The magic of doing a boudoir photoshoot again, and again, and again
Just as it makes sense to wonder when is the right time to schedule a boudoir session for the first time, it also makes sense to wonder: what makes another boudoir session uniquely magical? Many folks initially do boudoir as a way to mark a meaningful life moment. Boudoir can be a powerful way to capture the unique milestones in life, yet it can also be an inspiring touchpoint to return to again and again. Each session is an opportunity to document the ever-shifting themes and self-expressions in our lives. Each photoshoot has a unique fingerprint of its own.
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How to prep for a boudoir session: a holistic, body-positive, and self-celebratory boudoir planning resource
Over the years as a Minnesota-based boudoir photographer, I’ve encountered a lot of unfortunate resources about “how to prepare for a boudoir session.” It’s common for new clients to wonder how to best prep for their upcoming photoshoot, and yet too often the dominant messaging about boudoir reinforces toxic beauty and harmful diet culture standards that tempt us to believe we have to change in order to be “photo ready” and beautiful. This is a really hurtful misconception about boudoir, and it is one I am striving to change.
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All hair, no hair, let’s normalize body hair!
In a culture of insurmountable beauty standards, many of us have been trained to think in pretty polarizing ways about what is or is not okay with our bodies, including body hair. So many of my clients wonder whether or not to remove body hair before their boudoir session, and too often I think the hesitation comes not from personal preference but from fear of how the presence or absence of body hair will be perceived.
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Outdoor Boudoir Packing List
While my studio sessions have a number of amenities readily available (including my kitchenette, well-stocked toiletry cabinet, and studio layering wardrobe), the amenities accessible for your outdoor session can really vary based on the location, so it’s more important to plan ahead for these sessions. Based on the many outdoor boudoir sessions I’ve photographed and feedback from clients, I’ve made a packing list with the top 10 most essential items to bring for your next outdoor boudoir adventure!
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B’s strong, sensual, and empowering boudoir session
B had been dreaming about doing a boudoir session for a long time, so it felt incredibly exciting to get to plan her much awaited session together. B was excited to take a day all for herself and create art that captured her beauty and strength. In her words, she felt excited to set aside time “to see myself as beautiful.”
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Priya’s joyful, self-assured, and sensual boudoir session
Priya brought so much vision, joy, and energy into her photoshoot. She wanted her portraits to feel confident and strong– reflecting the authentic groundedness she felt in this season of life. Priya is a naturally upbeat person, and she wanted her playfulness and levity to shine through. She also wanted to balance this levity with portraits that felt sensual, sexy, and artful.
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Top 5 Tips: Planning your boudoir wardrobe
So many of my clients tell me they feel like they “should” wear a certain style of clothing during their boudoir session–like a matching bra and underwear set or lacy lingerie– but they don’t actually want to. Beneath this “should” is the misconception that something is or is not boudoir. The truth is, boudoir in my studio is all about you, so you get to decide what is or is not boudoir! My biggest advice is that you wear something that looks and feels like you.
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Top Reasons for Doing Boudoir: the good, the bad, and everything in between
In my 7+ years of doing boudoir photography with hundreds of clients, I have had folks come to me with a lot of different reasons why they want to do a boudoir session. Some reasons are good, some are not so good, and some are complicated and in-between. Out of these conversations, I’ve built a philosophy about what boudoir means in my studio and when it’s the right decision for someone to do boudoir.
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A Day in the Life: My favorite elements of photoshoots in the new studio
It’s true– I have been photographing sessions in the studio of my dreams for over two months now, and each photoshoot still feels so special. Last December, I shared the 15 things I can’t wait to use at the new studio, and it’s so beautiful and surreal to know that all of these elements I have been dreaming about and planning for ages – a rotating color wall, heated floors, a gorgeous brick wall for texture (handmade by my friends and me!), a spacious window seat, a designated parking spot just for clients, to name a few – have become a reality.
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Myth Busting: 3 of the biggest misconceptions about boudoir photography
Over the years as a boudoir photographer, I have encountered a lot of misconceptions about what boudoir photography means, what it involves, and who it is for. I want to take a moment today to bust those misconceptions and let you know what boudoir photography looks like in my studio!
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What to do in Minneapolis after your photoshoot
I love offering my clients a full-day boudoir session experience. After your morning photoshoot, you’ll get the afternoon to yourself before you return to the studio for your portrait reveal. I always tell my clients to do something lovely in the afternoon don’t go in to work, don’t do chores — do something fun and special just for yourself. :)
If it’s been awhile since you had an afternoon totally to yourself, or if you’re not from the area and are looking for some ideas of how to spend your afternoon, here are a bunch of my favorite suggestions for things to do nearby - I love living in Southeast Minneapolis because there is so much to do! Almost everything here is within a 10-minute drive of the studio. :)
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Professional hair/makeup styling vs. DIY: how do I choose?!
Some clients have a really strong gut feeling about whether they’d like to receive professional hair and makeup styling, some clients have a strong desire to DIY… and other clients aren’t sure which option to choose! If you’re not certain which way to go, here are a few thoughts that might help.
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Physical & and mental health accommodations for boudoir sessions
Many of my boudoir clients tell me that they feel some mild nervousness before their sessions – and that’s totally normal! I’ve also worked with clients who have some concerns about making their boudoir session day work best for their physical health and/or their mental health. Every person comes to their boudoir session with different needs, and my goal is always to meet them where they’re at.
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How I photograph body neutral clients as a body positive photographer
Today I’d love to share a few thoughts with you on what it’s like photographing clients who practice body neutrality -- especially as someone who identifies as a body positive photographer. If you are someone who is cultivating a body neutrality practice, what might it look like to bring this into a boudoir session?
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Photo editing: what to expect (and my "golden rule")
I have a really intentional approach to photo editing that was born from personal experiences of having my pictures taken -- and not always loving the results.
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Naked and unafraid: how much clothing should I wear during my boudoir session?
I’ve found that many folks feel a bit unsure what the options are when considering how much skin they’ll be revealing during their boudoir session. My goals for this blog post are to 1) emphasize that however much skin or little skin you choose to show, your portraits will be BEAUTIFUL, and 2) help you feel as unafraid and excited for your boudoir session as possible!
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A day in my life as a boudoir photographer during the pandemic
I thought that today I'd give you a little peek into my boudoir session process during covid - I'll share what I'm doing to keep boudoir sessions safe (and what things will continue even as our world opens back up).
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Mixing Personal Branding and Boudoir
When you choose to spend a day with me for a portrait session, I take that responsibility seriously - and I want you to get as much out of it as you can. More and more often, I’m finding that my clients are choosing to mix in a few personal branding portraits into their boudoir sessions! I’m so excited to share a little bit more about personal branding and how to mix it into your boudoir session.
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