Maine & NH Boudoir Studio // Things My Clients Say Before Their Shoot… and What Actually Happens

(“Once I lose weight…” Babe, no. We’re not waiting on a damn thing to feel powerful.)

I’ve heard it all. And I mean all of it.
“Once I lose weight...”
“I’m not photogenic…”
“I have no idea what to wear…”
“I’m nervous as hell…”
“I’ll probably be super awkward the whole time…”

Honestly? Same. Welcome to the club. You’re not weird—you’re just normal. And that’s exactly why you belong in front of my camera.

Here’s the thing: The stuff my clients say before their sessions is almost always some version of self-doubt, hesitation, or full-on panic giggles. But wanna know what they say after?

Well… let’s start with what they think is gonna happen:

Before: “Once I lose weight…”

Cue the inner monologue spiral:
"After another 10lbs... after I tone up... after I stop stress-eating cheese..."
Let me stop you right there.

What Actually Happens:
You realize you were never the problem—bullshit beauty standards were. My client said it best:

“Even after I lost over 130lbs, I STILL had nothing but reasons ‘why’ I couldn’t. Then I said screw it and jumped in… I gave myself the chance to shine and stripped down.”

Listen, the confidence isn’t in the weight loss. It’s in the doing the damn thing anyway.

Before: “I’m going to be soooo awkward...”

Girl. You think you’re awkward? Have you seen me during a shoot? I’m crawling around the floor like a gremlin with a camera, yelling “HELL YEAHHHH” to the beat of blink-182.

What Actually Happens:
You forget about the camera. You laugh. You pose like you’ve been doing this your whole life.

“Val literally made it so easy to fall into the moment and feel my own power.” – Cassy

I got you. I’ll guide the poses. I’ll show you. I’ll even contort myself into them (badly) if I have to. This is what I do. You're not supposed to know how. You’re just supposed to show up.

Before: “I don’t know what to wear…”

Don’t worry—most people show up with a bag of tangled lace and panic.
What Actually Happens:
We sort through it. I help you style your session. I’ve got a client closet. We build a vibe.

“We talked about styling before the shoot, I brought some items, and she had items for me to use.” – Bronwyn

This isn’t a test. It’s a team effort.

Before: “What if I hate the photos?”

You won't.
What Actually Happens:
You cry. Like, ugly cry in the best way. Because for once, you see yourself.

“I sobbed my eyes out… I saw myself in a completely different way. I fell in love with myself for the first time.”

That part always gets me. Every. Damn. Time.

Final Thoughts (AKA the Pep Talk)

You don’t need to change a thing. You don’t need permission. You don’t need to be less this or more that. You just need to show up and trust that you're already enough.

“JUST DO IT. I regret telling myself I had to look a certain way to do it. All bodies are beautiful and you deserve to be celebrated exactly as you are NOW.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Wanna cry-laugh and feel like a goddess at the same time?
Good. You’re ready.

Let’s do the damn thing.