Shawna’s story:
“Boudoir is something I have loved since I first learned the word as a teenager”
A little over a year ago, I applied to a model call Svenja posted, and anxiously awaited her response. Just a little backstory: Boudoir is something I have loved since I first learned the word as a teenager. And although I spent a long long time being deeply insecure, there were times when I was like... y'know what... maybe my set up doesn't look too bad. And so I would take pictures. Not usually with the intention of ever sending them to anyone, but I just liked how they looked. But I was really drawn to Svenja because her work is absolutely GORGEOUS. It's so clear that she really puts her heart and soul into capturing beautiful photos that will be incredibly special for whoever is in them. So when I tell you I CRIED when I found out she picked me as one of her models, that is not at all an exaggeration.
And then you come to find out she is also such a sweet and genuinely good person. She is so supportive and always makes sure you're comfortable, but also encourages you to push past your comfort zone with AMAZING results that show you how worth it that is every time. She knows the best poses to showcase your beautiful assets in a way that is exceptionally flattering and RIDICULOUSLY SEXY AS HELL and will guide you through them while gassing you up the whole time and she is so knowledgeable with her equipment and techniques she will occasionally stop and show you photos straight out of the camera because they're already straight FIRE.
It can be hard to open up and be vulnerable in a shoot like this, especially when you're at a point where you're maybe not feeling the most confident. The thing is, we have so much time to sit and nitpick ourselves. We scour over our bodies to pick out every little thing that might need to be "fixed". A little roll here, that one random long ass hair that grows out of your chin/chest/etc there the parts of us that we wish looked a little bit more like... anyone else. But think of the people you love, and notice how you never think about them that way. You don't laser focus on their imperfections. And the people that genuinely love you have never looked at you that way either.
I think Svenja does a beautiful job of showing you what you look like in the eyes of those that love you. Capturing you, exactly as you are, stunning and human.
What she won't do is change or take away what's there. She will not airbrush out your stretch marks, or cover up your c-section scar, and you may be able to see some of the wrinkles in your face if you zoom in super closely (I did lol). But isn't it a wonderful thing that you've smiled so much that the evidence of that is permanently etched in your skin? All the times you laughed, or scrunched your nose up in a funny face. All the marks that tell the story of you and how you got here and how this body carried you through all of it. And I think that what Svenja does really shows you that these are actually the things that make you so fucking beautiful.
So afterwards when she is showing you your photos and your jaw drops and you're like "GOD DAAAAAAAMN that bitch is bad". Yes ma'am, you're right she is!
So yeah uhhhh BOOK THE SHOOT!
