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!
Give the Middle Finger to Fear ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photographer
Every time I post an image or blog post of some bad ass boudy babe, I get comments or acknowledgements like "OMG, you are so brave" or "I would be so scared to do that" and while I am not denying that getting in front of a relative stranger is scary as shit, it is one of those empowering experiences that you look back on and say "I don't know why I was so worried" and "I am SO glad I did this!" So, while I can sit here and go on and on about why you shouldn't let fear hold you back from anything, most of all a boudoir session with moi, I will let my past boudy babes share THEIR fearless stories. {Remember, fearless isn't about the lack of fear, but rather doing something DESPITE the fear!}
"I would tell him/her to remember that there is fire inside him/her and to try and remember how bright it burned before it was stifled with doubt. Then pour some gasoline on that bitch and gitter done.""I tell my kids all the time that it's ok to be scared because it means you're going to do something really brave. Also, you have so much to gain from the experience!""Don't be hard on yourself. Being uncomfortable is part of the journey. It is necessary for you to feel what you are feeling, freely and without judgement from yourself first and foremost. Be trusting to those around you, and be vulnerable. Society teaches us to fit a mould and to nitpick at ourselves if we don't fit it to it's entirety. Your session allows you to break free from that, so embrace yourself for all that you are, and all that you are not. It's both rebellious and empowering to do so!""There is something so reassuring about the way Teri runs as session. I felt more at ease, more comfortable, more free with Teri just by the way she interacts with you. You know she's "a safe place", you know she "gets it", and you've seen how amazing Teri's work is..... The session is about you, how beautiful you are, and how truly transformative and empowering the session can be. Just be honest with Teri about how you feel, and she'll bring out the amazing woman in you that everyone else sees."
"Trust in teri but more importantly trust in yourself! She is the artist but remember you are the canvas, a work of art. I understand being nervous or scared but just let it all go. Close your eyes, breath out the crap and breath in the gold and let yourself transform!""Let loose and embrace yourself and your body. Bring that outfit that you feel amazing in and I guarantee your confidence will shine through. Don't think about what others will think about your photos. Just keep in mind this is a time to get dressed up and treat yourself! It's an amazing experience. You'll have the jitters at first I am sure. Just remember that your beautiful,sexy, smart and intelligent! A woman who is strong and powerful!""There is something amazing about being vulnerable and then realizing that the person you're with is only there to make you feel amazing. I didn't realize how much it means to have another woman tell you how beautiful you are until I was mostly naked with Teri Hahaha. It was so cool, and an experience I'm always anxious to share with others."
"Just do it!! Embrace being scared and nervous and trust in Teri! She knows what she is doing, and you will look amazing and feel so confident after the photoshoot! Trust the process and just put your trust in her and have fun!""That allowing yourself to be vulnerable is the birthplace of innovation, change and growth. It's the cornerstone of confidence and to quote Brene Brown, "we are wired to be brave; that's why we never feel more alive than when we're being courageous".""Best thing I ever did for myself! I was almost sick with nervousness even though I knew I was in good hands. The excitement from the reveal boosted my energy and lasted weeks! It's a great feeling to be excited about yourself for a change. Absolutely love my pictures.""You will rediscover yourself. The whole time I'm standing there talking to a woman I just met while wearing lingerie and all I could think was, why don't I feel weird right now? Like I could just drink a coffee and chat with Teri in my underwear like it was the most natural thing."
" I would tell that someone that sometimes you need to let yourself be vulnerable to someone else so that they can see all the beautiful incredible things you are for you to see them. You are strong enough, brave enough and fierce enough for this and soooo much more. Believe in yourself and the rest will fall into place. Best thing I ever did...forever grateful....""It's exciting and nerve-wracking which is perfectly normal , within minutes of Teri snapping pics you forget the nerves disappear your doing things in positions you've never would have thought striping your clothes off with ease to change outfits and then your done and you think that's it that wasn't so bad. And you will be nervous again once it's time to reveal Teri will give you the low down ..you will be 100%convinced you won't like 1 picture ...then they are on the screen , you will need to pick your jaw up off the floor and you will say Shit! Is that me that bitch on the screen is Fierce and beautiful and sexy and it's you and you will be wanting ALL the pictures .. and then you will be an hooked and will want to take pictures all the time !!!""Grab life by the lady balls and be fierce! Teri will be your spirit guide and you will feel so empowered!! 
