(photo by Modern Love Studios)Now that 2017 is on it's way out, I figured it would be a good time to get my year end post done, but this one is going to be a bit different. Usually I recap all the amazing shoots that I have had throughout the year, but if you want to see a fraction of them, feel free to zip through the blog for 2017 and get an idea. Ever woman that graces my lens is incredibly amazing and worthy of mention, but since I don't want to keep you here for hours and hours on end, I am going to do something...new. 2017 is the year that I saw myself really step up in terms of photography education, and in an effort to get my name out there a bit more, I attended workshops, retreats, mentored, and more importantly made a lot of photographer connections. This year I had the pleasure of visiting a plethora of amazing boudoir photog friends and idols and in doing so, I was photographed multiple times throughout the year. I have waited until now to unveil all of the photos that I received from my talented peers because I wanted to wait until I wrapped the year. After being photographed as many times as I did this year, I realized something incredible about body image.....I will literally never know exactly how I look. I have been photographed by 4 different artists (and myself!) who interpreted me in a different way and as a photographer, I can tell you that that is how THEY see me. Some photographers brought out my sensual side, some my sexual side, some my bad ass side, some my soft side, some my rebellious side, my inner diva, my divine goddess, etc. No 2 sets of images are the same and I think this is the most incredible thing. I WILL LOOK HOW YOU WANT ME TO LOOK. Your perception of me will be based on your own body image, your life experiences, your view of the world and no matter how I try to change myself to adapt, I will never look ONE WAY to everyone....which is why I think it is ultimately ridiculous how we try to look ONE way, in an effort to appear "societally acceptable" when individuals make up society and will perceive you in their own way. People will choose to see your beauty or choose to find your flaws. Some people will find my rolls cute af, others will find my body appalling and disgusting. Neither is right or wrong. They are just perceptions (though I'm gonna side with the cute af) Some people will decide what is abhorrent about you, while others will decide that you are nothing but positive light. NEITHER OF THESE OPINIONS ARE RIGHT OR WRONG. They are simply their perception. I didn't go into these photoshoots with any expectations aside from excitement, positivity and joy. When I look at all of these photos together, and the collage of metal images I have on my wall at home, I am reminded that I am not one way and I can't possibly exist one way to everyone. Those who will choose to see what I do in myself: the strength, the passion, the creativity, the fire, and the goodness, are people I want to surround myself with going forward....and those that can't see beyond what they consider to be my flaws, problems, or disgusting bits are people I don't need to waste my precious energy on. I urge those of you reading this to GET YOUR PHOTO TAKEN AND GET YOUR PHOTO TAKEN OFTEN AND GET YOUR PHOTO TAKEN BY MANY PEOPLE. I want you to see the amazing bits of yourself that you don't even know exist. I will stop babbling now, and let you get to viewing my Nudie Judie photos below. Ps. if nips and bums offend you, gtfo of here.Fierce/Sexual Teri - courtesy of Modern Love StudiosDenise Birdsong made me feel so sexy and like a sexual goddess during my session. At first, I was nervous and felt I didn't think I could be "sexy" in the way she wanted me to be. This woman is the queen of emotion so I knew I had to bring it, but part of my problem is overthinking and wanting to be perfect instead of just immersing myself in the experience. I remember feeling like a horse getting ready to exit the gate, and Denise calmed me the fuck down. It was an awesome experience.
