We are so quick to tell our bodies how much we detest every roll, wrinkle, or "abnormality" but very rarely do we hug the softness, caress the bones, and whisper sweet nothings to our vessel, our one stable home. I headed out to the desert with a bunch of amazing boudoir photographers to celebrate our curves and bodies in all their glory and I managed to get one babe down to nothing. Miss Kristina of Owl and Otter: Soul Artist stripped down to the beautiful outfit that is her body and became a goddess, reconnected to nature. With the full moon behind her, the salt flats laid out before her, and nothing but her strong, fearless body that helped her travel across the world to the point where we would meet, she OWNED everything that made her amazing.
My mission as an empowerment photographer is to reunite women with their natural, goddess-like selves but my goal is to also increase the amount of diverse bodies we see online and in social media to make rolls, wrinkles, and "abnormalities" normalized because we are perfect the way we are. If we see bodies of all shapes and sizes in their natural state, we will look at our own and see the beauty that makes us original. This shoot inspired me to start a project this summer, photographing all bodies in the natural landscapes around us (I will wait until Spring for us Canadians!) and then create a beautiful coffee table book that is not only full of beautiful imagery, but also inspirational in all aspects: the women braving themselves and baring their bodies and souls, a showcase of a variety of bodies to show that there isn't ONE ideal, but rather we are all amazing in whatever form we take as long as we are good humans, and their stories about their journey to self love and authenticity!
If you want to join Kristina in this amazing project (I will be traveling to a few different places this year, so keep an eye out if I am coming to you!!) simply email me at: thpstudios@gmail.com with the subject: I AM A GODDESS
If you are not ready to get nudie in the neighbourhood, that is alright. I simply ask that you take some time to reacquaint yourself with your body. Instead of pinching and sighing in disgust at your softness or bits, simply caress it and decide that your bits are beautiful. As you do this over and over again, you will start to see yourself differently.
You know how we wish someone would tell us "I love you"? Well, your body wants the same. If you can't tell yourself that, how can you expect someone else to say it for you? Look at yourself in the mirror...open your eyes, take a deep breath, and start a relationship in loving yourself. You deserve it.“We all begin the process before we are ready, before we are strong enough, before we know enough; we begin a dialogue with thoughts and feelings that both tickle and thunder within us. We respond before we know how to speak the language, before we know all the answers, and before we know exactly to whom we are speaking.” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype
Taylor {Ottawa Diaries} ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photography
I first met Taylor when I went to a workshop hosted by the epic duo of The Last Forty Percent and I had the pleasure of photographing her among the other attendees. While I had some gorgeous photos of her then, I was really looking forward to photographing her in her Ottawa apartment while I was there! Little did I know, how talented this babe was. Not only does she model, bend all the ways, but she is also an extremely talented videographer & photographer at Taylor Oakes Productions. We added a little saucy edge to her styling with basic attire and some GORGEOUS harnesses and cuffs from Uncuffed. Without further adieu, feast your eyes on this little beauty.
She Didn't Feel Sexy {Minneapolis Diaries} ~ International Boudoir Photographer
Miss A and I spent a lot of time together while in Minneapolis because she wanted to put herself into her clients' shoes, but also she wanted to get her mentorship on! I had the pleasure of photographing her in my gorgeous AirBNB and then hanging with her at her awesome Minneapolis studio! This babe was nervous, but also incredibly saucy once we started shooting! She totally gets my mission and promotes the same female empowerment at her boudoir studio, focusing on shooting ladies with curves. Both of us talked about how it was important for there to be diversity of body types in the media, and since we are technically the "media" we could help make this change! So, without further adieu, here is Miss A and her beautiful story.
I loved the experience and just the feeling of confidence afterwards and knowing that I have done this not only for myself but also for my clients when I photograph them. 
I was so scared and nervous and seriously thought that she couldn't bring out sexy in me because I don't feel that way... I sometimes feel cute or silly but not sexy and beautiful. And to be okay with my body, which is a size 28 and to actually see it being strong and holding those poses {which were hard work) and yet I could do it even at my size!
Overall, the experience really had me thinking and re-evaluating my body and how I perceive myself! Thank you for letting me see a different side of me and pushing me out of my comfort zone!