❤️ no regrets.""And on those days in the trenches raising toddlers where I haven't showered or shaved or worn makeup for days, I just open my boudy book of photos to remind myself that I'm a god damn GODDESS!"
"1) It's okay to feel scared.2) It feels so great to be brave.3) Teri is magical and makes you feel so at ease it's crazy.4) You will feel empowered and like a total boss for a very long time after the shoot. (Possibly indefinitely)5) You only see the good photos.6) Again, Teri is magical. (Like a Teri Godmother or something)7) You get to look at your awesome babely photos of yourself later and be like "Holy shit, that's me, I'm a mu'fuckin' babe!"8) You are beautiful, and strong, and worth it, (and all the other good things) and you should go for it!9) Seriously, just go for it.10) Doooooo it.""You are worth it. Regardless of how much you love or hate your body features, Teri goes beyond the physical aspect. She gets ya in the feels. Inside you feel fierce. You come out seeing those physical features in a different way. The environment is safe and empowering. Teri truly invests her time in you. Shouldn't you do the same thing?"
While these are just a few of the stories to come out of the Boudy Babes, I promise you that every woman who experiences an empowerment boudoir experience emerges with renewed self confidence, a wee bit of pride, and an acknowledgment that she is one sexy, bad ass babe ready to take on the world. I hope the words from these babes will quell some of that fear that stops you from pushing the contact button or lets you procrastinate until "one day when..." So, when you are ready to give the middle finger to fear, I am here and I am ready to give you one of the most empowering experiences of your life!
Oops, I Did it Again (branding, that is) ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photographer
Since you are on this website previewing this blog post you can see some changes in and around this blog post! I have finally come to a place with myself and my work to be able to create an ACTUAL logo (aside from just my name) and I wanted to give you a bit of background where all of this has come from. Let's start with the symbol behind my name:
The book that changed my life was The Alchemist and I even wrote a blog post about it when I was on a kick about sharing my favorite things. I have not only read this book a few times, I have probably bought and give another 10 to people that needed it at that moment in their lives. If you haven't read it and are finding yourself at a bit of a crossroads in your life, I highly recommend it. But anywho, the idea of Alchemy was something that I have always been attracted to: the process of transforming lead into gold (or at least trying to). I have always known that what we do here at the THP Studios is more than just photography and I really connected with this idea of "transformation." Now, as I mentioned before I am not transforming women from ugly to beautiful, but rather, we are transforming the way they see themselves. More often than not the babes that come in front of my lens view themselves as lead: heavy, burdened, plain, etc. (this is never the actual case) and then when they leave, they feel like gold (bright, shiny, see their worth, etc.)
Secondly, the variety of alchemy symbols that I decided to forge together came out of a fab quote that I came across:
(this image was found via Pinterest)I strongly believe that everyone needs to recognize this about themselves and help develop that fire within themselves. I believe that every woman who comes in for a session leaves with a stirring inside her to get her to bring forth the passion for herself once again.
(artist unknown)Lastly, if you will look closely at the dark colors that permeate my site, you will realize that it is NOT black, and rather a beautiful, moody navy. When I travel and see the ocean, my favorite has always been when it is a gorgeous dark hue...almost the color of the night sky in the autumn. It's a color I had a hard time pinning down, but when I finally came across it, I realized it was a essentially a darker hue of the teal I had been using prior. As I have evolved, so have my tastes, but the original inspiration still stays. This darker color is also more representative of my shooting style, where I shoot more for shadows than I do for light (odd thing for a photographer to say!). In any case, this is the current, evolved version of THP Studios thanks for hanging around to watch us grow!
It's Personal {body positivity, that is} ~ Winnipeg Body Image Activism
While this post may be better suited for my other page, iammorethanjustabody.com, the website isn't up yet, so you get to hear about it here. There has been a lot of chatter on my photography page and within my VIP group in regards to body positivity and all that jazz, especially since I posted the advertisement below, so I thought I would expand on my feels in this post.
