I know the tremendous impact I want my work to have on the women who not only come in for a shoot, but also for those viewing it from afar, but sometimes I forget exactly how much it actually does. I posted a casting call in my VIP Boudy Babe group awhile back and Miss S scooped it up, coming in for a session and attempting to give herself some love. Little did I know that this session would affect her as much as it did. I will let Miss S take control of the blog now and tell you in her own words exactly how her session changed her view of herself.
When I first saw Teri's work, all I could think of, "I need this. Like. Now."
So I showed it to my partner, who agreed that it would help. I told him it would save my life. So when Teri was doing a casting call, I jumped on it. A week before I came into Teri's studio, or as I call it, "Magic Boudy Land", I was terrified. Scared. What if she is repulsed by my look? I have so many scars, pimples, etc, what if I just look like a girl with a disease? What if my partner hates them? What if *I* hate them? These were all things that were going through my head, and more. I was diagnosed with BPD(Borderline Personality Disorder), PTSD(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), Anxiety(all varieties at different levels), and depression. So as some could imagine, I didn't think I could do it. I have huge body issues(Body Dysmorphia, very low self esteem, etc), and it causes me to think, and feel like nothing. That *I* am nothing, or not worthy of being loved by anyone. But as I walked through the door of Magic Boudy Land, my worries kind of melted away.
Teri is an amazing person, she radiates with so much glitter and sparkle that I don't think anyone could be sad in her room. She just makes you feel at home and loved, and very welcomed. When we got started, after makeup(which was so mystifying), she explained things clearly, with no pressure. It's like we were friends for years. She treated me like an equal, a sexy goddess, a beautiful woman, a normal human being.
After the shoot, I was so happy. I was radiating glitter and sparkle and so much sass. I was confident. And I am in love with myself. I know getting a boudy shoot to some may seem like nothing, or that it won't do anything. Or that it's "not for you" or that you have to be a certain body type to get one. No. It saved my life. My humanity. Not only am I more confident. I feel great. It's like a personal high. I advise everyone to get one done. Sure, you may still have bad days, but I find that I still think I am sexy even on the worse days. I am loving myself, and everyone should feel this way.
I'm not gonna lie. I totally teared up when I read her email. This session SAVED. HER. LIFE. No, wait. SHE saved her life. She followed through with her session despite the constant battle in her mind. There are a number of women out there who would cancel, reschedule or just not go forward with their session because of all of the fears Miss S listed, but look what happened when she pushed herself so far outside of her comfort zone?? SHE DID AMAZING!! She is renewed and one step closer to being at peace with herself. Had she not pushed past the fears she would be in the same self-depricating and emotionally damaging state that she was, but this bombshell DIDN'T let her fear stop her. Instead she faced it head on and powered her shoot with her nervousness (and as a result, "killed it" as the kids say these days). It's clients like this that pull at my heart and make me dig my feet in even more to help build a community and world of women who can embrace their worth and fabulousness. Do something this week that scares the shit out of you....do something that makes your soul feel on fire....and do something just for yourself. (If part of that is booking your boudoir session, hit the contact button above or join the VIP Community on Facebook to get one step closer!!)
She Found Peace ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photography
Another Miss J!! This beauty took advantage of my dark and light promo session and upon meeting I could see she was very hesitant and nervous to do her session. As a boudy photog, I can usually get a feel for my babes and I could sense her anxiety. Nevertheless, she pushed past her fears and jumped into her session with 2 beautiful feet! This gorgeous babe had a hard time seeing her gloriousness and when she came in for her reveal with her mom and best friend, someone must have been cutting onions, because there were tears all around. All this time she had felt less than, undesireable and yet, here in front of her was the amazing woman that her family and friends knew the whole time. Miss J finally realized what everyone was telling her. But don't take it from me, check out her story below:
I was really second guessing my decision to do this shoot. I was so nervous the days before the shoot, even more so the morning of. However I bit the bullet, picked up my heels and off I went!
I felt very welcomed greeted by Teri's and Nicole's smiles. Make up almost done, that crazy nervous feeling returned. Teri assured me I would be ok and have a great time. A few moments into the shoot I chuckled to myself and thought yes she was right. Teri made me feel so comfortable and I had a great shoot with her!
