I found myself nervously staring at my phone one day thinking, “should I do it?” There was no way that I would ever be picked, so what’s the big deal, right? That was the day I applied and was selected to do a modeling shoot with Chris. I had absolutely no idea what a profoundly positive impact it would have on my life. Leading up to my shoot I was a nervous wreck, not for lack of encouragement from my significant other, but because for so long I had beaten myself down and told myself I couldn’t possibly be as beautiful as others saw me. I had just entered into a phase of life as a mom to 2 beautiful girls and was committed to a health journey that was leading me down a road I had so desperately tried to be successful at, and had failed at so many times before.
Arriving at my shoot, I tried my hardest to portray confidence, but I’m sure I was obviously a bit uncomfortable. When we got into it, what really boosted my confidence was every time Chris turned his camera around to show me a raw image straight from the camera that was absolutely stunning. The whole shoot we told life stories and experiences, laughed, and had a wonderful time. By the end of my shoot, I didn’t care who saw what body parts, and felt completely comfortable to be exactly as I was – just me.
I have to admit, I have a kinky side. I’m like the girl next door that looks prim & proper until you open the wrong drawer in the closet. In fact, during that first shoot, we shot that kinky side and boy that boosted my confidence in exploring more and being confident about it. The environment that Chris creates that feels so welcoming towards any photoshoot ideas, is second to none! In a world that can still stigmatize kink, it was so freeing and liberating to have Chris be so open & create such amazing, elegant, powerful imagery.
I have worked with Chris more than the one time, and the difference between the two photoshoots included losing 80 pounds, gaining a boatload of confidence & really working on myself mentally, physically & emotionally. I absolutely plan to do more shoots in the future, hands down! To be honest, yet again, the confidence & knowledge you gain about yourself, the positive experience you have & the stunning images you walk away with are just addicting and amazing.
If you are thinking of doing a boudoir shoot, just stop thinking about it & do it. It will be one of the best decisions and investments you’ve ever made!
HerStory is a blog written by our clients with images they chose to share from their session: what led them to do a photoshoot, how the session made them feel, and how they feel about it now. We have worked with hundreds of clients, and each of their stories teaches us something about ourselves. –Chris Connelly Photography
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