Frequently asked Boudoir questions

Q: What should I wear? What if I don’t want to wear lingerie or feel exposed?

A: You don’t have to wear anything that doesn’t feel right in your body. Truly. You can show up in a silk robe, a favorite sweater, a vintage dress, or a snowsuit and a helmet if that’s what feels most honest. This is your story. It doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s.

Boudoir, here, is not about provocation. It is about presence. It is about choosing to show up in a way that feels safe, expressive, grounded, or even guarded—if that’s the place you’re in. We can create something beautiful from vulnerability or from armor, from softness or from edge. The point is not what you wear. It’s how you feel while being seen in it.

Whatever you choose, I’ll meet you there.

Q: Do I have to be "sexy"? I'm not "sexy" and I don't want to try to be.

A: No, you do not. You do not have to perform sensuality. You do not have to contort yourself into a version of "womanhood" that doesn’t feel true. This experience is not about becoming "sexy" in the way culture has defined it. It is about being you, as you are, with softness, substance, and self-possession.

You can show up quiet. You can show up tearful. You can show up in oversized knits or barefoot in the sun. You can show up wrapped in grief or strength or stillness.

Sexy is not the requirement. Presence is. I'll guide you in a way that feels grounded, not performative, in your goals and pursuits. You are not here to entertain. You are here to be seen.

Q: Is this trauma-informed?

A: Yes. I have extensive training in trauma psychology, emotional regulation, and consent-based direction. I approach boudoir through a therapeutic lens informed by clinical study in behavioral psychology, forensic interviewing, and somatic sensitivity. Clients are never posed for approval. They are guided, gently and respectfully, through a session that honors nervous system needs, personal boundaries, and relational safety. Every session is consent-led, with full control returned to the client at every step.

Q: How do you handle privacy and discretion?

A: Privacy is sacred. No boudoir image will ever be shared publicly without your explicit written *request* after final gallery delivery. Your session details, booking, and gallery access are kept entirely confidential. I photograph many women whose personal, professional, or relational dynamics require complete discretion, and I have structured my process to reflect that trust. You are safe here. I've been doing this a very long time, I don't "need content".

Q: What makes your studio different from others?

A: I do not view boudoir as a genre. I view it as legacy work. This is not a themed set or a trend-based offering. It is a portrait experience designed to reflect truth, power, softness, grief, growth, sensuality, or whatever season you are standing in. My studio is private, by appointment only, and designed to feel like a retreat space; intimate, quiet, and held.

Q: Do I need to be confident or comfortable in my body to book?

A: No. In fact, many clients come to me because they aren’t. This is not a reward for already loving yourself. It is a space to meet yourself in progress. Confidence is not a prerequisite, it is often a byproduct of being seen without shame.

Q: Are you certified in anything related to this work?

A: Yes. My background includes formal study in behavioral psychology, trauma-informed communication, body language decoding, and visual narrative construction. I hold hundreds of certifications across trauma-informed care, marketing psychology, body image work, and portraiture direction. More importantly, I have over a decade of direct client experience in environments requiring emotional attunement, relational ethics, and nuanced storytelling.

Q: What if I have trauma history or am unsure about being photographed?

A: Then this space is made with you in mind. You are not a liability or a burden here. If we need to pause, shift, redirect, or modify the entire plan, we do. Your boundaries will never be challenged. They will be honored. Our work together begins before a camera is ever lifted, and you will never be asked to do something that does not feel safe in your body.

Q: What if I have scars, stretch marks, or parts of my body I don't want shown?

A: You will never be asked to reveal anything that doesn’t feel safe, aligned, or sacred to you. Every session is built and executed-on collaboratively, guided with consent, styled with care, and directed to flatter without distortion. I will never pose you in a way that disregards your autonomy, and we will talk through preferences and boundaries in advance. This is not about idealizing your body. It’s about respecting it.

Q: I’ve never done anything like this before. What if I feel awkward?

A: Most of my clients are not models. They are women who are scared and brave at the same time. It is completely normal to feel awkward in the beginning, but it won’t last. I will guide you with verbal and nonverbal cues, offer gentle adjustments, and hold the space with calm direction so you never feel unsure of what to do. You do not need to know how to pose. You just need to show up. I will take care of the rest.

Q: Will you retouch my photos?

A: Yes, but never in a way that erases who you are. Retouching is used for temporary blemishes, lighting corrections, skin tone balancing, and minor enhancements—not body reshaping or artificial perfection. My approach is editorial yet honest. You will still look like yourself, just with polish and intention. If there are specific requests, we’ll discuss them with respect and transparency.

Q: I’m older. Am I still a good fit for boudoir?

A: Absolutely! Age is not a limitation, it is a layer of richness, wisdom, and magnetism that deserves to be documented. Some of my most powerful sessions have been with women in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. There is no expiration date on sensuality, softness, or self-celebration. You belong here.

Q: I’m plus-size / disabled / neurodivergent / postpartum. Will I be seen and respected?

A: Yes. Not only will you be seen, you will be protected, honored, and gently guided through an experience that centers your specific needs and your full humanity. I have photographed women across every identity and life chapter. This is not a space of judgment or performance. It is a space of truth. You will be treated with reverence, never reduction.

Q: Can I bring a support person with me?

A: Yes. You are welcome to bring someone you trust; someone who can support you emotionally without directing the session or interrupting your personal process. This could be a friend, a partner, a sister, or a therapist. We’ll discuss that dynamic ahead of time to ensure it enhances, rather than distracts from, your experience.

Q: What’s the emotional outcome you hope for?

A: I do not promise empowerment as a product. Instead, I hope for integration. I hope you leave with a clearer sense of how powerful softness can be. I hope you see yourself not as a project to improve, but as a person who deserves to be seen with care. I hope you realize you are not too much and not not enough. You are just right.