Ann and I started shooting boudoir photography about 3 years ago. A friend of ours asked us to shoot hers, and while we had never done one before, she wanted us to do it and we thought why not?! We had so much fun shooting her session that we started talking about adding this on to our business. Just a few short weeks after we did hers, we randomly got a call from a total stranger asking if we would do hers! We explained we were just getting into it, but thought we were up to it, so if she was willing, WE were willing! Things spiraled after these 2 shoots! It was like all of a sudden, we had all these new random inquiries wanting to do boudoir shoots, and we hadn’t even really put it out there yet that we were offering them! So we got a few of our friends involved and bribed them to be guinea pigs so we could start showing examples of our work  (their husbands were very happy   We put a website together, and after that, we were AMAZED at all the calls we got. Never in our lives did we think we would be shooting boudoir photos!! But I gotta tell you, it’s one of our favorite things to do.

Ah… I digress… this post was supposed to be about Ann and myself  As you can imagine, our husbands were VERY on board with us doing these kinds of shoots… then they were bummed bc we never showed them any!! HA! They have been asking US for the last 3 years now to do shoots for THEM! We always brushed them off saying things like “yea right… in your dreams… that’s never gonna happen…” etc, etc Well as you have probably guessed by now… we gave in Yes, yours truly, finally did shoots and we and our husbands couldn’t be happier with them  We wanted to let all you girls out there that are thinking of doing a shoot but hesitant, know first hand how WE felt about doing ours. So read on! I now can say… If WE can do it, YOU can do it! xoxo

Jen’s Story:

After we started shooting these sessions, I thought I always wanted to do a boudoir shoot. I knew my husband Daniel would LOVE it, and how fun would it be to get all dolled up?! So it was on my list of “things to do when I have time and feel good about myself” list, but it wasn’t anything I really thought about a lot. I don’t know how, bc literally he asked me once a week when was I going to do mine  I would always brush him off bc in the back of mind I was thinking, you know, I really am going to do one at some point, and when I do I want it to be a HUGE surprise! So I acted the whole time like it was never going to happen. Last year I decided it was finally time to do it. We had a new studio, it was perfect. Well then life threw us a major curve ball and dropped twins in our laps, so my shoot got put on hold. After we had the babies about 6 months I decided if I was going to do it, I needed to just do it now and give it to him for Valentines Day. I don’t hate my body, but I don’t love it either. But I thought, Jen… you hate working out, you don’t diet, you’re never going to look better than you do today… Daniel tells me on a daily basis how “cracking (this is an English term I guess)” my rack and backside are (teehee! Mom if you’re reading this, try not to blush , so just do it!! eeeek! In came the nerves! People… Ann and I live on the BACKSIDE of the camera… not the other way around!! So onto the internet I went in search of flattering outfits, hair styles, make up, etc. Once I got my glam team (a HUGE thank you to Natalie and Angelisa at Artistry SpaSalon), it was the day of my shoot. I was so nervous!! WHY?? We do this every week for girls and tell them how NOT to be nervous, and they’ll love it, and the outcome is fabulous, and the thing is… we MEAN it! We get girls of all ages and sizes in our studio, and EVERY single one of them leaves us with a huge grin on her face wanting to do another shoot! Why in the world was I nervous?? I suppose it’s just natural… I mean you are about to get in your skivvies in front of a CAMERA…that would be nerve racking for anyone I assume.

So into my first outfit I got and my wonderful friend and biz partner Ann, and another friend of ours, Noelle, started primping me and telling me what to do. Immediately, my nerves went away and I forgot about what kind of outfit I was in, and just started having fun! MAN! I did NOT realize how hard some of the poses we did were!! I now feel a little guilty for making our clients do some of these, but not a one of them ever complained. Me on the other hand… I was like… you want me to bend what? Like what? OW!  I can’t really explain to you how fun it was. I just remember laughing…a lot… swearing a little , and feeling 100% beautiful and confident about myself. Ann and Noelle took care of me the whole time and only put me in poses that were flattering to ME. They made me feel comfortable the whole time. I really had a blast! After the session we of course immediately downloaded them and I LOVED them! I have never looked like that before and the thing was, it was all me. A little enhanced with great hair and makeup, and fabulous lighting and photography, but that girl looking back at me, was ME. I’ve never felt prettier, sexier, confident… fabulous.

