People ask me all the time. Why become a Boudoir Photographer. Why not families, weddings….etc? For me, it is so much more than photos: It’s about self-acceptance, body positivity, and art. It’s about getting glammed up, feeling sexy, and having fun. It’s about the transformation that takes place between the time you walk in the studio and the time you leave. It is about walking out of my studio feeling beautiful and confident, and that is something I believe every woman deserves.
I started shooting boudoir photography because I know how hard it is to be female in todays day and age. I want women to feel confident in my studio, to know they are beautiful and that they deserved this. Women tell me they can’t look like the other women in my photos because they are too tall, too fat, or have too many stretch marks, saggy skin….etc! Wrong! Those women you see on my website, those are regular everyday women like you and me. They have families, jobs, and insecurities. One of my favorite things about the session is showing women the photos on the back of the camera! I absolutely loved helping women see themselves in a new light. I knew this is what I meant to do.
It was now my job to be a mirror for my clients. Not the mirror that the world shows you that shames you, but the one who sees past all of the lumps, bruises, stretch marks, scars, and imperfections. The one that shows you your worth.
The Transformation
The transformation that takes place in my studio is the best part of the whole experience, in my opinion. When a woman arrives in my studio, most of the time she’s nervous. Once they sit in the chair for their hair and makeup, the transformation begins. The client slowly starts to shed those signs and feelings of nervousness and anxiousness. We chat, get to know each other…and have a lot of fun!
Then by the time the session begins you are ready to go! The first couple of poses are to get you all warmed up and used to being in front of the camera. When I show the client the back of the camera after the first series, I usually hear “OH MY GOD, that’s me? NO WAY that’s me!”. As we move into the next set and then the next, the laughter and smiles start to come out. Then she starts to feel sexy, by the end. She believes it.
By the time we finish the session, we’re friends. We have laughed, sometimes even cried, but I know this is an experience they will never forget.
Once I show them their pictures at the reveal, my clients get so excited. They see themselves like they never have before. They feel beautiful. They feel confident. This is one of the amazing things about Boudoir. I get a chance to show them how I see them, how their partner sees them and be their mirror. When they walk out that door, they’re smiling so big and they can’t wait to tell everyone about what their session.
A Little Piece of My Story
Raised by my mama in small town Missouri, I was always taught that my purpose was destined to exceed the limitations of the physical form. However, it took me years to believe her. Believe that I was worthy of eternalizing beauty beyond the skin barrier.
You see, like many young girls in our society, I was under the impression that I had to look like a woman that walked out of Cosmopolitan to be deemed worthy. Desperate to fit that mold I: cleansed, crash dieted, compared obsessively, placed my self image on a rollercoaster, and set impossible expectations and rules around my behavior as a thirteen year old. A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD. Which only led to me feeling less like Hilary Duff and more out of my body.
n 2021 I launched Petals & Lace Boudoir to not only reclaim my own narrative, but to capture real women as they reclaimed theirs too. In four years we: made art in our own skin, built a community of bad AF women, renovated my old house into a studio, and spread our message beyond Memphis.
So much so that this bold business’ legacy started to feel bigger than just me. After slowing down with her, I knew that we needed to shed old skin and sink our teeth into our highest calling yet.
UNVEIL YOUR VENOMA
Yup! That’s me at my boudoir session
These past insecurities have shaped me into who I am today.
That is until I had a health scare that jolted me awake in 2018. After enduring, healing, and resurfacing stronger than ever; I decided that this life and how we choose to move through it in every moment matters. & l was no longer going to be the thirteen year old little girl that was too afraid, too shy to bet on herself fully.
Now, it’s your turn.
For me, boudoir is a celebration of your body. I take pride in being able to show women how to celebrate their bodies, their battles, and their victories. Let me show you your beauty. Let me help remind you how to love yourself again. Click here to learn more about the Boudoir Experience at Venoma Artistry
