Celebrating a meaningful birthday with boudoir photography
With their thirtieth birthday approaching, Lillie wanted to do something special to celebrate themselves and their milestone birthday. They also felt very rooted in this season of life - emotionally, intellectually, and physically - and they wanted to do something to celebrate this beautiful life chapter. Lillie had seen friends do boudoir photography as a self-loving gift for themselves, so they reached out to book a session at my Minneapolis boudoir studio!
When planning the session, Lillie reflected on the personal journey she’s been on to cultivate more self-awareness, appreciation, and value-alignment in her life. She described feeling very “settled” in herself and her body in this season of life, and she wanted her portraits to depict her experience authentically. When looking through examples of my work and different styles of boudoir portraits, Lillie felt that the “casual and relaxed” boudoir style resonated most with where she is now, and the “strong and empowered” aesthetic captured what she is rising into in this next season of life. She wanted her portraits to feel full of depth and soul, and she wanted to incorporate a variety of masculine and feminine energy into the photoshoot– experimenting with gendered postures and poses. I love how much Lillie’s intentions can be felt in her portraits, which are at once calm, grounded, powerful, and self-celebratory.
After the session, Lillie shared lovely words about their experience. They said: "I felt so accompanied through the experience! You were thoughtful with so many details about making the morning spacious, purposeful, and celebratory. Since the session, I feel really in my body and loving of the many ways my body looks and moves in space!"
Boudoir outfit ideas
Lillie started the session wearing a gray tank top with black bottoms. With solid colors and clean lines, this look felt cozy and uncluttered. Lillie’s favorite look featured them wearing a white button down shirt with lacy, burgundy underwear. Her eyes look so soulful in these portraits and she radiates a deep sense of peace. For Lillie’s third look, they wore a black bralette with clean straight lines that beautifully contrasted the soft, scalloped edges of their lacy bottoms. With the warm-colored wood floor beneath them, the black wall behind them, and magical light from the windows casting incredible highlights and shadows, these images are all about body lines and expressions. The soulfulness, joy, and simplicity of these portraits is striking.
boudoir portraits in Minneapolis, MN
With a calm expression on their face, their arm stretched above their head, and the light glowing from the window, these images have incredible morning energy and feel so self-loving.
Grounded, calm, and soulful - Lillie’s eyes tell such a powerful story in this portrait.
A little bit of fabric in front of my camera adds a gorgeous, mysterious glow and emphasizes the warmth, calm, and clarity radiating from Lillie.
And unbuttoned blouse, gauzy fabric hanging from the rafters, light streaming in softly from the windows - this portrait is full of organic, atmospheric elements that feel at once evocative and striking.
