Journal

I was just sharing with our exclusive clients group on facebook that I was feeling the itch to get back to writing my own blog posts. That still rings true!! I just didn’t want to leave a blank post at the top of the page. I am a photographer. I am visual and the missing images from the last testimonial urged me to replace the images and if the boudoir images were missing, I had to bring the text along!

What was your motivation to seek out a boudoir photography experience?

I had hit a rough patch and was dealing with the after effects of personal trauma and thought that this shoot would be a great way to reset my opinion of myself.  I was so tired of being upset and scared by being viewed sexually that I decided to make it an overt, un-ignorable thing.  Immersion therapy, so to speak.

Choosing your studio/photographer is super personal, why did you choose The GFE?

I had looked at several local photographers and compared publicly available bodies of work, so it was a no-brainer.  Steff’s images are exquisite pieces of art.  Bold and sensual, sexy but with absolutely no cheese.  I didn’t see a single other photographer who didn’t step over the line into tawdry and superficial, even if the step was a small one.  My main objective was to reclaim my own appreciation for my sexuality, and if I thought the final product would be cringe-worthy it was a No-Go.  There was no question, after looking at Steff’s portfolio, that it would be an issue with GFE.

Leading up to the shoot what were you most concerned about?

I was super worried about how big my legs would look, or eating something the night before that would make me bloated.  Little physical stuff like that.  Completely unnecessary.

What was your favorite part of your boudoir experience?

Hands down: the hair & makeup prep and outfit selection.  I had spent months pouring over lingerie websites trying to curate a collection worthy of photographing, and having Steff select the final outfits from the ridiculous amount of clothing I had brought was vindicating.  Especially after seeing the final product.

Is there anything you would change or do differently?

I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t keep my face looking a little more alive.  I was trying really hard to seem falsely relaxed that I ended up looking a bit drunk in a couple shots (with no alcohol involved!  at least not beforehand).  I wish I hadn’t tried to cover up how nervous I was.

What would you tell other women about your experience, would you recommend doing something like this for themselves?

It was so fun, so different from anything you’d ever do in your life, and so empowering.  Everyone should deserve to feel like a sex goddess for a day (AT MINIMUM), so if you’re on the fence: just commit.  I love the final product and don’t regret a thing.  

Do you view yourself differently since your session? Do you appreciate your body more? Are you kinder to yourself?

Absolutely.  Before I did this I would purposefully wear unflattering outfits to work because I was terrified of someone thinking of me in a sexual way.  Since the shoot, I flaunt it.  For me, this shoot and resulting photos provided a much needed perspective shift on human sexuality and acceptance.  Empowering is an over-used term to describe boudoir photo shoots, but in this instance it completely fits the bill.