#ShowingOurTrueCathers
Photo cred: Naturally Boudoir (Julie Hunter)
If you follow us on socials you know that we have a lot going on. Not only is Chris (my boo thang) going through rehabbing from a super invasive surgery + now dealing with complications but we're also planning a wedding. He insisted that we didn't change the date of our wedding because of all the other stuff we have going on.
It took 34 years to find a man that can love me the way that I need to be loved. I'm strong willed, passionate, stubborn, winner of the multi-mood award and my own worst critic. But, when I love... I love hard. Whether you are family, a friend, or a client, I will love you hard.
This man and I have been through some crazy times, so it's only appropriate that we get married in the middle of his medical nightmare. Cliff notes: Chris was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer in November, underwent two surgeries and was doing amazing rehabbing (he even got my ass back in the gym and I was loving it!). He developed an infection, and is now undergoing 6 weeks of daily IV antibiotics. The antibiotics make him feel like shit, they make his joints hurt, his muscles ache, they make him exhausted (this man is never exhausted, literally he is the energizer bunny). But, he made it a goal to walk down the aisle on February 2, 2020 and I have no doubt that he will do just that. In 5 days I get to marry my best friend. My beast. My love.
02.02.2020 no matter how you see it or read it - forwards or backwards, it's still the same. That's our little joke, because he has TBI from being blown up a few times overseas...
Being nominated for Best of Hall is an incredible feeling in itself, but winning the last two years means that you all believe in what we're doing at Mirrored Images Boudoir. You believe in our mission, in the experience, and you believe in yourself. With all of the medical treatments my husband-to-be has been through and the journey we've been on over the last 5 months I never expected to win Best of Hall 2020 because I didn't put much time into asking for votes. When I got the phone call I was in complete shock. I remember I was having a pretty shitty day and I even told Megan with The Times that her timing was epic. I didn't campaign much for votes, no where near as much as I have in previous years. She told me, "When people believe in you, you don't have to campaign."
That day my outlook on several things changed. It may sound silly to be excited over this, but it gives me hope that we, as women, can continue to join forces and be the fierce babes we were born to be. Thank you for believing in me. Pick up your copy of the Best of Hall 2020 magazine to see our ad!
!!Session availability!!
The following dates are open to book, we've had several schedule changes/reschedules so look closely because a date you previously asked for may now be open! We've also added a few extra dates in March and April.
- February 10- BOOKED
- February 18
- March 10
- March 11- BOOKED
- March 17
- March 31
- April 2
- April 29
If you're interested in more information on booking, please contact me asap. As of Friday I will be out of touch through Monday.
PS- keep an eye on our IG and Glam Gang for some behind the scenes of the celebration on Sunday! Eeeeeek!!!
<3 The Future Mrs. Cathers <3
#ShowingOurTrueCathers
Out of Office(ish)
For those that follow me (Jenn) on facebook, or the business on facebook/IG you know a little bit of what's going on in our personal life. While we had hoped that this would be a quick one-and-done surgery with only a week of downtime (for me), my availability will continue to be limited through the end of December. If you'd like to donate or share our GoFundMe Page, please click here. Thank you!
Chris had right hip pain for several months, he isn’t one to complain of anything especially pain, but the pain reached a level that he could barely get up our stairs and he felt he could no longer do his job safely. Sept 27th we set up a non-contrast MRI, since this was a “self” referral and not ordered by an outside MD the radiologist called Chris and ultimately told him he couldn’t tell what was going on and it could be anything from a bone lesion to a massive hemorrhage, he told Chris to go to the ER immediately for an MRI with contrast. He agreed to go to the ER where we were told he had Osteomyelitis (a bone infection) in his greater trochanter. He had zero risk factors for this, and everyone was perplexed to how it got there. He had been asymptomatic aside from pain, no fever, no signs of infection systemically, no localized palpable pain/swelling/redness, etc. He was started on IV antibiotics (Rocephin and Vanco) and admitted to the hospital to have a bone biopsy done.