I brought my amazing mom and one of my oldest and dearest friends to the reveal. Sitting there the nerves were almost too much. I was scared to have them see what I had done and hear what they thought. Once the photos started I thought wow, tears uncontrollably fell and not just from me. What a feeling, it was overwhelming. Looking over at my mom and my friend seeing tears in there eyes and mamma validating what she has always said..... you are beautiful! I felt at peace.
Teri you have helped me see my beauty outside and within once again!!
Miss J.'s experience is unfortunately not uncommon. Too many women second guess their beauty, their strength, and their sexiness and it is a session like this that will help them see the reality of who they are as women. While I am very happy to help women experience that on their journey, it also pains me that so many women go years without ever knowing or acknowledging their true worth. So don't wait for the "right time", until your body is "perfect", because 1 year waiting to see yourself as anything less than phenomenal is 1 year too long. Are you ready to REALLY see yourself? If so, hit the contact button up above and we will have a chat!
She Fell In Love ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photography
I have no words for this session with Miss S. She is a fighter, a bad ass babe, a super sexy woman....but she never saw it and barely believed it. The first time I met Miss S I knew she had some concerns and hesitations about doing a boudoir session...so much so that we had TWO consultations and her session was a year in the making. I won't say anymore, however, but rather, give way to Miss S's powerful story. She is taking over the blog for today and you are not going to want to miss this! (Also, how fucking amazing are her outfits?? LOVED the colors!)
"My body has changed so much over the years, I gained 100 lbs and I had no control over it. I have a brain tumor which caused me to gain weight and gave me physical side effects in which I have no control over. I have had 2 brain surgeries and while my disease is still a contributing factor to my daily life I knew in order to be happy in my everyday life I had to except and start loving the body I am in as it may never change. About a year ago, I saw some of Teri’s pictures and specifically Nikita’s. I was mesmerized by how a plus size woman’s beauty was so flawless she is absolutely stunning. Thus began my relationship with Teri.
I initially had a consultation in 2015…where Teri explained to me the process, and began the transformation of how I saw myself. Something so simple as I said I want to feel beautiful for a day and she said HUN you are beautiful every day. I mentioned I hated my stomach and she called me on it and had me looking at it with an accepting attitude. Then I had another consultation and we discussed what I would wear and what she would have me doing and I was SOOOO nervous I thought I would puke. We made my appointment, and from that moment until the day it arrived I almost cancelled, and sent a half dozen emails with questions.
The day of my appointment I was nauseous , she let me relax on the couch and Nicole showed up and music was going and we just talked about music and our weekend plans Nicole and Teri just made me feel comfortable. I wasn’t a stranger ..Nicole’s makeup was AMAZING (I kept it on for 2 days). She did my hair which was simple and the way I do it and I was like "why does it feel so different?" Then it began. 
I was so unsure about my smile and my posture and Teri told me I was stunning and gorgeous just kept going ….By the 2nd outfit I said to Teri "Wow! This is so liberating …." It was like I didn’t feel like I was this overweight mom of 3 kids, I was a beautiful mom of 3 kids…by the end of our shoot I was changing in front of Teri I wasn’t hiding in the corner of the studio and I was smiling and laughing a lot …and not just while she was taking the pictures. I was on a high for the rest of the day, I felt completely comfortable with who I was, and the increased amount of selfie’s where proof. Lol.
Then came time for the reveal and I was sitting at Teri’s computer and I was looking, not at the computer, but at Teri with tears in my eyes…I was scared, so very scared that everything I felt was going to come crashing down the moment I saw myself...the very shell of me on screen with no protection, and she said "look at those pictures and when you do look at them as you would someone else like your mom or your sister or a friend, NOT yourself" …and I did. 
I fell in love with myself. I have never felt so beautiful in all my life. I looked at the photos and it was my clothes and my body …It was just me and Teri and her camera and I was beautiful. I have been smiling and on a cloud for 2 days since my reveal and I even showed my mother.
