The Boudoir Suite / JaneCane Photography

February 22, 2017

Four years ago, I was approached by a client to take her boudoir photos. I blushed, not knowing what to say or how to react – immediately thinking this was such a provocative request (and one I would never do) I myself was the opposite of sexy, why would she ask me? How could I ever capture something so intimate and what would people think of my business?  But after a bit of research, and finding myself more intrigued by how to pronounce the word than how to photograph it, I decided to try it out and announced my very first boudoir mini sessions. At the time, it was hard to find hotels that would allow such events – as most were nervous about the idea or simply had no clue what it entailed. I also had no idea how to explain it or normalize this seemingly scandalous word that I felt almost needed to be whispered. It felt so private, so hush-hush. And it wasn’t easy to photograph. Those first sessions pushed me and forced me outside of my comfort zone, creating challenges I hadn’t faced in Wedding or Lifestyle photography. As a female who felt like I had zero experience in the world of sex appeal, I had to learn how to make others feel sexy. How to make my clients feel comfortable and able to laugh, to have an experience that was incredible from start to finish. And I quickly realized that it wasn’t all about the sexiness – but instead, the confidence.

As I continued to offer boudoir sessions over the next few years, I had the honor of connecting with so many incredible women – and getting to hear all of their stories. Stories of loss and struggle and self-doubt. Stories of heartache and challenges and darkness. But also stories of empowerment and victory and self-love. After almost every single session I was receiving emails from my clients sharing happy tears and feelings of confidence being restored. For me, I was seeing each woman as strong and brave, but they weren’t always able to see that in their own reflection. These boudoir sessions became so much more than work – they became a love language for me. A way to give back to women in my community, to empower and raise up my clients. It no longer felt embarrassing when someone would ask me about what Boudoir was – it became a topic of Pride for me. Something I could passionately and openly talk about, rave about, share about. It became bigger than the photos, it became a way to cultivate a community of women who unapologetically loved their bodies, imperfections and all. And it was incredible.

In the process of all of this, I had met another local photographer and convinced her that we should probably be BFFs – realizing that not only did we live uncanny parallel lives, we also both were crazy passionate about empowering women. So, it only made sense that we would eventually team up to open The Boudoir Suite last Winter. While we decided to continue to operate our own boudoir businesses out of this space, we share the gorgeous studio and both offer boudoir sessions year-round.

Each session I get to be a part of only further confirms that this is what I am supposed to be doing. That this was truly a calling for me. Nowadays you can find me sharing and posting all about boudoir photography on my social media – writing about my own boudoir session experience and always staying transparent with my personal self-love journey, while continuing to encourage others to do the same. The more open I am about body image and the power of boudoir, the more I realize how many women out there face the same struggles, the same frustrations with their body and confidence levels.

I don’t claim that Boudoir changes lives, but I do think that it can change a day or a day somewhere down the line or how you feel in that moment, in that studio, in front of the camera. And it definitely allows me, as a photographer, to share with each client how the world really sees them: beautiful exactly as they are. So if you have always thought about booking a session, but weren’t sure what it entailed or how to take the leap – just ask. I would love nothing better than to start a conversation with you about whether or not boudoir is for you, right now. I can’t promise I won’t shoot down all your excuses (No, you don’t need to lose weight. Yes, Mommas do it too. No, I don’t alter your body – because, shocker – I think it’s pretty incredible just as it is) But I will walk you through the process of what to expect and how amazing it can really be.

If you are interested and want to hear more, full experience boudoir sessions with JaneCane Photography are offered year round – always including professional hair + makeup, as well as your carefully edited images in a password protected gallery with digital downloads and the print release. Luxury albums and print products are available with additional investment, but not required with booking.

Thinking “Hell Yes, Sign me Up!” or simply just want to see the details? Feel free to email me at info@janecanephotography.com // Want to stay in the loop + get boudoir announcements in your inbox? Sign up for the JaneCane Photography newsletter! And if you want to see studio sneak peeks and gorgeous boudoir images, make sure to follow along on Instagram: JaneCane Photography

 

 

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  1. Sydnee Bickett says:

    I’m so happy that I did a mini session with you earlier this year! Holy smokes, the empowering feelings I still feel when I look at those images are just phenomenal. You’ve given me such a gift and I could never say thank you enough! 🙂 XOXOXO love you, lady!

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