The next day he was told he was getting a soft tissue fine needle aspiration of a portion of the abscess that appeared to be outside of his bone, allowing for them to obtain a sample in a less invasive procedure. Cool, we’re on board. That culture came back with no growth, no cells, it was just a fluid sac. We specifically asked infectious disease and orthopedics if they needed to go in deeper and get the sample via the original plan we were told he would have (surgical bone biopsy) and we were told no. ID said they would change his Vanco and Rocephin (although his wbc’s were responding to the current regimen) to Daptomycin because it would cover “the bad stuff.” We questioned, if it’s “the bad stuff” how could it possibly not grow anything and how is he not sick? Never did get an actual answer for that... but anyways ortho also said no need for the bone biopsy, and he didn’t feel there was a need for debridement - further he said the infection was on a non-weight bearing portion of his leg so he had no restrictions.
He started Daptomycin (although his CPK was almost 1300) - received two doses and was discharged home with orders for daily IV Daptomycin for 6 weeks at the infusion center. After his third dose he started to have muscle fatigue and developed a fever, I was afraid he was having muscle breakdown. He came into the ER, we requested to change to a different ID doctor who immediately stopped the Daptomycin order (because of his body composition he was never a candidate for this medication and should have never been on it to begin with) and she took over his care. Had he completed the original treatment plan his last dose would have been on Veterans Day (the irony) and he would be in no shape to undergo what is to come next.
We told everyone who has been involved in his care that Chris was part of a group of 30 that went overseas right after 9/11 and informed them of all the crazy medical conditions that that specific group has been diagnosed with - without explanation or family history of anything they were diagnosed with. Chris told them all that he was going to have something weird and rare. This new ID doc was the only one that listened to us. She wanted Chris to see a different ortho, so we did and thanks to the ongoing support from our friends who called in a favor they got us in with a competent orthopedic. Unfortunately, this appeared to be out of his scope, as it looked suspicious. However, he immediately put Chris on weight bearing restrictions and was shocked that he was told he had none per the first ortho. We were referred to an orthopedic oncologist at Emory who said it didn’t look like cancer, but it did need to be cleaned out and repaired with a bone graft and possibly a titanium rod. He wanted to withhold any antibiotics until an actual culture was obtained and resulted. We were given three scenarios: osteomyelitis, cancer or a benign tumor. The likelihood of a benign or malignant tumor was very low. Surgery was scheduled for 11/4.
On Oct 30 we were in the kitchen with friends, Chris moved the wrong way and felt a pop with pain. That night he had an extremely difficult time going up the stairs to bed, the next day he couldn’t bear weight and the pain continued to get worse. We went into the ER at Emory where he was admitted and remained until the surgery. Initial post op pathology (the surgeon took a frozen sample to the pathology lab and looked) was a benign tumor originating in the cartilage and no signs of infection. The doc prefaced it by saying an unfrozen sample needed to be looked at, officially, but he was certain it wasn’t cancer and Chris was in the clear. He said no IV antibiotics, no rod, just 6-8 weeks of non-weight bearing, and he would be good to go!
He had a rough time in recovery, he was in a lot of pain and required additional meds and time before I got to see him post op. He got back, I told him what the doc said, and we were excited to have a clear path for treatment, finally! He spent another night in the hospital due to his pain level and he was discharged the following afternoon. He hadbeen home resting and healing and making progress every day. On 11/11 (again, on Veterans Day…) he got a call from the surgeons PA who said he has cancer, Chondrosarcoma, a rare form of cancer, grade 2-3 and he required additional imaging to make sure it had not metastasized. The most common and likely place it would metastasize to would be his lungs. Statistically, 600 cases are reported in males each year in the US.
11/13, Chris was back in the ER because he had some swelling and calf tenderness, as well as rib pain - but it just so happens that those complaints come along with the imaging that is needed to check for metastasis. Luckily no signs of a blood clot in his lungs or leg and also no signs of anything else suspicious there either.
The follow-up with the orthopedic oncologist was on November 20th where they explained his next surgery: radical resection of the proximal femur with insertion of a titanium rod and a partial hip replacement. We were told that his recovery would “suck” (exact words) and could take up to a year but he would never have full function of that limb again. He will also have a permanent limp and limitations on functionality that will prevent him from continuing with his current job. Surgery was 12/2. Just prior to going into the OR the surgeon dropped the news that there were some areas of concern in the muscle around the bone and that would also need to be removed.
