One of the best parts of my profession is meeting other boudoir photographers and connecting with them. Miss S of I Am Boudoir came to our Confident Curves workshop in Las Vegas and also did a mini session with me! After her session, she filled me in on why doing a session and why boudoir was so important to her and I knew it was a story that I had to share...
My body was a means to an end. 
Growing up I experienced several instances of sexual assault, both as a child and as a teen. I had grown men fondle me and attempt to assault me. My high school years were ruined when a classmate tried to rape me, yet he was never disciplined. Those instances turned me into an object. As such, I have never really trusted anyone with my body. I always felt like my body was the means to the end. Men just wanted my body to get what THEY wanted in the end. 
I grew to hate my body. The more I gained weight, the safer I felt. No one wants the “fat” girl right? I would go to a car lot to look at cars and no one would approach me. No one held doors for me, no one said hello or acknowledged me walking down the street. I was invisible and society told me I was undesirable at my size. 
I met my husband at 19 years old. He loved me for me and tolerated all my craziness. When we would fight and argue he would fight dirty. Even in the dirtiest of fights and the nastiest of words, he never once mentioned my weight or called me fat. I respected that. It made me feel like he loved me the way I was. We were together for twenty years. In 2011 I had weight loss surgery. I was never comfortable with my body and wanted to make a change. We were having issues in our marriage and sex wasn’t ever on the menu, so hey, if he’s more attracted to me, bonus! I lost approximately 80 pounds and was feeling AMAZING physically! I was thinner than I was in high school and yet, I was more self-conscious than ever. Suddenly I wasn’t invisible anymore and I was getting attention, which made me uncomfortable. I started nit-picking every single pudge here, or crease there. 
It was at this time I discovered by husband of twenty years was cheating on me. And not just cheating on me, but cheating on me with PROSTITUTES. I was embarrassed and disgusted. Was I that gross to make him pay for sex instead of pursuing me? Were that pudge and that crease the reason? I was devastated and turned to my best friend for support, food! Eight months later, I packed up my things while he was at work and I left. I had also gained about 40 pounds back at that point. I realize now that I slowly packed on pounds again as a protection mechanism to keep myself from getting hurt again. 
So where am I today? Today I have gained all 80 pounds back and weigh exactly the same as I did the day I had surgery. I am in a different space now. Yes, I still mindlessly snack, but I don’t feel like I medicate with food anymore. I also embrace my body the way it is. I no longer have this innate desire to chase thinness. I don’t care about my cellulite, or my rolls. My body is mine. It wakes me up every day, it hugs and squeezes my kids, and its my means to MY own end.
Having my own boudoir photos done was a way for me to embrace my body again. It was a way to MAKE me see myself as a sexual being. It was a way for me to feel proud of who I am today and how much I have grown emotionally. My body is not perfect, it never will be, but its MINE and I’m so proud I can look at it today and embrace it just the way it is – all 216 pounds of it.
Imperial Goddess Sessions ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photographer
It has been quite difficult keeping this a secret, but finally I can release it!! YAY! I am super excited to introduce a new type of limited session with Teri Hofford Photography! We are talking about the Imperial Goddess Sessions. These sessions are designed to get you connected more deeply and almost spiritually to your inner Goddess and femininity. I have partnered with the stellar Lady Lorelei to provide you an amazing, soul quenching session. These sessions start with you getting your henna done in the studio or at your home, then 3 days later coming in for your Imperial Goddess Session, where you will be getting in touch with your gorgeous self. Your session includes one outfit & nudes as well as 1 beautiful 8x10 fine art print, matted to 11X14. These sessions are limited to 1 per month, so if you are interested, get in touch to book yours! Check out the images below to see the experience and to learn more about the pricing and all that good stuff, head over here!
Ready to book your Imperial Goddess Session? Hit me up with an email!!
Miss J ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photographer
Miss J came to the studio with a wee bit of nerves, like so many before her but as soon as we started shooting I could see them disappear right before my eyes. We dressed her in items from the Boudy N Beauty Closet (so if you see anything you like, just ask at your consult/shoot!) and it wasn't long before I asked her to trust me for some new and interesting poses/looks. Take a look below at this babe's session:
She Is Fire ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photography
A few times a month I offer up casting calls as a way to practice shooting, lighting, and posing. Miss A came to the studio as part of a boudoir casting call and this babe did not disappoint. With her firey hair and an attitude to match she slayed her session. Take a look at her gorgeous session below:
I'm Only Human ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photographer
I need to confess something. 2017 has not had a great start for me and in hindsight I know it could be worse, but I think I need to let y'all know what's been going on. I have been feeling slightly anxious and overwhelmed the last 2 months and maybe it's in part to the current political climate and the constant barrage of He Who Shall Not Be Named on social media, but I think another part is that I got away a bit from what I was trying to accomplish. This year I decided to change my pricing because I was told by various photography colleagues that my value and worth and all that good stuff, plus overhead costs were "worth so much more", but in listening to other people, I got away from what my actual goal is. I always try to remember that overall my ultimate goal is to affect as many women as possible and with that, I found that the way I adjusted my pricing was moving me further away from my overall mission. Do I still think I am worth a high value? Certainly. But money isn't the end game for me. Sure, I require enough to keep my studio and providing you babes with epic customer service, continual education, and experience and all that jazz, but for me, my value is in meeting every single woman I am able to affect and empower. While a lot of people believe in the methodology of "work smarter, not harder" I honestly don't think that is what is right for me....and I think this has been a big challenge that has made me feel so uneasy the last little bit. I haven't been shooting as consistently and I have been feeling....empty. I haven't been meeting as many women because my higher price point made me less available and I finally realized that it is in meeting women as often as I used to, that I am ultimately fulfilled and being used to my fullest potential. That being said, at the end of the day I AM a business, but only in the sense that I need to make a living to keep working towards my mission of empowering as many women and photographers as I possibly can. Is it humbling for me to write this post? You betcha, but I think it's necessary because I had to explain the sporadic pricing menu changes that have been going on the last few months while I struggled with trying to be "the right kind of business person" and realized just like everything else I do, I am not average or "normal" and I have to do what is right for me...and ultimately for you! After all, part of being body positive and all that good stuff is about being authentic!
So, you can check out the FINALIZED 2017 pricing guide on the site here or you can shoot me an email to: thpstudios@gmail.com if you are interested in booking a consultation!