Recently, I had the honor of doing a boudoir shoot with Miss Nevada, Lauren York. She had gained some weight, and asked if I could clean up her images before posting them. No problem, I thought, that’s what I do for all my clients. But when I saw her untouched Raw photos, I was blown away. Lauren looked stunning, sexy, real in all her authentic beauty — curves, dimples and all. It dawned on me: Lauren needed celebrating, not retouching.
When I approached her about posting her photos without alteration, she was hesitant but agreed. I’ve shared some of her gorgeous images here. The reaction has been incredibly positive and affirming. And I understood I had been approaching boudoir photography all wrong.
When women come into my studio for a nude photography shoot, they’re vulnerable and exposed. And they’re trusting me — a stranger — to capture who they really are. Not just their outer beauty, but the beauty that’s inside. My goal as a boudoir photographer is to honor that trust, and make sure their photoshoot is an empowering experience.
I think about the time I photographed a woman who was recovering from anorexia. Seeing her photos, she asked me not to alter a single one. And it all honesty, it was hard for me to resist the urge to retouch. But she was so proud of her journey and all she had overcome. Shouldn’t I have the same courage she displayed?
This scarred, embattled, beautiful woman had learned to love every inch of her body. She didn’t want to lie about herself — to herself — anymore. Neither do I.
And so, I issue a challenge to all women reading this now. Let me photograph you in all your perfect imperfection. Let me celebrate your C-section scar, capture those curves, revel in your rolls, and show some love to those laugh lines. Let me capture your authentic beauty, and discover how empowering and liberating that experience can be. Let be brave, together.
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Of course I’ll continue to offer retouching to any clients who want it. My aim is to make you feel sexy, confident, and comfortable in your own skin. But if you’ve been secretly wanting to pose for boudoir photography or nude photography, and don’t feel you’re “perfect” enough, let’s talk. Give me a call at (818) 512-2288 or send me an email, and we’ll discuss your concerns, hesitations, and what makes you uniquely beautiful.
Thank you for helping me understand what real beauty looks like.