14 Mar Oh.My.God.Stripped.Down | Austin Boudoir Photography

I got home a few days ago from my week long trip to Vegas for the annual WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) convention.   I’m still reeling and so overwhelmed by one specific workshop I signed up for.  I wasn’t even planning on taking it.  I was the LAST person to sign up.  I can’t imagine my life now without having taken it.

It wasn’t just a workshop about how to pull emotion from our boudoir clients.  It was an absolute, full blown experience.

We started the day in a beautiful suite in the MGM Grand.  Very fancy, very luxurious.  I felt so important!  Ha!  The first exercise Denise had us do involved kneeling on the floor in a huge circle, spreading our knees, rubbing our thighs, throwing our heads back and moaning…and breathing.  Basically having an orgasm with 15 other women in a gorgeous hotel suite.  It was…amazing.  And bazaar and scary and exciting!

A now-very-close-friend of mine was extremely affected by it and broke down in tears.  We all slowly stopped moving, moaning, breathing.  Denise locked eyes with her.  They were in it together.  We all sat watching this beautiful breakdown and transformation develop.  We all cried along with her.  It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed.

I am forever changed.

Halfway through the workshop, I was slammed with a crazy bad headache.  At the time I blamed the weather change, the high altitude…  Now, I realize that my mind was literally being blown to pieces.  I was so overwhelmed.

And then?  BOOM!  Denise mentions that she’s instructed the 4 (beautiful) models NOT to move an inch without being given explicit instructions from us.  Most photography workshops you attend include the lighting being set up for you, the camera settings told to you and the models typically move and pose on their own.

We all split up into groups and rotated between each model.  First up, crazy handsome David Sachs, whom is also an associate photographer at Modern Love Photography.

Next, the multi-talented & insanely gorgeous Shelby Owen.  Not only is she a model, but also a very successful boudoir photographer in located in Oklahoma.

And, of course, the incredible Hannah Fugazzi, an insanely talented professional model.  She can easily reach into her deep, dark side just as beautifully as playful, happy & silly.  I loved asking her to jump and play on the bed!  So adorably beautiful!

Last but definitely not least, I got to work with Ashlyn Taylor, a beautiful model as well as Modern Love Photography‘s phenomenal hair & makeup artist.

I just told my hubby that I would’ve been 100% completely content and fulfilled if I had ONLY taken the Stripped Down workshop in Vegas.  Everything else was fluff.  Seriously.  I am looking at every image so differently now — my own and all others. I feel like there’s something missing when I don’t see any emotion or connection.

I plan to work hard on being more emotionally present for my family, as well as in my work.  I feel like I have lost myself a bit with how all-consuming it is to run your own photography business. So many details, so many things to learn & remember… I have major mom-guilt and wife-guilt. I will make sure to pour my heart and soul into ALL parts of my life.

I am forever changed.

Thank you to the incredible Modern Love team for lighting my fire!

I am woman – hear me roar!