In a world that often imposes unrealistic standards of beauty and perfection upon us, it's easy to lose sight of our true selves. We find ourselves constantly striving to meet these external expectations, forgetting that the most important journey we can embark on is the one that leads us back to our own authentic essence. So, who do you want to be? It's a question worth exploring, and boudoir photography can be your powerful tool to unlock the answers, empowering you to embrace your unique beauty and strength.

Sometimes it is hard to put into words why I shoot  boudoir photography. It is so much more than photos. It is about self-acceptance, body positivity and art. It is about getting glammed up and feeling hampered and special. It is about making a connection with my client and learning about who they are and what brought them to me. 

Deciding to do a boudoir session can be scary. When I’m talking to women about their boudoir photoshoot, I get asked all kinds of questions. So, I wanted to compile a list of my top 12 most frequently asked questions just give me some insight and preparing for a boudoir session and what it is all about!

As a boudoir photographer in Sioux Falls, one of the questions I get asked most often is, “what should I wear to my shoot”? 

My typical answer is, “Whatever makes you feel the most amazing.”

Boudoir is truly an artform. It’s not porn and it’s not something dirty or naughty. While the images can certainly evoke strong feelings, the art and styling of the female body is an artform. From the earliest days of fine art, images have been created featuring women’s bodies and it does not need to be explicit to be sexy. Today it’s more accessible and feasible for every woman to feel like a work of art.

When confidence becomes part of the conversation, I feel like we've reached a tipping point in how women are seeing themselves. To empower means to give strength or power; confidence is defined as belief in one's own powers or abilities.

It’s normal to be nervous when stepping out of your comfort zone, getting semi-undressed in front of a stranger, maybe not being totally comfortable with your body, posing, makeup, hair to name a few reasons… it can be overwhelming!

I have found that the first step to overcoming your fears is to do the very thing that scares you! Step outside of the box you created for yourself!

This experience started out as a 10th anniversary gift for my husband! We got married young, didn't get much of a honeymoon and had our first baby 8 days before our first anniversary. We've never really had a big anniversary celebration and I knew I wanted to do something for him. I had been following your boudoir pages for years and have always wanted to do it! With that milestone anniversary coming up, I thought now was the time! I had actually been working really hard at getting my body back to "pre-kid" and what better way to celebrate that as well! Cost was always a factor... we've never had a lot of "extra" money, but if I was going to do this, it was going to be with the best photographer and this was going to be an investment! I finally made the appointment and was super excited! It don't ever recall being "nervous" about it! Just super excited that I was finally going to do this! The only thing I was nervous about was my "sexy face," I'm a super smiley person and love smiling for pictures so I think that was what I was most nervous about.

Lacey did my hair and makeup and made the start of my appointment totally comfortable! She's freaking amazing at her job and I was HOTT!!! I really couldn't wait to get started at that point and I was ready! A word to the wise....STRETCH!! If there was something I can tell everyone preparing for a session, some of the poses feel WEIRD, But I took her word! My muscles were shaking trying to hold poses, it was like a 2 hour intense yoga class in your lingerie!

In the blink of an eye, it was over and I couldn't wait to see my pictures! I made my viewing appointment and it was so hard to keep a straight face at home! I knew what I had just done was going to blow his mind and still needed to wait...until Christmas! I came to see my pictures and was completely blown away...like... speechless! The time came to narrow down my favorites for my album and that was by far the hardest part of the whole process! Literally all the pictures we AMAZING! I have my album sitting at my sister's house...waiting...for Christmas (I take that back...waiting to give my husband the album is the hardest part!) I was so amazed at how I looked from a different point of view! Like...I saw myself how my husband sees me...and I looked amazing! As moms, I feel like all we see are the flaws...the stretch marks, the bags under the eyes, the messy buns because we just don't have the time for ourselves. Being able to see myself in the untouched photos at the viewing left me in complete awe thinking "wow...this is how I look to my husband!"

This experience completely changed how I see myself! I cannot wait to give this to him as a Christmas gift!

You might think that the women I photograph for boudoir sessions are more fashionistas than yoga pants lovers, but you’d be wrong. And not all of them come in clad in high-end lingerie! One of the most common objections to doing a boudoir session is, “I have no idea what I would wear.”