Boudoir photography has evolved from a specialized side business to an empowering art form. Today, it is an important platform for self-expression and empowerment for girls and women. For most, it’s a life-changing experience. It rewrites their identity and rewires how they see the world. This post explores the experiences of four women who have undergone boudoir photography experiences. It opens up about how this journey has changed their lives.
Susan Lausier, 61, discovered the liberating effects of boudoir photography when a younger friend encouraged her to book a session with photographer Shawn Black in Boston. Lausier first approached creating the special gift for her husband entirely in the abstract, but found the process deeply personal.
I didn’t want to be the one to hog all the glory, Lausier confessed. Let me melt into the background. Never thought I was attractive. Never comfortable in my skin.
During her annual photoshoot, which she has participated in since turning 58, Black employs unique techniques to instill confidence in her clients. She carries them around, covering them with body oil, and sometimes squirting them with water, bringing out their natural vibrancy. Additionally, Black puts her clients in crawling positions on the studio floor to build an atmosphere of conditioning, safety, and openness.
After her initial session, Lausier walked out of the studio feeling powerful. “I walked out of there feeling like I could do anything,” she said. Soon after this transformative experience, she faced another life changing transition. She lost her job of 38 years at the hospital. With her newfound confidence from her photoshoot, she was able to travel around alone, set out on new adventures, and pursue what was next.
Brittany Witt, 33, went through a dramatic change during her boudoir shoot. At the time of her session, she was just starting a new relationship. The photoshoot inspired her to step into her new identity with confidence. Witt’s shoot featured dinner table tableaux in which she first danced and then feasted in lingerie, the scenes quickly shifting to nude photography.
There’s a yearning to be thoroughly known, not just in the facial recognition software sense, but in the heart way,” Witt said. This feeling is all too common among women who want to find their self-worth and confidence again through a camera lens.
For Makeda Blake-Robinson, 38, boudoir photography became an empowering practice focused on celebrating her body through motherhood. She called upon photographer Elizabeth Okoh, whose signature work involves photographing clients solo in her studio. Blake-Robinson explained that every part of the experience had her feeling like a rock star in her own concert.
I know that above all, I’m the star of this best show. She stated confidently.
Kay Davies, 42, has done two boudoir photoshoots with photographer Laura Slater—one on her own, and one with her partner. Yet, through this experience, she has emerged with a sense of strength and confidence that makes her feel like it’s only the beginning.
I had the power, nothing that I did was lacking. Davies reflected on her sessions.
Across these narratives, it becomes clear that boudoir photo shoots are much more than a few pretty pictures. As such, it is a powerful tool for self-discovery and empowerment for women of every age and background.
Louis boudoir photography Shawn Black, warns that if you think boudoir is all about sexy ladies in lingerie, think again! Nobody should be off-limits to this,” she claimed.
Her philosophy is fueling a growing revolution among photographers. Together, they’re changing the way society thinks about body image and femininity. JoAnna Moore, another photographer in this space, stated, “Society as a whole has done a great job of telling women what they should and shouldn’t look like.”
Moore, who is known for her radical body positivity, discussed how self-love is the requisite first step for any real change. As someone who grew up in the church, we are taught to uno—we are told to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Which means we have to forgive ourselves first,” she said.
Given that clients are accustomed to spending thousands on their boudoir experiences, with session fees frequently exceeding $500 and some over $4000, clients were pouring money into them. For many, the price is worth it, in part because of the long-term effects the procedures have on their self-image and self-esteem.
The experiences of Lausier, Witt, Blake-Robinson, and Davies illustrate the profound effects that boudoir photography can have on women’s lives. They emphasize that it is not solely about capturing beautiful images but about fostering an environment where women feel empowered and seen.