As I write this blog, I am filled with various emotions because Stuttgart, Germany is where Boudoir Photography all started for me and why I am so in love with it!
I have always been into photography. Mostly taking images of landscape, architectural designs, and famous attractions during family travels around the world; however, COVID changed everything.
When COVID took the world by storm and placed countries on travel lockdowns, I decided to truly learn photography and how to shoot on a more advanced level. As I continued to get better, I thought about pursuing photography as a business. I wanted the business to be fun, have a purpose bigger than myself, but also made going to work effortless. Without knowing a real genre to preference, I remember a family friend, while living in Hawaii, had a boudoir session and shared her album and experience with me. Seeing how she glowed with joy and excitement when sharing her experience, I realized that I wanted to recreate that same experience and enthusiasm with other women. So through a random conversation and interaction with a friend, my venture into boudoir photography was started.
I had never had a boudoir session before, but after working with my first client, a close friend, I was hooked. I loved seeing how we both gained confidence as we continued to shoot and create beautiful images together. Not only was it uplifting for her but it was for me as well. Never in a million years did I think I would be able to make a meaningful impact through photography.
I’ll admit the first few sessions I had, I was more nervous than the woman I was photographing! Luckily she was a close friend and we practiced together and confidence was gained with each pose and session. As I continued to gain confidence in my craft, I quickly realized what a gift boudoir truly was. Although my studio was small (a converted basement storage area- see below pictures), the images made there were beautiful.
I received my first magazine publication from that studio. This truly made my confidence soar and validated that space and location isn’t the key to successful photography, it is the bond the photographer and client have that creates stunning images. After seeing their photos, clients would often be amazed at how beautiful they look, how sexy they felt, and how confident they were with their bodies leaving the studio. It felt amazing to be a part of something so meaningful for my clients. I loved working out of my basement studio and fell in love with everything boudoir.
Boudoir, for many of my clients, was doing something out of their comfort zone because they wanted an experience that was rewarding and self-empowering. Boudoir isn’t always about gifting images to someone else, it’s about the journey taken, the reinvention of self, growing through experiences, and most importantly, facing self-professed insecurities and self-doubt head-on and celebrating their flaws, strengths, and weaknesses.
By far, my favorite part and memories of this studio, is hearing women tell me how they are better able to love and celebrate their bodies as a result of having a session and trusting the process. Many clients have personally thanked my wife for allowing me to pursue my passion in this style of photography as they are so in love with their results. How can I not wake up every day excited about what I do - empowering women through beautiful and tasteful images. There truly is magic in photography. Let’s make some magic together!
