After the initial pounding of my heart and hysterical laughter, at me being chosen for the boudoir model shoot, my emotions swung from:
Excitement about, wearing pretty knickers, getting hair and makeup done and feel all girly. To freaking the hell out that I have answered an ad on Instagram. I am meeting a stranger in a hotel room in the middle of Brisbane, and what if it is some dodgy set up.
I started with a bit of research:
What is the definition of Boudoir:
“Boudoir” is a French word meaning a lady’s private dressing room or bedroom. In photography, boudoir refers to a style in which women pose for photographs partially clothed or in lingerie.
An intimate photo of a man or women, suggestively covered but not fully nude, meant to tease the senses.
Well I know the literal meaning, so what about examples.
I made a rookie mistake, and went on Instagram and searched # tags for boudoir and boudoir photography. Of course all the women looked like Victoria secret models (I shut down that search quickly).
Pouring a generous glass of wine I settled in to do some online shopping for lingerie. What an eye opening and kinda creepy shopping experience. It is completely different buying lingerie when you know you are going to be photographed. I mean have you ever really taken any notice of how small knickers are? I hadn’t until I knew that someone with a camera, that I had never meet was going to take pictures of all that skin. After looking at far too many women in almost nothing. I purchased what was described as a “lace bikini” and a pair of black lace knickers. Let me tell you, the online seller needs to work on their descriptions. Thank fully I did not spend a fortune and the shipping was free. Because the “lace bikini” that I thought I would be comfortable in, because I wear bikini’s to the beach. Turned out to be a barely there lace G-string (the string at the back is the equivalent to tooth floss) and the bikini top has slits from top to bottom so your nipples are on full display. Now the black lace knickers have gorgeous black lace at the front, again tooth floss at the back and the real kicker is they are crotch less – yes CROTCH LESS, not even sure how you design or make a crotch less G-string. These are now shoved in the back of my knickers draw, not much to them so they aren’t taking up room. (These were NOT worn at the shoot).
I am a sucker for pretty lacy confections with bows, and flowers, and ribbon. I have tiny boobs, so bras for me are like decoration, no support really needed. I had planned to go lingerie shopping on my own, especially after my hilariously disastrous online shopping experience. Of course on the day that I decided to equip my kids with back to school items for 2016, Target would happen to have a sale on the exact attire I was looking for. My poor darlings waited patiently on a chair outside the waiting rooms while I tried lace, ribbons, and bows on.
After my successful shopping, I spoke to Marina on the phone. Her gorgeous German accent, her open, calming, friendly, and professional manner all made me feel at ease. We chatted about why I was chosen – (my email connected with her, she was looking for someone that had not done this before and was looking for a new experience). She was put off by the women that assumed that they would be chosen because they had boudoir experience. We spoke about why I wanted to do this – I explained to her that it had never even crossed my mind to seek out this type of experience. That for a busy mumma it seemed like a luxury. My main point though was that being constantly surround by active, sporty, boys, it would be indulgent and luxurious to have an afternoon where I am the main focus, being spoiled with hair and make-up and wearing pretty lacy things.
The prep for this mostly naked nerve wracking experience was:
Not only did I buy a new wardrobe, I miraculously scored an appointment with my hairdresser, and practised yoga twice a day for the 2 weeks leading up to the shoot.
I was also trying to follow Marina’s instructions:
Plenty of water (more coffee than water)
Lots of sleep (This was the week that I worked the most that I have in months, kids were going back to school, not much sleep)
No tanning (After spending 16 days in Byron Bay, I had a killer tan)
Pamper yourself – go and get a manicure/pedicure. (Work and kids back to school – no relaxing mani/pedi. I slapped on two coats of nude nail polish after shaving armpits to ankles, the morning of the shoot.)