Why Boudoir?

To me, ultimately boudoir should be a love letter to all of the parts of your body that you love and also the parts that you don’t. I think it should be for every body and every gender. Boudoir should celebrate your body the way it is and not try to make it fit a patriarchal and colonialist standard of beauty. I have seen over and over again the power of seeing your body as art and I think that is a beautiful and amazing thing. I have cried with people in photo reveal sessions. I have held space for processing the reclaiming of their body and their sexuality. I have allowed people to feel the feelings about their bodies. Which I suppose is the point. Boudoir should be a container and a safe space to explore not only what your body looks like, but also what it feels like and all of the emotions that go with it. It should be a space to frolic naked in the woods and/or to reclaim a sexuality that has often been defined for us. So I suppose that is my why. My why is giving as many people as I can the space to simply be themselves in their bodies in the moment in time.

But often when I looked through images of boudoir photos, I couldn’t shake the fact that it seemed to be for a very specific set of people. Mostly for femmes who wanted full hair and makeup. I also hated the way that retouching smoothed over peoples bodies, edited out wrinkles, and posing that always seemed to be aimed at one definition of what ‘sexy’ was supposed to look like. So I decided I wanted to do boudoir a little differently. I was told over and over again that I couldn’t run a successful boudoir business without hair and makeup being part of the process. Male photographers told me women didn’t want to be photographed without makeup. And now I get people who come to me specifically because I believe that you should have total autonomy over what you look like for the shoot. If that means you love that sparkly eye shadow, awesome. If that means you’re a messy bun and chapstick person, also amazing. Because in the end, boudoir should be about you. You should be able to look at the photos and see yourself. Yourself through an artists lens, but yourself in all the pieces, the ones you like and also the pieces that you don’t. The wrinkles that tell the story of a millions smiles. The stretch marks on your belly from creating a child. The scars from falling off your bike. The rolls because all bodies have rolls. The nose that reminds you of your dad. I have no desire to erase any of those pieces, and I hope, that through pictures, you may be able to look at them with slightly kinder eyes too.

FAQ and Topics

Editing Philosophy

I do not dramatically edit my photos. Most of my images are only edited for lighting and color correction. I have not and do not remove wrinkles, rolls, cellulite, etc. To me, all of those pieces are what makes you beautiful and makes you you. They are part of what tells your story and I want to tell your story. I will remove acne, bruises, and self harm scars upon request. If you are looking for someone who will more radically alter your image, I am not the photographer for you. And that is totally okay! I am happy to refer you to other photographers who retouch their images if that is what you are looking for :) My top priority is for you to have the experience that you are looking for and sometimes I just may not be able to give it.

Do I have to share my photos?

No. What you decide to do with your photos is entirely up to you. Should you decide to allow me to use your photos on my social media or website, I will have you fill out a media release form that specifies either a full media release or a media release for only non-identifiable photos. My top priority is your comfort and you have complete control over your images.

What if I don’t know how to pose for boudoir?

That’s okay! Most of my clients don’t, and that’s why I’m here. Part of your pre-shoot check-in will include a conversation about the type of image you are looking for, whether there are any poses that you cannot do, and whether there are any poses or parts of your body that make you uncomfortable or create gender dysmorphia. I will keep all of these things in mind when designing your session. And lastly, I always ask how much you want to be posed. I love posing as it gives you the chance to see yourself in a different light, but I also recognize that it is a very curated process so I also offer unposed intimate portraiture sessions. These are specifically designed to allow you to celebrate your body in its entirety. If you’re interested about my process with those, send me an email or give me a call! I am always happy to chat about art, bodies, and feminism.

Do I need to be a woman to book a boudoir session?

Absolutely not. Boudoir is for people of all identities, bodies, abilities, and orientations. I do charge $100 extra for cis men who I do not know or know someone who can vouch for them. I hire a male assistant for the shoots for my own safety and have to be able to cover that cost.

Is there an age limit for boudoir?

There is no upper age limit—boudoir is for every body at every age. But, you must be older than 21.

What should I wear for a boudoir shoot?

Everything or nothing at all! Clothing options range from dresses to lingerie, from sports bras to boxers, and from jeans to nothing whatsoever. What you choose to wear comes down to what makes you comfortable, how you identify, and what empowers you. But personally? I love the simplicity and beauty of nothing at all. I love the freedom it allows, I love that there are no distraction from the art that is your body.