I have been looking at and dreaming about being a girl in one of the boudoir shoots for the last several years. Longer really. I’ve always loved how strong the pin up girls always seemed to be in the old photos from the 20s and 30s. I loved how they showed their sexuality, but also showed how indestructible those women were at the same time. Women are so versatile, and I believe that is really our best trait! We are a force to be reckoned with while also being complete bombshells!
But I never really saw myself as one of those girls. I always imagined that if I tried a boudoir shoot, I would end up hating my photos and finding every flaw on my body in every picture. I thought my back would look lumpy; my stretch marks, veins, and pale skin would ruin any photo; or my stomach would take over every shot. I’ve always been very self conscious and uncomfortable in my own skin. I wanted to do a boudoir shoot as a gift to my husband before our wedding, but I chickened out. I just gave up. I realized the girls in the photos I was seeing were beautiful, gorgeous girls, who were also at least half my size.
But this year something changed. It’s been a running joke with my husband that I am the worst gift giver. It’s not from not trying, because I always think that I have the best gift ideas, but then they just flop. But this year, I was going to do it and not look back! I was going to be the ultimate gift giver. I started searching a few months before my 1 year “paper” wedding anniversary for the perfect boudoir photographer. I knew I needed someone who only did boudoir and someone with experience photographing us girls who have a little more to love. That’s when I found Kristen! I can’t tell you how long I sat on her website looking at photos and trying to get my courage together to contact her. I finally convinced myself just to send in my contact info. There was no real “commitment” at this point anyways, right? I could always just ignore the emails or calls if I changed my mind.
Kristen gave me NO time to even consider changing my mind!! She had sent me an email (ON A SATURDAY!) less than an hour after filling out the form on her website. I can’t tell you how she did it, but conversing with her, even through email, had me completely at ease. By the time I went in for my consultation and then for my actual photo shoot, it felt like Kristen and I were old friends. The day of my photo shoot, I thought that I was going to be ridden with anxiety, but I actually was more excited than anything! I had outfits that made me feel beautiful, and I had a professional who was going to bring out all of my potential! The best part of the boudoir shoot was getting all dressed up! I hardly ever do my makeup or hair. My line of work doesn’t call for it, and I was just never into it enough to learn much about it. Meghan was so sweet and turned me into a rock star! I felt like a million bucks! Once hair and makeup was done, I did start to get a little nervous, but as soon as I changed into my first outfit, Kristen got to work. I didn’t even really think about that fact that I was half undressed! I can’t explain enough how professional she was! She carried on conversation the whole time, stopping to show me a new pose and take a photo every now and then. I felt like I was getting to lay in bed in my pajamas talking with my girl friend all morning! When the shoot was over, I’m not sure what changed, but I got this huge boost of confidence! I felt like I was strutting around my house afterwards!
Fast forward to reveal day …. WOW!!!! It was the longest week waiting to see my photos. I will admit that more than a couple of times I closed my eyes and imagined how bad I might look. I imagined that my hands were placed awkwardly or that I had rolls coming out of places that rolls weren’t suppose to come out of. It’s amazing what terrible scenarios our minds can think of! The photos were a surprise for my husband, so he had no idea that I had even had them done. I wanted to wait until our anniversary to show him, but I was so full of excitement and nervousness that I decided to have him come with me to the reveal. He had no idea where we were going, but I was glad he was there! I was ready to throw up on my way to the studio! I was more nervous to see myself in the photos than I was to actually have the photos taken.
Kristen had a video made with all of my photos, and I honestly couldn’t believe that the person I was looking at was me!! My husband was equally impressed. I swear I would have bought all of my photos in color and black and white if I could have!! I am so pleased with my experience with Kristen Fonville Boudoir, and I have gained so much confidence! I am almost embarrassed to say that I have looked at my photos multiple times a day and just stared at them because I look so amazing in them! I made my husband a metal print of my favorite image and every time he sees it, he says “WOW!”. Every. Single. Time!
If you are like me and have been thinking about it over and over or you’re on the fence about it, just do it. Kristen knows every trick in the book to make you look your very best and to hide any parts of yourself that you might be self conscious about. I promise that it’s not something you will regret. My husband and I are already thinking about having another shoot in a year or two!