The thing I took away from my shoot was that every girl should do one how they are today. We get a lot of calls and inquiries saying they’re going to do one, but they want to wait till they lose 10 more lbs or tone up, or whatever. I say, do it how you are today. If you’re going to lose the weight for the long haul, great. But if you’re just losing it for the shoot, why would you want to lose it, do the shoot, gain it back, and then look at your pictures down the line and think “man I was skinny back then ” and be all sad and discouraged when you look at them? I say, do it NOW. In the body that you’re most likely going to have for awhile. That way, when you look at them, you can say “Wow! I am gorgeous just the way I am, and HERE IS THE PROOF!!” At least that’s what I think

Ann’s story

And forgive me if I start rambling and not making any sense!!  I am not the best at describing exciting moments

I don’t know how to start this really.  You can ask almost anyone, especially my husband, that I do not have a great self image.  Not the kind that wants everyone to pity me and say “Oh you’re crazy…of course you’re pretty” but literally a childhood illness that left me with some scarring I would have to live with the rest  of my life.  And THAT is what makes me feel not so pretty.  I know it is psychological and hopefully one day for myself I can look past that…maybe my session was a step in the right direction  Not a cure for my insecurities but definitely an eye opener to seeing that beauty lies somewhere in my soul…I just have to find what it is that makes me feel beautiful!

So let’s change directions now…as Jen described Daniel’s pleas…that would be my husband as well!  Begging and pleading!!  In the beginning it was “NO…NEVER…STOP ASKING…NOT GOING TO HAPPEN…you get the picture, right?!” and I TOTALLY meant it but then I slowly started thinking about it…SLOWLY  Over 3 years I watched all these women come in for their session and ROCK IT out and the outcomes were almost contagious!  Every woman that came in here wanted to feel beautiful and that is exactly what happened…I wanted that…I wanted to feel the beauty in myself that they were experiencing.  It didn’t matter the shape, color, scars, stretchmarks, age (you get my point!) of any of these women…They were fearless and made me have more confidence than you will EVER know to do my session!…BRAVO to all our clients…EACH and every single one of them are so amazing  So with a little nudging from Jen and Brandon’s 30th birthday coming up…I said ok!!!!!

I can’t explain how amazing this experience was!!  I would do it again in a heartbeat and that is coming from someone who literally hates the way she looks so that in itself should give everyone that has any doubts the confidence to get their booty in here  I tried to think if I was nervous the day of and I have to honestly say I wasn’t…not in the least bit because I knew Jen was going to take care of me and make me feel amazing!  I mean after all, that is what we are known for so why be nervous?!?!  I started having my hair done and oh yeah, I did extensions  I always wanted them and said if I ever did one that I was going ALL out…so yeah baby…now I really want my hair that long ALL the time!  And then came makeup…whoa!…amazing how hair and makeup can make you feel so confident, beautiful, and excited.  I highly recommend professional hair and makeup…don’t skimp on it!  Our studio had been working on new sets and I got the be the first on 2 of them…so exciting!  It was exactly what I wanted and envisioned the outcome would be…a good mix of soft, pale, simple, elegant photos with some colorful, rich, and dramatic ones as well.  And best of all…I LOVE, LOVED, and STILL LOVE THEM!!!  Eeeeeek!!  So if there ever comes a time I start to doubt myself and feel negative…I will always go back to those pictures and say, “I am beautiful” and here is the proof

It’s been a long time coming, but we finally have images to show from all 3 of our new sets!! We are totally in love with them! Our Pin Up set is super sexy with a high fashion lighting feel! Our Natural light set is soft and playful, and looks fabulous with soft girly colors, but uber sexy too with bright pops of color! Our Vanity set is glamourous with an old Hollywood feel. Do you LOVE the bling in that one??? Huge thanks to Meredith for being our beautiful model and allowing the use of her photos! Hair & Makeup for the day was done by the mad talented Stephanie Harrison. Meredith looked awesome Steph!! Thanks girls for all your hard work and time. The photographs are just stunning! xoxo

YAY! We are so thrilled to finally be able to show off our new boudoir sets from an actual client!! Thank you so much Miss M for allowing us to post some photos. Miss M totally rocked out her shoot and we LOVE how the new sets are photographing!! We can’t wait to show more, but for now, check out these amazing shots!! xoxo

