives upon arrival because they were so nervous. But then they get into hair and makeup, relax, and start bobbing their heads to the music-a mix of contemporary pop and 80s hits. (BTW my sisters keep an awesome mix rotating on Spotify. If it were left up to me, I listen to true crime podcasts errrrday and that'd just be flat out terrifying to have playing in the background.) We start to chat and connect and they realize I'm just a massive nerd who spits compliments like I'm an affectionate rapper, is a *bit* too enthusiastic (hopefully adds to my charm) and that I'm 1000% accepting of them wherever they are in life. I never stop talking-explaining how to pose and jumping up and down as they nail it! Especially because I show them a few sneak peeks of what we just captured in the back of the camera. That way they can SEE how gorgeous they are-and that it's not some photoshop voodoo!!! You'll walk in wishing you could head home, but the hours will FLY by and you'll be sad when we're done.
2) You'll be SORE.
A few months ago my husband, Matt, and I went to Nottely Lake with his family. A few hours in, our sweet neice Blair got a tummy ache and Matt and I offered to take the jet ski back to the cars to get her some medicine. Nottely is a big lake, but we should've been able to get there and back within 20-25 mins. We jetted off, as fast as we could go (me feeling very much like Angelina in Tomb Raider) before we realized that Nottely is also a very fingery lake. We got completely lost. Completely. We were full speed on a jet ski searching for over an hour. What started as a James Bond trailer dream, ended with us finally (accidentally) running back into his parents (never made it to the car) and decrepitly climbing back into the pontoon. Standing up alone took 20 seconds. For days after we were sore. A weird sore that doesn't come from normal movement and doesn't matter how in shape you are. Yeah, you may do Orangetheory 5x/week. Yeah, you may do ironman races. Doesn't matter. For 80% of my clients, this is like golfing. Or bowling. Or jet-skiing. Can't explain why you're sore, you just are. (Except for the 20% of clients who aren't sore at all-y'all are unicorns!)
3) It could change your life. But seriously.
No, I'm serious. Ok, obviously not all of my client's lives change after their boudoir session. But some do. What has been proven time and time again is that women are 100% tied to how they FEEL about themselves. In other words, if you feel intimidated, you may not speak up. Or if you feel weak, you may not exercise strength. We've all had this happen in some way in our lives. We look at an obstacle and think it's insurmountable, but we try anyway and sometimes it turns out to be easier than we thought. Which means we're more primed and ready to accept the next challenge. Sometimes seeing yourself in a different light makes all the difference. After their session, I've had clients go for partner, when they didn't think they could before. Or leave an abusive relationship. Or reach out to a child they haven't spoken to in years. Or pursue a relationship they think is beyond them.
Don't take it from me, see what your's will be! (Wow-and that rhymed! I really am a rapper!)