Vancouver Boudoir Session | Fairmont Hotel

I’ve always been a fan of boudoir. I’m a strong believer in the idea that it is vital to the soul to learn to love and accept yourself. I feel like boudoir is really a great avenue to explore that through. There are really not a lot of places where you are required to be as vulnerable as you are at a boudoir session, I mean, you are half or fully naked in front of a virtual stranger, who has a a camera. I’ve yet to meet a client who didn’t feel intimidated when they arrived.  For me it is always a personal goal to provide a safe and comfortable place where people can feel accepted, feel beautiful in their own skin and find a little validity. A place where a woman can stand up and say, “I’m here, I exist, and God damn it I love this beautiful body, flaws and all.” It’s really like self esteem therapy.

Once a year I host an awesome boudoir marathon in Vancouver, and this year was no exception. Makeup artist Gemma Spierings has come out to help me the past two years and it’s usually about an 11 hour day or so. It’s a tiring venture. Not only is it a long day, holding gear, but it’s a little emotionally draining as well because it’s not an easy task to help someone feel comfortable in their own skin, and I’ve yet to meet anyone who strutted in totally confident and ready to strip down and pose themselves. But seeing everyone leave with a huge smile on their face, feeling stronger and confident without even seeing their pictures yet is a huge blessing, being able to give THAT to someone has more power in it than any photograph I can make. It really makes it a worthwhile day.

When I was alone, packing up my gear, after it was all said and done I couldn’t help feeling a bit of the glow myself.  After talking to so many beautiful women who felt the same as me about their bodies all day I felt a little less alone in the universe despite I was physically on my own. I crawled into the bathtub and had a good soak and felt a lot more comfortable in my own skin – I got out and saw my post-baby stretch marks on my tummy and thighs, and my wobbly bits, and less than perky breasts in a full length mirror and thought to myself, damn girl, you’ve still got it. That in itself is a real blessing. So thank you to everyone who came out, shared their journeys, was vulnerable and open with me,  I appreciate all of you more than you know.

Anyways here’s a quick peek at one of the sessions :)