When Madeline and I began planning her second studio boudoir session, she felt settled into a really lovely season of life marked by confidence, energy, and joy. She felt proud of herself, her mind, her career, and the life she has paved, and she was delighted to document this meaningful time with self-celebratory portraits. Madeline wanted her session to feel at once soft, strong, and effortless - capturing the feel of life and what she loves most about herself right now.  When envisioning the types of photographs Madeline wanted to include in her session, she felt a gravitational pull t ..read more

When I meet with return clients, I like to start by reflecting on their past session and exploring what sustained or emerging themes they want to capture to reflect this life chapter. As Annika and I started planning her second boudoir session with me, she felt filled with excitement, noticing that she didn’t have any hint of nerves or uncertainty as she understandably felt before her first session. While reminiscing on her first boudoir session, Annika shared how much she loved the portraits that captured her beaming and laughing – filled with genuine joy. This giggling, light-hearted energy ..read more

I photographed my second boudoir session with Ashley exactly four years (to the week!) after her first session. Ashley’s first session was filled with bright, happy, light-hearted energy. Since that session, Ashley’s life has held a lot of change: she’s gotten married, moved, and now she’s pregnant with her first baby! It was so meaningful to work with Ashley again in this exciting threshold moment of life and capture what has shifted, and remained true, over the years.  Ashley’s maternity boudoir vision + style  When planning the session, Ashley reflected on the joys and challenges ..read more

Whether you are planning your first boudoir session or coming back as a returning client for your fourth session, there can be many creative elements to consider. One of the first things clients tend to ask is “what do I wear?” so I’ve created a full boudoir wardrobe guide to help you plan out your dream outfit. Another aspect to consider is what boudoir style (or styles!) you want your portraits to capture. Your “boudoir style” refers to the mood, energy, and emotion your portraits convey - think bold and dramatic, strong and empowered, soft and sensual, effortless and everyday… Some clients ..read more

M had been dreaming about doing a boudoir session for years, intentionally choosing to wait until it felt like the right moment. This year, she arrived at a season of life where she felt grounded, joyful, and ready to say an unwavering “yes” to boudoir. As a body-positive photographer, I believe strongly in the power of boudoir as a self-celebratory act, so it is such an honor to know the depth of meaning a photoshoot can hold for a client too. It felt so special to help M create the empowering boudoir session of her dreams.   M’s boudoir inspiration   Something M loves mo ..read more

The first time I worked with AmandaJean, she chose to do an outdoor boudoir session with me at Superior Point. This session marked the 10-yr anniversary of her recovery from a life-threatening stroke, and it was such a powerful way to honor the grit of survival and the gift of life. It’s been almost five years since that meaningful outdoor session. This winter AmandaJean decided to do another boudoir session at my Minneapolis studio to celebrate how her relationship with herself and her body has shifted from one marked by survival to a season of flourishing.  Boudoir inspiration + wardro ..read more

I absolutely love working with return clients. There is something so special about getting to photograph the same client 2, 3, 4 times or more. The creative potential is endless – in fact it seems to only grow exponentially over time. Yet just as it makes sense to wonder when is the right time to schedule a boudoir session for the first time, it also makes sense to wonder: what makes another boudoir session uniquely magical?  Many folks initially do boudoir as a way to mark a meaningful life moment. They dream about their photoshoot for months to years, waiting for the right time to say y ..read more

Sarah brought so many beautiful intentions and hopes into her boudoir session. When she reached out to me, she was approaching a milestone birthday and entering one of those life chapters where one door closes and another opens. This was a threshold moment she didn’t want to let slip by, so she decided to schedule a photoshoot as a way to pause, reflect, and celebrate the growth and changes she and her body had experienced to arrive here, greeting a new season with gratitude.  One of the biggest misconceptions I hear about boudoir is the belief that it's about creating a gift for someone ..read more

Hannah is a client I’ve worked with before, photographing her first boudoir session several years ago. It is such an honor to work with returning clients and help them document what has shifted, changed, or grown in their lives since their previous session. Hannah told me about the healing journey she has been on in recent years, working to align her life with her natural strengths and authentic intentions. She wanted her boudoir portraits to feel dramatic, bold, and artistic – capturing her resilience and bravery in this season of life.  Hannah chose two outfits for her studio boudoir se ..read more

As 2023 comes to a close, I am inspired by the breadth and depth of moods and styles this year has held at Illuminate Boudoir- both in my new studio and in the magical spaces outdoor boudoir took me to. Some sessions felt super glamorous and dramatic; some felt very artful and whimsical; some exuded an effortless, everyday energy; some held profound gentleness; some captured inspiring strength; some were bursting with joy and color; some felt like a peaceful, self-loving exhale; and many times a single session held a multitude of these moods. I am truly humbled to have witnessed and captured s ..read more