It is no doubt that Miss Nikita is a force to be reckoned with and when I combined her personality with my attraction to a fun style of shooting inspired by Ellen Von Unwerth, we create magic. Fierce magic. Throw some animal prints at this blue eyed babe who gave me some of the best faces I could ask for and you get this killer shoot! Sometimes (all the time) it's fun to play, to make mistakes, and to enjoy the pursuit of something new.
Hands to Myself {Inspiration Session} ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photography
As soon as I had seen Selena Gomez' video "Hands to Myself" I was immediately inspired! Not just because of the catchy song, but the entire video was glorious and I wanted to do a session based off of it, so I contact Miss M because she had the perfect look for the shoot! Right down to the super straight hair (and willingness to let me handcuff her) she killed this inspiration shoot. The video is at the bottom if you haven't seen it yet. Nicole Velasquez of Envy Beauty Makeup Services did a fab job on the hair and makeup for our own "Selena." (If you want a smokey eye that doesn't make you look like a panda, contact this babe.)
The Uncovered Revolution~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photography
Launching the Uncovered Sessions may not seem like a big deal, but it absolutely is. In our VIP group on Facebook, I questioned my babes about how they would feel if they saw an unretouched photo of themselves and why they would feel the way they did. The majority of them stated their perceived flaws would be amplified, they would see their "imperfections" and they would be faced with what the world has told them is true: they aren't "perfect." Well, here's a fun fact: you will never be perfect to everyone and the only person you need to be perfect for is yourself.
The beautiful girl in this post is an amazing makeup artist and currently working towards a fitness competition which means A)she uses makeup a lot (now for fun more than anything) and B)she is working to attain a strong body and someone else's idea of what perfection is (in addition to her own). Now, the cool thing about that is, she came forward saying she wanted to partake in this photoshoot and I promise you that if you aren't thinking "What does she have to be concerned about? She's tiny and beautiful" then the next person to read it will. We are drowning in comparison hysteria (something I made up). We see someone else and automatically assume that they can't possibly feel as terrible as we do. We look at them and say "Oh!! How I wish I had their XXXX!" When in actuality, those people are probably look at you and thinking the exact same thing!!
I invited some babes to my studio to talk about body image and where it all began for them and one of the questions I asked was "If Photoshop wasn't a thing and you didn't know there was a way to change your appearance in photos, would you still want them to be changed??" Like, who decided that a poreless face was an ideal standard?? Who decided that the "perfect" waist size was 26 inches?? And who the fuck decided to tell us to despise all the natural parts of us SO much that we would spend countless dollars, hours, and energy trying to remove, manipulate, shrink, enlarge, erase, or color them?? Whomever it is should start worrying, because I am only a small part of the upcoming revolution to body acceptance.
It's time to raise up, ladies, and shout from the rooftops that we will no longer buy into the bullshit that we aren't enough of one thing and not too much of another!! It's time to say "I'm okay with all my bits!! I am okay with my rolls, with my skin, with my color, with my age, with my waist size, with my shape, with my height, with all the bits that make up the perfection that is me!!"
What does this mean for boudoir sessions with me? Will ALL of them be photoshop free?? Not at all!! "But what the heck, Teri," you are thinking to yourself, "You just said..." Yes, yes I know. My goal with the Uncovered Sessions is to give you a resource to help you on your journey to self-love and acceptance. These sessions are more of a therapeutic tool rather than the luxury experience that you will experience with the traditional boudoir sessions. I want you to love seeing yourself unretouched as much as you do retouched. I want you to love yourself without makeup as much as you love seeing yourself with makeup.
Now, things you can expect with the Uncovered Sessions:You will have rolls. (these are beautiful)You will have texture to your skin. (gasp! what a concept!)You will see your scars, birthmarks, beauty marks, and all the other makings of your story. (yours is unique to you!)You will see a true documentation of yourself in this particular time in your life. You will have to face your true beauty.Do I believe these sessions are for everyone? No. Do I believe that everyone should experience an uncovered session at some point in their journey? Yes, but I know that not everyone is ready to face these parts of themselves just yet.
We've all seen the #nomakeup#nofilter selfie on Instagram for the world to see (and don't get me wrong, I love a good selfie) but when are we going to start looking at these photos for ourselves and actually spending time with them. I mean, looking at ourselves in the mirror or in a photo and seeing the awesome boss babe that is staring back instead of picking apart every little thing we have been told is the wrong way. (Note: I didn't say "IS" wrong, I said you have been TOLD it's wrong.)
So, dolls, you will see the details for these sessions under the packages and promos tab on the website or if you want to learn more about them you can schedule a time to come see me for a chat and let's get this revolution started!!
We Are Not Our Scars ~ Winnipeg Boudoir Photographer
Ermagerd. Miss K....oh, Miss K. This stunning beauty walked into my studio for her consult and I was beyond excited to work with her! Not only is she gorgeous, but she wanted to finally accept parts of herself that had been with her forever and represent them in photo form. She sent me a truly amazing, inspirational, and beautiful testimonial, so I am going to let her take over and tell you about her session.