Glamorous Teri - Jennifer Williams BoudoirJennifer and I had met at a workshop a few years ago, so when we got back into the studio together to shoot each other in her Vancouver studio I was super excited. She has made a huge name for herself in the boudoir industry for her clean, luxurious, beautiful work and bad ass boss babe attitude. During my session with her, I felt so glamorous lying about on the soft pillows, expensive sheets, standing against her marble inspired wall. It was a true glam moment for me! (especially since I usually wear sweatpants and tshirts)
Playful, Sweet & Sensual Teri - Joi PhotographyCrystal and I had met at the very beginning of my boudoir journey at a retreat in San Diego and it was so amazing to catch up at her Saskatoon studio! Crystal has everything planned to the last detail and her attention to detail is what made my session feel flawless. I never felt uncomfortable once during our session (aside from physical discomfort from some of the poses, but I know to expect that bahaha....all my clients are laughing, because THEY KNOW....) When I saw the images, I almost cried because if you know me, soft is not a word I would use to describe myself (aside from physically haha!). But Crystal found my inner softness, sweetness, and flirt and I couldn't believe it. My favorite image of ever was taken at this shoot, the black and white nudie one with me by the window where you can see my tum and my bum. I love it. I went back later in the year and Crystal also did headshots for me which are also 100% accurate to me. This babe is incredible, so those of you in Saskatchewan, please go see her!!
Wild Teri ~ Boudie NationMiss Kristina and I met up in Vegas this year during WPPI and on one of our trips to the desert we photographed each other. Kristina is immensely talented at blending her subjects with nature (check out her amazing work) and when I saw these I was in LOVE. I have to give props to my friend Angelina for the use of the fur coat haha! But I fell in love with tum in these images and there is something so...liberating about hanging about naked and semi-naked in the desert off the highway. 
Rebel/Feisty Teri ~ Fearlessly You BoudoirPaige and I met during our shoots with Denise Birdsong (during a photography retreat) and we bonded immediately. We had flown down to Pittsburgh to hang out with our mutual boudy bestie Stephanie Wells and played in her studio while Steph was getting her makeup done. Paige took complete control and despite being the sweetest, kindest babe, this girl knows how to bring out feisty Teri. We had an amazing weekend and next year we are set to go play in HER studio so look forward to more images from Paige!
Sassy Pants Teri - Teri Hofford PhotographyThis year I have spent a lot of time focusing outside of myself on my business and growing the education side of things, so this was the first time I had done boudoir selfies all year, but it was a look I had wanted to do for awhile with someone else, so I just did it with myself instead. I think these images do a good job of showcasing how I view myself. Selfies are something that can make or break a person's confidence, but thankfully I had done a year of self portraits so I knew that it literally does take like 10 photos to get 1 good one and even then it's not AS good as how someone else could take it unless you practice a lot. My goal for next year is to do a monthly session with myself to remind myself that I am worth the time, the energy and taking off the sweatpants for.
So what can you look forward to in 2018? Well, stay tuned for the next blog post to outline the plans, changes, and updates to Teri Hofford Photography! Thank you to everyone who has been part of my journey, whether you are a photographer, client, vendor, family member, friend, even the trolls (they usually give me good fodder for the blog). Without your love and positivity, guidance, support, and sharing of the stuff, I would not be able to empower as many women as I currently am. Words will never be enough for me to show gratitude for those that share my words, my images, my mission with their friends and family. YOU are causing change. YOU are powerful. Thank YOU.
BoudyCamp Success ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photographer
2 weekends ago, I held the first ever BoudyCamp: a workshop for boudoir photographers, at my studio here in Winnipeg and I fell in LOOOOOVE. I always knew I loved to teach (after all, I went to uni to become one!) but this workshop revived me and gave me even more mission to go forth and help photographers find their voices in an extremely saturated market! We had 2 lovely models, Taylor & Nikita, who got did up by my powerhouse hmua, Nicole Velasquez, and this gang KILLED it. Perhaps this will be a one off, where the attendees bonded so quickly, but I loved it. Everyone went for lunch together and now they know they have a support network of bad ass bosses ready to help them out!
(image on the right by the talented Alicia Marie Photography)We had a handful of peeps from Winnipeg, but we also had a few travel in to share their talent and stories and take home an arsenal of tools to help them up their boudy game. We talked about the WHY of the business, branding & marketing, the importance of being authentic for themselves as well as their clients, and of course we got down to the nitty gritty of posing and lighting.