I was called out by a fellow photographer for "not really promoting body positivity" with this ad because it features a relatively muscular man. So, first of all, the ad was NOT looking for men of all body types, but rather for someone who wants to photograph men, so the dude in the photo is just there for an example of the kind of work that I do. Secondly, body image is not reserved for the unfit only. Let me say it again: BODY IMAGE IS NOT RESERVED FOR THE UNFIT ONLY. Men like to feel bad ass, hot af, and feel confident so I am not to say who is or isn't allowed to enjoy a body positive experience. While I tried to get these points across to the gentleman that decided to hijack my post, he still remained pretty certain that only "fat" people can be body positive. Sigh.
Body positivity & self image are extremely personal, so with the intent put on "fixing society" we are never, ever going to accomplish this. This is like assigning a colored t-shirt to a particular day in an effort to "fix the problem" but in fact, people continue to bully because the problem is not the color of the shirt a bully wears, it's in their mental attitude. So, when it comes to fixing society to stop marginalizing certain groups, we literally have to start within ourselves and become the leaders and champions of our own lives, which in turn will inspire others. Is this easy? God, no. Is it worth it? Of course.
So, what does this mean? This means that if I, as a person OF society, want to make a change in the way body image is perceived, then I have to start with myself. Why is it okay for me to call myself disgusting, but as soon as someone else does it, SOCIETY needs to change? If every person did the inner work necessary to heal themselves and get to the root of their problems there would probably be a lot less hatred in the world. But people don't. Because it's hard. If we stopped pushing ourselves down, then maybe we could move forward from all of this bullshit.
Something I refer to a lot in my talks, is that women ARE to blame. Who keeps buying the magazines that tell us we look and feel like shit, so buy this product to feel/be/look better? We do! 85% of the diet industry is funded by women hoping for a quick fix to achieve an "idealistic body". So, yah, when we say it's society that's the problem...it is...because society is US.
When I stated that body positivity was not reserved for fat people, I had a few people speak up about how while it is not reserved for fat people, it came about due to the fat acceptance movement. My interpretation of that comment was that because the fat acceptance movement played a part in body positivity, it means that fat people should have the recognition for it, so when promoting body positive things we should showcase "fat people". But body image goes way beyond size, shape and so on. Body image encompasses how each individual perceives himself/herself within society (whether or not it is a factual representation of their body, it is their PERCEPTION) and bodies are made up of more than just fat and skin. It just seems that our preoccupation with body image in this day and age is surrounding sizeism. The fat acceptance movement didn't really happen until a few years ago, but I believe there were people fighting for body positivity well before then: people fighting for skin color and the right to be seen as equal, people fighting for gender equality and the right to be seen as equal, and people fighting for disability rights and the right to be seen as equal, etc. All of these things started LONG before the fat acceptance movement, and were different aspects of BODY IMAGE & EMBRACING A PERSON'S IDENTITY. I am certainly not taking away from the work that the fat acceptance movement has provided in terms of body positivity in the most recent years, but I think that we need to understand that by making it seem as though body positivity has to do with size only, we are neglecting the other marginalized groups of people and disrespecting the people that are perceived as being "normal" to society when they do have body image issues.
The thing, I think we forget, is that we all come to the table with our own "glasses" on. Essentially, the way we have always seen our lives, the way we look at our pasts, the way we compare ourselves and others, etc. will play a big part on how our body image reflects in our minds. (Again, this is why it's a personal thing). For example, someone who is 105 lbs and suddenly gains 30lbs due to an unknown reason, may find themselves comparing their new body to an old one and will probably feel fat. So, to this person, she may think of herself as fat, but to someone like me who is 250lbs I would be more inclined to tell her otherwise. But again, I CANNOT TELL SOMEONE HOW THEY SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT FEEL.