I decided to book a session with Teri as a gift for my boyfriend; but also for myself, because I love the message Teri embraces and encourages with her work. I knew other ladies who had worked with Teri before and provided me with glowing reviews, so I knew I was in good hands! I was excited (and admittedly, a bit nervous) when I showed up for my consult. I've done a few photoshoots before, but this one was different for a couple of reasons. 1) Teri goes completely out of her way to make sure your session goes smoothly and is PERFECT. Seriously. She cares just as much about this project as you do, and it's clear immediately that this isn't just her job; it's her passion. 2) she's going to ask you some tough questions... I've never had those questions asked straight to my face before. But it really helped set a direction and mood for the shoot and personalized it to tell the story I wanted to tell. I knew right then and there that this was going to be an awesome project!
I showed up for my shoot, and it was perfect!! I took full advantage of the chance to be pampered with hair, makeup and girl chat, and when it was time to shoot Teri was amazing! She provided guidance through all the poses, and encouragement when things got a little.... Shall we say, interesting?? Lol!! Awkward facial expressions and hair-eating aside (she didn't have any, ps), we found our rhythm and nailed some seriously sassy photos! Like holy smokeshow, this woman knows what she's doing! I felt completely comfortable and confident the whole time!
I really appreciate the dedication and time Teri takes to make this photoshoot meaningful and even powerful. The decision to include my scar, and make it prominent in some of the photos, was a first for me. I have had this scar my whole life, and normally I think nothing of it. It's just another part of me. But any time it has been brought to my attention in the past, has usually been a negative or awkward experience. I needed someone I could trust to help me overcome that fear; even as accomplished as I am when it comes to accepting my body, this was a big step. And an important one for me.
For me, self acceptance came when I chose to change my perspective of what makes a body "beautiful." You know, the one that mainstream media tries to cement into your head. By those standards, my body shouldn't fit that term "beautiful" at all. I was in grade 5 the first time someone asked me if I would ever get plastic surgery to "fix" my scar. Grade 5! That's a tough thing to hear. And it definitely impacted the way I saw my body and how I felt in my skin, for a long time.
To think that I would EVER do something like this back then??
I am so glad I did. I am SO GLAD I determinedly set my mind to break the damn "rules." At the end of the day, my physical body is such a small part of who I am, and what people think of it has absolutely NOTHING to do with me. I am not defined by my extra pounds. Or my creases. I am not my lumps, my bumps. I am not a scar. I am not my cancer. I AM a woman. I am strong. I am bold. I am sexy!! I am hardworking and determined. Sometimes stubborn. Sometimes funny. I am confident, radiant, positive and glowing. I am passion in all its forms. So why should I allow myself to be limited to the expression of ONE aspect of who I am??
Teri gets that. She set out to capture my story, my person, and she nailed it! Getting to see these photos for the first time, I saw ME. Not just a body, but me as a person, and guess what?? I look hot!! Even with all my lumps and bumps intact, and that scar of mine - I think I pulled off the "sexy" thing pretty well. And I didn't have to change who I am or how I look to do that. Seeing that is such an empowering thing, because it really smashes through any idea that we need to fit ourselves within unattainable limitations to feel empowered and beautiful. We deserve to feel beautiful and deserve to see ourselves as beautiful too - just the way you are!
Teri gets that. She set out to capture my story, my person, and she nailed it! Getting to see these photos for the first time, I saw ME. Not just a body, but me as a person, and guess what?? I look hot!! Even with all my lumps and bumps intact, and that scar of mine - I think I pulled off the "sexy" thing pretty well. And I didn't have to change who I am or how I look to do that. Seeing that is such an empowering thing, because it really smashes through any idea that we need to fit ourselves within unattainable limitations to feel empowered and beautiful. We deserve to feel beautiful and deserve to see ourselves as beautiful too - just the way you are!
Teri, you are amazing. You give women the ability to see themselves in a new light, a light we are often told we aren't allowed to have. That's so huge. I can't describe how meaningful it is to see myself in a way that at one time I thought was impossible. THANK YOU for this; I can't tell you how much this means to me! I've had an extra bounce in my step ever since. Keep doing what you do!
And to any lady out there who thinks you can't do it too?? You can. You can do boudoir, and you can do it WELL, and you can do it just as you are now. So when you're ready, give this babe a call!
Well, holy crap, I think she just said it all and nailed everything about why I do what I do. There is not much more that I need to add because this Boudy Babe know what she's talking about. Ready to have your own life changing experience and see what it's like to celebrate all the bits of your body? Give me a shout!!