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Summer is just around the corner (or here already by the feels of it!), and we just wanted to give you girls a few tips on tanning if you’re thinking of doing a boudoir session. You may not agree with us on this topic, but in the 3 years that we have been shooting boudoir, we have seen some crazy tans and we just think you should be aware!! It is in our opinion, that natural skin photographs better than overly tan, or “fake baked” skin  You can do whatever you like, but girls ask us all the time what to do, we tell them, they do the opposite, and their shoot is hindered bc of silly tan lines, burned skin, etc. So below are a few tips to take into consideration if you MUST tan

1. Don’t over do it!! Less is more. If you’re doing a spray tan, a little glow is fine, just make sure you don’t come out looking ORANGE or STREAKY! We shoot in very flattering light, but orange skin just does not photograph well. And it seems the darker your spray tan is, the more orange it looks over film. So just beware! Also, make sure that your hands and feet are done properly (including your palms and the bottom of your feet!!) These are areas we definitely focus on, and there is nothing that we can do to fix this.

2. If you get spray tanned, spray your ENTIRE body. If you wear your undies (or at least your bra), during your spray tan, this causes tan lines We do not take out tan lines in post production. That is the one thing we don’t do. Also, if the undies you wore in your spray tan, don’t match exactly the undies you wear in your boudoir shoot, guess what? We will see them  Wear a thong if you feel uncomfortable. This also hinders certain poses that you might want to do, so again, beware

3. Summer is near which means more tan lines. Make sure you wear a halter or some kind of suit that you won’t get strap lines. If you hadn’t thought about doing a boudoir shoot, and in the middle of the summer you decide to and you have major tan lines, just make sure that whatever outfits you choose for your shoot cover them up.

4. Don’t fall asleep in the sun!! Burned skin with blisters and peeling is NOT a good look

Our opinion again, is to just steer clear from tanning at least 2 weeks before your shoot. I know a lot of you girls out there think you are pale and gross, but honestly, the natural skin photographs so much prettier & softer. Once your hair and makeup are done, you would be surprised at how your skin just falls into place and completes the whole package! So this is our plea… Just say no!! xoxo

P.S. Of COURSE you can choose to do whatever you like, but we get this question on a daily basis and we figure if you ask us, you want our honest opinion. So there you have it!

I know none of you will go this crazy but I thought it was funny

Even the lightest of lines can ruin a beautiful moment!

Oh Kimmy…

We are so excited about the revamp of our boudoir studio!! We are patiently waiting to show some of our rockin clients on the new sets, but they’ll be up soon! In the meantime, here’s a little teaser of our latest vanity set! We’re LOVE it

Absolutely LOVING these new styles from Victoria’s Secret! We are full swing ahead in boudoir shoots for Valentine’s day, and I’m so hoping some of our girls have some of these styles! Obsessed with the beautiful new garter belts and wedding fashion, but I think my favorite is in the middle Subtle yet super sexy  If you didn’t get your shoot in time for Valentines day, don’t forget about Father’s day! It’ll be here before you know it!

We are so excited!! Now that we have a break from wedding season, we are turning our attention over to the boudoir studio. We have 4 new sets coming soon and can’t wait to share them!! Here is a sneak peek of one of them

We had a lot of girls come to us before the holidays for their boudoir session to surprise their significant others with a Christmas gift  Well we are getting reactions of the big reveal, and it turns out, ALL of them were a smash hit!! (duh. Like we didn’t know that was gonna happen )  We love doing these boudoir sessions so much. They make our girls feel so beautiful and sexy, and that just makes us happy! The beautiful “T” allowed us to share these images with you. She totally rocked out her session, and made her man very happy!! We have just a couple of spots left for Valentines day gifts, so make sure you call and book your session quick! Thank you again to the amazing “T”! We don’t always get to show off our work and we’re grateful to the ones who allow it. You are gorgeous! xoxo

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Now is the time to book your boudoir session for Valentine’s day! Only a limited amount of spaces available so act fast! The best Valentine’s day gift ever!

We love these photos of Miss C that she graciously allowed us to use! We’re in the process of changing up/adding some sets and new lighting to our boudoir studio, so let us know if you’d like to make an appointment for your shoot! Valentines Day is just around the corner, and a boudoir session makes a great gift for your beau  Contact us today for more info! www.thephotographixboudoir.com