I will openly admit that not only have I just been shorting boudoir for a short period of time, but I hadn’t even heard of it that long ago.  When I did, I studied on it.  The techniques, the form, the technical aspects.  I read tips, studied poses and listened to stories.  Then I shot one.  THEN I had mine done (by the talented miss Heather Smith).  I figured the only way to really understand how these women feel in front of the camera was to put myself there as well.  Heather did a stunning job and I gave them to Andy for our anniversary, which of course he loved.

Along the way of learning and doing, though – shooting boudoir has become one of my most favorite things to shoot.  Being a female means a lot of different things to a lot of different women – but actually feeling like one and reveling in the fact that we are amazing species I think is important for every woman to take part in at least once in their life.  We are so hard on ourselves day in and day out – so tired and run down.  Sometimes, so taken advantage of, putting ourselves on the back burner to take care of children, sick parents or pets, starting our own businesses or even trying to keep the job we have in such a tough economy – that we lose touch with who we are.  That inside, we are still soft, gentle, beautiful and amazing ladies.  We are vulnerable every day, but we don’t always see a positive outcome from being in that position.  I love, more than anything, the look on my clients’ face when they see themselves vulnerable, relaxed and stunning and think “Wow, I am beautiful!”  I think it is SO important for women to feel beautiful and secure within themselves, and that is why I love doing boudoir photography.  It is classy, timeless, sensual, elegant, relaxing and needed.  It means a lot to me as a woman to help another woman gain self awareness and feel beautiful about themselves, especially in a world where women are often the ones that are so incredibly hard on each other.  This makes my job as a photographer worth every struggle that comes along.   If you are interested in talking about or scheduling a boudoir session for yourself, please contact me via the contact form at the bottom of the page.

This is a sneak peek of the boudoir shoot I had today.  A boudoir shoot with a women almost 40 years old, married, a mother of two, a freelancer and taking Tae Kwon Do to earn her black belt.  This was her moment – a moment I’m sure she would agree was much needed.

My tomato plants have small green marbles on them and this makes me especially delighted.  I cannot wait to sink my teeth into a fresh, vine rip tomato!  With everything in bloom now, I can’t help but post these fresh images of the lovely Kari.

Yesterday, I promise to buckle down, do some work and things that NEEDED to get done.  Sure, it was a Saturday, and I had originally planned to have a few girls over for dinner, but I really needed to work.  I woke up early with a headache and too much on my to-do list, so I called off all plans and got to work.  First, to mow the lawn.  Mind you, since we live on 48 acres (shared with my Mom and little brother in a separate house), there’s a lot of lawn.  As I made my first round, I happened to look down right ahead of me and there it was.  Head barely above the height of the grass, a bright yellow beak.  A baby bird!  We looked all over for it’s nest, pretty sure the wind had swept it away the night before.  With no nest to be found, we perched it in the middle of a tree and I finished my mowing.  The Mom was flying overhead, landing in the tree above the baby and squawking to let us know – she’s got this.  Leave her baby alone!

So yesterday evening I decided to check on it.  Make sure it was still there, and alive.  With the birdie nowhere to be found anywhere around the tree, I found him (I’m not sure it’s a him, but to me, it is) half way down the yard, in the middle of a patch of bright sun light.  Crying.  It’s Mom now in a tree a bit closer.  I called my little brother out, told him to go digging for worms and we’d try to feed it.  Much to my surprise, it ate from us!  But!  In the midst of looking for worms, my brother turns over a patch of grass and finds…a nest of baby bunnies.  *palm face*.  I have stuff to get done!  I don’t have time to feed babies and worry about keeping them safe and away from the dogs!  I don’t want to be reliable if they don’t make it!  I wish I never would have found them and now I can’t stop worrying about them.  Spring is in full bloom and I am a huge animal lover – but nature makes me nervous.  I know nothing about birds and bunnies and the last thing I want to do is mess up the natural flow of how they work and have them be neglected and die because of me.  The pressure!

We left the nest of bunnies and will not be going back to them, as to trace the dogs their way.  This morning, Skittles had the baby bird in her mouth.  He wasn’t dead or even hurt, as though she was now taking her turn to take care of him.  Only, that’s not allowed.  She’s a dog and her instinct will have the bird for dinner.  So now?  Now this baby bird is in a cat carrier on the front porch being fed worms every hour.  I did get some work done that I needed to get done, but not without my mind wandering and going outside every hour or so to check on a baby bird.  I know in the end, whatever happens to it is up to mother nature, but now I feel slightly responsible, and this?  This is why I don’t have children.

Skittles watching very closely as we fed the baby bird.

Scooby doing the same, on the other side of us.

I’m sure you’ll recognize most of the faces in these photos.  They are faces of previous clients, that have all become very good friends.  A group of ladies including doctors, lawyers, teachers, architects and designers.  Some mothers, some child free.  A group of ladies from all walks of life, all going through different stages in life and all coming together to comfort each other and laugh.

Heather invited us all over to her new pad to enjoy an evening of  YUMMY potluck vegetarian dishes, laughing and even a little hula-hooping!  I cannot begin to explain the feeling of spending time with people whom once trusted me (and still do!) with a business aspect of their life, and then invited me to share their lives with them more personally.  These group of women are extraordinary and while I was once a young, insecure and socially anxious (OK, so that part is still there) girl, I never imaged finding new friends.  Once my friends from high school all went their own ways, got married, had kids, moved away – life shifted.  I now know it’s all OK because I have been blessed with some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met from all walks of life, and all because of doing something I love.

I recently purchased the new Fujifilm Instax Mini 7s.  No, I’m not switching to film like it seems everyone is doing these days.  I got it for moments like last night – to take snapshots and enjoy them with everyone, right away.  I am LOVING this little camera and cannot wait to use it on future shoots just to capture small and personal moments instantly.

Such beautiful women.

Sterling, Bethany and I, Cheryl and Penny.

Heather and I trying our luck at hula-hooping.  It’s actually a big work out, but super fun.  You can barely see Amy in the back, but she takes lessons and taught us a few neat tricks!

Our gracious and every so beautiful hostess and babe, Heather and Penny.

I love the little details of her home.

Deborah and Jacob, Leslie and Penny.

Ella and Porter!

Leslie and Bethany.

Amy, Carla and Aksana.