Why Every Woman Should Do A Boudoir Shoot #ClothingOptional
Whether you’re single, married, or something in between a boudoir shoot will change your life as a woman. I want to share with you my reluctant road to stripping down and why it made me feel more powerful than ever.
A few weeks before my wedding I was browsing through photographers looking for someone to take some intimate photos of me in my skivvies. I have to say I was a little intimidated mixed with feelings of excitement overshadowed by thoughts of…”What if I can’t be sexy and I just look awkward?”
I ended up choosing my friend, Hattie Root Photography. I felt confident in my decision as she is talented, female and bonus, I know her. *I suggest finding someone you know, (or someone recommended by someone you know and trust) and a female, however everybody is different.
With a date set and a talented photographer booked I was preparing myself mentally for the shoot where I was going to bare all.
And then, my typical female insecurities started to pop up at the realization of being basically naked in front of a camera. What if the photos suck, what if I look too big or I’m too shy. Doesn’t the camera add ten pounds?
I took to treating my insecurities with positive affirmations, hydration and I ate healthier knowing this shoot was coming up. I wanted to feel my best. It wasn’t about losing weight it was about feeling my best with no excuses.
*If you deal with body image insecurities, which can seem inescapable at times, you have to stand against those negative voices that rattle nonsense in your head. Do not encourage them or meditate with them too long. Counter the negative with positive affirmations about yourself, your surroundings, your blessings. Smile at yourself. It doesn’t have to be in front of a mirror, it’s for you only because you are alive and healthy and beautiful. You are meant to be free of insecurities! Resist the urge to mask them and take the time to treat them. Learn to play up your positives. This is the road to living to your full potential. I promise, the more you practice treating insecurity the less often it appears.
The day of the shoot arrives. I am so excited I wake up extra early to do my hair and *makeup and leave the house feeling like a Victoria Secret model. I recently had my bachelorette party and with a whole box of goodies from La Senza and Knickers Lingerie, I was already styling myself in my head.
*Because I was doing my own makeup and didn’t want to bother with a full makeup change in between. I did a soft smokey grey eye with shimmery highlights in the inner corners for the extra pop and switched up my lipstick instead. I did a natural lip with a bit of gloss and switched to fire engine red to heat things up. As for hair: curls and Joico hairspray does the trick!
After all that fussing, the shoot was so much fun! It’s not very often you dress up like a Victoria’s Secret model. Well, maybe you do, but it’s not often that you get to actually be one. If you can learn from me, embrace it, enjoy it and let go (of your insecurities, or whatever holds you back).
Hattie was great at making me feel comfortable and gently directing for the best shots. I felt sexy, beautiful and empowered in all my glorious femaleness. I allowed myself to fully embrace the power we are gifted with as women and I did it through vulnerability and self-acceptance. I was unashamed, as God intended. It was freeing.
The photos I have from my Boudoir shoot ended up being just as much for myself as for my husband to be. I look at them and think, holy smokes, that’s me? Dang, I’m a sexy woman. And you know what else? Next time I feel an insecurity rise, or I see an ad of a scantily clad woman staring into my soul with her burgeoning confidence I think, “I’ve got a photo just like that where I look and feel just as sexy and confident.”
Remembering these photos acts like an instant pass on unwanted feelings of self doubt. And with that, I walk a little taller, smile brighter and am ready to take on the world. You won’t find me hiding.
Sincerely and Honestly,
Kira
***Footnote: Since doing my own boudoir shoot, I have had the pleasure of being a make-up artist and stylist on another shoot for a friend of a friend. Again, amazing to see how the initial shy-ness drops away and a sexy and confident woman begins to shine! I love seeing the transformation as a woman discovers her inner confidence… it shines on the outside too!
