Every now and then you meet the people that are just....your people, you know? Well, little did I know when I went to a Boudoir Retreat in San Fransisco that I would meet 2 of my kindred spirits. I have already introduced you to Paige, so today I will be sharing the other bad ass babe with you, but I want to start with our initial in person meeting because it's super cute. So, I had arrived to Denise Birdsong's Modern Love studio for my photoshoot the same day that Stephanie and Paige were also having their sessions done, so I had quickly met Paige while she was in makeup and Stephanie was just wrapping up her session when she walked past me in the waiting area. All I heard was "Omigodiloveyourposingguidehiiiiiiiiii" and with a little hand wave she disappeared. We joke that her fangirling over me was one of the funniest moments we shared together and I know I will definitely never forget it. Throughout the weekend, however, Stephanie, Paige and I just bonded with each other. We had similar sense of humour, we vibed with each others' energy, and we managed to get our poor male model to wear nothing but a hand towel (#handtowelheroes). We were so sad when the weekend came to an end and as soon as we got home we started making plans for our next meet up and before you know it, August was here and we all met at Stephanie's house for a few days. We had such an incredible time hanging out, drinking wine, photographing models and then photographing each other (oh! and they took me to Target, yay!) We laughed until our tums hurt, we cried about our life experiences and we helped build each other up. This is what I love about #communityovercompetition in photography. When you find your people, hang onto them and hold them tight because entrepreneurship is lonely as fuck and you will need some trustworthy peeps in your corner when you need to have a bit of a breakdown. So, for Stephanie's shoot we decided to channel more of a retro vibe and styling, thanks to Dessa Marie Artistry, and while we started in her studio, I wasn't about to leave her gorgeous character home without shooting in it, so we pulled together a few amazing looks for there as well. So, without further adieu, here is Miss Stephanie in all her beauty, glory, and magnificance. I love her sooooo much.
"I had the privilege of meeting Teri at a workshop and was instantly attracted to her fizzy fuzzy bubbly personality. I’ve followed her work and each and every time, I have found myself impressed if not in total awe. Her work is incredibly sexy and raw. She was so much fun to be with that I could see her models not even spending a moment in their heads. By the close of the workshop we had made plans to collaborate further.
It is quite the faux pas as a boudoir photographer to have not put yourself in your clients shoes. Just like my own clients, my fears and my insecurities about my body run deep. My session with Teri wasn’t about fear or insecurity. It felt an awful lot like Teri herself, fizzy fuzzy and bubbly.When I hold the finished product in my hand,I literally can’t even :)I look at these photos and I can hardly believe it is me!
I was there, I remember getting all dolled up, I remember posing but what I don’t remember is any concern about my body. Not a fear about how I looked or most importantly, as a photographer; not a worry about the actual photograph. There wasn’t any time to worry about my body because I was already having too much fun. Teri’s energy and direction easily overrode my insecurities.
Now I get to look at images of myself and see sexy and raw. It isn’t just something reserved for someone else. That feeling, that experience and the pride is now mine as well. And I can’t stop staring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dayum, Teri.
Paige {Pittsburgh Travel Diaries} ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photography
Miss Paige came up before, when I had done my post on Taco-ternity and my ode to my tum, but our session together was something special. Paige and I had first met in San Fran and immediately clicked. This woman has the most beautiful heart and soul and cares for everyone beyond measure. She may seem all heart, but this babe is also full of sass. Paige is a fierce model as well as an awesome photographer and sometimes I don't think she understands just how phenomenal she is once the camera is turned on her, but she comes to life when she talks about her clients and the women she helps overcome body image issues, in a similar fashion to me. She embraces her curves, she openly accepts her *gasp* double chin, and she works hard to help women reach the same level of acceptance with their bodies. What better way, though, than having your own photo shoot done to showcase your love for your bod in all it's beauty? Also, funny story, while we were so excited to do the water shoots, I don't think Paige was expecting to get waterboarded....I accidentally pressed too hard on the hose and almost drowned the poor girl! Anyhow, read about her experience being on the other side of the camera below:
As a boudoir photographer, myself, I've been fangirl stalking Teri for a while now, probably close to a year or so! When I got to meet her and work with her in San Francisco this Spring for Denise Birdsong's Stripped Down Retreat I was giddy. When we hit it off as friends, though I was ecstatic! 
