No, this is not Jessica Rabbit (though she may want to consider that as a Halloween costume this year!). This stunner is Miss G and she came by for a shoot and she slayed the grunge goddess look with ease. Between her hair color, radiant confidence and ability to create magic with her eyes, we made some stellar images. I have known Miss G for a few years and have seen her progress as an artist (she also is a photographer!) and work towards becoming a self-assured woman. We rocked 2 looks for this session: one more seductive and sultry and the second, a throwback to the 90s! She did amazing with both and we had a ton of fun with the session. Sessions like this prove that you don't have to go buy traditional lingerie to make epic, gorgeous images! In fact, it's more fun to take items that are less common in boudoir and make them look hot af. The makeup and hair was done by none other than my talented teammate Nicole Velasquez!
Let's Talk About Body Neutrality ~ Winnipeg Empowerment
Better yet, let's not talk about bodies at all. #BOPO #bodypositivity #iambeautiful #iampretty #iammorethanjustmybodyandweneedtostartrealizingthatthisismoreimportant. Has anyone else noticed that "body positivity" is getting extremely watered down? It's becoming so topical, trendy, empty, and void. Don't get me wrong, I love to see women loving their bodies regardless of size, shape, color, etc. BUT now we are heading to far in the other direction and it seems as though if you aren't body positive, you should feel guilty about it. I don't know, maybe I am just being cynical but I think that we should strive to achieve peace with our body...body neutral, if you will. Am I happy to see diversity in the media? Of course, but I would be a hell of a lot happier if they stopped referring to the models as "Plus models" or stopped making their size the focus of their marketing as opposed to the actual garments. Maybe my rant is because I have been working for the last 2 weeks without a day off...I mean, after all I am a self proclaimed body positivity activist, right?
But I have been thinking about this a lot and I thought about myself and my mission and what I am really trying to accomplish. At what point did we forget that we are so much more than just our bodies? I mean, there had to have been a time when our body didn't even register as a thing that was good or bad, it just....was. I am starting to think that this is even more important, possibly, than body positivity.
I get that I am striving to help people be more positive about the things they say and think about their body, but more importantly I want them to realize that there is more to them than JUST a body. My other post about body image not being about the body at all, is a perfect example of this. Instead of extremely hating or hyper-focusing on, how about we just accept our body for what it is: it is the Earth suit that allows us to do our Earth work. Regardless of it's size, shape, color, or otherwise, it is simply a casing on a kick ass interior. And yes, your body is beautiful. And yes, your size is fab. And yes, your skin color is gorgeous. BUT. You are so. much. more. than. that.
You are an accumulation of passion, drive, generosity, fearlessness, courage, brilliance bravery, soul, spirit, and dreams. There is no casing perfect enough to encapsulate ALL of these things aside from the one you have been given. And you are not these things all at once and you're also never specifically one of these things. I like to think of our spirit and who we ACTUALLY are is similar to a beautiful cosmos....swirling, changing, sparkling, showing up, disappearing, a continual eddy of glitter that cannot possibly be found in our skin color, our body shape, or size. And maybe that's what frustrates us ABOUT our bodies.....is that we don't see ourselves truly reflected in our casing because we DO know we are much more than our outsides.
We need to start changing our conversations and the words we use to describe each other and the world around us. Look at the potential, the ferocity, the courage, the brilliance, the confidence, instead of JUST the beauty and bodies. And blame it all on biology if you want. The fact that we look for "healthy" mates and find those with symmetrical faces to be more appealing is rooted in biology. But let's be clear, there's this little thing called evolution or adaptability (if you don't believe in evolution) that has shown us that we are able to change our brain paths and with every new generation we are a bit different than the last. So, let's start to change our biological brains to learn a new habit. One that starts to see past bodies and recognize people for WHO they are, instead of what they look like....and that goes for ourselves too. Look in the mirror, but compliment your inner strength, brilliance, and drive. The only thing you should care about on your body is whether or not you have toothpaste on your chin or food in your teeth.