Not only did this babe kill it, but she now knows exactly what her clients feel: before, during, and after the shoot. You can see Miss A's own bog post about her experience here! I cannot wait to see her business grow! This is why I love, love, love to do mentorships (or teritorials as I call them)!! I, as one person, can only empower so many people, but if I can mentor and educate photographers to help them go forth and empower women, then so many more women will have their lives changed!! So, if you are a photographer wanting to impact more women and do more with your business, let me know or if you are a client who is ready to take the leap and do something you will NEVER regret, shoot me an email!
She Is A Fighter {Minneapolis Diaries} ~ International Boudoir Photographer
The team and I took a road trip down to the big city of Minneapolis for shooting and shopping and it was a whirlwind of a trip. We went down on Canada day, stayed for July 4th, and met some crazy beautiful women with fabulous stories. Miss R found out about me through her friend that I had the pleasure of shooting in Vegas and drove 3 hours to come see me! We shot at the gorgeous AirBnb that we rented for the week and made use of the gorgeous moody light. I could tell when Miss R got there that she had some hesitations and was extremely nervous. Due to the distance we were not able to have an in-person consultation, so I totally got where she was coming from, but this is why it is SO important that we do consultations if you ARE in Winnipeg! Anywho, this babe was reluctant because she saw herself as "Mom" and "Wife" and was unsure of herself and her body since she had 3 little ones. I will let her tell you her story, but I have to say she blew. me. away. She dug deep and found herself again.
So I finally did it. Me, a young mom of three, self conscious to the max, fighting major depression since childhood and still struggling to 'find myself'. As we talked prior to shoot, I know Teri could see my shy and timid nature, but as we continued shooting I found myself turn into a sexy beast, someone I never knew I could be.
The compliments and easy directions Teri told me, made it so easy for me to transform. I know she doesn't say she will transform us, better enhance our own beauty, let that person who's been hiding out, but she did, she transformed me into a goddess!
I felt more confident than I have ever felt in my entire life. I felt sexy. I felt beautiful. I felt happy with myself. And very brave for doing this.
Never once during the entire session did I do my normal negative self talk, pointing out my 'mom tummy', how my face is too fat, how I hate my thighs and I wish I was thinner, NONE, NONE OF IT!!! I was fierce, I was incredible and I felt amazing. I was no longer 'just a mom', 'not pretty enough for this', or a 'lost and self conscious girl'... I was a woman, a fucking hot and awesome woman who can and WILL achieve amazing things.
<3 I cant thank you enough for making me feel like this Teri. You are a wonderful person to change lives like this!
My favorite outfit was nothing at all. By the end of the session I felt so confident, nothing but a blanket was all I needed to shine through! At the beginning I was so nervous and scared but quickly I changed into someone who wasn't afraid of anything.
I'm so grateful to have the photos to remind myself that I can be beautiful, I can be sexy and I can always be timid about something as long as I fight through it, amazing results will shine through. Thank you for this opportunity to find the good in myself again!
I think Miss R. hit the nail on the head when she said it's okay to be timid, as long as you fight through it to do something amazing that you will never regret! I am so thankful she shared her story and her experience because I know there are far too many "moms" out there who forget that they are first and foremost WOMEN. Think you are ready to reclaim your sensuality and goddess-like nature? If so, hit me up at the contact page and let's chat!!
Becoming More Me {and finally owning up to my glitter addiction}~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photography
I am going to assume that you have noticed the changes on my website, since you are here reading this blog, but what you don't know is why the heck did I change my site...again?? If you have been following me for awhile you will know I am no stranger to rebranding and the more I follow this amazing path to empowerment for women, I feel growth and change happen, therefore I feel that my site and branding must reflect this. So, I am here to answer some fun questions about the current site because I want to look back in a few years and laugh at why I thought this was a good idea (#alwayschanging).