It's rare as a photographer to find other photographers that you can just chat with openly about ideas, about experiences, about being a plus size babe that wants to help empower other plus size babes. No crazy competition, no insane jealousy or cattiness. Don't believe me? Step into one of the more dramatic Facebook groups geared toward photographers. Unless you're a big, well-known name- it's easy to feel lost or like your value is less-than those around you. Teri has more creativity and talent in her little finger than most dream of having their entire lives. But never once has she made me feel less-than. Instead, she's inspired me to go the extra mile, be the extra support to my friends and clients, to give the extra compliments to strangers, and to just be an all-around better version of me. She's an overwhelming force of empowerment and positivity that effects everyone in her path! 
Teri, myself and our amazing friend Stephanie Wells (The Girlfriend Experience Boudoir) got pretty close over our weekend in San Francisco. While there, we planned a trip for Teri and I to visit with Stephanie in Pittsburgh over the summer where we would photograph a couple of model clients and take turns photographing each other.
I've been photographed by other boudoir photographers. Each experience is completely different than the last. Being a very plus size woman, a size 24, and knowing that Teri specialized in posing and photographing plus size bodies- I was beyond excited to be photographed by her! I was actually less nervous to be photographed by her than I was to photograph my two photographer friends that I look up to so much. Teri has this way of talking to you about your body in a way that makes you feel completely at ease. 
Girl had me nekkid in less than 10 minutes! Let me tell you, getting nekkid was NOT on my list of things to do in Pittsburgh!
To say I was a little nervous about seeing some of the images (especially the nude ones or ones without a fully supportive bra) would be the understatement of the year. I've always thought I carried myself with a decent amount of confidence. But, when I found myself naked and vulnerable in front of Teri's camera, I actually found that I had been hiding all of (what I considered) my flaws and insecurities behind cleverly placed crops and specifically-fitted wardrobe. I had accepted my body, but had never really embraced it up until then. 
I had accepted that my boobs weren't sitting perky like they did before I had experienced 2 full pregnancies and lost 3 others. I had accepted that I have a fat belly and extra skin, I had accepted that my body is dimpled and scarred in places that I don't want it to be. All of those things I could cover up and carry on with my life and pretend like they don't exist and be confident in the appearance I was presenting to the world. But on that day- I embraced those things that I usually try to hide. And you know what? It was beautiful.
I felt free.
Teri sent the images over and there were tears. Over and over. I had never seen those parts of my body in all their naked glory and felt anything but disgust and hate. Is that me? That is me! All of the little pieces that I've picked at for 28 years were laid out in front of me, and you know what? I didn't hate them. I actually loved them. Those are some of my favorite images I've ever seen of myself because they're me, they're real. My perfect imperfections and all.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay Teri for the gift she gave to me that day, but I know I'm glad that fate had us cross paths and become friends. 
Do you want to feel free? Are you ready to stop using size, shape or any body excuse and embrace where you are right now in this one life you are given? If so, send me a message and let's sit down for a chat to see if we are a good fit for each other!
But I Don't Want To Have Babies (Can I Still Love My Tummy?) ~ Winnipeg Empowerment Photography
As a photographer that has the privilege of photographing women on a weekly basis, I get to hear about the insecurities, the concerns and the way they feel about their bodies. I'm also a trend/statistic geek, so I enjoy keeping a mental tab on the parts of the body that women detest the most. I don't think it will surprise anyone to hear that the majority of women loathe their stomachs. It doesn't matter what size a woman is, the dreaded tum is the body part that gets the most hate from the most amount of people....unless they are carrying a baby. I have had the opportunity to photograph countless maternity sessions in my time, and women can hardly wait to show me their tums....cooing and awwing over how much they love this bump (which I get because the bump symbolizes what is INSIDE and of course, babies are awesome!). But as soon as the baby is born, moms and women are quick to cover up, squish and rage on their beautiful stomachs. And I get it, change is not easy. You go from being one size, to growing a baby, to loose skin, stretch marks, and an "transformed body" which you maybe weren't prepared for....but what stumps me, is the celebration of all tummies when it is for someone else (the baby), but a shaming of tummies when it's for the individual (because God forbid a woman love her tum [insert eye roll] and you may be the type of person that wants to start in with how concerned you are for my health and the health of other chubs, so if that's you, then kindly remove yourself from following my blog, my fb, and maybe just get a life in general...if that's not you, then YAY! You are an awesome human!)