With every photo project I do, I am realizing more and more that we need to stop comparing because it is like comparing different kittens....THEY ARE ALL ADORABLE!!! Our motivations, our personality, our relationships, etc. are not one size fits all, just as our bodies are not one size fits all. So why do we keep trying to force ourselves into this weird checklist of "perfection"? I get that we want to socially "fit in" and all that, but at what expense? I tried that and I hated myself. I am sure I am not alone in this. You know that feeling when you are talking about something you love and are passionate about and your voice gets louder, and your hands start moving, and your eyes get sparkly and you talk faster and you don't even give a shit to what or how your body looks in that moment?? That's your soul saying "hey, hey! THIS is YOU!! This is what you are made of!!" You will never feel that same sparkle when you try to be someone else because it is not you. Plain and simple. You know that saying "Trying to fit a square peg into a round hole"? That is the fight the majority of people make every single day that they try to be something they aren't.
In this day and age (and yes, I realize how old that makes me sound) we are being sucked into a vortex of sub-species. It's like society is turning us into someone's ridiculous Starbucks order! Everything we try to do or be, someone feels the need to put a label on it: Cis, Bi, Plus, Straight, Thin, White, Black, Brown, Bla Bla Bla. Why is this necessary? Why does everything need to fit into a little packaged box. Why can't we just....be? Do I take pride in being a woman? Of course. But I am more than my gender. Just as I am more than my size, my sexual orientation, my PCOS, and my job. These are just some of the things that make up the cosmic map that is Teri Kristin Lee Hofford and I am trying to be the most Teri Kristin Lee Hofford that I know how to be. Stop putting fucking labels on yourself and other people, they only continue to segregate people and cause hurt and sadness.
So after this ranty post, am I still a body positivity activist? Yes. I always look to the positive so I believe my mission is to help women change their brain paths and habits to help them achieve a healthier relationship with their body. But I have also realized that I am also a sparkly-life activist (don't let the name fool you, even though I'm sparkly, I'm still tough love Teri): I will inspire, motivate, and empower women to achieve their strongest, most effervescent lives without anything holding them back (including body image). I will help women see their cosmic map for what it is and to use their beautiful differences to inspire, motivate, and heal others. I will help women to understand that their beauty is so much more than the curves of their hips, the length of their eyelashes, or the firmness of their breasts. I will ask women the tough questions to help them understand why they feel the way they do about themselves and the world around them. I will help women move out of their comfort zone into a world of growth and opportunity, free of judgment from themselves and inspire them to move mountains with their power, not their body. I will teach women to revel in the galaxy that makes up their soul and to appreciate all the bits, even the ones that make them feel less worthy, because even broken things shine brightly. Lastly, I will remove any and all labels, providing a judgement free space where women can talk about their fears in relation to themselves: their body, their mind, their dreams, their soul and hopefully give them some comfort to move forward into the world, becoming aquainted with their true, authentic, beautiful, powerful self. I will not ask women to be body positive (unless they want to be), but rather body accepting and body neutral. If you can come to a a place of peace with your Earth suit, that is still better than being negative and this peace allows you to focus on the other parts that truly give value to your wonderous being! Now, go forth, dwell in the magic that is your spirit and enjoy the journey!
Sweet & Sassy {inspiration session} ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photography
Just because you don pastels doesn't mean you have to be sweet and innocent. Miss B proves otherwise in the Sweet & Sassy inspiration session. The outfits you see in this session are available for your own session, so if you see anything you like, just let me know! My fabulous makeup artist Nicole took my inspiration of sparkle and sweetness and killed it with the shimmery eyes and beautiful lip which capped off the entire look I was going for. Miss B was also one of the first babes to get to play with my ring light, which we used to create some awesome colored lighting as well as beauty shots. It's always fun for me to play in the studio and this session was no exception!
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!)
Your Empowerment Playlist ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photographer
Music has a way of reaching your soul and speaking the words that you have a hard time doing. I have compiled a list of my favorite female empowerment songs that get me hyped up and loving myself! Of course there are a ton of others, but I wanted to showcase some of the less than thought of empowerment songs. If there are any you think I should add, let me know in the comments!!
