The art of seeing ourselves in boudoir & intimate imagery, and the importance.
Boudoir and intimate imagery, hell, being in front of any camera can feel a little scary and weird at first, but you will thank yourself for taking the leap.
Hi!!! I'm trying to get better at sharing more bits and pieces from the land behind my camera. I'm sure a lot of you can relate - especially as a neurospicy person - as my brain is always going, and sometimes it can be hard for me to find a starting point when it comes to stuff like this - we'll get there <3 I appreciate you taking the time here to read through these thoughts of mine so much. Let's get into it...
Have you thought about the last time you genuinely held space for yourself? If you're anything like me, I spend a lot of my time pouring into others and my loved ones, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. One thing I've realized over the years is that I am meant to help others. (in that I've had to learn how to set better boundaries but that'll be a different blog haha) But, time passes like it does, and I feel that itch...like I'm longing for something but I can't really pinpoint what it is? I feel a little more irritable, and just kind of like my cup isn't full.
When I picked up a camera half my life ago, I had no idea of the powerful tool I was actually weilding.
// The importance of being present. Stopping time. Making your mark on the world. How boudoir photography can help.
One thing I have found that I desperately needed over my years of life, healing, and in my art - is being present. Our days move fast and next thing you know, a few months go by, then a year. I found that taking more time to think about the things that I'm doing, even the most mundane or simple, have fulfilled me in ways I didn't expect. My heart feels a little more full when I think about the way I make my bed, the sound and smell of coffee, the warmth of a hug. There's something really magical about your intention; tuning into your senses as you move through your day.
A beautiful thing about art and boudoir photography/portraiture is that it allows us to stop time in a multitude of ways, and gives us the opportunity to apply intention and being present. When you're in the studio, we're in our little bubble of good times, moving through poses, tuning in with ourselves, soaking up the day. Self portraits feel the same for me - I get to tune into my body, my mind, my fingers in my hair, feel the wood/concrete on the floor with my feet. I had no idea how much of enjoying life is finding the enjoyment in that moment, until I got older, and I wish I would have realized that notion sooner.
This is followed by the outcome - the photos. Ooooh the photos, another thing I wish I would have done sooner; documenting myself. The photos we take will be one of the few things we will have when we're 85 years old and life has made more crevaces, and our bodies transition into later life.
We will be so happy to have these pieces of ourselves, we will thank us for taking the time, we will love and adore our bodies. We will thank ourselves for immortalizing these moments.
So now I ask you:
When was the last time you were present with yourself?
I still am practicing this myself, but I will say, actively practicing being present when I'm able has changed my life in a positive way. My advice? It starts with noticing. Make your bed in the morning, what textures do you feel? Pay attention to the way your coffee drips into your cup, feel how soft your hair is when you're getting ready. You deserve to relish in every soft moment and find enjoyment in all of them, especially existing in art.