Check out this exchange from a behind-the-scenes video I shot in a recent shoot. "Isn't this fun though?" "It is! It's so empowering!" https://video.wixstatic.com/video/ca0634_d464ad2f91424a23b8933f3bcc496b3e/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 The word "empowering" gets used a lot with boudoir shoots. What do you think is the best word to use? Let's Look at Some Definitions of the Word "Empowering." So, How Does Boudoir Do That? A lot of it depends on your goals for the shoot and what you are feeling coming into the shoot. Some people come in after a breakup. Some people come in for a bridal boudoir groom gif ..read more

A few years ago, I would do a shoot and just give the client a Dropbox link with images. I switched to delivering pictures in printed albums and have had nothing but compliments and thank yous from clients. Here's why: https://youtu.be/sqwT8JsaoIg?si=XZY2o86XmC0Qbd0h&t=197 The booking fee includes all of the benefits listed on the booking page, but we separate out the picture packages as separate items because it allows you to reserve your shoot with a smaller upfront cost and to customize the price based on what products you are looking to get. When you set up your pre-shoot consultation ..read more

This question is as impossible to answer as "How much does a car cost?" "How much does a purse cost?" "How much does a haircut cost?" You Get What You Pay For If you have had to hire a wedding photographer, you know they start in the hundreds and go up into the $10,000 range. I'm in several photography Facebook groups and people will post that they are looking for a wedding photographer and their budget is a few hundred dollars. That post will have 30 people commenting and linking to their portfolios and asking to be considered. Let me show you my actual wedding photos that I got for cheap ..read more

https://youtu.be/6ve9SKg3lpU?si=YHnKB49WrPEM3Cvc If you google "boudoir photographer" you'll see that there is no shortage of people willing to shoot intimate pictures of you. So what sets us all apart and what should you look for? Here's my list of what I think you should ask yourself when you are looking for the right photographer for you. Does this Person Make you Feel Comfortable? I'm putting this first because it's the most important in my opinion. Boudoir photography is a very intimate thing and it can be very vulnerable. You want to look for someone who you are going to feel comfortable ..read more

https://youtu.be/6CJn9SDfywQ?si=P4jBdxJBkga5jeQ5 There are so many different definitions and understandings of what "boudoir" means. It's an archaic French word from the root word meaning "to sulk, or reflect." A "boudoir" was a woman's private changing dressing room or bedroom. It was a room where she could be alone and focus on herself, not her roles as a mother, a wife, a cook, a housekeeper, or any of the other hats she wears. But the French word for bedroom is "chambre" not "boudoir." So, if boudoir was just about shooting in a bedroom, it would be called "Bedroom photography" or "Chambre ..read more

March 8 is one of the holidays that we take seriously here and celebrate every day of the year. In fact, if you have been to the studio, you might notice our wall calendar where every day is March 8. I spent a lot of time in Eastern Europe, where this is one of the biggest holidays of the year. It is like Mother's Day, but also celebrates the contributions of women without children, young women, grandmothers, sisters, and every woman in the world. As a father of 3, I have tremendous respect for mothers, but we also went through 3 miscarriages and understand the importance of having a beautiful ..read more

Today, we unveiled our newest set build - the Gothic Canopy King Bed. It's a Victorian-styled charcoal grey King bed with intricate European appliques. The Canopy allows the hanging of sheer silky fabric for a more mysterious vibe Here is a video: https://video.wixstatic.com/video/ca0634_750d5c478b3b496a8d51773fea2016d3/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 I love new studio builds. They usually cost me hundreds of dollars and take a huge amount of time to plan and build. This one was no exception. But I always love celebrating when they are done. I finished this one just in time to use it for Valentine's Day ..read more

The last few years have been weird. One thing that has been clear as I have worked through changing business requirements, homeschooling kids, and uncertainty is the importance of self-care and not postponing doing things that bring joy. ​ It has been such an incredible honor to be part of so many people's path to do a personal photoshoot that brings joy and memorializes that experience with printed photos. Most of the people I work with have wanted to do a boudoir shoot for a long time and just kept putting it off until they decided they are not going to put it off any more. I have put togeth ..read more

Male Gaze is a term of art that refers to the way men portray women in media vs. how women portray women in media. For example, when a movie has a male director and the female lead character is used solely to appeal to men sexually - she'll dress sexy, be posed sexy in all the shots. And the camera angles and perspective of the woman's role in the movie is as an object that exists to arouse men. And when you have a female director, the female lead character might have more depth to her character development and role in the movie. Think of, for example, all of the women in James Bond movies - t ..read more