One of the best parts about photographing boudoir sessions for individual women is that I get to bring you stories of life and purpose that will hopefully resonate with you. Boudoir photography, while resulting in killer imagery (especially at my new studio here in Atlanta!), is still a product of a journey for most of my clients. 

We have events in our lives, milestones, relationships, random Tuesdays, etc that shape our views of ourselves (for better and for worse!). It's incredible to watch a new sense of OWNership and love-of-self take over after the boudoir experience. This lovely woman came to me at our Atlanta boudoir studio out of celebration and I loved reading her story. Check it out below!

1) How old are you... or if you prefer, who were you listening to at age 14 :)? 

I just celebrated my ’50-again’ birthday in December

2) What do you do for a living?

I am an Information Technology Manager

3) What/who made you decide to book a boudoir session?

Divorce after 25 years of being married, relocating to Atlanta, starting a new job, new life – [I] wanted to celebrate me and all I have become

4) Did you have any obstacles or fears about boudoir?

LOL, like most people, I’m sure, I was concerned about how this body really looked!

5) Why did you choose OWN? 

After seeing the pictures on the website and the tasteful, sensuous, artistic expressions of all types of women, I knew Sarah was a skilled professional

6) How was the actual session different from what you expected (if at all)?

It was much more personalized and casual and relaxing than I expected….it was like spending the afternoon with a good girlfriend! The way Sarah directed me to pose was incredibly easy but produced magnificent results!!

7) What was your favorite part of the entire experience? (priming, the shoot, seeing images, giving the images..etc)

Hard to pick a favorite; the entire experience was uplifting and confidence building. Probably the most surprising and pleasing part was seeing the images and thinking “ damn, is that really me?!”

8) How has the response been to your images?

Very consistent – gasp of air, jaws dropped, then “WOW”

9) What is your advice for women interested in such a session? –

DO NOT WAIT, do it now!

10) Did anything change about the way you see your own beauty as a result of this session?

Absolutely. More confident. I am gorgeous

**This is a revisit to a post that I wrote at this time last year (original post and photos here). My life has changed SO much in the last year. For example, this time last year I was on a girl's trip to Greece taking every advantage of my single hood. This year I'm currently sitting in a hotel in Florence, Italy with my boyfriend of a year. I'm reposting this because I know there has to be at least one person going through a similar situation as I was last year. I've talking to so many of my boudoir clients (both my boudoir clients in Atlanta and ALL around the worlds) and our personal struggles are often so similar so we should never feel alone. Ok the end :) Read on for the full post and to see some photos from our current trip!  

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If you've spent more than 5 minutes with me over the last 5 months then you've heard me talk excitedly about my newfound single-hood. There has been a LOT of traveling, in fact one of my BFFs asked me if I even lived in Atlanta anymore. (The answer is 'yes' I do still live in Atlanta, and I also live at the Atlanta airport. Shout out to the SkyClub at concourse B!)

This stage in my life has been named and re-named a few times and to be completely forward with you guys.. the current operating title is 'Hoe phase'. ;) I'm out there letting my freak flag fly and enjoying every minute of it. Don't get me wrong, cashing 'flirt' checks isn't how I fill the entirety of my time, but it holds a pretty big piece of the pie-chart. 

For the first time in five and a half years I am living life on my own, but I am not 'alone'.  

I'll admit that even though my relationship ended amicably, at first I was a little bitter and lost. My ex got to 'keep' our circle of friends. He 'got' to keep the apartment. Outside of no longer having me in his life (which as we all know is a terrible thing since I am so amazing hahahahaha) it seemed as if he didn't really have anything that changed. He owns a lot of clothes so at the very best he got to take over a second closet. I was the one that was immediately thrown into finding a new circle of friends, creating new routines, and frequenting foreign coffee shops. 

It took me all of about a week to get over the feeling of eye-rolling bitterness. To my surprise, the relationships and experiences that I have had over the last 5 months have been extraordinary. It really is fascinating the experiences that are easy to say 'YES' to when you have zero commitments telling you to say 'NO'. Of course right now my only voice-of-no is my wallet ;) I've met more people, travelled to more places, and tried more new experiences than I did in five and a half years. 

I say this to say. I am not 'alone'. 

A girlfriend and I had dinner a few months ago and she asked me if I was worried that I had spent 5years of my life with someone and had to 'start over' by being alone in my 30s. Let's all give her a bit of grace and assume she didn't mean that in a completely demeaning way. Had I not known this girl for 25 years I probably would have been offended, but I wasn't. There are as many different values as there are people in this world, and I've never been one to really have a romantic relationship as a top value.

The idea of not really caring either way about having a relationship with someone else is a foreign concept to some. With regards to the subject of boudoir, I'm often met with puzzled faces when I mention that a boudoir session is often done because my clients want the photos for 'just' themselves.

"Just". 

Fuck that word. 

"Just" yourself is enough. There is no one on this earth that you should love and honor more than yourself. It is wonderful to love someone else and to be loved by someone else, but you are also enough when you are "just" you. If you aren't in a romantic partnership you are not alone. I am not alone. If you ARE in a romantic partnership, you are not alone. I am not alone. We are living our lives. We may go to bed solo or *feeling* solo, but we are not alone. We have a world of common interests (I mean, you are reading this blog... presumably with like ONE other person) that gives us community. 

My girlfriend I was talking about is constantly trying to hook me up with any single male she meets.

"Just go on ONE date" she says.

"I do not want to date anyone" I say.

"Just ONE" she says. 

::there's that word 'just' again::

"I do not want to date anyone" I repeat.

"Ok well keep thinking about it" she forces. 

::eye roll::

I am not alone. I am ME. And I am enough. You are not alone. You are YOU. And you are enough.