Annie's Calm, Empowering Boudoir Portraits

Annie came to the boudoir studio after vowing to do things that scare her. When we first chatted she said that her life had contained some big changes recently and she was challenging herself to overcome some big fears; for years she had found boudoir portraits to be both intriguing and a bit scary, so it seemed the perfect experience to embrace during a year of saying “Yes.”

I’m so in awe and appreciative of folks who embrace that kind of vulnerability. In the studio, I want everyone to feel truly welcome and in a safe space to share what they’re nervous about.  And, since most clients bring some nerves into the studio, I want them to feel extra comfortable to let me know if they need a pause or to adjust the session so it feels respectful and empowering.

I felt so honored to walk through this experience with with Annie.

Annie is a mom to two pre-teens and hadn’t been photographed on her own since senior pictures years ago. She was thrilled to take a whole day to do something just for her, to get her hair and makeup done and really be mindful of herself and her own journey.

She wanted to feel sexy, but sexy on her own terms, like herself at her most confident. She brought along a lovely mix of elegant neutral wardrobe pieces like this sagey green cardigan, a black bra and panty set with beautiful detailing at the hips and this relaxed lavender t-shirt to bring a more “everyday intimacy” vibe to her portraits.

One of the amazing stylists from SM Hair and Makeup gave Annie’s chin-length hair some subtle texture and created bold, beautiful eye makeup to highlight how expressive Annie is with her eyes.

One of the things I love most about this session is how personal the detail portraits are.

In every session, I strive to create a mix of portraits: some black and white, some focused on your face and expression, some more encompassing of your whole body, all with a variety of expressions and angles and light. And I create some detail portraits, photos focused on your favorite features of yourself like the arch of your body, your collarbones or strong arms, or the curve of your hips. These photos not only to help capture your body at this moment, but create something that feel like a piece of art. My goal always for these details is that they’re still full of all of everything that makes you unique, that even if the portrait isn’t of your face, it still feels undeniably “you.” And these details are such a lovely expression of the bravery, vulnerability and celebration Annie brought to the studio.

Annie, thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone to spend a day celebrating and cherishing yourself with boudoir portraits. I was honored by the trust you put in me and inspired by your commitment to do so many things that scare you!