What Boudoir Photography REALLY Does for Women

"You know you'll have to run, like, 5 miles to burn off the calories in that hamburger, right?"

"You should eat a hamburger, girl, a stiff wind could blow you away!"

"Are you getting a gym membership for the new year?"

"Real men like curves. Only dogs like bones."

"I'm sorry, but you will have to look in the "plus size" section for dress that will fit."

"Damn, girl, you look good in those jeans!"

"Hey, you should smile. You'd look so pretty if you smiled."

"Aren't you a little young to be wearing that?"

"Aren't you a little old to be dressing that way?"

"Well, if you dress that way, you are basically inviting that kind of attention."

"We can 'freshen you up' with about 20 minutes and this little needle."



Too fat. Too thin. Too emotional. Doesn't smile enough. Too sexy. Sleazy. Too modest. Prude.

It seems to me like everyone has something to say about women's bodies and what they should be doing with them. Women are bombarded with the advice and criticism of friends and family members, blasted with imagery by the media, Hollywood, advertisers; everyone under the sun has something to say about how a woman should view her body.

One of the things I *LOVE* about Boudoir photography is that it gives women the ability to take control over how they see their own bodies. She can be fun and playfull, whimsical and quirky, sultry or romantic, vulnerable or powerful: whoever she is and however she lives in her own skin can be captured and put into her hands.
Physcial proof that she is how SHE sees herself and not how someone else tells she she should.
Proof that she doesn't need to lose 5 more pounds.
Proof that girls with abs ARE feminine.
Proof that her scars are beautiful.
Proof that ladies over 50 are still sexy as hell.
Ultimately, proof that her body is her own to define.
Boudoir photography allows women to take back the power we have given to others and to define how we perceive our bodies, and how we will allow other people to see them...or not.

Boudoir is a term derived from a french word for a lady's private chamber, sitting or dressing room. It's where she is safe to be whomever she is, free from the eyes of the outside world. Where she can be vulnerable, no mask required, no judgement.

I want every woman to see herself, to BE herself, to define herself so that the outside world has no power over her self-image.

Beyond the Veil; published in the November issue of Kai'outi Magazine

Welcome to my childhood fantasy.
Take my hand and walk with me through the mists and Beyond the Veil to the land where dreams are made real.

Images from this set were chosen for publication in Kai'outi Magazine. You can find the November Woodland Issue and learn more about Kai'outi Magaziene here.

In another post, we will go behind the scenes and get down and dirty with how this beautiful set was made. For now, let's just bask in the gorgeousness!

#existinphotos

I lost my father to lung cancer last year.
Strangely enough, I find that I miss him MORE with each passing day, and not less, as I thought I would.
When I look back at the last 2 years we spent with my Dad, I am reminded over and over how priceless those last images are. Photos of him with his beloved grandsons, selfies with me, quick grabs while he wasn't paying attention.
No matter how much time passes, I will always be able to see his face. My boys will know from where they get their hazel eyes. My Dad's smile will never be able to fade.

Do you know how important it is to exist in photographs? Can you grasp what it means to a family member to hold a photo in their hands and gaze at the face of a loved one lost? Most of us have lost family members and know the consolation of holding onto a photo and knowing that no matter how much time passes the beloved's face will never grow dim in our memories because the images are there to keep recollection sharp.

What I do regret is that I have only 1 portrait of my family together; one, taken in haste after we found out that my father was sick. Cancer had already begun to eat away at him, and no amount of photoshop could fill in his cheekbones, or hide the bones of his shoulders, replace the mischievous twinkle in his eye or give him the healthy, swarthy skin of a man who worked and played outdoors.

Many parents forget themselves. They are working, cleaning, bustling children from school to sports and recitals, meeting clients, fulfilling obligations. They might take a selfie on their phone's camera, but those images are almost always relegated to the digital realm and never see the light of day as a solid, true object.
To make matters even worse, most mothers don't even like to see themselves in photographs. If they DO hire a photographer, they say, "Oh just the kids, please. I hate having my picture taken. 3 kids doesn't do a body any favors and I haven't had my hair done in... I don't even know how long."
They are too busy with the hustle and bustle of life to realize that they won't always be there.

This is why I take family photos every year. Why I am in the process of bullying my own mother into having her portrait taken. Because I KNOW how precious these images are. Priceless. And I will not balk at the rate of a Professional, because I know that I can count on their talent, skill and experience to capture us at our very best. I know that these prints will hang on my children's wall, and they will hold their babies and point to my photo and say, "See that? That's your Grandma. MY momma. She loved you so much. You have her eyes."

So please...don't hide behind your wrinkles, or the 10 pounds you have left to lose, or the extra money it will cost. Your kids don't care if you have smile lines. They don't judge your waist line. A few nights a month without takeout or Starbucks will cover a portrait session.

EXIST IN PHOTOS.

Exist in photos.

Exist in photos for yourself. Exist in photos for your children, and their children; because  you are precious, one of a kind, and your image should exist.

{Ben + Stefanie} 2014

From the moment I met Ben and Stefanie, I knew they were going to be a joy to work with. They were married August 16, 2014, under a hot sun on an absolutely gorgeous day.
I got to watch a woman turn into a bride, a cute property in the country turn into a gorgeous ceremony and reception space, a man become a groom, and two people who were in love become Husband and Wife.
Getting to witness and capture the ultimate expression of love and commitment between two people never ceases to touch my heart.

Ben and Stefanie, thank you so much for letting me be part of your special day. It was a joy from start to finish, just like I knew it would be.