He did well in surgery; he has 50+ staples, a joint drain, and a PCA pump to control his pain. He will require at least one more night in the hospital due to a drop in his Hemoglobin, his pain level and limited mobility. Today (12/4) was the first time he had been up and out of bed - he did well but became hypotensive, diaphoretic and pale so we had to finish PT at that point. But, when OT came he did an amazing job with no blood pressure issues. Fingers crossed that he is discharged by Friday evening and we can begin recovery at home!
Im forever grateful to our friends Amy & Steve as well as our ER family for not only helping with the bullshit but for putting up with my crazy mood swings (which are not over yet... lol) as well as helping me cover my shifts and giving me the time off to be with him. And not to mention our awesome neighbors who have helped with meals and been on standby on days I can’t be at the house.
So, needless to say - we will have limited availability and likely slower response times to emails over the next few weeks but we are still here and we aren't going anywhere. We didn't push the Best of Hall campaign as hard this year due to all the personal events going on (in addition to planning our wedding), but in the event that we don't win - we are very grateful for having the 2018 and 2019 Best of Hall title and are happy to share that excitement with a different business in the area.
Here’s to 2020 being a better year for everyone!
photo cred Julie Hunter (www.naturallyboudoir.com)
Destination Boudoir Sessions
*Staci (makeup artist), Sam (brand rep), Jenn (photographer)*
Fun fact: We love to travel.
(we also love doughnuts *this will make sense soon*)
Over the last two years we've been blessed by the ability to bring our services to areas outside of Georgia in BEAUTIFUL locations. Most recently we've visited Palm Beach Florida and Denver Colorado and shot at some epic places! Before we get into the visuals, let me just say... turning these work trips into girls trips has been food for my soul! You're never too old for a sleepover! :)
Do you want us to come to you? We require a minimum of 6 gals to book in order to set up destination boudoir sessions (domestic travel). For international travel, contact us with what you have in mind... our passports are ready! We love to travel SO much that we actually charge less for destination sessions. The picture above is one of the only group pictures we have from Colorado, so that right there is an excuse for us to go back again! Well, that and the orgasmic pieces of deliciousness we are devouring from Habit Doughnut Dispensary.
Since we're on the topic of Colorado, here's are few more from that trip.
Don't forget about Palm Beach... the location gave me LIFE!
Ohhhhh where will we end up next?!
Contact us for more information!
We'll leave you with some doughnuts while you gather up your girlfriends for our next location.
Limited Edition Penthouse Boudoir
Those four words together are MAGIC! Lemme break it down for you...
Limited Edition: sets to never be recreated, at a new location and completely different from anything you've seen on our site.
Penthouse Boudoir: need I say more?
In addition to the above, couples sessions + night shoots are up for grabs at this gorg location too.
7 spaces remain.
Unique location, limited edition sets, endless possibilities.
October 18: 6pm & 8pm
October 19: 10am, 3pm, 8pm
October 20: 10am, Noon, 3pm, 8pm.
*Highlighted times are booked*
*Please keep in mind the times listed above are the start time for makeup and hair, the 8pm session is a NIGHT SHOOT.
Location: modern Penthouse in Downtown Atlanta with panoramic views of the city and beyond.
Sexy holiday inspired sets combined with sleek, open and lofty sets will give you a unique set of images that are totally different from anything offered before!
Private boudoir sessions starting at $1399, couples sessions starting at $3195.
Are you ready to...
explore a more sensual side of yourself
look at images of yourself and say HOT DAMN THATS ME!
spice up your sex life
honor your body
Ready to book? Email us and we'll see you soon...
If you're still wondering if this is for you... check out these blogs we recently wrote about
couples boudoir and private boudoir sessions with us.
5 reasons to do a couples boudoir session
Couples boudoir is awesome. The End.
Just kidding... it's not the end! While the pictures speak for themselves, I will never be a "one liner" kinda gal so I am going to tell you WHY it's awesome.
- Celebrate your love: regardless of your age, gender, sexual preference, shape, marital status or anything else a couples boudoir session is for you. The imagery isn't about making you look like a model, it's a celebration of EVERY.DAMN.BIT of your love. Love isn't easy, relationships aren't easy but you've made it together and your love deserves to be celebrated and documented in a sensual, sexual, and safe way that you can look back at for many years to come.
