I would like to start off by saying that I commend women that book a boudoir session. There is something to be said about a person who goes out of their way to have their half-naked body photographed by someone they don't know. I mean, maybe to some it sounds like fun but to the majority of us it is a tad scary. But with that being said a lot of women book boudoir sessions, why is that?
1. Women know they are beautiful. Women know they are beautiful and on top of that they find it is important to celebrate that. From a very young age, I noticed right away how uniquely pretty each woman was. I then noticed how some really embraced what was different about them such as their curves, their freckles or big curly hair. And, I know I am not alone here. I know women see the beauty in others and I am KNOW they see that beauty in themselves (even if it is hidden deep down). I’ve photographed a lot of different kinds of women throughout my boudoir career. And although, booking a boudoir session can be scary. I know a lot of women do it because they understand, even if subconsciously, that they are beautiful and they want to celebrate it.
2. They need a day off to just be with themselves. I have noticed that there comes a point for many women when they grow tired of saying yes to everyone. So many of my clients tell me that this is their first day away from their children or they purposefully took this Friday off to have a day to themselves. They booked the boudoir session as a way to treat themselves because they realized that it's been way too long since they've done something just for them. I know as a woman that we always try to do it all (I am guilty of this myself) but eventually, we all reach a point where we say ‘SCREW THIS! I AM SPOILING MYSELF”. And sometimes that looks like a day off reading a book, going to the spa, and sometimes that looks like a day of pampering and getting beautiful boudoir photos. As I continue to notice this sense of selflessness from women, it drives me even more to photograph boudoir because to me that is a liberated movement I want to be a part of.
3. They notice that there is beauty in different stages of their life. I have had clients in their early twenties, pregnant clients, clients with three children and clients with grandchildren. I feel boudoir photography is a way to remember how hot you were in your 20's or in your 50's. We are going to change as we go through life and honestly I feel each stage of life should be celebrated in a way that speaks to you. How many times have you looked backed on a photo and wished you looked that way or wish your hair was the same 10 or 20 years ago? Can you imagine your future self looking back at photos of you now thinking the same thing? It is all about perspective and I really want to promote that we just accept our beautiful healthy bodies now and own it! Even if it is not a boudoir session at least alter the perspective that you are gorgeous right now. And thankfully I have had many clients who understand this and want to honour themselves through boudoir photography.
Boudoir photography is so much more than sexy photos of yourself to give to your partner. It really is much deeper than that. When I started this career my main goal was to get women to see that they are beautiful but what this career has taught me is that a lot of women already see that just sometimes they need a little push, one photo to show them what they already see in themselves and I am so happy to do that through boudoir photography.
Always,
Diane