Then people say "HEY! Fat isn't a bad word" and this is correct. But, what has happened is that we have conditioned ourselves to use the word fat as an umbrella term in place of how we actually feel. For example, perhaps you eat a lot of salty pizza and lots of ice cream (which is delicious in the moment!), but then the next day you feel bloated and uncomfortable. We would standardly say "uuuuuugh...I'm having a fat day" when in fact you KNOW you can't possibly have gained fat that quickly, but instead you are probably feeling: lethargic, bloated, uncomfortable, dehydrated, maybe guilty because you have an unhealthy relationship with food, etc. but we sum that up with "FAT" because that is what WE, as society, have bought into. Every time we watch a commercial, read a magazine, or scroll through our newsfeeds we have reminders telling us how shitty we must feel when we are "fat" and if we don't stop to critically think where those messages are coming from, we internalize it and then believe it as true, and we continue to spend the money on the establishments that "promises to save us" from ourselves.
So, I got a bit off topic there, but I needed to explain that body positivity is for EVERY body. I cannot tell someone who is 10lbs thinner than me that they are not allowed to be body positive because they aren't as fat as me. That just doesn't make sense to the phrase BODY POSITIVE. I cannot tell someone if they fall into the fat category or not, because that would be just as terrible as going to the doctor and telling them you have to "fit into this particular category" in order to be deemed healthy (and this fatty know how shitty that feels). As a boudoir photographer and body image activist it is NOT my place to determine someone's level of body image acceptance. 
If someone comes to me and tells me they have struggled with their body image their whole life and they are 110lbs I am not going to say "Girl, you have nothing to worry about" because she DOES have something to worry about...she has to worry about the unhealthy relationship that she is having with her body and that it is resulting in preventing her from understanding her worth because her confidence is so low. She has to be concerned that over 13 times a day she is saying negative shit to herself that further compounds her feelings. She has to worry that she is developing an eating disorder because she feels she is "not allowed" to talk about her body image issues because of her petite size. My job as a body image activist is not to turn her away because she "isn't fat enough"...it's to embrace, understand, and be an ally to her as she works on herself to understand that even though her body IS good enough, her body is only a fraction of the awesome equation that makes her her. If a woman weighs 210lbs+ and and says she hates her body, I am going to give her 100% of the same treatment, respect, and understanding. It is not my place to tell someone how they can and cannot feel about their bodies, nor should it be yours.
We, as individuals, can only work from within and work on ourselves. We can critically think about the mass messages and not buy into the shit we are being fed. We can stop buying waist trainers, cosmetic surgery procedures, and products that are aimed to "fix" us...because as a business owner I know, that if there is no $$ coming in, you will go out of business---supply and demand and all that. The only way to change society is to ultimately focus on yourself...are you being judgemental? Are you pushing other people down to help yourself? Are you buying products in an effort to increase your self worth? Are you sharing memes online that promote shaming in any capacity? Or are you calling people out for doing this sort of shit? I promise that once you start to focus on your own contribution to society, you will start to see that the change may actually begin with you.
After that long-winded explanation this is why I firmly believe that body positivity is for every body and should not be reserved for a certain "type." Essentially, in order for us to change the society that we curse so much, we must look within ourselves and start the change from there. After all, as Ghandi says "Be the change, you wish to see in the world."
The Price of Doing a Boudoir Session ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photographer
Boudoir is quickly becoming more and more popular among the masses and I couldn't be happier about this. You see, boudoir photography has been around for ages, but prior to about 5 years, it was very much focused on gifting photos of your body to your significant other. While I don't necessarily have a problem with this, I do have a problem with the fact that when women started to do it for themselves, they received a lot of push back, being told they were narcissistic, "should cover up", and other various phrases that make me a bit ragey. It drives me nuts, because it's okay for women to be oggled and seen as beautiful by someone else, but as soon as she sees that within herself it is too far? Wtf.
We also know that there are a rising number of boudy photogs all over the world with a variety of different prices, styles, experience etc. but at the end of the day, boudoir photography IS a luxury experience and therefore, a luxury investment and you want to make sure that you are getting everything you want out of your session. While the dollar cost is up to you, I want to talk about the REAL cost of boudoir photography from a client AND boudoir specialist viewpoint and set some expectations as to what will be expected of YOU as a client.
