A Real Session – Kayla
So, I want to preface this by saying that I never – EVER – thought that I would do a boudoir style photoshoot. It is so far out of my comfort zone and I have never really thought of myself as “sexy” or “beautiful”, especially after having my daughter 2 years ago. So when I did this shoot – I was extremely nervous. I didn’t know what to wear, didn’t know what to expect, and certainly was not anticipating that it would be even remotely “fun”.
But wow, was I wrong – on all fronts. Joel and Shannon are absolute masters when it comes to lighting, posing, and wardrobe. Not to mention how comfortable and not awkward they make you feel. You might think working with a guy for boudoir photography would be weird….I was skeptical at first, too…but nothing could be further from the truth. From the second that I booked the shoot, Joel was going back and forth with me to make sure he understood the kind of shoot I wanted and what kinds of things I was comfortable with. He talked with me about wardrobe and how to pick clothes that best showed what I wanted to show and covered what I wanted to hide. Always being careful not to push past any limitations that I had (and I had a lot). I was shocked at how empowered I felt during the shoot itself. Joel was incredibly professional and guided me how to pose in every photo so that I felt like me.
I left the studio that day feeling a little unsure, but I actually felt beautiful. When Joel sent me a preview of my photos – I think my jaw about dropped. I was in shock that the photos that I was looking at were actually of me. They were artistic, classy, sexy, natural, and beautiful. Before the session, I was not sure that I was going to show them to anyone…including my husband. But I had to show them off I was so proud. My husband liked them too 🙂 After the shock wore off, I actually ended up ordering an album of them – to remind myself that I can do hard things and have it turn out awesome. My self-confidence is higher now and any time I feel ashamed or embarrassed of my post-baby body, I just look at that album and remind myself that every body is beautiful. Thank you, Joel, for helping bring out my inner beauty. It was truly a therapeutic and life-altering experience for me.
-Kayla
