I’ve written before about how I love the way my job lets me cross paths with women who for whatever reason - where they live, age differences, lifestyle differences… I wouldn’t otherwise get to meet. Ms. B is one such woman. She lives on the upper west side (about as far from Brooklyn as you can get while still being in the city) and she’s 10+ years younger than me. And get this: despite being in her 20s, SHE’S NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA OF ANY KIND. And I mean ANY kind! Amazing, isn’t it!! Needless to say, she is a unique women who is smart, thoughtful, and walks to the beat of her own drum. She and I sat for SO LONG at our reveal just talking about life, challenges, families… and after she gets married this winter we plan on double dating with our SOs. Funnily enough this isn’t that odd of an occurrence — I like to believe that I am my client and my client is me, regardless of the other details of their lives. They come to me specifically for a reason, and these women truly become part of my ever-growing tribe.
I’d love to write a witty blog explaining more about her and her experiences, but what she wrote to me after her photo reveal was so beautiful, it made me teary, so I’m just going to let her do the talking for now:
“Like an average woman heading into a boudoir photoshoot for the first time, I was a bit apprehensive and concerned by the whole concept—I’ve never had the best self-esteem, and I’ve always been self-conscious about my body for as long as I can remember. Stephanie allowed all of that to melt away immediately with her calming, reassuring presence, willingnes to literally show me pose by pose what she was looking for, and inherent ability to connect with me through the camera. She encouraged and coached exactly as much as she felt I needed while leaving me space to express my personality.
The experience left me feeling confident in my own skin for the first time in a long time; I could literally feel myself standing straighter, smiling more, and just owning my own presence walking around the city afterwards. I said to both Stephanie and others that it didn’t even matter how the pictures turned out—even if I didn’t like them, or most of them flopped, the entire photoshoot was so good for me that I didn’t need the pictures themselves.
Of course, once we went through the reveal, I was speechless. It is stupid how good these pictures are. Stephanie is a deeply talented artist, and her ability to capture the essence of a person in the frame is astounding. She found the exact right balance of abstract shots, genuine moments, and sexpot bombshell images that made me look every bit as confident and gorgeous as I had felt. I am so thankful for her gifts as a photographer and as a person that allowed this experience to be so much more than I could have hoped for.No matter how loud the voice inside your head might be, telling you you’re too insecure to handle something like this, do it anyway. This was easily the most confidence-building, self-esteem boosting experience I’ve ever had. Stephanie has a borderline-magical ability to help you feel completely comfortable, beautiful, and sexy, even if (especially if) these are words you wouldn’t use to describe yourself. There isn’t anything else I’ve encountered that is quite like a boudoir photoshoot, and with Stephanie, it was as positive an experience as I could’ve ever hoped for.
Sincerely, this was perfect. Stephanie was prompt with all our interactions, gave a wealth of information about what to expect up front, and made the shoot feel comfortable, laid back, and calm. Every aspect, from the initial outreach to the shoot to the reveal, wildly exceeded my expectations.
You are a kind, true soul, and the sort of genuine, honest person that is increasingly hard to come by in NYC. I’m so grateful for this experience with you, and will very sincerely be in touch in the future for some more bonding and booze.”
^^^^^^^ THIS!! You can see why I teared up at it! THIS is what it is all about for me. A boudoir shoot is ALL about you doing YOU — taking time for yourself, being yourself, not dressing up in costume, but allowing your personality to shine though, while looking your best. I’ve said it before - when you FEEL good, you look good, and looking good often makes you feel good, so let’s keep that cycle up!
There is nothing better to me than showing a women how amazing they are, and giving the gift of walking a little bit taller. My hope for Ms. B — and all my clients — is that she carries those feelings with her every day from now on.
Ready to start the new year off right? Shoot me an email and let’s chat about YOUR boudoir experience!
xoxo, Stephanie