The Moment I Found Myself Again Through Boudoir
A Moment of Disconnection
There was a time I looked in the mirror and didn’t fully recognize the woman staring back.
I was in art school, working on my photography thesis—a deeply personal project exploring the connection between the human body and nature. It was raw and vulnerable: I was photographing myself nude outdoors, attempting to visually express how our bodies mimic the shapes, textures, and movements of the natural world.
But behind the concept was someone who didn’t feel fully at home in her body.
At that time, I was the heaviest I had ever been. My life was consumed by deadlines and creative pressure, and I had stopped taking care of myself—physically and emotionally. So standing in front of my peers, showing such intimate work, felt exposing in a way I wasn’t prepared for.
These photos were taken while Megan and I were out shooting for our thesis projects. We were trying to get a group photo (right), and she accidentally snapped the one on the left. That moment stuck with me—because when I saw that photo, I realized just how disconnected I felt from myself. I was uncomfortable in my body, at my heaviest, and consumed by school and barely hanging on to any sense of self. That moment—funny as it is—was the beginning of me seeing myself differently.
What Sparked the Shift
But something began to change the more I continued the work.
As I stepped in front of the camera again and again, I started seeing myself differently.
I saw softness in a way that felt powerful. I noticed strength where I once saw flaws. I let go of the idea that beauty had to look like something else. In those quiet moments, surrounded by nature and guided by intention, I began to see my body as part of the earth—not something separate or shameful.
One of the images from my thesis project. This was the first time I started seeing my body as part of the landscape—not something to hide, but something that belonged.
That project challenged every insecurity I had. And in doing so, it started to heal them.
How Boudoir Became Healing
That experience planted the seed for what would eventually become my passion for boudoir photography.
As I began photographing other women, I noticed something deeply familiar in their hesitation:
“I need to lose weight.”
“I’m not photogenic.”
“I’ve never liked my body.”
And yet—by the end of every session, I saw transformation. Not in their shape or size, but in how they carried themselves. Boudoir gave them permission to stop judging and start celebrating.
And I wasn’t just behind the lens anymore.
I’ve since posed for outdoor boudoir sessions in Destin, Florida and Tulum, Mexico, fully embracing my body in natural environments—something I never would’ve imagined doing years ago. I’ve felt the nerves creep in, the self-talk bubble up… but each time, I’ve also felt the incredible release that comes with letting go and just being.
These were taken during a sunrise boudoir session in Destin, Florida—a moment where I fully embraced the waves, the wind, and my body just as it was. I never imagined I’d feel this confident in front of the camera, but standing there—so connected to nature—I felt free, strong, and entirely myself.
Shot in the lush jungle of Tulum, these images represent a new chapter in my journey. Over the years, my body has changed—I've gained weight, lost it, and gained it again. But through it all, I’ve learned to embrace this “not perfect” body of mine with love, gratitude, and power. This session was about freedom, presence, and owning every curve—on my terms.
Each time I step in front of the camera, I come back to myself a little more.
—Photographed on the beaches of Tulum, Mexico
Why I Believe Every Woman Deserves This
Boudoir is so much more than sexy photos. It’s self-celebration. It’s healing. It’s a chance to finally see yourself the way others do—with compassion, softness, power, and beauty.
I believe every woman deserves to feel that.
It doesn’t matter your age, your shape, your relationship status, or how confident you feel walking in the door. What matters is saying yes to yourself. Just as you are.
“I didn’t think I was the kind of woman who could do something like this. But now? I’ve never felt more seen—or more powerful in my own skin.”
If you’ve been feeling disconnected from yourself—whether emotionally, creatively, or physically—I want you to know this:
You are not alone.
You are worthy.
And your body is not the barrier—it’s part of the story.
Boudoir helped me reconnect with myself.
I’d be honored to help you do the same.
