I consider Miss S to be a good friend in addition to an awesome client. I mean, this babe will literally go to the ends of the world for the people in her life...who doesn't want someone like that in their life?? Well, we were supposed to do maternity photos for her, but if you remember the time I had someone go into labor while they were in hair and makeup, then you will be happy to know it was Miss S and the baby that arrived about 4 hours after we sent her to the hospital is Mr. T (above). Miss S came to my studio to paint my wall for me (because my attention to detail is shit and she showed up with her own professional brush!) so in exchange she was the first babe photographed on the wall and since she was a new mom, we also had Mr. T join us for the occasion. I literally never have babies in my studio during a session, but this was a bit different because we wanted to document something different.This is the season of her life now. Just when we would get into a sexy pose, Mr. would cry for his momma (he was hungry) and while we tried to continue, it was easier to stop and feed him, but during this time we also got some of my favorite photos of forever. For Miss S's shoot, this time around (she had done a shoot with me the year prior when I was in Vegas), I wanted her acknowledge her mom bod and really see it for what it was so I only lightly edited the images. I wanted to showcase her swelling breasts which provide sustenance to her baby, I wanted to show her the amazingness that is the body's ability to inflate and deflate, growing life while doing so. I wanted to show her that motherhood doesn't mean a lack of sexiness, it means a change in mind as to what sexy is. I wanted her to see that her body, while different, is a wonderful thing that is capable of so, so much (including climbing a 10ft ladder without falling off!!). Lastly, I wanted her to see that this is a new season of her life and her body is being used in a different fashion that it was before. Right now, it may seem like it's no longer hers, but the purpose of providing life and sustenance to her little dude seems to be a pretty important task...to add the task of fitting into "societal beauty standards" and the "yummy mummy bod" would be rude. She is beautiful, gorgeous, and changed from the experience of having a child. Miss S wrote her own experiences in her blog here , explaining that she finally feels "at home" in her body!! I highly recommend checking it out!
Her body is not ruined, it has evolved.Her body is not ruined, it is a map of the terrain her body weathered while growing a life, giving birth, and continuing to feed. The blue rivers stretch to feed her baby, the shallow valleys of her skin tell the story of her body's journey, and mountain ridges of scar tissue while red now, will eventually erode, falling into the tapestry of her life's story.Her body is not ruined.
{This was the moment when Mr T decided to poo all over his momma's arm.}
For the month of November, I did an 
I invited these babes into the studio and while I painted over their skin, they told me their stories about what brought them in and that is what you will see below. You can also check out our other 
Ermagerd. Miss K....oh, Miss K. This stunning beauty walked into my studio for her consult and I was beyond excited to work with her! Not only is she gorgeous, but she wanted to finally accept parts of herself that had been with her forever and represent them in photo form. She sent me a truly amazing, inspirational, and beautiful testimonial, so I am going to let her take over and tell you about her session.
I decided to book a session with Teri as a gift for my boyfriend; but also for myself, because I love the message Teri embraces and encourages with her work. I knew other ladies who had worked with Teri before and provided me with glowing reviews, so I knew I was in good hands! I was excited (and admittedly, a bit nervous) when I showed up for my consult. I've done a few photoshoots before, but this one was different for a couple of reasons. 1) Teri goes completely out of her way to make sure your session goes smoothly and is PERFECT. Seriously. She cares just as much about this project as you do, and it's clear immediately that this isn't just her job; it's her passion. 2) she's going to ask you some tough questions... I've never had those questions asked straight to my face before. But it really helped set a direction and mood for the shoot and personalized it to tell the story I wanted to tell. I knew right then and there that this was going to be an awesome project!
I showed up for my shoot, and it was perfect!! I took full advantage of the chance to be pampered with hair, makeup and girl chat, and when it was time to shoot Teri was amazing! She provided guidance through all the poses, and encouragement when things got a little.... Shall we say, interesting?? Lol!! Awkward facial expressions and hair-eating aside (she didn't have any, ps), we found our rhythm and nailed some seriously sassy photos! Like holy smokeshow, this woman knows what she's doing! I felt completely comfortable and confident the whole time!
I really appreciate the dedication and time Teri takes to make this photoshoot meaningful and even powerful. The decision to include my scar, and make it prominent in some of the photos, was a first for me. I have had this scar my whole life, and normally I think nothing of it. It's just another part of me. But any time it has been brought to my attention in the past, has usually been a negative or awkward experience. I needed someone I could trust to help me overcome that fear; even as accomplished as I am when it comes to accepting my body, this was a big step. And an important one for me.
For me, self acceptance came when I chose to change my perspective of what makes a body "beautiful." You know, the one that mainstream media tries to cement into your head. By those standards, my body shouldn't fit that term "beautiful" at all. I was in grade 5 the first time someone asked me if I would ever get plastic surgery to "fix" my scar. Grade 5! That's a tough thing to hear. And it definitely impacted the way I saw my body and how I felt in my skin, for a long time.
Teri gets that. She set out to capture my story, my person, and she nailed it! Getting to see these photos for the first time, I saw ME. Not just a body, but me as a person, and guess what?? I look hot!! Even with all my lumps and bumps intact, and that scar of mine - I think I pulled off the "sexy" thing pretty well. And I didn't have to change who I am or how I look to do that. Seeing that is such an empowering thing, because it really smashes through any idea that we need to fit ourselves within unattainable limitations to feel empowered and beautiful. We deserve to feel beautiful and deserve to see ourselves as beautiful too - just the way you are!
And to any lady out there who thinks you can't do it too?? You can. You can do boudoir, and you can do it WELL, and you can do it just as you are now. So when you're ready, give this babe a call!
Well, holy crap, I think she just said it all and nailed everything about why I do what I do. There is not much more that I need to add because this Boudy Babe know what she's talking about. Ready to have your own life changing experience and see what it's like to celebrate all the bits of your body? Give me a