Every woman regardless of age, shape or size should do this. Have the opportunity to fall in love with themselves. Teri has given me pictures and but much more than that. SHE gave me the opportunity to appreciate and love the body that I have been given. I may have things I cannot control on the inside but I sure as hell can Love the outside. Thank you Teri ..you have really changed my life xoxoxo "
And She Started To Take Care Of Herself Again ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photographer
The first time Ms. T bopped into my studio I knew we were going to be good friends. This woman's personality can only be described as "sparkly" and I could feel it as soon as I looked into her beautiful eyes. The past year has been a bit rough for this beauty, but she doesn't let it get her down, she just does what she has to do and moves on! As a single parent, Ms. T works hard to do the best for her daughter but along the way, she somehow forgot about herself. At the beginning of 2016, she vowed to start taking care of herself and doing things to give back to herself and her boudoir experience was only part of that adventure!
My favorite part about this bombshell, was the amount of swearing that came out of her mouth when she saw the Polaroid that I had taken from her session. I believe her exact words were: "Holy fuck shit goddamned." Ms. T had told me that seeing photos of herself in the past, she always picked at herself mercilessly and hated the way she looked, so it was extremely refreshing for her to fall in love with herself! When she came in for her reveal, it was even better. This beautiful woman with the mouth of a truck driver reveled in her gloriousness, appreciating the way her body looked, her expressions, her smile, and of course, those beautiful sparkly eyes. Every photo made her grin (and swear) and while she had a hard time narrowing them down, she was finally able to decide on some kick ass images to put into her luxurious album.
While Miss T.'s story maybe isn't that uncommon from a lot of people, but it is something that requires extreme strength. I find that mothers especially, have a hard time putting themselves first, investing in themselves, and doing something that could be seen as "vain" or "expensive" but when it comes to their kids, they will literally crawl to the ends of the earth and do what they can to make their family happy. The problem with this, is that a person can only give so much of themselves before they need to fill up their own cup...with experiences, self-dates, and most importantly, self love. Taking the time to reflect on the awesome human you are, how strong you are, and appreciate all that you give to the world is crucial to your mental health and making sure that you can give to those that need to take. Doing the things that make you feel happy, feel excited, and get you out of your comfort zone is absolutely key.
I always say that my boudy babes' stories are what inspires other women to live their life to the fullest, and Miss T is no exception. She gave me full permission to share her images, but also her experience with you! I am so excited for the next time this boudy babe comes back to the studio because she is super sparkly, delightful, and sexy as fuck. Here is what she had to say about her experience:"All I can say Teri is "holy shit! ". It is by far the best thing I have ever decided to do for myself. I've always been very self conscious about my weight. I've never enjoyed having my photo taken, and when I've seen photos of myself in the past I've always picked myself apart mercilessly. At the beginning of 2016 I decided that this is my year and suddenly I have a self confidence I never had before. That has only increased exponentially since meeting Teri! I was nervous about the shoot, although Teri has a way about her that really put me at ease right from the beginning! I think my biggest fear was that the photos would be good, but not as good as other girls I've seen on Teri's blog. After all, I figured, I don't have those great hips, long legs or beautiful faces that those girls have. I couldn't have been more wrong! I loved every second of the shoot and really gave it my all. Teri is so funny that the hardest thing was to wipe the permanent grin off my face while I was supposed to be looking sexy and sultry. She made me feel very comfortable and at ease, and made me feel super sexy too! I was probably more nervous to see the photos than I was having them taken. In England we would say I was "gobsmacked" when I saw them. (That's a good thing!). I swore a LOT, because I didn't know how to otherwise express how incredibly happy I was with the photos. I look amazing :). What I love most is that the photos look like me, they've captured who I am as a person, and I recognize and identify with that sexy girl too!! I can't wait for the next photo session! I'll be back for sure!"
Now, take Justin Beiber's advice, and GO LOVE YOURSELF.