And then, there are those of us that will never experience the joy of childbirth and seeing our tummies expand because of growing a human being...does this make me less valuable? I don't think so...I pay my taxes, empower women, am nice to humans, and do my part for the environment...I think myself and my tum are okay! But when women come in for their consult they talk about wanting to cover up their tummies...REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEIR TUM LOOKS LIKE!!! This drives me crazy, because first of all, when you are naked at home you will see the truth...you will see your tum as it is: this could be rolly, soft, tight, ab-ed(?), squishy, marked up, loose, swollen, flat, etc. so wouldn't it make more sense to get comfortable with what your tum looks like so that it's not "shocking", as many women have apologized to me about (which btw, bodies aren't shocking to me!)
So, when I was in Pittsburgh, I enlisted the help of my friend Paige Rynberg of Fearlessly You Boudoir to create what we affectionately nicknamed TACO-TERNITY photos. I don't have a blessed baby in my tum (and never want to), but I have a fat tum that is the result of probably too much sitting at my desk + Skip the Dishes food + genes.
Just because I didn't get impregnated with a human being does not make my body any less valuable to the world....just because I choose not to have a growing baby in my womb doesn't mean I can't celebrate the tummy that I do have, that allows me to go about my day empowering women left, right and center. I just think we need to be more okay in celebrating our bodies at all junctures of our lives and not just when we create life, because whether or not we choose to, it's just not in the cards for some of us and to think that we can't have celebratory photoshoots with our tums is kind of silly, don't you think?
Essentially, what I'm saying, is that there ain't no shame in the tum game regardless of what your tum looks like. It's there, it's keeping you alive, it adds about a foot to your height, it's a nice soft spot for cuddles, and most importantly, it's JUST a tum. YOU are more than just a tum. I'm not saying you have to do a taco-ternity shoot, of course, but you should be allowed to document and show off the body that you have right now because it is keeping you alive and providing you a vessel to move about the world affecting others in a (hopefully) positive way. If you are wanting and ready to celebrate your body as is, in all it's perfection, then hit me up with an email and let's document your amazing self!
She had only been naked in front of 3 people before ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photography
Miss B came to visit me while she was visiting Winnipeg and this magenta-haired maven flew into my studio with outfits just as saucy as she. Her session was to be part therapy and part fun for her due to a bunch of life changes that had been happening and we wanted to revive the sassy babe I knew she was. Miss B has quite the life story and while it is hers to share, all I can say is I was impressed to be in the same room as someone with such strong conviction, fight, and ability to try to do the right thing no matter how difficult it may seem. She fights for others with a fiery passion and I wanted that same fire to come through in her images. Take a look below at this gorgeous woman (who is now back home in Vancouver):
"This was exactly what I needed at the time I needed it. Teri and Nicole were great at making me feel secure and very sexy! I left feeling exhausted and exhilarated at the same time!
Teri's direction was outstanding from beginning to end. Make up, hair, outfits, poses and the "big reveal" were so bang on!! Thank you for a fabulous experience! I want to do it all again next year!!
If you go to Teri, there is nothing to be afraid of! This comes from a woman who has only been naked in front of three people as an adult!
Miss B left with a pep in her step and I cannot wait to see this exuberant beauty again! She totally rocked her session and even gave in to some of her fears to show off parts of herself very few people have had the privilege to see. I consider it an honor, Miss B.
Are you ready to celebrate your own ferocity and magic? If so, hit the contact button up at the top and shoot me an email!! We only have a few sessions left this year, but am starting to book up for 2018!!
Wild Thoughts {Editorial Session} ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photographer
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