My Passion | Austin Boudoir Photography

#FeelGoodBloggingChallenge

Why do I do what I do?

I am passionate about women.  Plain and simple.  I want women to feel beautiful and loved and worthy.

In high school I took some photography classes.  I learned my way around a dark room & how to develop my own film.  I remember begging my dad to turn my tiny little closet into my very own dark room!  I still wish he would’ve!  😉

Instead, 10 years later he bought me a beautiful camera.  A Sony NEX-5R.  I was in love the minute I saw it.  It was a Christmas gift!  Ha!  So cliche in the world of photography.  You get a camera for Christmas and you’re immediately a pro.  I wanted a camera to be able to capture the memories I was making with my new baby.  Totally started as a typical “mom-tog”.  But I was soon thrown back into my love for photography.

I started my photography business by being a “catch all photographer”.  I wanted to try every single genre of photography so that I could find what I truly loved and felt passionate about.

So, I started with a few high school senior sessions, then a couple of newborn sessions, a few weddings, some families and kiddos, a birth and a “Fresh 24″…  Then I decided to try out a boudoir session with my gorgeous friend, “Miss A”.  She was kind enough to let me practice on her.  😉

05 NEW B&W wmThis is from my very first boudoir session.  Featuring my beloved “Miss A”. 

Her partner loves her hands, so we wanted to feature them in this shot.  She especially loves when “A” adjusts her thigh highs and garter belt straps!

I’ve always really loved that little tidbit about them.  It’s so sweet and fun to find out what our partners love about us!  My hubby likes it when a strand of my hair falls down in front of my face!  😉  So random and weird — but I LOVE IT!  A recent client mentioned that her hubby loves it when she bites her lower lip!  HOT!  So, of course, we incorporated that into a lot of her shots!  🙂

::back to my first ever boudoir session::

I was immediately “in my element”.  We went shopping for outfits together one weekend, then did the photo shoot at my duplex the next.  By the end of her session we realized that she had gotten completely naked and was so comfortable with me that she was just casually holding a typical conversation about a future lunch date with me as I packed up my gear!  Ha!  I remember her mentioning how impressed she was with how relaxed and comfortable I made her feel throughout the session!  She truly enjoyed herself.  She loved it so much that she even arranged for me to shoot a boudoir session of her partner, “Miss G”.  It was awesome too!  I am thrilled to report that they are planning a couple’s session with me for next year!

I remember going home after A’s session and immediately saying to my husband, “That’s it!  That’s what I want to do.  I felt so at home doing it, Neil.  I was made for it!”

♥ ♥ ♥

That was back in June of 2013.  I decided to officially move to specializing in boudoir in September of 2013 and exclusively shoot only boudoir today.  I enjoy it whole-heartedly.  It makes me happy and fills me up.  It makes me feel like I’m making a difference, even if just for a small amount of people.  My ultimate goal is to leave my clients feeling loved, appreciated, noticed and beautiful.

Since starting this incredible journey into the world of professional photography I’ve taken every class I could get my hands on.  I’ve gone to countless workshops.  I eventually upgraded my equipment — I decided to go with a full-frame Nikon.  I have a D700, and a D300 as my back-up.

I’ve spent thousands of dollars on gear: lighting, memory cards, lenses, editing software, computers, camera bags, workshops, classes, conferences, backdrops, props — lingerie, make-up, jewelry, shoes, sample products…….just.so.much.  But I rationalize ALL OF IT by really knowing how passionate about it, and how dedicated to it, I am.  I want to OWN it.  Ya know?

 

Now, it’s your turn.  What are YOU passionate about?!

See you tomorrow!

Also see DAY ONE of this blogging challenge!

passion

9 Comments
  • Arica
    Posted at 14:15h, 20 October

    What an awesome post! You can tell how passionate you are towards what you do, and it must feel awesome to help a woman feel gorgeous and HOT in her own skin! Awesome!

    Arica, xxo
    http://www.varnakandlollies.com

  • Miss A ;-)
    Posted at 14:53h, 20 October

    You WERE made for this! G was so nervous; she begged me not to make her do it. Afterwards, she looked at the photos in wonder and said, “I didn’t know you saw me like this!”

    Thank you for helping her see how beautiful she is!

  • Bonnie
    Posted at 15:07h, 20 October

    Gorgeous photos. What a gift to help women feel so confident and beautiful. Seeing the beauty in each person is truly a special passion.

  • jeana
    Posted at 15:36h, 20 October

    Thank you for the love on my page. Returning the love. This was actually something most people do not know about me. I love this kind of photography! ! I really want to have some photos of me done one day. I love to take pictures and I really like dressing up nice and sexy and doing a few pin up photos. I love vintage and keeping it very classy. My bf loves this as well lol. I am originally from Texas close to beaumont area. Maybe one day I’ll have you do am photo shoot for me !!

  • Cori
    Posted at 19:32h, 20 October

    Hi Elizabeth:
    It’s great to be able to see how you found out what you really wanted to do 😀
    PS: The images are gorgeous!

  • Christina Vanvuren
    Posted at 19:46h, 20 October

    You are so talented! Love how passionate you are!

    Xoxo,

    Christina

  • Neil
    Posted at 23:10h, 20 October

    I love how you’re such a natural at this, yet you are always working so hard to get better.
    I love you so much!

  • AKP Photography
    Posted at 16:46h, 21 October

    Beautiful post!!

    a: Thank you so much for the comment on my blog ♥ Its still a struggle to feel worthy, but im working on it 😉

  • Stephanie
    Posted at 17:13h, 21 October

    Great post! I love that you experimented with several different styles of photography until you found your niche. Great job! Keep it up. Also, as a nude art model you might be interested in some of my other work – smilesforthecamera.com. I’m on FB and MM. I’m working on updating my website since I took it down for an overhaul but I’ll get back to it. 😉

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