WHOA! I’m naked…
I recently stepped out of my comfort zone and did my first boudoir shoot. I know I model for the boutique and I take my cute Instagram pics but this was very different for me. I have struggled to love my body for years and the thought of taking off my clothes and trying not to crack a joke, well its kinda weird!
Except it wasn’t weird, it felt completely normal! A good friend of mine, Amanda Casanova, has been doing photography for years and we have tried to work together many times but life always comes up and or the weather doesn’t cooperate so this shoot has been in the works for almost three years.
In December, Amanda had posted on Facebook that she booked a cute loft in Detroit and was booking Boudoir Marathon sessions. I was really reluctant to give it a shot because, December = cookies and cocktails and was not feeling so confident at the time. We talked back and forth and I decided “okay, I’ll do it but I’m not showing anyone”.
As the day approached, I was really nervous. I’m not super confident but Im also not too shy. Taking my clothes off isn’t the issue, but what about my double chin? If I don’t smile am I going to look mean? Omfg what about that roll on my back? We all have things we dislike about ourself but not everyone sees you in the same light! The “double chin” you hate, might go unnoticed to someone else.
Amanda was awesome and I was impressed with the outcome! On the day of the shoot, I had posted on Instagram that I was going to do boudoir and I asked my followers to let me know if they had questions or what they wanted to know about my experience! I’m going to strip down and cover all of the details below!
Amanda booked an Airbnb in Detroit that was cozy and bohemian. It was very much her vibe and she posted pictures of the loft on facebook so we could all see what it looked like. This was really helpful because, you don’t want to show up in a hot pink fur coat and diamond heels if the background is Urban Outfitters right? I loved this loft!
Upon arrival, Amanda welcomed me in. Showed me where to place my bags and offered a mimosa. My session was booked for 2pm, I arrived at 1pm for hair and make up. I’m super picky about my hair so I did that myself but I did take full advantage of the makeup because I like being glammed and I am really boring with my everyday routine!
After mimosas and makeup, it was time to pick out what to wear. I had an hour of shooting and 3 outfit changes. I packed a huge bag of items and we went through all of them. There was another girl there too, she had the session before mine and it was running a tad behind so we kind of worked as team picking out outfits and getting glammed up.
Then I got naked. Well not literally (that happened later) I did a matching lingerie set, a lace bodysuit and them I went fully nude. Not going to lie, I was more nervous to wear my bra than be completely naked. Im sure you’re thinking I’m crazy but I swear its true. If the Kardashians can do a nude shoot every other month, I can do it at least once right?
My biggest concern was that I wanted everything to look natural and reflect my personality. I didn’t want it to look forced and I certainly wasn’t going to wear leather and hold a whip! I like lace and neutral colors. So that was what we stuck with. Before my shoot, Amanda and I had a coffee date and I told her about this cute Women’s Health cover I wanted to recreate. Mind you, I’m 175 pounds and I am not a vegan like Jenna Dewan 😂 but I was pretty confident I could pull it off and if it was REALLY horrible, I would delete it from all existence. But I am so happy I tried it because I haver never looked more beautiful!
After my shoot, I was anxious all over again because I wanted to see my pictures! Amanda sent me a few sneak peaks about 10 day after our session and I was really shocked because I loved them! I couldn’t wait to see my others and I was especially excited to see the “cover” photo. I was unsure if I would ever share these photos but I wanted to review my session and I also have come to this place in my life where I have never felt more alive, more myself, more balanced and more beautiful than ever before.
I will post more of my photos below, but I wanted to give Amanda a HUGE pat on the back. This momma raises kids, runs a business all while working other jobs, maintains a social life, a home life and hustles her ass off.
Amanda is currently offering $35 session (3/8-3/11) in honor of her thirty fifth birthday and International Women’s Day. Hair and makeup will be an additional fee and collections will also be 35% off. You can contact Amanda via email at casanovaphotography1@yahoo.com and check out her vip group here
If you have been thinking of booking a boudoir shoot, I honestly say just go for it! Amanda was so awesome and I felt extremely comfortable the entire time. We talked over what I wanted to hide and areas that I wanted to showcase. She helped me pic out outfits and showed me how to pose, she held my hand through the entire thing. Thank you Amanda for helping me see the beauty and light everyone around has been seeing all along!
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