Let’s be honest, we all feel a little (or maybe a lot) nervous before we get our picture taken, let alone undergo a professional photoshoot! But what about what comes after that? During the photoshoot you’ve been able to shake out the nerves, get more comfortable in front of the camera, and settle into yourself so much that before you know it, you’re actually having a blast! So a few weeks later, when the awaited art is finally ready to see… why are these nerves all of a sudden back again?
First off, let me start by saying that you are not alone in the pre-reveal jitters. There is so much excitement wrapped up in seeing yourself in these images, but sometimes anxiety can sneak up and take over out of nowhere. Every single client I’ve had has experienced this to varying levels before. And do you know what I’ve told each of them?
This. Is. Normal.
Think about it! A professional photography experience isn’t something you do every day, and we’re used to seeing ourselves in the usual selfie poses or group pictures that are familiar to us. A boudoir session is empowering and liberating… but it’s also very vulnerable. And when it comes time for you to view your images, of course you’re feeling all the feelings! Because your brain is reacting in a completely normal way to a situation that isn’t familiar to you. It’s used to seeing you cheesin’ with your friends, but maybe not a more serious (dare I say fierce?) facial expression. It’s used to how you look in the mirror, but not how you look perched on a rock by a river or laying down in the grass gazing up at a camera!
Before we look at a single image together, I always take time to ground us in the moment, and allow space for any feeling to come up. I set the expectation that there aren’t any expectations. As your photographer, I’m not eagerly waiting for you to burst into tears of joy and jump up and down seeing your gorgeous self featured in a gallery (although of course you are more than welcome to ;) )… I am here to sit with you and honor your experience really seeing yourself in a completely unique way. We all come to the table with our own relationship with our bodies. The way you react to seeing yourself isn’t right or wrong, it just is.
And that’s why I make sure we do gallery reveals together - so I can cheer you on for the “Holy shit that’s ME!” moments, and so I can hold space for you to work through a not-so-fun emotion that may come up in others. I’m not just here to take pictures then drop them on your (virtual) doorstep, because that’s not where the boudoir experience starts and stops. I honor your trust in me and your bravery for stepping out of your comfort zone to give yourself an experience that will celebrate all that you are… because that’s where the real magic happens <3