Almost every client tells me some version of the same thing: "I didn't feel confident before I did this."

It’s one of the most common hurdles, and something we often laugh about together after your session. The absolutely hair-brained excuses that run through our heads on the morning of a session, like wondering if a fake flat tire or a “lost cat” would be a believable reason to cancel are just our brains trying to keep us safe when something feels scary and out of our comfort zone. And it’s totally normal!!

The difference between a boudoir session and skydiving

Unlike the quick adrenaline rush of something like skydiving where you need one big burst of courage and then it’s done, a boudoir session is more of a slow burn. For some of us, the idea of being perceived for a couple of hours can feel wayyyy more terrifying than jumping out of a plane.

One client said, "Before my first session with Ellie, I was afraid I would hate my photos. I wasn't questioning her skill, but my confidence in myself."

That fear of hating your photos or preemptively feeling like it might be a waste of time and money is so real. Taking a thousand selfies and only liking one after we’ve picked them all apart can leave us feeling critical of ourselves, and how we see ourselves in a camera versus a mirror can feel worlds apart. But taking photos of yourself on your phone and the experience you’ll have in the studio are two totally different things.

Trusting the process (and your photographer)

You don’t need to show up to your session with confidence on 100. You just need to trust yourself to push through that initial fear and believe that you’re in good hands. (Not to get too meta, but I mean, that's why you're reading this, right? To make sure that you feel confident in me and that you trust me before deciding to reach out about doing a session for yourself! And btw, I’m proud of you for doing your research.)

With over 300 sessions under my belt, this isn’t my first rodeo. More people are nervous than not. And even though I do this every day, I still get nervous before my own sessions too! I became a trauma-informed photographer to ensure that every person is treated as the whole human they are while in the studio. This means our session is a shared collaboration centered around your feelings and your comfort level.

When you're here, the goal is for it to feel like hanging out with a friend. I act as your guide: walking you through every pose, every facial expression, every “what do I do with my hands?!” moment, and even the negative thoughts that pop up.

I demonstrate each pose first and talk through what I’m doing with my body, then help you find a version that feels natural and good for you. You have the space to feel into the pose, share your ideas, and offer feedback as we go. My number one priority is making sure you feel confident and comfortable the entire session. Even if you think you’re awkward or not photogenic (trust me, I’ve heard it allllll before lol), I’ll guide you step by step until those feelings disappear and you see how comfortable you are reflected in your photos.

From "I’ll hate these photos" to "Wait, I can’t choose!"

Many clients feel nervous that they’ll hate the results before they make the leap to book. As one client shared, they weren't questioning my skill, but their own confidence in themselves. But the reality is often the complete opposite: that same client went from being nerve-wracked to look at the photos to struggling to narrow down their favorites from over 100 photos!

There’s something powerful about being seen by someone else without filters or self-editing. For a lot of my clients, it’s the first time they see themselves in a way that makes them feel truly beautiful in a photo taken by someone else. We’ve all had that moment of looking at a photo someone took of us and thinking, “wait, is that what I look like?” That moment can be jarring and shake up how we view ourselves. In the studio, that same moment can be transformative in the best way. You’ll see yourself in the best light, literally and figuratively, and experience a version of yourself you might not have known could exist.

But there are no trick mirrors here, this is just what happens when you see yourself captured with intention, artistry, and care. One client said, "When I saw my photos, I couldn't believe my eyes. I had never seen myself in this way and for the first time, I felt beautiful in a photo that I hadn't taken of myself."

That impact doesn’t fade when you leave the studio. Many clients tell me that a year later, they still look back at their photos and smile, grateful they took the leap. I’ve seen women take these sessions as a stepping stone to reclaiming confidence in other areas of their life—changing careers, ending relationships, finally booking that bucket list trip. Seeing yourself through someone else’s lens (without your critical inner voice chiming in) is empowering in the long term.

You don’t need confidence to start

Whether the idea of doing a boudoir session has been sitting in the back of your mind for a while or you just stumbled across it, I want you to know that this can be you, too. You’ll walk through the entire process knowing I’ve got your back and you’ll leave feeling better than when you arrived. You might just be surprised by what you have to say after your session too.