Isn’t She Lovely……
Like many of us, Lori sometimes doesn’t love the way she looks in pictures. Especially after all of the cancer treatments and testing she has endured….Her scars stare back at her every time she looks in the mirror. There have been stretches of time in which she didn’t feel like a woman because of everything she’s been through. That being said, she has now done TWO boudoir sessions and both have been life changing.
For her especially, booking a boudoir shoot felt like a crazy idea. It was meant to be a gift for her husband, who is always reminding her of how beautiful she is. But she needed to regain that confidence she once had in herself, so she began researching boudoir photographers in the area. She came across Honey Suckle Boudoir and shared that she really felt a connection to Jamie and appreciated the overall vibe of both her personality and her business.
After booking her first session, she shared with some friends what she was up to and instead of calling her crazy and making her feel like maybe she couldn’t do it, they were supportive and excited to see her photos. Her husband also knew that she was going to be doing a shoot and he, too, was stoked for her to have the experience, and even more excited to see the final photos!
She prepared for her shoot as best she could including getting her hair and nails done, getting some gorgeous fresh color in her hair, and made sure to be extra kind to her skin for the two weeks leading up to the session. She also had a Style Consultation with Jamie, where they worked out what outfits she would wear and what the overall aesthetic was that she was going for.
Then it was here- the Boudoir Shoot Day! She arrived at the studio feeling nervous, as most clients do, but once she sat in the styling chair she started to relax a bit through the glam process.
The first session, she says she stepped a little out of her comfort zone including doing the ever-popular shower set, and was SO glad she did! She said she still felt a little reserved after the first session being that it was a new and different experience, but then she took the leap AGAIN and booked a second session.
The second time around, she ventured even further out of her comfort zone and upped the sensuality of the session. Hair and makeup stylists, Noelani and Amanda, glammed her up with a vintage starlet look and she and Jamie did some ultra-sexy shots, that were reminiscent of the infamous sexy legend herself, Marilyn Monroe.
Once again, Lori’s husband was a HUGE fan of all of her photos, but she says more importantly, SHE loves them.
Lori’s Perspective
“I was trying to put on a brave face as I laid out my outfits for the day, all while chatting with Jamie, Noelani and Amanda, the hair and makeup artists. I’m so out of my element, I thought. I’m not sexy. What if my husband doesn’t like the pictures after all? I was whisked into the hair and makeup chair soon after.
“What are you going for today?” Amanda asked me.
“Well…I would like to do something glam…but I am not sure….” I was staring at myself in the mirror, the fluorescent bulbs highlighting the blemishes on my face. I didn’t know how to reply.
“Do you like curls?”
I smiled. I loved when my hair was curled. While I was getting my hair and makeup done, Amanda and Noelani were chatting with me about life, work, photography. I even made a joke about being half naked in front of a group of strangers- and they laughed! Maybe I can do this. Their positive energy wa electric and I instantly felt comfortable. Especially when I looked at myself in the mirror once I was done in the chair. I couldn’t stop staring. Could I really look that pretty?! I genuinely didn’t recognize the woman in the mirror- the same mirror where I had just focused on the imperfections of my face. Why was I so obsessed with focusing on the negative?
It’s really all about jumping off that cliff- even if you have a fear of heights. The cliff where all your insecurities hang out and whisper those non-truths into your soul. The cliff where you have never felt good enough. The cliff where we judge other women for what they look like. The cliff’s edge that is too damn perfect to leave most days.
But I was determined for today to not be that day. If I could face cancer, not only once but twice, I could jump off this cliff of imperfection.
“Look how stunning you are,” Jamie rushed over to show me a picture on the camera. And I started to believe it.
Even if I had to step WAY outside my comfort zone during the shoot. Even if I had to side step those feelings of fear and uncertainty. Even if I had to cling to the green velvet couch for dear life while I arched my back and let myself feel free.
You would never think that putting your clothes back on for the Reveal appointment would actually be the most nerve-wracking part! Jamie showed me picture after picture- a woman I hardly recognized.
“Is that me?! That’s not me!!” I kept saying.
“Yes, girl! That IS you!” Jamie kept responding. I didn’t focus on the flaws and imperfections that plagued my daily life. It was so liberating. For the very first time, I genuinely didn’t feel weighed down by those thoughts. Maybe it took Jamie’s perspective for me to see myself in a true light. That stunning woman in the photos WAS me!
The woman who had endured cancer treatment after cancer treatment. The testing, the pokes, and oh God, the scars. The scars I hated so much that made me feel less than for so long. I didn’t care about them anymore.
I felt like I was on top of the world. Is this what it feels like to see me through my husband’s eyes? Is this what it felt like to love yourself?
I knew that if I felt this way, there was no way on Earth he wouldn’t be surprised. I decided to get a photo album- 20 glorious and glossy prints from the boudoir shoot that I flip through myself every chance I get. I might look at them more than he does! It’s a daily reminder that my self-image has completely changed for the better after having a boudoir session. A new level of confidence and acceptance became a part of my everyday life…All thanks to Jamie and her team.
I feel empowered just being….well, me. I realized that in giving my husband this gift, I’d given myself the best gift of all.
Love.”
Ready to chat about your boudoir experience? Schedule your complimentary consultation here!
