M wanted to use her boudoir portraits to “walk the walk.” As a healthcare professional, she’s often encouraging her patients to focus on what their bodies are capable of, to have gratitude for what they can do rather than dwelling on the negative. And, while M had been interested in boudoir for a while, she thought that boudoir wasn’t for her, that she would never have the confidence in her body to do a session.

But the more she matured in her life and work, the more she saw that she needed to focus on the positive for her own body too. More than anything she wanted her boudoir experience to be celebratory and empowering, so when she came across my work, she knew she had found the right photographer for this journey. And I was so excited to work with her!!

To guide the style and direction for her session, I asked Dylan about her favorite things about herself. She told me she loved her sense of humor, she loved her work as a theatrical stage manager, she loved her “dark Scorpio side” and she loved the moments where she felt more grounded, more calm. Most important to her in these photos was creating a sense of connection, of being vulnerable and present in the moment.

Rachel wanted to see herself the way she felt. We all go through times when we feel really good about ourselves, and visually documenting that confidence can be a powerful reminder on days when we doubt ourselves, or just need that memory of being really happy and alive in your body and mind.

When I first met Emily Rose, she told me she had been drawn to Illuminate Boudoir because my work didn’t feel manufactured or overly stylized. “I’m not a pin-up girl,” she said during our first conversation. She was drawn to the idea of celebrating herself with photography, but couldn't find the right photographer to capture her vision. So when we met, there was an instant synergy in capturing boudoir photos that were elegant and organic, that celebrated Emily Rose as she is.

When I first met M, she told me that she hadn’t been professionally photographed in years. She had been following along with Illuminate Boudoir and was excited to create some portraits that were empowering, elegant and intimate.

Autumn had been thinking about a boudoir session for a long time, so when body positivity and self-love became a big theme in her life this year she decided to schedule a session with me! Autumn wanted her portraits to feel romantic, feminine and strong and I loved that combination.

So many of my boudoir sessions start with one reason, and then develop a much greater meaning.

Elisabeth planned a session with me this past November, she wanted to create a wonderful gift for her partner at the holidays.

As we chatted about the boudoir experience, she became excited to put herself a little out of her comfort zone and to see herself a little differently - to see herself the way her partner sees her.