BODY IMPERFECTIONS WELLCOME AT YOUR BOUDOIR SESSION
The one of the big concerns of women bring to their Strong Confident Femininity boudoir session is what they perceive as their body’s “imperfections.”
If that sounds familiar, you are not alone!
Every woman I’ve ever met experiences body shaming in some way, from media, strangers’ comments, insensitive friends and family members, or, most often, from their own internal talk.
And that leaves them vulnerable to thinking their body imperfections are the controlling factor of their appearance.
Here’s the thing, we all these little (and sometimes big) body imperfections. And for the most part, those imperfections are more obvious in our own mind’s eye than they are or will be in images created with respect and sensitivity.
A Strong Confident Femininity Boudoir Experience is about loving yourself – loving your body.
Believing you are ready for a boudoir session doesn’t mean you have to believe you have no flaws. Or that you must work towards perfection before you qualify to love your body enough to be in beautiful boudoir images.
Just the opposite.
It means, just as you love your misbehaving child, your soulmate who sometimes puts their foot in their mouth, or even your well-meaning, but sharp speaking mom, you can love your body despite its imperfections.
We still have to deal with these body imperfections if they are front and center in your mind. Here are a few ways of approaching the issues related to your imperfections and self-consciousness that make your Strong Confident Femininity boudoir session a huge success.
EMBRACE YOUR BODY’S IMPERFECTIONS!
Yep, let them be there as part of you with no attempt to hide them.
That might feel a little scary to you! But hear me out, please.
One of the things I love about this approach – it allows you to be authentic and tell a truthful story about yourself through your boudoir images.
Some of your body imperfections are actually signs of things that you can be very proud of and therefore are ideal for letting them be part of how you are photographed.
Here are a few examples:
1. Pregnancy Stretch Marks. We all are subject to them if we’ve had a child. They are a reminder of our motherhood, which is a big and positive part of our identity.
2. Surgery scars. These can be everything from life saving surgeries to orthopedic surgeries that allow us to be active and pain free.
3. Accident scars. Some of us have scars from accidents – did you know I have a scar on my nose from way back when I was four and my sister dropped a circular saw on my face (long story, she was little, no harm was intended). If I’ve been in the sun or smile big enough that my nose wrinkles a little bit, it really shows in pictures, but if you know to look for it, you can always see it. So, of course, I always see it.
4. Thick thighs from weightlifting/fitness activities. You worked hard for these thighs! They are a thing of beauty, even if not the classic way the media approves of women’s legs.
5. Crooked teeth or smile. Are you self-conscious about your smile? You wouldn’t be alone in that! But I’m willing to bet that your whole face lights up when you smile, and it makes others smile too!
What all of these things have in common is that the thing you perceive as an imperfection is a part of your story. Maybe even an element of your strengths. And when you come in for a Strong Confident Femininity Session, we are capturing all of you. Not just your body, but also your personality, and your story too.
Embrace what you perceived as imperfections to achieve amazing and authentic captures of the complete you!
WORK AROUND YOUR BODY’S IMPERFFECTIONS!
This can be done in a creative way, and the outcome will still be stunning!
An example of this from my own life: I have a “menopause apron” – you know, belly fat that droops down towards my pelvic bone. I’m not super excited to put it front and center in my own photographs. That doesn’t mean I hate my body, it just means there are other parts of my body that I really enjoy, and those are the parts that I would love to share in my boudoir images.
There are literally hundreds of ways to be photographed in the boudoir style without emphasizing whatever it is you have that you don’t want to emphasize – like that pesky apron of mine. Some strategies I think of right off the top of my head are:
1. Wardrobe choices that cover the sensitive area. We are already doing this when we work to keep the pelvic area from being shown in your images (a boundary I set for all my sessions.). This can include flowing drapes of material, gowns and negligees, cute sleek body suits, baby doll sets, and street clothes worn in a super sexy way (think of a White Shirt Session). Even something as simple as choosing a supportive bodice garment to keep your breasts perky instead of unsupported can make all the difference in the world while maintaining authenticity and comfort.
2. Wardrobe choices that are cut in a way to minimize the look of some feature. Think of how high heels and high cut panties make legs look longer and sleeker. That’s the concept here. Other examples are push up bras can help those who feel they are a little light on breast curves, include a High Waisted brief that covers and menopause apron and allows you to wear a bra and panty set more comfortably.
3. A white sheet session where we are strategic about how we use the sheet to hide and reveal.
4. Lots of images from an angle that does not show the area you are sensitive about or keep it in the blurred out background. This involves not only the angle from which I shoot, but the depth of field used, and the lighting created for the particular shot.
5. And, of course, posing that is appropriate for your body shape, the way you move, and the features you want to emphasize.
I’m here to help you choose the strategies that are right, as I’ve studied and practiced them for a number of years.
You do not have to look like you are hiding anything and can look absolutely stunning just the way you are! I’ll coach you through what is necessary for your natural beauty to shine!
ABOUT STRONG CONFIDENT FEMININITY:
Susan Beth of Strong Confident Femininity, is a boudoir photographer with a unique perspective. She photographs you how you want to be seen, instead of how you think your partner or anyone else wants to see you. Because that’s the way you will feel best about your images and yourself. She celebrates the uniqueness and intimate beauty of your strong confident femininity with flattering, classy, tasteful, and stunning boudoir photographs.