And Then She Became Unstoppable ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photography
Miss V. was one of my Christmas boudy babes, who came to me wanting to do a shoot for herself, but also as a gift for her husby. She was referred to me by my epic hairstylist, Miss Kelly O, so I knew she was awesome to begin with, but after chatting with Miss V. I realized that this woman also had big dreams, hopes, and aspirations. Doing a Boudy Babe shoot was just one of the many things on her bucket list.
However, Miss V. had her doubts (like most women) about whether or not she could do this. I mean, really do this. She sent me a few emails going back and forth about her concerns and having cold feet, but I messaged back reassuring her that it was completely normal. This went on a few days up until her session, and then it was like she had been doing this her whole life! Miss V. lit up the camera and her inner sex-kitten came roaring out!
This bombshell was absolutely amazing during her session, but it wasn't until AFTER her session that I realized just how much it had meant to her. I received, in total, 3 emails telling me how much her life had been changed from her session and each message brought me to tears. She carried her confidence with her for days after her shoot and when she came to pick out her images, she was once again revitalized after seeing herself!
The amazing thing about Miss V, however, is that I think she used the confidence gained from facing her fear of doing something like this to start planning an epic, dream filled life for herself. After leaving the studio, I sent her on her way with some inspirational reading material to get her thinking about striving for an amazing life and what that would mean to her.
Here's what she had to say about her session:"Teri’s photography services were recommended to me by a friend. I checked out Teri’s social media sitesand loved what I was seeing. It had been a year of transition for me and I vowed to take more risks andpush myself out of my comfort zone. I had recently created a “bucket list” of sorts and getting boudoirphotos done was on that list. One day I noticed on my social media feed that Teri was offering a sessiondeal and just in time for the holidays. My gut said “let’s do this”. So I contacted Teri and we set up a dateand time to meet.From the minute I met Teri I knew I had made the right decision. Teri greeted me with a warm smile andenthusiasm that was infectious. Teri is so down to earth and genuine. She is so easy to be with that I feltcomfortable immediately. We discussed ideas and details for my session and then booked the date.I should mention that Teri is very prompt to respond to any of your questions or concerns and I reallyappreciated that. I left our first meeting completely excited about our session. The ideas and creativitywas flowing. What should I wear? What are flattering poses? What props could I use to personalize myshoot? Teri emailed me right away confirming my booking along with great information and suggestionsfor our upcoming sessions (the information answered almost all of my questions). A few days later thatterrible feeling “doubt” kicked in and I started to get cold feet. I sent Teri an email to let her know as Iwas quite surprised by how nervous I felt. Teri was completely reassuring. She let me know I was in goodhands and this was going to be an amazing, even life changing experience and you know what?.....I trulybelieved her.
On the weekend before my shoot I was just full of excitement and had completely got over my nerves.Teri’s Boudoir photography is so much more than beautiful photos, it’s an experience. I arrived in themorning for my session and was greeted again by Teri’s warm smile and this time she had cookies too.We chatted and listened to music as my hair and make-up was done. I felt completely relaxed andready!It’s amazing to watch Teri getting ready to be creative too. She set up the studio and already had a planof the furniture and props she was going to use. Teri was excellent at providing direction and praiseduring the shoot. She made me feel completely empowered and beautiful! I left the shoot feeling oncloud nine!!!A week later I returned to view my photos. Teri once again greeted me warmly and walked me throughthe process. It was pretty emotional to see myself through her lens. I could hardly believe that some ofthe images were actually me. Teri has a gift! An ability to empower and capture the beauty andfierceness within. Teri and I spent a long time sharing life experiences before we said goodbye. She evenlent me a couple of inspirational books from her library. In closing, Teri said something during thisprocess that resonated with me. The photos are going to be a gift for your partner but the true gift andexperience is for you. I highly recommend woman to treat themselves to this amazing experience andultimate transformation.Thank you Teri for making this such a wonderful experience!"
I find that a lot of women are like Miss V. So many dreams, hopes, and aspirations bubble up inside us and standardly, moms, wives and mothers have to keep a lid on those things because they are used to giving so much of themselves (not saying that this is a bad thing...just something that happens a lot). I am not saying you need to quit your job tomorrow and run away to Mexico, but I am asking the question "What are you doing every day to get you closer to the life you want?"