Client Interview: A boudoir session 20 years in the making.
1. How old are you?
I am 53
2. What do you do for a living?
I am a Nurse Practitioner
3. What/who made you decide to book a boudoir session?
About 20 years ago, I had some photos done by a photographer (your basic portrait type photos) and in his studio was a picture he had taken of his wife. It was the most beautiful photo I had ever seen. She was on a beach, black and white, a sheer shirt on that was very revealing, but so beautiful, artistic and tasteful. I was admiring it for a while, the photographer said "we should get some photos like this of you." I was completely horrified at the idea of that! I thought, "What would people think?" However, I was intrigued, and I never forgot about it.
Over the years since then I have continued to seek out photos like that and admire them, always in the back of my mind "I would love to do that... but would never have the guts" Well, I turned 50 and somehow the idea of doing it seemed a bit less scary. I also started thinking there would be an age in the not to distant future that I might be too old (now I'm not so sure about that). I have been working out ALOT was pretty happy with my body right now so I said "let's do it". I still wasn't completely sure until I was actually sitting in the shoot that I was going to go through with it.... But I did, and I'm so glad!
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4. Did you have any obstacles or fears about boudoir?
What fears didn't I have?! "I'm so old, I'm fat, I have so many scars from all my surgeries, I will look ridiculous, no actually I am ridiculous, what if someone sees them, or even worse, what if no one sees them...." pretty much you name a fear, I had it.
5. Why did you choose OWN?
I researched a few photographers and one had recommended Sarah, and that she had a studio we could do the shoot in, which was a plus. Then, I spoke with Sarah on the phone and she was very easy to talk to, she also seemed open to my artistic vision and most of all, she didn't laugh when I told her how old I was.
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6. How was the actual session different from what you expected (if at all)?
The session was SO much harder than I expected. I had heard models say what hard work it was, and I was always thinking "oh right, so hard to stand there in your gorgeous clothes with that perfect figure." My idea of hard work with my job is cleaning up many different unpleasant body fluids, lifting heavy people, dirty nurse jobs. Well, I won't say it was THAT hard but it was very physically tiring, I had very sore muscles (especially my calves and back) for a week. On a more spiritual note it was VERY empowering. Sarah was SO positive, kept telling me I was stunning (I mean how hard is that to hear for 2 hours) and beautiful. It felt so good to do something I had wanted to do for SO long and feel brave. Its not brave if you are not scared.
7. What was your favorite part of the entire experience? (priming, the shoot, seeing images, giving the images..etc) *See answer below for 7&8
8. How has the response been to your images?
My favorite part hands down was the "preview" Sarah sent me a couple days after my shoot. I looked at one of the photos, stared for a few minutes and said to myself, "Is that really me? Holy sh*#t, I look pretty damn good!" I was even compelled to share the images with some friends (and a cute guy I have a crush on), something I NEVER would have thought I would do. I got amazing feedback from those I showed it to. That was maybe my 2nd favorite part... at least the feedback from the cute guy.
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9. Any advice for women interested in such a session?
My advice, hands down, is a resounding "DO IT!" I think we are all beautiful, and it's just really hard to see it in ourselves. Sarah has an amazing eye and talent of bringing out our strengths and beauty. The empowerment I feel when looking at the photos, knowing there is a mark in time of my beauty no matter what happens in the future is so cool. Life is so short and you never know what might happen (I know from experience, look at the scars on my photos) seize the day.
10. Did anything change about the way you see your own beauty as a result of this session?
Ok I will be brutally honest here... I have always been very self-conscious about my breasts, I thought they were small, ugly, made me undesirable because all men (and women) like big breasts. Well the pictures make them look AMAZING... That is the comment I got from everyone who saw the pictures, mostly women, saying I had the most beautiful breasts. It has changed my perception 100%. I'm now proud of them and would list it as one of my best features. Talk about a turn around!
