Yes, you read that right!
Just like knowing when the right time is to book a session, it’s also important to know when maybe it’s not the right time, so below are some important reasons not to book a boudoir + empowerment session with me.
Reason 1:
You still think that your body image will improve if you could only change X about your body (X being your body’s shape or size, your cellulite, your “too big” or “too small” boobs, your wrinkles, moles, or scars, etc.). If you’re still in a place where you believe that changing your body is the key to a better body image, you may not be in a place where you’ll get the most benefit out of a boudoir + empowerment session.
Reason 2:
You feel like the biggest reason to do a session is as a gift to your partner. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love that any partners my clients have may reap the benefits of a session (amazing pics), but if your biggest reason for doing a session is as a gift to your partner(s), you may be missing out on some of the best benefits a boudoir + empowerment session can offer, which is as a gift to yourself. Quick note that I’m not talking about gifting your partner a couple’s session, I’m specifically talking about your own solo sessions.
Reason 3:
You want to do a session, but you’d like a lot of retouching done to your photos, including skin smoothing, getting rid of lines/wrinkles, and “making you smaller”. There are lots of talented boudoir photographers out there who will do this kind of retouching, but at Reverence Intimate Portraits, we’re all about celebrating the real you, and so I don’t do any kind of editing that will change your shape/size or remove normal human phenomenon like wrinkles, cellulite, moles, or scars. I’d be glad to refer you to a photographer who does that kind of retouching, and would love to see you when you’re in a place of acceptance (or working towards that place, I know it’s not a linear path) of your real life body, exactly as it is right now.
Reason 4:
You’re not in a place where you are willing to make an investment in yourself. There is no judgment here. This kind of photography experience is expensive, and for good reason, but not everyone feels comfortable making that kind of investment in themselves and their body image journey. We’re taught “not to be selfish” (especially if we were assigned female at birth) and that putting yourself first is a bad thing, so making an investment in yourself can feel pretty squidgy or downright terrifying. I can empathize! I book my own boudoir + empowerment sessions annually with trusted photographers who have the same philosophies I do and even though I do this for a living I still struggle a little bit making an investment. This is where pre-payment plans can really make a big difference. They allow you to prioritize yourself on a schedule that works for you, and can make investing in yourself feel a little less scary. If you’re not in a place where you think you’re worth prioritizing though, I’d encourage you to work on your body image and self-image in the myriad of other ways that are available until your mindset starts to shift and you begin to see yourself as worthy of investing in, because you are!
If you have any questions about the boudoir + empowerment process, or figuring out if this experience is right for you, hit me up!
—Sam