First up, is the Classy vs. Sassy galleries that I have put up to display my work. Why 2 galleries? Because they are 2 very distinct styles and I feel that when people come in for a session they usually have a particular reason for it. If it is a first session and to explore a woman's sexuality, confidence, and to see herself as the fine art Goddess she is, then I would highly recommend the Classy Sessions. These are what I would consider to be me "typical" boudoir session. Minimalist in the lingerie department, darker, moodier, and more emotional, and perfect for someone wanting to get vulnerable and reconnect with their femininity. On the other hand, we have our Sassy Sessions and these are designed with fun, fearlessness, and play in mind. The Sassy Sessions are the complete opposite of the Classy Sessions in that they are standardly over the top with styling, creating characters, and playing with epic sets and styles. These sessions push the boundaries with evocative, sexy, playful and fierce posing and energy and you will be asked to do some crazy shit and make some fun faces. The Sassy Sessions are the ones that would be similar to an editorial shot for a magazine. So, you can see why I wouldn't interwine the two in one session. They are complete opposites and achieve completely different results and it is very difficult to change moods, sets, etc. What if you want both? Awesome, if you have shot with me before, you already know what to expect so I would recommend either/or, but if this is your first time with me (unless you have a particular theme in mind) I highly recommend starting with a Classy Session and then pushing yourself further for a Sassy Session later on down the line.
Next up, let's talk about the homepage, the one with all the prints and my lovely, sparkly shirt. Why? Well, I wanted something represent the way my brain feels when I am in the "creative zone" and it looks very much like that front page, slightly chaotic, sparkly, but ALWAYS positive. I also have to address why I have curse words on the very first page, my very first introduction into the world. Well, for me, it is important to let prospective clients know exactly who I am. I swear passionately, but like a sailor. I love to use the work Fuck (as in Fucking Awesome) and I love to throw bad ass around in there too. The last thing I want is for someone to have a different opinion of me, come down to the studio and see that I am not a representation of who I claim to be online. I am not in the business to catfish anyone....it wastes their time, and it wastes mine. You best know that if you are working with me, it won't be fun....it will be FUCKING fun (because sometimes only a curse word can exaggerate enough to get your point across.). *side note: it literally took me 2 days to sort out the prints the proper way to take a photograph for the background.*
Up until this month, I have been doing promo sessions 2 days/month with a theme. While that was great, I found that by scheduling particular dates it didn't always work for people, or they didn't like the theme, or what have you. So, going forward limited Promo Pricing will be released 1 day/month where you will have 24 hours to scoop up the booking, but you have 2 months to use the session. So, for example, if today I released a promo session, you would have 24 hours to claim the booking, and then apply it before July 15. The other positive to this is that you are going to be able to choose whatever outfits you want to bring to shoot within the allotted time frame. So, start keeping an eye on Facebook/Instagram/Website/maybe even Snapchat for the monthly releases!!
The third thing I want to address is the number of babes that you will come across on my website. I wanted to create a clean website, but I wanted to put the focus on the inspirational babes who come in for their sessions and give me permission to photograph & share their stories! I have always said that I am the drop in the ocean and it is these women and their stories and help to inspire other women, so I figured who better the represent what I do at Teri Hofford Photography, than the women who have lived it, loved it, and are here to tell their story! The website layout is similar to how I would lay out an album, with white space to put the attention on the women in the images. As a body positivity activist, I have made it my mission to show every woman that every body is beautiful, sexy, and fearless, so as you peruse the website you will see women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and so on. So, take a poke around and see if you recognize anyone!!
Lastly, I couldn't finish up without adding a touch of glitter...it just wouldn't be me if there wasn't a bit of sparkle! So, I updated ye olde logo & watermark to reflect my currently sparkly (yet classic) addiction! I always say if you leave my studio and have no glitter on you when you get home, I clearly didn't do my job. The fonts I chose as well are representative of my brand and myself as a person. I found that a lot of scripts out there are very pretty, flirty, and swirly and just weren't....edgy or raw enough for me, until I found this script. It's still nice, but has a bit of a roughness to it that I enjoy and in fact this is the same font that I used for my Empower tattoo on my wrist!! As for the font used for Teri Hofford portion of it, that is my standard "magazine" style font because I want you all to feel like bad ass supermodels. Lastly, you can see my script goes out of the boxes. Why? you may ask. Well, if you know me, I am always thinking outside the box, but more importantly, I love to push the envelope and I REALLY love to push people outside their comfort zone, so this was indicitive of that mission.
So, yep, that's pretty much it (for now!) Take a look around and if you notice any problems, shoot me an email and I will get it fixed asap! OR, even better, now that you know EXACTLY what you are in for (a kick ass time of fun, empowerment, and incredibly hot photos of yourself!!!) then let's set up a time for our "first date" (or complimentary consult, if you will!)