“I felt like I was seeing my inner self’s personality on the outside.”
I can tell you what a boudoir session is like from the photographer’s side—but sometimes the best way to understand the experience is to hear it directly from someone who has actually done it. For this post, I asked one of my clients to share what the experience was really like. These are her words, her experience, and her perspective on what it felt like to step in front of the camera at 40 and celebrate the version of herself she is right now.
-Laura
A Boudoir Session at 40: Celebrating Confidence, Motherhood, and the Body I Have Now
I had lost more than 50 pounds. I was turning 40. And for the first time in my life, I felt genuinely confident in my body.
Motherhood and age had changed me, of course. But instead of wishing I could go back to some earlier version of myself, I had started learning to embrace the body I have now.
I felt like a badass.
So when I decided to book a boudoir session with Laura, I wasn’t doing it because I hated my body and wanted to be “fixed.” I was doing it because I finally felt good in my skin—and I wanted to celebrate that.
Why I Chose the Full Fantasy Experience
I knew I wanted to go all in.
Part of the appeal of the Full Fantasy experience was getting to have a day where someone else took care of everything. Hair. Makeup. Styling. The whole experience.
Most days, I’m either at work or at sporting events. There usually isn’t much reason for me to be completely put together, so having professional hair and makeup made the day feel special from the very beginning.
When I saw myself finished, I felt beautiful.
Having professionals do my hair and makeup also made me feel more comfortable and confident before I ever stepped in front of the camera.
And although I felt confident going into the session, I still had one part of my body I was nervous about photographing: my lower abdomen.
That was probably my biggest insecurity heading into the shoot.
But it wasn’t enough to stop me from booking.
Honestly, nothing was.
I had seen Laura’s work, loved her portfolio, and knew my photos were going to turn out amazing.
Getting Ready for the Shoot
The prep information beforehand helped a lot, especially the body-prep instructions.
For wardrobe, I brought outfits I already knew I felt comfortable wearing. Then Laura pulled some additional pieces she thought I might like and matched them with sets and backgrounds that worked perfectly.
That ended up being one of my favorite parts of the experience.
I didn’t have to walk in knowing exactly how every outfit should be styled or where I should shoot it. Laura had an eye for what would work, and I could trust her to put everything together.
What It Was Actually Like Being Photographed
One of the biggest surprises was that I didn’t feel nervous or ashamed.
Boudoir can obviously feel vulnerable. You’re wearing very little clothing and being photographed in ways most of us aren’t used to.
But after the first few photos, we were just talking, joking and laughing.
It stopped feeling awkward.
At one point, the most dangerous part of the whole thing might have been me almost falling over a few times in my heels.
The posing was also completely different from what I expected.
I didn’t need to know what to do ahead of time.
Laura would show me the pose first and then talk me through everything—from where to put my body to when to breathe. I especially liked that she didn’t make it feel rigid. She gave me direction, but she also let me move naturally and have input.
It felt collaborative instead of like I was being placed into a pose and told not to move.
The Looks That Made Me Feel Like a Badass
Some of my favorite images were taken in front of the flower wall.
Something about that set, the outfits and the way the images came together brought out the badass version of me.
But the moment I felt the sexiest and most confident was probably during the final look: black lingerie and high-heeled boots.
There was just something about that setup.
I felt like a completely sexier, more confident version of myself.
And when I eventually saw the finished images, there was one photo in particular that stopped me.
I’m sitting in front of the flower wall, and the attitude in the photo is everything.
I look confident. Sexy. Like I’m saying, “Come here.”
It has total “It’s Britney, bitch” energy.
And I loved it.
Seeing My Photos for the First Time
Seeing the finished images was probably one of the most surprising parts of the entire experience.
It felt like I was seeing my inner personality on the outside.
I was honestly in awe.
I couldn’t believe I could look like that.
There was another image that surprised me even more.
I was wearing white and pink lingerie on the blue chair, and Laura photographed me from the side.
Normally, my stomach is something I criticize when I look in the mirror.
But when I saw those photos?
It looked sexy.
That was a moment for me.
Something I normally focus on as a flaw didn’t look like a flaw at all.
It was simply part of me.
And I looked good.
There were also black-and-white images that turned out even better than I expected. They became some of the photos I loved most.
The whole experience reminded me that apparently I can look pretty amazing outside of sweatpants.
Maybe I just need to play dress-up more often.
Why I’m Glad I Chose the Full Gallery
One of the reasons I loved doing the Full Fantasy experience was not having to narrow everything down to only a few photos.
I’m glad I have all of them.
Years from now, I want to be able to look back and say:
Damn. I was sexy and badass.
And having the photos printed made it feel completely different from just looking at them on a phone or computer.
My husband was in awe when he saw the album.
He looked through it for multiple days.
What meant even more to me was how happy he was that the photos looked like the real me—scars and all.
The Confidence Didn’t Stay in the Studio
I walked out of the session feeling amazing.
I went home with my hair and makeup still done, feeling sexy and confident, and that feeling absolutely came home with me.
Since the shoot, I’ve started putting a little more effort into doing my hair and makeup when I go out.
I’ve also started buying clothes that actually fit my body after losing weight instead of hiding in sweats all the time.
It wasn’t that one photo session suddenly changed who I was.
It reminded me that the confident, sexy version of myself was already there.
Was It Worth It?
Yes.
Although now I may have created another problem: I can’t stop coming back.
Every time I shoot with Laura, I feel like she outdoes herself, and I find something new that I love even more than the last session.
What I’d Tell Someone Who Wants to Book but Is Scared
Do it.
Even if you hate the way you look in photos.
Even if there’s a certain body part you’re worried about.
Laura knows how to pose you, style you and photograph you in a way that makes you feel confident and sexy.
You won’t regret it.
I thought a boudoir session would be awkward.
Instead, it was spicy and so much fun.
And I think every woman should do something like this at least once.
Because life is short.
If you keep telling yourself, “Next year, after I lose weight,” or “Maybe after I tone up a little,” it’s incredibly easy to keep pushing it off.
And then you miss the chance to let yourself feel beautiful, confident and sexy exactly as you are right now.