1. TimeI know it sounds silly, but you will need to be ready to invest in taking time for yourself, and as a sister to a mom with three babes, I know that it can be hard for women to make time for themselves. Sessions with us range from 3-5 hours and the reveal another 45 minutes to an hour, and in the grand scheme of things, you may not think that that is a lot of time, but try asking a mom with a toddler to take a 30 second pee break....it ain't happening. So, if you are wanting to do a boudoir session, be prepared to take time for yourself (I promise I won't interrupt your time by tugging on your shirt and telling you when I poop).
2. VulnerabilityThis is one of the hardest things for people to be and we ask for a lot of it during your sessions. We will ask you to tell us your why, get you to talk about your real feels about your body & view of yourself, and we will ask you to literally and figuratively bare yourself to us. In exchange, we will get vulnerable with you. We will tell you OUR struggles, experiences, and let you know that you are not alone. We will also ask you to sit in front of a big screen TV and watch intimate photos of yourself, which can be slightly scary, but we are there with you every step of the way. There are hundreds of women of all sizes, shapes, and backgrounds that come to us with their own stories and we absolutely love that, but the one thing they all have in common is that they are ready to get vulnerable with us.
3.TrustThis is another thing people have a hard time doing. Every time a woman sits down in her consultation, I can see the fear that I might not be able to deliver her expectations (thankfully, I'm a cocky fuck who accepts this challenge). It can be a hard thing trusting someone to help you see yourself the way you want to be seen, and I appreciate every woman that has given me the chance to photograph, chat with, and help them through understanding that while they are beautiful, their looks aren't the best thing about them. Trusting your photographer is probably one of the biggest "taxes" one has to pay when doing a boudoir session, but when you do, you reap the benefits big time!
4. ControlI find that about 50% of my clients are more than happy to let me take the reigns, but the other 50% are fearful about letting go and I find this sometimes relates back to #2 & #3 above. I always let my clients know that I would prefer you to give me everything you've got, because A) you will never see the "bad" photos and B) you are here to get in touch with yourself. Usually after about 20 minutes the 50% that like their control, will loosen up because I am dedicated to helping you get in touch with your bad ass self, but I promise the further you go with it, the more epic your images will be. Also, we are artists before anything else, so the more control you give us the more artistic and emotional your images will be...hold back and you will get duplicated images that have no real emotion behind it. Essentially: give it up, we know what we're doing.
5.NudityI know it sounds a little creepy that a tax you pay to doing a boudoir session is that you have to show your naughty bits, but honestly isn't that why you are here in the first place? Wanting to know what it feels like to get nudie, explore your body in a judgement free zone, and experience the freedom of being a sensual, bad ass woman? Now, not all photographers will ask you to go completely naked, but if you come see me, I will. So this is an expectation I set with all my boudy babes and why I do consultations beforehand. Here we believe that your body is the only vessel you will be provided in this lifetime and it has probably gotten you through a lot of shit, so it deserves some love and pampering too. Also, though it can be daunting, I personally find that most clients are more comfortable completely naked than they are with lingerie.
6.ChangeLastly, the acceptance of change is something that will be necessary when you do a session. What I mean by this, is that you must be ready to accept that you are a bad ass, fearless, confident, and babely woman and stop telling yourself the fucking lies that we all have been known to tell ourselves. If you aren't ready for the possibility of change, then a boudoir session probably isn't for you. We all know that change is scary and it's scary because it essentially is an accumulation of all the above. We always associate with "change" with a negative outcome, questioning our desires and answering with our worst fears. The "what ifs" take over and so we never move beyond our comfort zone...doing a boudoir session WILL require you to change (but I promise it will be one of THE MOST POSITIVE experiences of your life).
So, whether you decide to spend a lot or a little bit of dollars on your boudoir experience, I urge you to find a photographer that will be able to fulfill the other cost requirements: someone who is trustworthy, excited and passionate to help you move forward in your journey to celebrating your size & goddess-like nature, someone who will give you permission to take time for yourself, someone who will gently coax you outside your comfort zone (or push you, haha), and someone who is confident to take control when you are in such a vulnerable situation. It's important that lines of communication are open between you and your photographer and just like dating, not every client will be for every photographer and vice versa. Find someone who gets YOU. And if that person happens to be me, shoot me an email and we will be more than happy to set up a consultation!