- Reconnect: it's human nature to get comfortable in a relationship. Many couples seek a session as a way to reconnect to each other.
- Explore your sexuality: as we get older our idea of intimacy may change, adding new things to your relationship can spice your sex life up in ways you can't even imagine. Surprise yourself and your partner by exploring new ways to excite each other...
- You are sexy AF together: What could your partner do for you that would speak so hard to your love language that you'd have to jump their bones right then and there? Imagine the sparks, the fire, the intensity! Now, add a fly on the wall to document all that sexiness. I'm that fly! I will guide you 100% of the way, but majority of couples boudoir sessions become candid with minimal guidance about 1/4 of the way in. I want to organically allow the romance and sparks to happen, with minor assistance.
- Awkward or amazing: AMAZING! While it may seem like it could be a super awkward situation, it doesn't stay that way. The school girl giggles are a perfect way to show off your cute and cozy side before we jump into the super sexy sets. I'm here to showcase why your love is amazing, so you get to choose if you want to be modest or risque. I will take the love and emotions of your relationship and make them come to life on my camera. Our clients often have their sessions done at airbnb's that speak to their style and I highly recommend this because it makes the session even more unique!
If you do a google search for "couples boudoir" you'll likely see a lot of fit, tattooed, model-esk people. Don't let this discourage you, as I said before an intimate boudoir session is for everyone. My personal belief for this is because photographers often use models to highlight their creativity and have rights to post the images. I very rarely post images from these sessions, even if our clients provide a full release because the intimacy is for YOU to enjoy.
There isn't a mold on who you need to be in order to do a couples session. Do you have a freak flag? Wave that shit around proudly! But, if you don't its totally fine - our sessions are all tailored to be unique to your relationship. I do my best to tell a story throughout the session, to make it flow in a realistic way that makes it easy (easier) for you to get comfortable and bare it all. It's very rare that someone (whether a single or a couples session) walks into the studio ready to strip down. It's a vulnerable process and I would never want to NOT show that vulnerability - that is part of what makes this a beautiful experience!
I thoroughly believe the most important way to prepare for a couples session is to offer these sessions to existing clients. Having a foundation consisting of trust, faith and experience is necessary to creating the right environment for your couples session. After a woman see's the finished product of her private session she develops a form of confidence that is brought over to the couples boudoir which cannot be coached or guided!
For the month of August we are offering $200 off your couples session, all sessions must be booked by August 31, 2019 and must occur prior to December 31, 2019. Want to get a killer deal on a private solo sesh? Check out these offers, which expire on August 15!
If you've already had a session with us - lets get you on the books for a couples session now! If you are considering a couples session and haven't worked with us yet, contact me to schedule your private boudoir session!
Christmas Sale | Holiday Boudoir
Christmas talk, already? Well, what had happened was... I meant to throw a Christmas in July promo out there but I ran out of days in July. So, let's call this promotion an end of summer sale!
I recently asked the gals in the Glam Gang: Be Shameless page what type of product they would like to have included in the holiday packages this year, our options below are thanks to their suggestions!
All options are for IN STUDIO sessions, not valid for couples sessions, a limit of 15 packages will be sold TOTAL. All sessions must be BOOKED by Sept 15, 2019 - the date of your actual session must take place prior to Nov 15, 2019. Packages are nonrefundable. Option 4 does not guarantee a weekend slot.
Option 1:
- Make up & Hair- two looks
- Two hour session with Jenn, multiple sets & outfit changes- GUARANTEED weekend slot
- Access to studio lingerie
- 8x10 Journal Album with 30 images
- Digital files of album images (30) with a print release
Valued at $3100+, save over $700 with this package for $2375! Only 3 of the above option will be sold.
Option 2:
- Make up & Hair
- One hour session with Jenn, 2-3 outfit changes- GUARANTEED weekend slot
- Access to studio lingerie
- All digital files with a print release
Valued at $2800+, save over $800 with this package for $2000.
Option 3:
- Make up & Hair
- One hour session with Jenn, 2-3 outfit changes- GUARANTEED weekend slot
- Access to studio lingerie
- 10x10 Lux Album with 35 images
Valued at $1800+, save over $200 with this package for $1599.
