Mrs H. Boudoir Shoot Part 1
Mrs. H. had always wanted to do a boudoir session and was finally able to cross it off her bucket list this year. It started off as a gift for her fiancé but by the time the whole experience was over, it was more of a gift for herself. I reached out to her after her experience and she was thrilled to share her experience with you all!
What made you decide on doing a boudoir session?
A boudoir shoot had been a bucket list item for years and years, but having struggled with my body image and self confidence, it kept being moved to the "maybe next year" list. I was finally able to convince myself to take the chance by framing it as more of a gift for my fiancé rather than a self-indulgence. First whimsically envisioning the finished product, then becoming overwhelmed by the reality of the process (talk about nerves!), I could not have truly imagined what a wonderful experience and product it would turn out to be - and how wrong I was to hold off.
How did you decide on what to wear? Did you bring any meaningful accessories? Did the Pinterest board created for you help?
Until this past year, my drawers were typically full of every day, practical underwear, with a small box at the back for the "sexy time" items. I've been experimenting more and more with lingerie as less of a special occasion garment, discovering that many pieces can be comfortable and make me feel ultra feminine - if for no other reason than to feel lighter and prettier for only myself. I therefore had certain items on hand that I immediately pulled for the shoot - particularly those that had surprised me the first time I tried them on by feeling a serious boost in confidence. I also had a very specific vision given this was a wedding-inspired gift, and therefore gravitated toward bridal lingerie.
The Pinterest board was very helpful in guiding me toward online vendors and in considering the kind of "story" I hoped the images would tell.
Let's talk about the day of the shoot. Were you nervous before arriving? How did you feel being in front of the camera?
I was highly anxious, but also very excited on the day of the shoot. I had purposefully chosen to do a morning shoot in order to avoid siting with the jitters all day, and arrived feeling buoyant while also a little apprehensive. Having booked the full session, it certainly helped having the time during hair and makeup to simply sit and get acquainted with the surroundings, the reality that it was happening (now!), and have the additional face time with Annika. Jannicke and Annika were both very supportive, talkative, insightful and calming.
The nerves came back in a rush once I was changing into the first look, and it felt a little daunting to bare myself in front of someone who was still a relative stranger, though I quickly reminded myself that Annika has seen hundreds of women in this same state. I most appreciated Annika's candor that "trying to look sexy is a very unsexy feeling". Yes, I absolutely felt ridiculous at times, but I decided to just go with the flow - forcing a certain level of disregard allowed me to quickly become more relaxed (you're already there and doing it, so why fuss along the way?).
Stay tuned for part 2 of Mrs. H's boudoir session coming soon!