Have you been thinking about doing a boudoir session for a while now, but there's just something holding you back? Don't worry you're not alone! Booking a boudoir session can definitely seem scary, and takes a whole lot of stepping out of your comfort zone. But I can assure you that the end result is SO worth it!
Over the years I've had many women tell me that they are interested in doing a boudoir session, but talk themselves out of it for a certain reason. I hear the SAME excuses as to why they can't do a boudoir session, time and time again! It makes me cringe because the same reason why you think you "can't" do a boudoir session are the reasons why you SHOULD be doing a boudoir session!
Today, I'm going to cover the top 5 excuses I hear from women as to why they can't do a boudoir session and why these excuses are FALSE! You don't need to keep letting these excuses hold you back from something you've always wanted to do! You can do a boudoir session now!
Excuse #1- “I’m not confident enough.” - Sadly, most women (let's say 99.9999%) are not fully confident in their looks or confident in their body, because society has conditioned us literally from birth not to be. My favorite toy when I was a little girl were barbie dolls.... with their extra long legs, tiny waist, large chest and perfectly done up face and hair. Is that what real women look like.... no, of course not! In high school, I spent hours looking at the magazines I got in the mail, "Teen Vogue", "Cosmo", filled with Ads and covers of highly photoshopped, airbrushed, perfect looking models and wondered, "What do I have to do to look like that?" Again... is that what real women look like.... No! It's fake, it's an illusion, it's photoshopped. That’s societies unrealistic standard of beauty, that’s not REAL beauty or even REAL women. This is why I’m so passionate about doing boudoir sessions, is to give REAL women the opportunity to see how beautiful and amazing they are. If you don’t feel confident enough to do one, that’s all the more reason TO DO one, because your confidence will sky rocket after getting the opportunity to feel sexy and see yourself in a whole new light. I’ve seen women walk out of my studio with their head held so much higher... it’s a beautiful transformation that takes place in front of my lens. I guarantee even Beyonce has her days where she thinks "I’m not good enough" or "I’m not confident enough." (but we all have our own Sasha Fierce deep down just waiting to be unleashed!). Doing a boudoir session is a huge act of self-love. You can always look back at your boudoir photos when you're feeling a little less than sexy and remember how brave and badass you really are!
Excuse #2 - “I don’t have the right body type.”- I'm here to tell you and show you through photographs that every woman's body is beautiful. I don't care your jean size, your age or your shape. You are beautiful from the inside out and if you don't believe me, I'll show you! Your flaws and imperfections are what make you uniquely you (trust me, every woman has stretch marks and cellulite somewhere!), and guess what... It's time to celebrate that! Every woman's body is different. It's time to stop trying to conform to societies impossible beauty standards. Stop hating yourself and your body. It's time to celebrate YOU, just as you are! The way your body is right now is the perfect body. Stop waiting until you lose those 10 extra pounds and start living today!
Excuse #3 - “I’m too awkward in front of the camera.” - I hear this from literally EVERYONE before a session, whether it be a boudoir session, an engagement session, or any type of photo session. It's normal to feel a little bit awkward in the beginning of a session because unless you're a professional model and do this on the daily, you're probably not used to someone pointing a camera at you and watching your every move. It's kind of like that annoying feeling when you can feel someone staring at you. But usually about 5 minutes into a session is when my clients start to get comfortable with me and sometimes forget I'm even there! It's an amazing transition; I'll see their shoulders start to relax and the tension leave their faces. That's when they really start to get into and sometimes even start hitting poses naturally. (This is also the point when I'm like "Girl! Why were you lying to me... you were def in season 12 of ANTM, I knew you looked familiar!) With some great music (and some champagne), all of your worries and anxieties will melt away by the end of the session. (And don't worry about poses, because I will be coaching you through different poses your entire session!)
Excuse #4 - "I don't have anything to wear." - There are plenty of great spots online to find something to wear! I recommend checking out Amazon first. I've had many clients tell me they had great luck finding lingerie on Amazon, and I've actually ordered a few pieces on there myself. It's a great way to find affordable and (usually) nice quality lingerie (just be sure to read the reviews!). And if you have Amazon Prime, you can get it shipped to you in 2 days, try it on, and if you don't like how it looks, you can ship it right back and get a refund (make sure you check the return policy for free returns before ordering). I've also found some really cute, affordable lingerie at Forever 21. They have great sales every now and then, which is the perfect time to stock up! Forever 21 only gives you store credit back for returns though, so be cautious of ordering online unless you know your exact size! If you need a second opinion or want to know what would photograph well, feel free to send my your outfit ideas before ordering them, I'm happy to give you my honest opinion!
Excuse #5 - “I don’t have it in my budget to do a boudoir session.” - I guess this is a valid excuse, because I know that everyone’s budget is different. Especially with the hard year we've had, a lot of us have gotten hit financially. Which is what gave me the idea to offer boudoir mini sessions this year! Instead of a full boudoir session that starts at an hour, a mini session will be 20 minutes, with 10 minutes in between sessions to allow me to thoroughly sanitize the space. Since it will be a shortened session and I'll be able to do multiple mini sessions in the time that a full boudoir session would take and I will be able to offer them at a more affordable rate than my full boudoir sessions. I know that photography is a luxury service, kind of like getting your hair done or getting a massage. It's not something you need to survive, but it's something that makes your life a little bit better. What better gift to yourself, then the transformational experience of doing a boudoir session. The confidence you gain from your boudoir session and your beautiful photos of your sexy self that you walk away with will last far longer than just your 20 minute session!
I hope this helps you to see that the perfect time to do a boudoir session is not 6 months, a year or 10 years down the road. The perfect time to do a boudoir session is now! Stop waiting to live your life.... life is short and you deserve to start celebrating yourself and your body, just as you are today!
If you'd like to learn more about my Boudoir Mini Sessions coming up and would like to join my waitlist to have an opportunity to book your session before they are released to the general public, then please send me an email at: photos@rebeccasheets.com
