I was raised in a conservative Christian community. “Shock” doesn’t quite explain the response when I announced that boudoir photography was an official part of my business.
And I get it!
Naked women…many of us have been taught that such bold behavior is sinful.
I’m a Godly woman…so allow me to share why I believe boudoir is not sinful, but it actually celebrating what God has given us.
Boudoir photography strips away the incorrect perceptions we have created about ourselves. Boudoir strips away the lies (and the lace 😉 and presents you with truth. When you see yourself the way you really are you feel more whole, which naturally makes you feel more confident.  It’s no wonder so many of my clients called this a “personal empowerment boudoir session”. What a beautiful, luxury, healing experience! From a gospel perspective…if God made you, the truth is, you must be something incredible.
Here are the differences between boudoir and porn:
1. The purpose
Porn is meant to empower the viewer, but leaves the viewer feeling empty and disconnected. Boudoir is meant to empower the subject. My clients leave feeling more confident in their bodies.
Most of this comes down to the intent of the photos. The same image could be classified differently simply depending on the purpose of the photo.
2. Boudoir is about beauty and empowerment
Did you know that many women who do boudoir shoots choose to do the photo shoot for themselves, not for a significant other? Yes! Most of the women who book sessions with me say things like, “I just want to see that I’m still beautiful after having four children,” “I’ve been on a journey to love myself more, and this is my celebration of that.”
My goal is to photograph TRUTH. Yes, I throw in some lighting and posing techniques, but the images I deliver are true documentation of beauty. When my client exclaims, “Wow! You made me look so sexy!” I clarify, “You look like that on a normal basis, I just captured it in a camera.”
3. Boudoir has boundaries…porn doesn’t
Porn is explicit. Boudoir is about the Art of Almost. The image shows the bra strap almost off the shoulder, the light almost reveals an intimate curve. Almost.
4. Boudoir restores and heals marriages, porn destroys them
I get notes like this frequently:
“Brittny, thank you for doing my boudoir shoot! Since the shoot I’ve felt so much more confident…I had no idea my butt looked that good! I just wanted to let you know that, because I’m feeling more confident in my body, it’s been easier to be intimate. I’m not in my head worrying about how I look. I can just enjoy it! Thanks for helping me recognize that I’m beautiful – even with my cellulite and curves!”
All that said, do I believe all boudoir photography should be distributed to the entire world? Definitely not. Because boudoir is such a vulnerable and personal experience, my client’s boudoir images are carefully protected and kept private. Some clients prefer to approve certain images for my portfolio so as to help aid me in my goal of spreading empowerment and healthy sexuality to other women.