1.Elle King ~ America's SweetheartApparently, this song came out last year, so I am a year late to the game, but I absolutely love it. Plus, Elle slays with that gold sparkly eyeshadow. With lyrics like:No there ain't nothing that I gotta prove You think your words will make me black and blue But I, I think I'm pretty with these old boots on I think its funny when I drink too much, hey You try and change me you can go to hell 'Cause I don't want to be nobody else I like the chip I got in my front teeth And I got bad tattoos you won't believe What do you want from me, I'm not America's sweetheart So beat the drum with me, I'm not America's sweetheartWell they say I'm too loud for this town So I lit a match and burned it down What do you want from me, I'm not America's sweetheart But you love me anywayyou can't help but start to love your bits! Also, if you don't start dancing (even sit-dancing) this whole list will be lost on you.2. Hailee Steinfeld ~ Love MyselfAaaah! I love this song oh so much! And again, the video is killer and I am in the process of asking my mom to make me a sequin hoodie because it looks fucking amazing! Plus, that bodysuit? Mmm yes please. Never mind that the whole song is about being able to please yourself with a partner...that's pretty empowering if you ask me!!3. Alicia Keys ~ Girl On FireAs a photographer, I appreciate the cinematic quality of the video, but more importantly I love the lyrics because Ibelieve that every woman has a fire burning deep within her soul. Some of us were born into the world with a killer support system to help foster that fire, where other women are brought up into a world where water is being thrown on her fire every turn she makes. This song is for those women to remembe that the flame is always there, regardless of how small it is. Let it burn, babes, let it burn.4.Kacey Musgraves ~ Follow Your ArrowNot a country fan? Well, you may want to skip this one, BUT the message in it is awesome. Essentially, just do you and "Follow your arrow wherever it points" because people are never going to be happy and judge you anyway.5.P!nk ~ F**kin' PerfectAn oldie, but a goodie. P!nk is always there to set us straight when we start to veer down the negative thought path. This video brings about some serious feels, so if you haven't seen it before prepare yourself. Remember, babes, you are stronger and more amazing than you think you are. And there will be times when you feel less than perfect, but please know that I KNOW you ARE fucking perfect as you are. Shoot me a message just to vent if you want.6.Shakira ~ Try EverythingSure, it's for a feel good family movie, but the lyrics are pretty good. Too many adults are afraid to go for it, to live their dreams, to achieve their passion and I think it's important to remember that everyone starts at the beginning and it's in the failure that we become empowered to succeed and grow. Moral of the story: Whatever scares the piss out of you, maybe give it a try and see where it takes you.7. Empire Cast ~ You're So BeautifulOkay, yes, yes, maybe I binge watched Empire on Shomi, but hey! This song came out of that effort. This is just a fun, boppy song to remind you that you are fabulous when you may not be feeling it yourself. Remember, you're so beautiful!8.Sarah Bareilles ~ BraveAnother oldie, but I frickin' love the lyrics to this song and the whole musical composition. It makes me want to dance, sing, and do the things that scare me the most! 'Nuff said.9.Misterwives ~ Not Your WayOver being told to be undressed to look our bestEverywhere my eyes go, our figure is less, voice suppressedBut look how very far we have comeCast a vote, wear pants and prop up a gunNo, it's not your way, not your wayNot going to obey, to obeyThis is my body, bodyAnd you don't have a say, have a sayThis is my own life, own lifeNot growing up to be a trophy wifeSo don't parade us 'round, 'round we goIn your twisted world and I'm saying no, noNo, it's not your way, not your wayNo no no no, no no noLower and lower our standards go as your money growsFill us up with plastic and cut us up and tie a bowBut look how very far we have comeStrip us of our width, disguise it like we have wonLike, c'mon....these lyrics are pretty epic...10. Eurythmics ~ Sisters Are Doin' It For ThemselvesWe are taking it way back to when women put the power in "power suit." Props to these babes for helping to move the female empowerment movement forth. Annie & Aretha killed it.