Celebrating N’s courage, authenticity, and joy
I am thrilled to share N’s session! N had gone through some big life changes in the past few years, and she worked intentionally to create a new life for herself that aligned with her values. N reached out to me because she wanted to give herself the gift of a boudoir session to document this transformation and celebrate the hard work that led her to the beautiful place she’s landed now in life! I think her story is incredible, and I am always honored when clients choose to do a boudoir session to document a formative time in their life or to celebrate what it feels like to feel settled in their own skin.
N arrived at our planning session with a clear vision for her boudoir photoshoot: she wanted her photographs to convey happiness, joy, and confidence. She wanted to feel “more confident than sexy” and to showcase the empowerment she felt in this season of life. From our first phone call, I could hear N’s voice exuding joy, and this joy just kept radiating from her throughout our entire time working together! During N's photoshoot, I witnessed just how settled she was with herself, and I felt so lucky to get to capture this in photos that she can keep always.
As N put it herself, “I know that I am living my life with the most joy and intention that I've ever had, but it was really fun to see those feelings reflected back in the photos. I will treasure this stage of my life always and have a beautiful, documented, reminder of this time."
N’s personal branding photos
N also brought thoughtfulness to her wardrobe selection. She wanted to wear simple, understated outfits that felt natural and authentic to her spirit. N chose to start the session with a couple branding portraits. She emanates warmth and power in these photographs, wearing a bright pink shirt complemented well by her black jacket and pants. What some folks might not know is that a lot of my clients ask to use part of their boudoir session to capture a few headshots or branding portraits for professional or everyday use, which I love! Why not get all that you can out of this photo session that is all about you?!
N’s Boudoir Portraits
N also knew from the beginning that she wanted to wear something red in honor of her Chinese ancestry, as red is a symbol of good luck in Chinese culture. She ended up finding a deep burgundy bra and underwear set with beautiful lace details that looked simple and elegant. In contrast to the warm wood tones of the studio and the sunny morning light, her rich color choices glowed.
To finish the session, N wanted to use a white sheet to create a series of implied nude photographs. My clients land all across the spectrum on how much skin they want to show during a boudoir session. Some folks want to take fine art nude portraits where much of their body is completely uncovered, while others like N want to create an "implied nude.” Implied nude portraits give the implication of being nude, while keeping their booty and nipples covered. How revealing or covered up a client wishes to be is always their decision- it’s all about your comfort first and foremost! I have a whole blog post here that addresses the question “how much clothing should I wear during my boudoir session?”
From capturing N’s confident professional portraits in business-casual clothing to documenting elegant, bold, and joyful sides of herself, N showed up as her full self every step of the way. Her photos carry a sense of feeling happy, at ease, and free, matching the vision she intended for the day. I love how strong and grounded she looks in some photos, and others are beaming with her bright smile and just exuding happiness. She truly showcased such different and authentic sides of herself in this session!
"My experience was exactly what I wanted - a settling into myself filled with vibrancy, joy, and empowerment. There's something magical about knowing someone is dedicated to helping you be your most authentic and beautiful self for a few hours. I wish everyone could have this experience - it's life changing!"
