Swiger Photography's Boudoir Philosophy
This blog post is one that I have been meaning to write for a while now and every time I have sat down to write it, I get overwhelmed with how much I want to say and end up working on something else. But I know it is so important to share with all of you why I believe in boudoir photography, why my sessions are priced the way they are and what you as a client can expect when it comes to your session, so I am sitting down today and putting all of those thoughts here for you!
There are a lot of reasons someone will want to do a boudoir session...for their birthday, a big anniversary, Valentines Day, wedding gift, for themselves or to celebrate a big life change. For others its about seeing themselves as sexy, to feel beautiful, to get glammed up or to find new reasons to love themselves. Whatever the reason, there are going to be nerves from when you send that first email to when you show up at my studio door. Its normal! I so often get last minute emails with clients apologizing for being nervous or that they have no idea what to do and I am always reassuring them that's how everyone is!
I don't believe that a boudoir session is a once in a lifetime way to feel sexy. And I don't believe it should be priced that way either. In the last five years, I have had so many repeat boudoir clients who come back to celebrate new things about themselves and I love that! Being able to provide a space that is about celebrating yourself means that my emphasis isn't on turning you into someone else's idea of what a sex goddess is, but capturing you in a way that shows your stunning beauty, sexiness and genuine self. Because of this, I get that you might be nervous to be totally yourself at your session and that's ok! Trust is earned and thats another reason I keep our boudoir prices more affordable! It might take you your whole session to let your guard down or it might not even happen on our first try, and that's ok! We will take this as slow or fast as you are ready and either way, I promise to deliver stunning images of your badass, beautiful self.
You will always receive all the edited digital images from your session, which is something that sets us apart from all of our competition. I do this because I want you to have those images, not be stressed into deciding what angles, poses, or images you like best of yourself. You shouldn't have to choose what parts of you are worthy of having because ALL of you is worthy of having. There are also never any order minimums, product requirements or forcing you to have professional hair or makeup. Why? Because I believe the that you know what you want and I respect your ability to voice that. You want wall art? Let'd do it!! Want a beautiful custom album to look at when you are feeling blue? I can't wait to create it for you! Want someone else to do your hair or makeup? My team is the shit and will make you feel amazing! You'd rather do your own or go totally natural to your session? Hell yes girl! Far be it from me to require my clients to be anyone but themselves.
From start to finish, my goal is to empower you to choose what you want and to make that process of being vulnerable and stripped down easy and positive for you. And for me, that means at every opportunity that I can, offering my clients more than my competitors and giving the people I photograph the power to choose what they want. Which means sometimes they want props in their images. Sometimes they wanna go totally natural. Sometimes they want to be more covered up. And thats totally ok with me! I hate the mentality that women must be made up to be beautiful. And I hate when people shame each other for wanting to get glammed up! Either is awesome! A combo of the two is also awesome! This session is about YOU and I am here to support that every step of the way!
I could go on and on but I will leave you with this. I believe that shooting boudoir is an immense honor and privilege because my clients do not have to let me in. They don't have to be real with me, tell me the things they don't like, their stories, their fears. They don't have to, but they do. They choose to let me see them and it is the best feeling in the world, to turn my camera around and show them a shot and hear them say "I didn't know I could look like that." "I didnt know I was that _______". I just capture what is already there, but showing someone themselves in a new light, peeling back the layers that the world puts on us because it says we aren't enough and showing them the person underneath? It's why I say I have the best job in the world.
I wanna see you. I wanna empower you to be yourself or to step into the you you've always wanted to be. I wanna make you feel like the badass, sexy, stunning, beautiful babe you are. And to give you images to remind you of that person when you are feeling low. So let's do this. <3