Option 4:
- Make up & Hair
- One hour session with Jenn, 2-3 outfit changes
- Access to studio lingerie
- 20 digital files with a print release
Valued at $1300+, save over $100 with this package for $1199.
Please contact Jenn at shootme@mirroredimages.net with the option you'd like to purchase - you will receive an email with an invoice within 24 hours. Invoices will be sent on a first come, first serve basis and you will have 24 hours to make payment or the sale will be offered to the next gal on the waiting list.
As mentioned above, option 1 is limited to the first three buyers. A limit of 15 packages will be sold TOTAL. All sessions must be BOOKED by Sept 15, 2019 - the date of your actual session must take place prior to Nov 15, 2019. Packages are nonrefundable. Option 4 does not guarantee a weekend slot. Tax may be added to some items.
This sale ends August 15, 2019 @ midnight or after all 15 packages have been sold.
Sparkle & Celebrate PINK 2019 | Breast Cancer Event
If you're new to the gang you may not be familiar with terms like "Glitter Tits" or "Bedazzle The Boobies" - which is totally fine, because I'm going to explain it all right here.
In 2017 a group of talented artists came together to form Sparkle & Celebrate PINK, an event focused on pampering breast cancer survivors. Myself, Cotton Rouge Makeup & Co, and Staci Gibbs spent the day with 5 women who will forever be deemed the OG's. It was such an emotional and selfishly rewarding day, we decided to make it a thing. Last year talented body painter Natalka Tyniec and hair stylist Kristi Purvis joined us and an even greater level of amazingness was achieved. Click here to see a sponsor list and images from the event.
This year we are adding my good friend Julie Hunter to the list of sponsors, she is boss babe of Creative Road Media and will be providing video for the event!
Well, now it's time to one up that amazingness with our 2019 celebration of beauty and bravery!
“You’ve helped me begin to find myself again. I’m getting more comfortable with how my body has changed and I am learning to embrace it…scars and all. I really thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
“My husband’s reaction to the Sparkle & Celebrate pictures was the best feeling in the world!!!! He is so proud, he wants to share with everybody! I know I am not a model, but after 10 years of hiding….I finally feel whole again. I can never thank you enough – not only for what you did for me on the outside that day, but what you did for me on the inside for a lifetime! Thank you!”
Bustin' The Myths | The Truth Behind Boudoir
We all know the saying, "If I had a dime..." well, true story because if I had a dime for every time I heard the following statements/questions - I'd be a rich bitch! I can tell you that I, a boudoir photographer, say the same shit ya'll do - and I promise that whoever is photographing me gives me the reassurance that I need too. Just because I shoot this style of photography doesn't mean I'm 100% comfortable in my skin. Truth is that by photographing women who I can relate to, it helps me with my own issues and insecurities. A boudoir session isn't just a therapy session for you, it's one for me as well - and I am thankful that you've chosen me as your therapist :)
So, lets knock out these misconceptions one by one...
- "I don't photograph well." - Who does? Unless you are an online influencer, a celebrity, a model, etc you likely cannot take a selfie to save your life. Did you know that most celeb's/influencers have to sign an agreement that they won't leave the house without makeup? That counts me out of that line of work, because I leave the house without make up on 99% of the time. It's my job as the photographer to make sure you DO photograph well, not because I want you to buy the pictures, but because I want you to see yourself how I see you through my lens and how your loved ones see you.
- "I'm not a model." - Good, because I very rarely photograph models and truth be told... I don't know how to work with models the same way. Next...
- "I don't know how to pose." - Again, good, because it's my responsibility to pose you from your head to your toes, and I will. I will literally tell you what to do with every part of your body. I will tell you if it doesn't look right, and I will reposition you or I will reposition myself. If you look in the mirror and you practice posing it's helpful but I likely won't pose you the same way because I don't see you the same way. When I'm in front of the camera, I have NO FLIPPIN IDEA how to pose myself. I'm like a deer in headlights, I rely solely on the photographers direction and I know how important it is that I give you every instruction I can.
