Mrs K’s Boudoir Session

I could tell you all the reasons Mrs. K’s boudoir session was amazing: she is an awesome and beautiful individual, she has a great sense of humor, I could keep going… but it would never be so eloquent as what she wrote below on her own Facebook page. So I asked her if I could steal it for this post and she said yes. 🥰

Keep scrolling to read about her Harford County boudoir experience and peep those photos!

I woke up the morning of my shoot so excited. I wasn’t nervous, and I knew the day would be so much fun. I double checked I had my bag stuffed with everything I needed, and then some. Waved goodbye to my fam for the day and drove down to Virginia, blasting 90’s alternative, as you do, and arrived to Jennifer’s right on time. I heard giggling from the other side of the door as I knocked, and Jennifer opened the door, with her wonderful, warm smile. We hugged and I hugged Finn, who I was meeting in person for the first time. My eyes got all saucer-y when I saw Finn’s makeup all spread out (for those that don’t know, I used to be a makeup artist, and I miss it like crazy). It’s sometimes hard for me to let another artist do my face, but I knew I was in perfectly wonderful hands with Finn.

I dumped my bag full of goodies on Jennifer’s couch and she went through the lingerie, shoes, jewelry and accessories I brought. I changed into a super comfy robe and hopped up in Finn’s chair for some hair and makeup. Finn asked me some questions about my skin, my skin care routine and any concerns I had, and then she went to town.

The three of us talked about our husbands, our families, Ireland (as Finn is from Ireland and I was going there the next week), and literally everything in between. We laughed and joked and Finn commented on how much she loved my eyes a hundred twenty seven times 😍😍 (no, I didn’t keep count).

While Finn was busy on my face, Jennifer was planning her shoot strategy. She had a list of poses she wanted to do with me, and we all decided on the outfits we’d use. Before I knew it, I was glamorous and ready to get UNdressed! My makeup was incredible, from the soft glam bronze eye to the lashes to the glossy pink lip; it was all perfect!

Finn got packed up, and Jennifer and I got to work. Let me tell you about Jennifer if you’ve never met her in person: she is a tiny powerhouse. She moves the furniture around in her studio so many times through a shoot, you wonder how she does it (most of the pictures you’ve seen on her website are all in the same room! My mind was blown when I realized that).

Before each pose, Jennifer explained what we were going to do and demonstrated how to get in each pose. True facts: you will feel crazy self conscious for the first 2 minutes and then it all vaporizes. Trust your photographer. Also true: you will think every pose you are doing will make you look fully and completely insane, but they always look incredible. Trust the process. We did pose after pose, Jennifer giving direction where necessary, and tons of compliments and praise as we went.

More truth: the first time she turns the camera around to show you one she just simply cannot handle how awesome it comes out, your eyes will probably fill up with tears. Your brain will think you’re looking at a picture of someone else. You are, in fact, looking at a picture of yourself. That babe you’re staring at? That’s YOU! Jennifer is blessed with this incredible gift that allows her to show you what other people see when they look at you; what you should see every time you looks at yourself, if you weren’t so focused on the imperfections. Start learning to see yourself that way all the time. Say something nice to yourself next time you’re naked in front of a mirror. And I don’t just mean women, EVERYONE should look at themselves and love that person they see. *steps off soapbox*

Ok, back to the shoot. Jennifer moved furniture around like she does it for a living, moving things in and out, fluffing pillows and blankets and moving chairs and curtains. Let me tell you another secret: all of the light in my pictures came from a window. There’s no manufactured light sources anywhere. She bounced some light around with a reflector…..thingy (hi. Not a photographer 💁🏻‍♀️) but there’s nary a light in the room apart from the window. That’s why her pictures are so moody and incredible. Because it’s soft, natural light. That light is what sucked me in to Jennifer’s work in the beginning. Her use of shadows and light, simply…. *chef kiss* amazing.

We changed outfits a few times and through it all, Jennifer continued to tell me how amazing they were looking which made my confidence soar. I was loving every minute of this! Not the compliments (however, those were lovely) the FEELING. The way I felt. How easy it was to relax with her. How excited I was to see the final product.

Remember how I said Jennifer is tiny? I’m not kidding. She’s tiny. Through the shoot, she stood on the floor, the bed, a chair, a ladder, and shimmied under a bed to get the best angles. We LAUGHED so much. I had to stop for water because this is one step below a barre workout. You will use your body in ways you didn’t even think were possible, not all of which are comfortable, but remember, trust the process! The pose I found hardest ended up being one which I chose for my wall art. Just wait till you see them!

Before I knew it, we were wrapping up. I could have spent days there! I had such an incredible day with Jennifer and Finn. I crammed all my stuff back in my bag and headed back home after scheduling my reveal for a couple weeks later, when my husband and I would be back from our trip to Scotland and Ireland and he could come with me.

“Most importantly, I felt worthy.”

I remember driving home and feeling connected to myself, my body and my spirit, in a way I hadn’t in a long time. I am not a model thin woman. I’m curvy, a size 16/18, I have many tattoos and a few piercings. I wear glasses and I have short hair with more than a few grey hairs. When I took these photos, I was just about 5 pounds from my heaviest weight. But! I felt Beautiful. Powerful. Sexy. Strong. Feminine. Confident. Maybe most importantly, I felt worthy. I felt worthy of all those feelings. I felt worthy to be counted among the women Jennifer has taken boudoir pictures of. I felt worthy of my own love and support.

So, when Jennifer asked for applications for Glambassadors back in December, and I took a chance and sent her a questionnaire and a short video of myself with no makeup on in my jammies that very night, I took a step toward loving myself more. I took another step when she said she wanted me in her group, and I accepted. I took another when I booked my shoot. I took more as I bought lingerie and accessories for it and now my husband gets to reap the benefits of it (sorry, parents 😬). I took another step that Sunday morning when I knocked on the door for my shoot. And now, a bit more than a month later, I continue taking those steps. Of finding the parts of me inside and outside that are worth loving: all of them. Even my chunky thighs or my curvy tummy or my flabby arms. All those things deserve my love. Because *I* deserve that love from myself, first and foremost.

So, if you think you’re too self conscious to do a boudoir shoot, read this all again. And then again if you still don’t get it. If you want to hear about it directly from my mouth, let me know and we can chat about it. Everyone deserves to find this kind of love; Self love. The kind that no one can give you but you. Jennifer doesn’t create anything that isn’t already there, she just turns her camera on it so you can see it too. ❤️

Peep at Miss K’s Harford County boudoir session below.