If the thought of stripping down to lingerie in front of a photographer sounds terrifying to you, trust me, I hear you. I’m not the least bit photogenic and I’m not really into sexy underwear, but I was in a rut and needed to do something gutsy so I posed half naked in front of a camera for a boudoir shoot. Frankly, I can’t wait to do it again.
- From hair and makeup to the new lingerie, I was getting the supermodel treatment. Imagine how great life would be if a hair and makeup artist got you ready for your day. Sadly, that’ll never happen because I’m not a Kardashian, but on the day of the shoot, I was definitely feeling like one. With fake lashes, perfectly curled hair, and sexy pair of stilettos to match my new lingerie, I was feeling like a total smoke-show.
- It’s totally empowering. God forbid we show too much cleavage or wear a skirt higher than four inches above the knee in public. We have to worry about the way men stare at us and somehow, it’s our own fault for dressing that way. We’re asking for it, right? Screw that! This is my body and I want to show off as much of it as I see fit. The second I dropped my robe and got in front of the camera, I felt like a new woman—one who couldn’t care less about what anyone else thought.
- It got me out of my comfort zone. There are days when I don’t even want to get undressed in front of a mirror. I cringe at my fluffy stomach and the stretch marks on my hips. I walked in feeling like the shoot was going to be a total nightmare. I thought I would be self-conscious about the way my stomach folded over when I laid on my side or the craters of cellulite on my butt, but the photographer was a total pro. She moved me into the most flattering poses and once I got warmed up, I was feeling as confident as a Victoria’s Secret model. I strutted out of the studio feeling like I could do anything.
- Somehow, I was able to find new things to love about myself. You might assume that the focus of these photos is strictly on your boobs and butt, but a good photographer will find so much more. The first thing I noticed when she showed me the proofs were my eyes. She really made them the focus of the shots, with my body as a surprising afterthought. I’m usually pretty self-conscious about my thighs, but in the photos, I thought they looked amazing! I accused her of Photoshopping but she swears she never does. I had just never looked at my body in a positive way before. Sad, right?
- I was able to embrace my so-called “flaws” and appreciate my body exactly how it is. Since I grew into my hips in the awkward teenage years, I’ve taken “skinny is beautiful” as a fact, so it’s no wonder that I never liked my body. I’ve always had wide hips, but you know what? Now I think they’re on par with a sexy pin-up model. Curvy is the new sexy.
- The photos will be great to look back on when I’m old and grey. Not only will I smile about the way I look in the photos but I’ll always remember how I felt the day of the shoot: confident AF. It’s probably not something I’ll show the grandkids, though.
- I feel more confident than ever. If I can feel comfortable half-naked in front of a camera, what else am I capable of doing? Since the shoot, I’ve been strutting around in my lingerie with ALL the lights on. It’s amazing to feel so good in my own skin.
- My boyfriend was blown away. I did this for myself so I wasn’t really planning to show them off to anyone, let alone my boyfriend. However, I was so happy with the results that I honestly couldn’t wait to share the photos with him. His reaction to the shots took my confidence level up tenfold. He couldn’t keep his hands off of me and was smitten with my confidence. Best of all, he said, “Now you see what I see.”
- Every woman should do this once. Yes, you too! Do some research for the best boudoir photographers in your area. Spend some time picking out the perfect lingerie set. Get a facial and a spray tan. Push your boundaries and treat yourself–you deserve it!