- "I may not relax enough." - I'll tell you this is the case 0% of the time. I'm a complete nerd and goof ball when I photograph our clients, and by the time Staci is done with your makeup and hair (with or without the help of wine) you'll already feel like a bombshell. 99% of my clients are walking around naked within the first 15 minutes. It's an extremely private and relaxing experience, you will feel like you got a work out by the end of it but it feels DAMN GOOD to walk around naked with no f*cks to give at anyone seeing you naked (and by anyone, I mean me). In addition to posing your body, I even instruct you on what to do with your face. If you need to fix your face, I'll tell you. Speaking of naked...
- "I don't know if I can get naked." - Girl. It's okay! If you don't want to do nudes, it's okay! There's no rule book that says you have to. Prior to your session you'll get a questionnaire and we'll cover everything I need to know to make your session special. Whether or not you are okay with being naked is part of that questionnaire. We also have a private dressing room for wardrobe changes - so being in the buff in front of me is not mandatory.
- "I'm too old." - When I started boudoir back in 2008 most of my clients were brides to be in their early 20's. Over the last 10 years there's been a major shift, partly because I've grown as a creative, a woman, a mother. I focus on providing a safe environment for women to find their own confidence and beauty by using our studio as a medium. Our clients are typically between 35 and 55 years old, but we've had clients 20 years old and we've had clients 85 years old. Age is just a number, it's not a state of mind and it doesn't matter how old you are (as long as you're legal lol). It shouldn't be a factor in whether or not you do a session.
- "I need to drop some lb's before I do this" - No, no you definitely do not have to. If you are on a mission to better your health and weight loss is part of that journey and you want to document your success, then sure wait until you hit your goal. But, if you look in the mirror and you aren't happy with yourself - then you DO NOT need to wait to do this. You need to do it now, like right now. Depression and self doubt will only hinder your ability to make better lifestyle choices - so, if you use an empowering experience like boudoir to jump start the next chapter in life it WILL help you get there. Stop looking at yourself for what you could be or should be and start looking at yourself for who you are today and the battles you've conquered thus far.
- "My friends and family won't understand." - Maybe not, but they don't have to know. We ask every client for the ability to share their images with potential clients, but if you are afraid that your friends and family will see the images... then you can say no! There is no extra fee for not giving us permission to use your images, in fact 10 years ago we rarely had anyone agree to allowing us the ability to use their images. Girlfriend, times have definitely changed because majority of our clients do give us a release. Our clients are proud to show off their images! It's not arrogance to share your images, it's honorable. People constantly post images of them at the gym, their muscle gains, weight loss gains, etc. Why not post image of your self confidence gains? How is that any more arrogant or conceited?
- "My (significant other) doesn't like other people seeing me naked." Don't even get me started. It's YOUR body. It truly is tragic if your lover can not appreciate and support your decision to feel better about yourself. I understand their reasoning, they're protective, etc etc - but this is a private session and I'm a professional, not only a boudoir photographer but a full time emergency room registered nurse and I've seen people naked every day for nearly 15 years.
- "What am I going to do with the pictures?" - Umm... LOVE THEM!! You can have digital files, an album, wall art, or a number or other ways to remind yourself daily how amazing you are. No one has to see these images but you, if you choose that. These images, this experience, this is all for you. Having a shitty day? Pull the pictures up and feel better. Hubby going on travel? Send your album with him so he has you with him. Have a girlfriend that you feel could benefit from boudoir the way you did? Share your experience with her! Sometime you need moral support and someone close to you to tell you it's OKAY to do this for yourself. You could be that person for someone else. See my last blog about ordering wall art here.
- "It's expensive..."- Do you shop around for a bargain hair dresser, a cheap doctor, an inexpensive masseuse? Maybe you do, which is totally fine - I'm a bargain shopper too! I typically bargain shop when it comes to clothing, shoes, makeup, vacations, and much more. But, when it comes to a service I'm a little more appreciative of the cost. I know that it takes education, quality equipment, overhead, experience, and time to perfect a craft and I'm willing to pay extra to make sure I get what I pay for. I recently wrote a blog about choosing a boudoir photographer - you can read it here. Our products start at $300 and we offer payment plans so that we can appeal to all budgets.
