Meet the team!
Hi, friend! I’m so excited to introduce you to the two-person Illuminate Boudoir team today! Boudoir photography can feel really intimate, and I always think it's important for clients to know that the folks behind the camera and computer are real people who are here to support and cheer you on! We thought it’d be fun (and might help future clients feel a little more comfortable!) to share a few things about us.
Alyssa
1) What's your name + what's your role at Illuminate Boudoir?
I’m Alyssa, I use she/her pronouns, and I’m the photographer and owner here at Illuminate Boudoir! Besides taking photographs, I do all of the small-business-owner tasks: editing pictures, researching art supplies for my clients, placing orders, doing big picture planning, crunching numbers, managing technology and website stuff (although I secretly wish I had an IT department sometimes!), scheduling appointments, meeting with clients, and walking them through every step of the process.
2) How long have you been working at Illuminate?
I started Illuminate Boudoir in February 2016 - but I’d already been a full-time photographer for about a year before that! When I'm not doing boudoir photography, I also photograph some weddings and lifestyle/family portraits over at my other brand Alyssa Lund Photography, but I spend about ⅔ of my time photographing here at Illuminate.
3) What's your favorite thing about working at Illuminate?
It’s super hard for me to pick one favorite thing! Here are my top three haha!
I’ve always been a people person, and I love that boudoir photography allows me to connect with individuals and get to know them through this really intimate, intentional experience. I love getting to hear clients’ stories and creating something really special for each client.
I’ve also always loved art, and it still boggles my mind that I get to make art full-time! Getting to be creative every day at my job is such a gift and privilege. I especially love art-delivery days, when I get to hand my clients their boudoir album or their box - seeing them see themselves as art is magical, and it's also deeply fulfilling as an artist to deliver something so special and beautiful and tangible.
Ooooh - but also, I love seeing my clients feel proud of themselves! I’m a huge emotional sap of a human, and I often have such emotional reactions along with my clients. Seeing them see themselves in a new way or feel a sense of love for themselves brings me more joy than I can say!
4) What fuels you as you work -- tea or coffee?
Coffee 1000%! Tea is nice, but I’m a huge coffee person. One of my daily rituals is taking 30-90 minutes of “quiet coffee time” every morning, a routine that really starts my day off on the right foot.
5) What would be your own boudoir style?
In general, I’m a mix of a couple of the boudoir styles -- a little bit romantic, a little bit casual and relaxed… but honestly, I’ve taken the Boudoir Style Quiz a bunch of times, and I’ve gotten all four of the outcomes depending on my mood that day!
6) Favorite way to celebrate yourself besides a boudoir session?
I absolutely love celebrating by meeting friends on a patio for a glass of wine!
7) Favorite Illuminate Boudoir art piece?
This is so hard, I love all of the pieces so much!! The linen albums have really been speaking to me recently -- the simplicity of linen and the storytelling nature of albums feels really special. That being said, I could wax poetic about any of the art pieces because I LOVE THEM!
8) What artists would be on your own boudoir session playlist?
Lovely, mellow music -- Iron and Wine, Sylvan Esso, and Maggie Rogers.
9) What's your secret, non-work-related talent?
I love finding new ways to cook vegetables! I eat a mostly vegetarian diet, and I love finding ways to roast or cook veggies so that they have a lot of flavor -- roasty broccoli has been my trusty sidekick through most of the pandemic. (Note from Gillian: She’s being humble -- Alyssa is the veggie queen!)
I'm also proud that I'm somewhat handy -- I love building and power tools. My partner and I renovated our bathroom last year, and I loved the process (it's also so fun to do something with my hands after spending a lot of my days on the computer). Tiling, building fences, putting up cement boards -- I’m down to DIY it all!
10) When not working at Illuminate Boudoir, you can be found...
...enjoying food with my community (in covid-conscientious ways)! Pre-pandemic, my close friends and I would have a potluck every other week! Gathering together, cooking food, and having long, lingering dinners -- that’s my happy place for sure.
Gillian
1) What's your name + role at Illuminate Boudoir?
Hi, I'm Gillian! I use she/her pronouns. I wear many hats here at Illuminate Boudoir -- content creator, marketing assistant, copywriter -- but you can just think of me as Alyssa's right-hand woman.
2) How long have you been working at Illuminate?
I joined the team in March 2020! My onboarding meeting with Alyssa actually took place just a few days before the covid-related shutdown began in Minnesota. It was a somewhat challenging time to start a new job, but I've loved every second of it!
3) What's your favorite thing about working at Illuminate?
I have two favorite parts! First off, I write most of the content here at Illuminate, and a lot of my work involves turning clients' stories and sessions into blog posts (with their permission!). This basically means I get paid to write love stories -- the stories of people falling in love with their bodies, really feeling and embodying their own inner strength, and understanding the depth of their beauty. It is an incredible honor, and I feel super lucky to get to do this work... even though I don't have the chance to meet most of these clients, I feel so much admiration and awe towards them from afar!
Second, I absolutely love getting to work closely with Alyssa! She is truly just as delightful, thoughtful, and uplifting as she seems. She brightens my day every time we talk and encourages me to dream bigger constantly -- it is truly a gift it is to work alongside her!
4) What fuels you as you work -- tea or coffee?
Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon. (If you haven't tried Yogi Tea's Raspberry Passion Perfect Energy blend before, trust me — it is legit.)
5) What would be your own boudoir style?
Soft and romantic! I love an easygoing, natural, warm style.
6) Favorite way to celebrate yourself besides a boudoir session?
Oooh, such a good question! I love ordering food from Due Focacceria or Hot Hands Pie & Biscuit to celebrate a great week, or calling my mom or best friend to share good news.
7) Favorite Illuminate Boudoir art piece?
Ahh, this is such a hard question! I absolutely love our wooden boxes -- they feel so beautiful and special!There's really no going wrong, though... it just feels incredible to hold your own personal art in your hands!
8) What artists would be on your boudoir session playlist?
Lizzo, Rihanna, Ariana Grande... and Elvis (my one true love).
9) What's your secret, non-work-related talent?
I can lick my nose -- just waiting for the day when this somehow comes in handy!
10) When not working at Illuminate Boudoir, you can be found...
...taking naps with my dog, working as a mental health therapist, going on walks and having bonfires with friends, running very slowly along the Mississippi River (go team Mill City Running!), taking classes at Alchemy 365, and watching bad reality tv!
