What made you choose Belle Allée Photography for your session?
I chose Belle Allée because my cousin invited me to a boudoir facebook group that happened to be theirs and 1. The group was SO positive and supportive; Full of women that want to help other women grow and feel good about themselves and 2. When I saw some pictures of some of their creek sessions and how absolutely GORGEOUS they were I knew if i were to do some kind of boudoir session it would definitely HAVE to be in my natural element like that! I wanted to be a part if their beautiful art!
What (if anything) were you nervous about BEFORE your session?
I was definitely nervous! Having a lot of autoimmune issues that distort how I view myself and my body, I don’t normally like being in front of a camera, so doing such an intimate photoshoot was definitely getting my anxiety going! But that’s also the exact reason why I was doing the shoot in the first place as a “self love” project.
Tell us a little about your experience during the shoot. What were your favorite parts? How was it different from your expectations? How did you feel before, during, and after?
As soon as I got to the location for hair and makeup, most of my jitters (explained above) went away! Alyssa and Zach were both so laid back and treated me like a long time friend, getting to know me before the shoot.
It was so nice, we didn’t even know each other beforehand but they are so easy to talk to and get a long with that it felt like I was hanging out with long time friends!
When we arrived to the creek location, I started getting nervous again, but not for long! Alyssa and Zach made me feel so comfortable the entire time, helped me pose and boosted my confidence and made me feel sexy and free and come out of my shell! By the middle and the end, they didn’t even have to coach me as much on how to pose cause i was feeling so confident and hitting all the angles! Especially after Alyssa and Zach would show me on the back of their camera some previews, i said, “that’s me?!” I wanted to cry by how beautiful i felt for the first time ever! The longterm effects from the shoot were incredible! I’m so much more confident in myself and after seeing how the photos turned out, i was FLOORED!!! I now have a reminder of how confident and beautiful i am when i’m having a bad autoimmune day or feeling not so confident and I instantly feel how it made me FEEL! And no joke, my photoshoot was the day before I started my period, and it still made me feel sexy!!
How do you feel now that your session is over?
I feel incredible! I feel like I found a new level of confidence! I learned that it’s not about your body and your flaws but it’s a mindset and that was so important for me to learn.
What do you think of your finished photos?
I am in LOVE!!!!! I will forever cherish them. They are so gorgeous and a beautiful reminder for myself. Alyssa and Zach both have an artistic eye and beautiful perspectives and I feel so happy and honored to be a part of their work!
If you could tell someone who is thinking about doing their own boudoir session one thing, what would it be?
Don’t worry about how you feel about yourself or your body, do this for yourself and you won’t regret the results, not only physically but also mentally and emotionally!
Hair by Alyssa Alley
Makeup by Layla Cohen