Bottom line, you deserve to love yourself for who you are. Boudoir isn't the end all be all, but it is a great start on that journey. We're here for you if you need us. <3 <3
We wrote a blog about this over a year ago, but felt it was such an important topic that we readdress it and add new items in. Why Boudoir Is For Every Woman was our first blog on this topic.
xoxo, Jenn
Stand Proud | Atlanta Boudoir Specialist
So, you make the first move... you contact the boudoir photog that you've researched and you KNOW is for you. Now what? Well, hopefully they send you a prep guide or have some sort of consultation where a lot of your questions will be answered, but where is your head when it comes to the final product? Do you want an handcrafted album, digital files, wall art, speciality art (metals, canvas, etc), a handful of prints, or do you have NO idea what you want?
Albums are amazing reminders of how incredible you are. Digital files are fantastic for on the go folks. But, wall art... it makes my heart SO happy! But, think about the whole picture for a moment. You booked a boudoir for what reason? Was it because you needed to look at yourself differently, a confidence boost, a constant reminder of who you are in life right now? Whatever the reason was, it wasn't so that you could hide in a drawer or a closet. I'm going to tell you why getting wall art is the best decision you'll make.
Hanging an image of yourself (not surrounded by your family) isn't being conceded or vain, it's a daily reminder of YOU that you deserve to see. And, if it's a boudoir photograph it's a very raw and vulnerable form of yourself. During our sessions I am very aware of the style of images I am capturing and I always include a lot of artistic images that most folks would NEVER KNOW IT WAS YOU unless you told them. We use our vintage claw foot tub for a lot of these images, because they're perfect to put in your master bathroom or bedroom. A sexy silhouette in the living room? Why not? If you take a moment and think about the images your friends and families have on their walls, stock images, images that came with the frame or they paid for online... are sexy silhouettes not something you see a lot?
Be proud of the battles you have conquered, the ground you have walked on, the obstacles you defeated.
Read our previous blog Is Boudoir For You? For more information on picking a boudoir photographer.
Is Boudoir For You? | North Georgia Boudoir Studio
I always want to know what brought you to boudoir. For some, it's a gift for a lover. But, most of our clients come to us because they have a need. They need to feel beautiful, sexy, empowered, confident... they need to see theirselves as others see them. They need to document this stage in their life, for whatever reason (marriage, divorce, maternity, post baby, workout gains, spice up the sexy life). There truly is no right or wrong answer to why you need to do a boudoir session (yes, I said "need").
When you start your search for a boudoir photographer, you likely have no idea what to look for but price is usually a main factor. It's extremely important for your photographer to be a good match for you, and to provide you with what you need. It hurts my heart when I hear horror stories from clients that hired a photographer who didn't fulfill their needs and ultimately made them feel bad about theirselves. I want to make sure every client that we photograph is a good fit for us, and that we're a good fit for them. Finding out why you need a boudoir session is just as important as you knowing why we need to shoot boudoir.
In addition to finding out a photographers reason for shooting boudoir, you should also find out how often they shoot (specifically boudoir), is it just a seasonal gig (Christmas & Valentines), do they have a safe and private studio space, do they offer wardrobe options, do they focus on the client experience or is their purpose to just give you a few photo's to share with a lover, do they have good reviews and client testimonials, do they edit, and if they do - how much do they edit, do they pose you in flattering positions, or do they spend hours photoshopping your body to the point that it's no where near real life? It's also important to know if make up and hair is offered on site, is there assistance preparing for the shoot, are they available to answer your questions, is their response time quick, what type of products are offered, what is the quality of the product, are they active in boudoir communities (this may seem like a silly one, but it helps photographers grow creatively).
Look through their website images, instagram, facebook, etc. Are you drawn to their particular style? I personally shoot mostly moody, but often throw in a few "light and fluffy" style images - but if you want all very light and airy, I'm likely not the photographer for you. When you look at my images, I want you to say "I wish I could do that" because you can do it and that girl in the picture can be you. But, if you look at my pictures and say WTF is that?! I'm not your girl. While looking through their portfolios also look for a variety of body types, heights, ages, ethnicities, shapes, etc.
Final words of wisdom: don't pick a photographer for anything based solely on price. Do your research and save your money so you can hire someone who fits your needs!