3 Ways A Boudoir Session Boosts Confidence
You hear it all the time - boudoir empowers women and builds their confidence.
As a photographer I have seen it happen before my very eyes and I believe it is true.
But really, what does this mean? What is it about a boudoir session that actually changes how a woman thinks or feels about herself?
Boudoir uses vulnerability to build confidence.
“What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful!”
Brené Brown
Yes, the first step to building your confidence is allowing yourself to be vulnerable. All the social science experts tell us this - heck, Brené Brown has written a whole books about this concept. But what does that look like in the boudoir studio.
First, it starts with the decision to celebrate your sensual side. Right there, we bring in the vulnerability.
Through the preparation process (in person consultations, dream boards, vision casting), we reward that vulnerability with information and ideas that allow a plan to emerge and become a successful adventure.
Creating a plan and the step-by-step implementation of that plan are proven ways to build confidence!
But it is more than that. It is allowing yourself to hope to be beautiful and powerful in front of the camera. Yes, that right there, that is vulnerability on steroids.
Here is how Jenae - the client featured in these images - put it:
To be honest, I was nervous about doing a boudoir shoot.
All that “posing” and “trying to look sexy.”
My insecurities alarmed in my brain. Hiking up the mountain for our photo shoot,
I figured I could cross it off my list and never think about it again…
and definitely never look at (or share) the pictures!
Again, we make a plan - arrange hair and makeup that allows you to shine in all your natural glory, teach you some basic posing concepts, and then begin to create beautiful images. No matter the size of your thighs, the bend of your nose, the length of your hair, the scars or stretch marks on your skin, we capture the beauty of your physical countenance and highlight all your beautiful parts.
In doing so, we begin to train your brain to focus on the beauty of you. I show you images from the back of the camera that even before any re-touching or editing demonstrate your beauty. And once you’ve seen that, the spark of confidence grows because you see the beginnings of a great success.
Suddenly, a feedback loop of vulnerability to plan implementation to success kicks into full gear and causes you to move and pose and smile with more confidence right there in the studio, which compounds the beauty.
And the next peek at the back of the camera has you giggling with glee at how amazing you look.
What felt so vulnerable when you first started, feels good, rewarding and exciting! The confidence is bursting out in how you hold that beautiful body of yours in front of the camera.
Jenae came into the session assuming she would never want to look at her photos, but in her review she said this:
Boy was I wrong!! … The insecurity alarms faded away and I just did my thing!
Up there on a mountain cliff, away from the world.
Just me and the sunset. I wish I could tell you how strong
I felt walking down the mountain. And how strong I still feel, weeks later.
Boudoir Takes You Outside Your Comfort Zone
The comfort zone is the great enemy of courage and confidence.
Brian Tracy
For most women, a boudoir session is outside of their day-to-day - not filled with familiarity. It is the purposeful stretching of your ideas about yourself and your worth.
Through boudoir photography you have the privilege to push yourself out of your comfort zone and love who you are right at that very moment. No more staying in your comfort zone and wondering who you might be.
Once you step leave your comfort zone you open yourself up to grow, to become more adaptable, and to build confidence.
All of that allows you to trust yourself on a deeper level. It is almost brain chemistry 101 - build some new neuropathways in your brain by doing something different and the result will be that you function higher and more effectively in all areas.
Fortunately, when you step out of your comfort zone at Strong Confident Femininity, you do so with a sidekick - yes, that’s me! I’ll give you prompts, ideas, suggestions and feedback. It is all about you and what allows you to shine, but you are not hanging out all alone without access to answers and resources.
Again, from Jenae:
SusanBeth’s vision for boudoir photography is like nothing I’ve seen.
She believes in beauty from within. …
Her tips and encouragement gave me the confidence
I needed to feel good about myself.
3. The Images Trigger Confidence for Years to Come!
Self-confidence is like a muscle. It will atrophy and diminish if you don’t keep working at it.
The album we make with your images is a lifelong of confidence booster! You know that feeling - you look at images of you from a time when you felt white hot with greatness, and suddenly your sit up a bit straighter, walk with a bit of a happy bounce in your step, and say “no” to all the things that drag you down!
With your album in hand, you have a perpetual celebration of you. With access to all of your favorite images - the ones that you selected knowing they will bring you joy and happiness - you can constantly remind yourself of how awesome you are.
You’ll see your beauty, your courage, your power and you’ll know that those things are always a part of you.
You’ll remember all of those feeling - the power of overcoming your fear, the growth from stepping outside of your comfort zone, the thrill of seeing the images as proof of your beauty, and yes, the confidence of knowing you do extraordinary things.
Yes, a boudoir session does build your confidence! And you will forever be changed!
If you want all of this real confidence building, click here and let’s set up a planning session! That is where it all begins!