Boudoir PEI - In her own words | Charlottetown PEI Boudoir
Why I chose Naomi
I’ve wanted to do a boudoir shoot for a while, but I was…you guessed it…insecure. I always cringe when I see myself in pictures.
I came across Naomi’s website and after talking to her on the phone, I decided to bite the bullet and do it.
I’m not getting any younger, and I could surprise my hubby with the shoot for our 18th wedding anniversary in September…it was a win/win.
I told Naomi I was nervous about if I’d like how I looked in the photos. Naomi calmed my fears and assured me she always uses the most flattering angles and poses, and she said she will even show me the back of the camera during the session so that I can see how amazing I look!
Getting Ready
A few days before my session, I had a mani/pedi scheduled to help calm my pre-shoot jitters.
I made sure I followed Naomi’s preparation guide, and I had chosen all the outfits I wanted to bring and had packed them in a bag so they were ready to go.
I went to bed on time the night before so that I got a good nights rest. In the morning I had a nice relaxing bubble bath, shaved my legs and washed my hair.
I started to feel excited as I double checked I had everything I wanted to wear. I had a light breakfast to make sure I wasn’t feeling bloated, and then I went off to meet Naomi.
First I got my hair & makeup done which was actually a very enjoyable experience! The last time I had it done was at my wedding. I don’t usually wear much makeup and I was worried I wouldn’t look like myself. But the makeup artist did an amazing job - I looked just like myself, she just accentuated my natural features. I loved the end product and I looked and felt so glamorous!
The Shoot
I was so excited but nervous! We started with my favourite black cocktail dress and heels. I looked at the full length mirror and felt so glamorous! It was a great way to start off the shoot and to help me feel more comfortable in front of the camera. She started off with easy poses and she showed me exactly what to do.
Next I put on my favourite bra and panty set, and wore a lacy robe over top. I knew my husband would be SO excited to see these ones!
Naomi did a great job coaching me through different poses, and she even showed me exactly what she wanted me to do before I did it.
About midway through the shoot, I realized I was actually enjoying myself! We laughed and chatted and she made me feel so comfortable.
She gave me great directions and would say things like “Can you look over your left shoulder and close your eyes? Yes, that’s gorgeous! Can you part your lips just a tiny bit? That’s great. Can you bring your chin to the ceiling? Yes exactly like that, beautiful!”
She was great at encouraging me as we went and made me feel like I actually knew what I was doing! I was worried I would feel embarrassed, but Naomi has such a sweet, calming personality. She felt like an old friend and made me feel so relaxed and comfortable the entire time.
The shoot passed by really quickly, and I was actually really surprised at how fun it was!
The Photo Reveal
2 weeks later, we got together for my ordering appointment. I was so excited to see my photos!
We looked at about 100 photos, and to say I was in awe is an understatement. The pictures were just stunning. My eyes welled up with tears seeing these images. I finally saw the beautiful woman that my husband sees. Seeing these photos taught me that I shouldn’t be so hard on myself, and that my body doesn’t look as bad as what I think it looks like in my head.
We went through each image and Naomi helped me narrow them down to my absolute favourites.
I wanted ALL the photos, but I was able to narrow it down to 40 beautiful shots. The albums Naomi offers are so classy and luxurious so I knew right away I wanted a luxury album. Her albums are an investment but they are worth every penny!
The finished product
For the rest of the evening, I had a very euphoric, dream-like feeling that kept a smile on my face all night long. I couldn’t believe those pictures were actually me. To tell myself, “I’m beautiful” & actually believe it! That’s a feeling that’s new to me. Yes, my husband tells me I’m beautiful all the time. I know he means it when he says it, but feeling it and believing it myself…is a totally different feeling. A few days later I received an email from Naomi saying that my album design was ready and she wanted final approval from me before she ordered the album. I kept scrolling through them over and over. Again, I was in awe that these photos were of ME! The design was beautiful so I gave her the go-ahead to order.
About 2 weeks after that, Naomi hand delivered my beautiful album and wall art to me. They were even more gorgeous than I remembered!
What this experience taught me
So what has this boudoir shoot taught me? TO LOVE MYSELF! Just like the camera, we can be viewed from many angles…some are flattering and some aren’t. Don’t like what you see? Just change the angle and approach it differently. You know who you are deep down. Own it! Don’t let anyone make you think you’re not fabulous! My boss this week asked me what I’m doing different. He said that I look different, but couldn’t put a finger on what it is. I knew it was my self confidence shining through. Once the album came in, I gave it to my husband on our anniversary. He loved it so much that he asked if it could be our coffee table book…haha! He was so impressed with how sexy & classy the pictures were and kept going through the pages over and over. Thank you, Naomi.. you are AMAZING!
