Pregnancy boudoir portraits in Minneapolis
Jen is a client I’ve worked with for almost a decade, so when she arrived at my Minneapolis boudoir studio on the day of her session, we felt like old friends (and that feeling is one of my favorite parts of working with returning clients for boudoir!). I photographed Jen’s first and second boudoir sessions years ago. Since then, I’ve worked with her multiple times through my other brand Alyssa Lund Photography to photograph her wedding and family sessions with her partner and young kids. While pregnant with her third kiddo, Jen reached out to book a boudoir session at my new studio. She was excited to document herself and her body in this new season of life as a parent.
As we started planning this boudoir session, Jen shared how proud she feels of where is at in life right now, the decisions she’s making for her family, and who she is becoming as a human and as a mother. This pregnancy holds immense meaning for her, and though it can be hard at times to feel glamorous while navigating the physical changes that come with pregnancy, Jen was excited for her session to create a grounding moment for her to pause and thank her body for nurturing new life.
Wardrobe planning for a boudoir session
Jen wanted her portraits to feel soft, feminine, reflective, and beautiful. She started the session wearing a favorite pair of jeans and a burgundy nursing bra. Next she wore a ribbed cotton crop top with black underwear. I loved these examples of how to mix everyday clothing and underwear to create a cozy, effortless look. Jen also decided to wear a black dress that she loved how she felt in. She’d only had a chance to wear it one other time during her pregnancy, so it felt extra special to document and savor how radiant she felt in this outfit. To wrap up the session, Jen wore a sheer white robe with a bohemian feel, which looked beautiful and ethereal in front of the luminous wall of windows at the studio.
Jen’s words about her boudoir session
When reflecting on the session afterward, Jen shared such powerful words: “Deciding to do a boudoir shoot while pregnant was an uplifting experience. There’s so much physical change that happens with pregnancy that it can be easy to slip into a look at all the changes mindset without seeing the beauty in the moment. This session helped me to see how beautiful my body is in this stage and embrace the changes in a more positive light.”
Jen’s boudoir portraits in Minneapolis
Jen’s Dear Body Portraits
As a participant in my Dear Body series, Jen handwrote a love letter to her body before the session that I incorporated into her portraits. Her reflections on motherhood and preparing for this third baby were so deeply moving.
