Sometimes the process of having your boudoir session is just as important as the resulting images. Yes, you look beautiful. Yes, the angles and lighting and champagne were ALL a big fan of you. However, sometimes it's the process itself that means the most. 

 

Reading through the words of my clients is one of my favorite things to do. While we get to talk and connect at your session, reading what clients have intentionally put on to paper (or...you know, a virtual paper) is incredibly special to me. Those words are chosen, thought about, and given to me. They create thoughts of joy, excitement, criticisms, nervousness, revelry, and humor!

Receiving the "client interview" back (which is what we call it here at the studio since we are soooo creative) is exciting because we get to read through intentional thoughts. The "client interview" is exciting for YOU guys, as clients and potential clients, because you have the ability to listen to someone else's experience and possibly find a commonality, ever how small, that speaks to you.

This current interview is full of a very real approach to the process behind her booking a boudoir session with OWN (and at all!). She is amazing, and I'm so lucky to have been able to be the catalyst to her finding the "beautiful person [that] has been lurking underneath".

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

42. I'm less embarrassed by my age than what I was listening to at age 14. :)

2) What do you do for a living?

I'm a freelance writer and Pilates teacher.

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

I've probably been wanting to book a session for at least five years, maybe more. I have Pinterest boards dedicated to it. I just never knew who to go to or had the confidence to go for it. A friend of mine booked a session for her 40th and shared a couple of her photos, so I decided to book a session for myself. Having a mutual friend recommend services was key.

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

I grew up doing choir and theatre and work in fitness, so had no issues about my body or being in front of something else half naked. My main concern was about posing, and the photos not looking contrived or silly or unnatural. But Sarah's directions were so precise, everything felt natural and easy and comfortable.

5) Why did you choose OWN? 

A personal recommendation from a friend, plus the message of body acceptance--more than acceptance really. Celebration. Of embracing who and where you are right now. That sense of empowerment plus the stunning images really sold me.

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

Posing was hard! At least holding the poses. It was kind of like being in a yoga class, but in lingerie. Also, I'm surprised I managed to look so sexy when I was really laughing the whole time!

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

Actually, the shoot itself. It was so fun and empowering. I had the best time. Even seeing the preview of the shots was enough for me. I loved the final images, but for me, embracing the process was the height of my experience.

8) How has the response been to your images?

Well, they were my most liked photos on Instagram in 2017! Hahaha. Some people said that they thought it was an ad when they were scrolling through. Mostly, it made me want to put on lingerie, drink champagne, have my hair and makeup done, and take sexy photos every day!

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

Go for it! Don't wait until you feel you've lost those last five pounds. Embrace who you are right now. Or as I say, now that I'm in my 40s, you're never going to be as young and hot as you are right this very moment! But really, it was a super empowering and confidence boosting experience I think everyone should embrace.

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

For sure. I have struggled with disordered eating most of my life. I teach fitness and am a fairly competitive runner and STILL find ways to beat myself up or bash my appearance almost daily. Seeing myself from afar--through the lens of another, literally--made me realize that beauty and confidence aren't about the size of your jeans or your age or the number on the scale. Beauty is confidence and embracing who and where you are in the moment. And yes, it was nice to have someone do my hair and makeup and shoot my best angles, but that beautiful person has always been lurking there underneath. I just needed to find her. 

When your boudoir session acts as a step toward loving your self above all else

Reading through the personal interviews of my clients is one of my favorite parts about their boudoir experience. Each client's story is as different as their personalities, and each client's goal is as different as their lingerie style. When reading through this lovely woman's interview I was reminded of a thought that so often prevents us from existing happily and confidently in our lives. So many of us walk through life being our own worst critic. We over-analyze our side profiles, we pay too much attention to our pores, we've convinced ourselves that our mouth "does a weird thing" when we smile, and we can't get out of social media unscathed with the constant comparing of ourselves to every one else. 

Reading through this interview made me so excited and impressed that my client's approach to her boudoir session was to "silence [her] inner critic". She came into her session anxious as ever (and we quickly decided to use the word "excited" instead of anxious!). Through the hair and makeup process and the posing I saw her come alive in her OWN way, and finally be proud to see herself in her images. For me, I feel selfishly rewarded.... kind of in an "I told you so!!!" way. But really, I am so proud of her and honored that I was one of the steps on her journey to evict her inner critic. 

Read on and take one step to silence your inner critic today, too.

-Sarah

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

I'm 29

2) What do you do for a living?

I am a student studying computer science

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

I wanted to have a snapshot of how my body looked and how I felt at this particular moment in time. I've been quick to judge and hate on literally any/all pictures of me immediately after they were taken, only to come back and look at those same pictures years later and be shocked that those "horrible" pictures of have actually been quite flattering all along. So I wanted to silence that inner critic once and for all and get some phenomenal pics of me taken. 

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

My main obstacle was making all of the decisions leading up to the photoshoot, especially finding inspo pics and picking out outfits. Fortunately, everyone at OWN was super helpful and were always a quick phone-call or text message away! Whew! 

5) Why did you choose OWN? 

I love how unique each of the boudoir sessions on the OWN blog are; none of OWN's images I found while I was researching felt cookie-cutter to me. I knew I wanted classy and timeless pictures, and that was definitely the vibe I picked up while I was scrolling through the blog and instagram. 

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

The session was laid-back and fun straight from the get go! I was initially nervous about how I was supposed to pose since I've never done anything like this before. But Sarah was so precise in telling me how to move my body that those went away quickly. 

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

Definitely seeing the final images was my favorite aspect of it. Seeing those pics for the first time and knowing that all the planning and preparation paid off! 

8) How has the response been to your images?

Super positive :) 

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

If you're interested you should do it! I'd been following OWN for years on instagram and always thought I'd do a photoshoot once I lost some weight or once I get a new job or some other excuse; we will always find a reason to not do something. It can be empowering to put those excuses aside and do the thing anyway.  

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

 Absolutely! Seeing these pics made me realize that the "flaws" on my body I always seem to notice don't get picked up by the camera or by other people. I'm kinder to myself.