Shooting Boudoir Photography

As a portrait photographer in Austin, TX, I never really thought I would be attracted to boudoir photography. I always thought of myself as a lover of people and their stories and connection with the camera. The idea of boudoir seemed tacky and demeaning to me. SO much has changed since I came across a fellow photographer that made me realize a boudoir experience can be MORE. As the universe would have it, I would meet and do a workshop and subsequent photoshoot with this photographer, who would then become my mentor.

Kara, came to me through a friend. She mentioned she was in Austin and asked how I had never heard of her. Then, as the universe would have it, I met her at a conference she was also attending, and the rest, as they say, is history. I obsessed over her work, website, social medial. I was so taken by her message . She managed to take gorgeous photos of scantily clad women but the posing, movement, and feel of the photos were not sexual… they were strong, confident, and beautiful. I could feel the presence of the women and almost felt like the exposure of skin only added to the women’s authenticity and connection to me. You see, in a portrait, it’s always said that there are 3 people: the subject, the photographer, and the viewer. I knew that I would, someday, be photographed by her.

Fast forward a couple of years and I was. You can read about that here.

I am so grateful for how life has often shown me what I am supposed to do and how I’m meant to grow. Through Kara Marie, I saw that there is no one way to shoot a genre and you can define your brand to fit your values. Which let me to the next step. I had to really draw in and figure out what that meant for me.

I had had a year of borderline depression prompted by family circumstances, where I could not clear the fog all through the (welcome) isolation of 2020 I worked on my portraits, took many walks, read, and rekindled my love for tennis.

The following year, I opened my official brick and mortar studio (not in my home) with a fellow photographer that shot a very different genre.