Allie's Powerful, Body-Affirming Boudoir Portraits
I often reflect on how inspired I am by the stories people bring to the boudoir studio; their diverse reasons for choosing to celebrate themselves and their journeys with me. When Allie reached out to schedule her session, I knew the day was going to be an emotionally powerful one when she shared that she was recovering from an eating disorder and was ready to see herself in a different way.
The experience of body dysmorphia is different for each person who experiences it, so let me share Allie’s beautiful and personal words about her own session:
“After recovering from an eating disorder, I felt like a stranger in my own body. I wasn’t confident in what I wore, or how I moved. I had heard great things about Alyssa’s work, so I reached out.
Before and during the session I was put totally at ease. Alyssa was so conscientious about my physical and emotional comfort, and helped explain how the session would work. There were so many moments during the shoot itself that I really felt like myself, and so alive!
I came away with a more forgiving, kinder outlook on my body. I also am a lot more confident in front of other people’s cameras, since I have some great new posing techniques from Alyssa.”
When Allie and I talked about her goals for her portraits, she wanted them to feel soft, candid and romantic. At the end of the day she wanted be able to see her body differently and “think of herself the way her husband sees her” - beautiful just as she is.
Hayley of Hayley Sachs Artistry channeled the soft, romantic vibes by styling Allie’s bright pixie cut a little messy while enhancing her natural look with soft lashes and makeup highlights. And Allie’s funky mix of outfits helped capture her in candid, beautiful moments. I love how her t-shirt captures an everyday intimacy while Allie’s bold, emerald-colored bra and panty set from Flirt Boutique brings a special pop of color to the portraits.
Reflecting on her session afterwards Allie sent me this lovely email to share here:
“I wanted to drop a line to tell you how good I feel today. I feel strong and accomplished.
Something I was trying to articulate to my husband, and something I’m not sure I quite have the words for, is that I feel a bit freer from my self-judgment. I half expected for all the pictures to strip away all my “trouble” areas—but the fact that they didn’t, and that they were still beautiful and strong pictures was an eye-opener for me. I can (slowly) stop judging myself for those “trouble” areas and more think about myself as whole.”
Dearest Allie, thank you for sharing your incredible journey and bravery with me. I loved creating these beautiful portraits with you, listening to non-stop Andrew Bird during your session and I am so inspired by how proud you were at the end of our day together!