And to any lady out there who thinks you can't do it too?? You can. You can do boudoir, and you can do it WELL, and you can do it just as you are now. So when you're ready, give this babe a call!Well, holy crap, I think she just said it all and nailed everything about why I do what I do. There is not much more that I need to add because this Boudy Babe know what she's talking about. Ready to have your own life changing experience and see what it's like to celebrate all the bits of your body? Give me a shout!!She Freed Herself from Negativity {Las Vegas Diaries} ~ International boudoir photographer
NSFW (of course)Maybe it's because I shoot quite often, but I sometimes take for granted the power that a session can have in changing a person's life. Miss A was one of the boudoir babes that allowed me to photograph her whilst in Vegas and as a killer photographer herself, I knew she was going to rock it. Between her strawberry pink hair, gorgeous tattoos, and sassy personality I knew she would deliver. It was after the fact, however, that I realized just how much our short session affected her. Miss A gave me full permission to share her testimonial with you because it is extremely inspirational:"Something in me totally changed. I hate to sound cliche like every other person who posts how seeing photos changed them, but they have. I literally don't think I have ever thought I looked sexy. Every time in my life that I've ever had sex all I could think is about how I must look bad in that position, or how he must be looking at my saggy boobs, the thought made it very hard for me to truly enjoy sex. I even thought it was nasty to actually orgasm. So I got home from Vegas, watched the video {that I had made of the Vegas trip} and then went to dinner. After coming back I had sex, and not just regular sex, but the best freaking sex of my life. For the first time in my life I was not worried about what was going on around me and I just enjoyed the moment. I enjoyed everything about the moment. This said...I am so happy that I was finally able to let me mind free from the negative thoughts and just enjoy the love of my life. XOXO thanks."
Wow. If that isn't powerful, I don't know what is!! Sex is one of those things that women are supposed to remain hush, hush about and not something to be talked about, but I say "fuck it, let's talk about sex." I AM GIVING YOU PERMISSION TO HAVE GREAT SEX! (If you want it) You should never settle for mediocre activity between the sheets, and whether its with a partner or yourself, you deserve to be in the moment and experience every touch and every sensation without negative thoughts getting in your way. Getting out of your head and turning those negative thoughts away before they can distract you from the act at hand is not something that will happen overnight, but it is something worth working towards and if you are in a relationship where you can communicate all these feels to your partner, it will be that much better.
Even though I don't believe a boudoir session is the only answer to amping up a sex life, I do believe it can play a big part in that. Not only because you will, of course, walk away with sexy, empowering, sexually charged photos of yourself, but also because of the confidence it takes to get naked in front of a stranger. ESPECIALLY, if you are usually a lights off kinda gal. I love putting my babes into provocative positions and shooting with a voyeuristic feel because I believe that it gives the women the feeling that she is in control of her sexual experience (which she is). Sensual photos of a woman...BY HERSELF....ENJOYING HERSELF....is extremely intimate, beautiful, and more often than not, a big turn on because it shows a confidence and independence that she doesn't NEED a partner to satisfy her, but rather she CHOOSES to have a partner (and that partner is f*ing lucky.)
Hands up if you have thought about your appearance whilst in the middle of an intimate moment with your partner. I am assuming there are a few of you nodding or actually putting your hand up, because it's silly to think that we wouldn't, especially when the average woman thinks about her appearance 252 times a week. And it's silly to think that those mental blocks hold us back from one of the biggest perks that come with being human. Get out of your head and in between the sheets. Liz from Eat Pray Love says it best when it comes to men and what THEY think about during sex:Liz: I’m in love. I’m having a relationship with my pizza. You look like you’re breaking up with your pizza. What’s the matter? Sofi: I can’t. Liz: What do you mean you can’t? This is Pizza Margherita in Napoli, it is imperative to eat and enjoy that pizza. Sofi: I want to, but I’ve gained like ten pounds. I mean, I’ve got this. . .right here in my tummy, you know this. . .what’s it called? What’s the word for it? Liz: A muffin top. I have one too. Sofi: I unbuttoned my jeans like five minutes ago just looking at this. Liz: Lemme ask you a question, in all the years you’ve ever undressed for a gentleman– Sofi: —it hasn’t been that many. Liz: Alright. Has he ever asked you to leave? Has he ever walked out, left? Sofi: No. Liz: Because he doesn’t care. He’s in a room with a naked girl. He’s won the lottery. I’m so tired of saying no and waking up in the morning and recalling every single thing I ate the day before. Counting every calorie I consumed so I know exactly how much self-loathing to take into the shower. I’m going for it. I have no interest in being obese; I’m just through with the guilt. So this is what I’m going to do, I’m going to finish this pizza and then we’re going to go watch the soccer game and tomorrow we’re going to go on a little date and buy ourselves some bigger jeans.
And as for Miss A? "My sex life is going to be amazing from here on out.....and I'll finally walk around with my head up." That's good to hear, Miss A, because every time you lower your head, your crown falls a bit lower. So raise up that chin, walk with the fierceness that being a sexually empowered woman entails, and own the Queen that you are!