Miss M's 13th Anniversary shoot | Columbus OH Boudoir Session

Miss M was so kind as to answer a few questions about why she booked a boudoir session at our Columbus Ohio studio, and share some wisdom. I loved her answers so much! At the end I will share a few anonymous images she has allowed me to share.

What motivated you to do a session?

My husband and I decided when we got married that we would exchange gifts that aligned with the theme of that year's anniversary. Year #13 is lace, so I decided to surprise him with a photo album from a boudoir photo shoot. 

Before your session what you were you most nervous about?

Honestly, I was nervous about e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. I was nervous about how I would look - would I look like me or some weird version of me that was unrecognizable? Also, would I like how I looked? I've worn lingerie before, but was never photographed in it, what if I absolutely hated how it looked? Also, why didn't I do this 20 years ago when my body was bangin' and it hadn't gone through the trauma of kids? Also, I'd never met Kristin, what if we didn't vibe and I got the creeps when I was down to my underwear, what would I do then? 

What was your favorite part of the experience?

My favorite part of the experience was how natural and normal Kristin made the photo shoot feel. Of course I'm drinking champagne, getting my hair and makeup done, preparing to put on sexy lingerie at 9am on a Thursday, what else would be going on? She was so encouraging the entire time and made me feel beautiful, strong, empowered and like I was the only person on the planet who mattered in that moment. Her effortless encouragement and the compliments and praise she pepperd in throughout the shoot, boosted my confidence the farther we got into the shoot. I actually felt like I knew what I was doing by the end of it!

After the shoot how did you feel?

Honestly it felt surreal. Since it was a surprise for my husband, I needed to keep the photo shoot a secret. After the session concluded, I put my leggings and sweater back on, wiped off my makeup, put my hair in a bun and ran some errands before going home. By the time I was back in the hustle and bustle of home life, the photo shoot seemed like a dream, like 'Did I...did I actually just do that!?' But aside from that I felt proud of myself and incredibly accomplished. I did something incredibly vulnerable and brave that day and I rocked it!

What was your original reaction to the images?

My jaw dropped and I could not believe it was me. I mean, it was clearly me, there was no photoshop or digital shenanigans going on, but I could not believe that was me up on that screen. I had myself all worked up into a frenzy, worried about all the ways the photos would look bad, that it never occured to me they would look perfect.

Did anything change about how you see yourself?

Absolutely. As I'ved aged, I've found that I compare myself to how I looked when I was younger. My husband is awesome and tells me I'm beautiful all the time, but that nagging voice inside my head says 'of course he's going to say that, he loves you.' One of the reasons I nearly talked myself out of doing a boudoir photo shoot is because I thought I was 'too old' (I'm in my mid 40s) and I should have done this 20 years ago. But then I thought, 'Well, I'm sure when I'm in my 60s I will have wished I had done it in my 40s, so there's no time like the present!' Since going through this photo shoot and seeing the pictures, I've learned a different kind of self acceptance. I've learned that beauty isn't necessarily the perfection of that 20 year old body that is long gone. Beauty is in the laugh lines around my eyes from the joy I've experienced over 40 years, it's in the stretch marks left from the beautiful babies I carried, as well as the ones that I've lost. And beauty is in the extra pounds I have because sharing dessert with my family is more rewarding than leaving them to go to the gym. So yes, I see all that now in a way I didn't before. And while my body looks different than it did 20 years ago, it's still beautiful and sexy and I wish every woman of every age could feel the peace of self acceptance.

Now that you've had your session, what would you go back and tell yourself to calm your nerves, inspire or empower yourself?

I would tell myself that it's ok to have zero clue how to participate in a boudoir photo shoot and that inexperience will not translate to weird or awkward photos! Every picture on Kristin's private facebook page was a testament to her talent and keen eye to detail on how to transform an already beautiful woman into a stunning woman, worthy of a centerfold. I also think I would have also put music on!

Any advice for someone who might be considering a photo shoot?

If you even have an inkling that this is something you want to do, just take the plunge and do yourself a favor: book a session now and commit. It took me 5 years (!!) to go from the point where I thought this might be something I should try, and it was just a convenient excuse that our lace anniversary was 5 years away at that point. Kristin is a professional and she will make you look the best you've ever looked. Seriously.

What was your biggest concern before hiring me?  Did it come true, and if not, what happened instead?

Honestly, my biggest concern is that I wouldn't be 'right' for a boudoir photo shoot - like I wouldn't be able to pose correctly, or have the right facial expression for the photo and it would all come out wrong. I've only ever had pictures taken with my clothes on, with a giant friendly smile, and I figured this would not translate well to boudoir photos, and they'd all be ruined. And no, it did not come true at all - you walked me through everything you told me to do, explained why it works, why it photographs well, and it was all incredibly easy to do. It was as easy as moving a few limbs, taking a deep breath, and relaxing and you did all the rest!

If you were to recommend me to your best friend, what would you say?

I would probably start off by saying that you're normal and not sleazy! From the minute I walked in the door, you put me at ease and we quickly went from introductions to talking about kids, what books we were reading, etc. You normalized the entire process and were so professional, laid back, and positive that I completely forgot that I was standing there in 5" heels and a thong :-D Hey if you can normalize that before noon on a Thursday, you have some real talent!