It was a day full of smushy brains by the end, and I was creatively satisfied (and exhausted), but it was so awesome to see people get pumped up to try new things, willing to put themselves on the line, and make themselves vulnerable and be completely honest with me. It makes it soooo much easier for me to help people when they are 100% honest and willing to listen to constructive feedback and take a plan and set it in motion.
(image on the right, by the awesome Mark Phinney)We can never grow by staying in the same spot and if we don't try new things, then we won't get anywhere. A huge thing I teach is that I want them to be bad at photography....because we have to be bad, before we can be good. It takes continual practice, pushing through the frustration, and knocking over obstacles. We tend to forget that everyone who is "successful" in the business (which is a whole other topic), was bad at one point and if they are smart, they will continue to be horrible at things. When they master the thing they were terrible at, then it's time to be terrible again. You don't grow from being 100% on point, but rather from figuring out what didn't work and why and this may cause tears, sweat, and "wasted time" but it's not at all. At least you tried, then you know and you don't repeat it again. You go about it from a different angle and you start again. It's not for the faint of heart, but it shouldn't be. Anything worth doing, will not be easy.
So, yah, that was essentially BoudyCamp in a nutshell and now, the only question is...how long do I have to wait until I can host another one??
But don't take it from me, here's what the stellar attendees had to say:"BEST WORKSHOP EVER!! And I am 100% serious. Having attended a few workshops in the past 2 years I always left feeling unsatisfied with either the way the information was delivered, or not enough shooting time, or not great communication ect. I have to say this was the best workshop I have ever done. Teri goes above and beyond by constantly giving you feedback, showing and demonstrating. Touching base with YOU and YOUR business. She is real. She is honest about her business which is so refreshing (No sugar coating!) She gives her honest opinion on everything and will answer literally any question. The Workshop wasn't just about photographing a pretty model but also about who we are and WHY we are interested in Boudoir Photography. She digs deep- really makes you think! It's not just surface stuff. (No fluff!) Learning from her (I call her the Master Boudoir Photographer) was everything I could have hoped for. Her humor, her outlook on boudoir, on empowerment, everything. I also loved that she brought 2 different models (with 2 very different shapes) in to shoot! Everything she taught was practical (You could actual do it, even on a budget!) & I could take what I wanted from her mentorship and apply it to my own skills & knowledge. So Invest in yourself and your business. Book a Workshop with Teri! You will NOT regret it!!" ~Alicia Marie
"Teri is very knowledgeable when it comes to the boudoir bizz and women in general. You can feel the passion when she talks about it. Which is what, for me, makes the experience so memorable and beneficial. I loved every minute of the workshop! I was just given a lot to think about with my business which is very helpful. Made me think about why I need to figure my "why" and why it's so important to follow it. I also took away how important it is to practice practice practice. It was super helpful to have had those stunning models willing to be pretzels for us to work on posing which for me is a weak spot. It was all just amazing!" ~ Sam Stregger
"I really enjoyed the workshop. Teri has a contagious passion for what she does and I left feeling inspired. It was a very informal and non-threatening learning environment and it was evident that Teri, despite all of her talent and success is just a down-to-earth person with a huge heart and desire to help people reach their full potential. Sometimes working as a photographer can burn a person out a bit, this was a good way to fall back in love with the process and journey of creating images!" ~ Mark Phinney
"I expected my mentorship to be a show up, dump my photos, receive some critique, and that would be it. The fact that Teri dives right in to the nitty gritty, the bottom, to find out what makes you tick FIRST blew me away and left me in tears literally. We didn't even look at my photos! It was an amazing experience. The fact that she is going to help me revamp my portrait business over the next few months to create happy clients leaves me feeling very optimistic as I was ready to pretty much shut it completely down. Teri will change your fucking life. My favorite part was when I admitted I was worried over the non-instructional part of the day with the models. Teri immediately addressed the fear, we discussed it, and sent me on my way. I was still worried and did freeze with the posing but the fact that there was a moment of problem solving not just a "you'll figure it out" was amazing." ~ Chantelle Enns, Chantelle Dione Photography