In My Element | Bridal Boudoir : Davina

“Becca, we’re engaged!”

I hear my little sister’s voice on the other end of the phone. Tears well up in my eyes, as I think about how her life has led up to this moment. 

It felt like just yesterday that we were giving dance recitals in front of our fireplace and laughing so hard that we fell to the ground.

I still imagine Davina as a teenager, my partner in literal crime… (If you know, you know)

…navigating the world for the first time together.

I have so much love in my heart for the moments we’ve shared together over the years, and it’s been amazing to witness who she has become. Especially after overcoming lots of obstacles that we faced in our early years. 

I don’t think either of us would have ever imagined the paths that we chose in life or the places we’ve arrived in.  

Which makes it all really beautiful and obviously Divinely orchestrated…

In the words of Davina, “My story is complicated, chaotic, and very overwhelming to discuss at times. 

After growing up in an environment where I was violated and taken advantage of, I had these patterns that continued to show up over and over again. Those who were watching from the sidelines noticed the scary and dangerous trajectory I was headed down. 

At some point, I knew that I needed to make a change. I realized I didn’t know how to love myself. Fast forward to my late 20s, I stopped blaming everyone else around me and created change in my life. I finally found my purpose and someone in my life that not only fulfilled what I was looking for in a life partner but also someone that continues to make me a better person each and every day. I feel seen, I feel appreciated, and most importantly, I feel loved.

This boudoir session embodies exactly who I am and how comfortable I feel in my own skin today. I wanted to do this as a way to honor and celebrate how far I’ve come on my journey as well as gift my husband-to-be something meaningful and sexy…”

“Leading up to the shoot, I did experience some fear and anxiety mostly surrounding logistical things. There was also a voice in the back of my head that didn’t feel totally prepared because I had never done anything like this before.

But I trusted my sister when she said she would help guide me every step of the way, and that’s exactly what she did.”

“I felt so comfortable and safe having Rebecca photograph me. Whether she was my sister or was not related at all, I know that she makes the experience so personal. We spoke a lot beforehand, and she kept everything in mind to give me the best experience.”

“When it came to some of the more “risqué” moments, it honestly felt so natural and actually very liberating! You can see it in my facial expressions as you look through my pictures. I am glowing from head to toe and truly felt in my element. I walked away from my shoot feeling very empowered and proud of myself.”

“It wasn’t until I received the photos that I realized this may have been one of the first times in my life where I can say I really fell in love with myself and my body. There are no words to explain how I felt when I received these pictures back from my sister, but I do know that it changed me.”

“I have grown from this experience. My self-confidence and the way that I look at myself have really improved. I know what a badass I am now.

I have been put down for my physical appearance my whole life, and I finally figured out that those hurtful words probably never had anything to do with me.

It’s a special feeling when it all clicks, and you finally understand your worth.”

Kodak Film // Processed and Scanned by Panda Labs

Makeup and hair by Alex Simcosky Glaviano - AG Artistry Kansas City

Venue: Beehive Studios in Kansas City, Missouri

The Ultimate Bachelorette Celebration : Boudoir Parties

A morning with your besties filled with pampering, delicious sweets, bubbly champagne and boudoir sessions has always sounded like an absolute dream to me! I’ve been wanting to offer boudoir parties here in Israel for awhile, and since I am also a wedding photographer, incorporating boudoir with bachelorette parties or bridal showers made so much sense.

The ideas are endless, you can rent a villa or a hotel suite. Hire a bartender or a have a catered brunch. All of your girlfriends will get professional hair and makeup done, while rocking out to your favorite music and sipping your drink of choice. It’s really the ultimate girl time. Especially with all the pressure that wedding planning can come with, it’s an opportunity to really connect with your best friends in a meaningful way while having a blast doing it.

As your boudoir photographer, I will be there to document all those special moments, down to the smallest detail. We can take group shots of you and your friends together, and then each woman would get a private, mini-boudoir session in a separate room. Boudoir is an amazing way to celebrate milestones in life, and doing it with your best friends only makes the experience more empowering and uplifting…

Floral Design by Sara Winter

Makeup by Shani Harar

In the Name of Love | Bridal Boudoir : Sylvia

I remember taking an online photography course years back, and a piece of advice that has always stuck out in my mind was, “Your ideal client is someone who you’d want to be friends with.” While every session is special, and I actually do find connection with all of my clients, meeting and photographing Sylvia seemed serendipitous.

Sylvia initially contacted Sigala Photography, our wedding and portrait photography business, run by my husband, Yehoshua, and I, about photographing her wedding. We immediately fell in love with her and her fiance, Paul. Not long after, Sylvia and I began talking about her bridal boudoir session. At first she went back and forth, with the time and expenses dedicated to wedding planning, she wasn’t sure she could make it happen. As we spoke more, it was clear how much doing a boudoir session meant to her, and since Paul was usually the one designing elaborate surprises, this was going to be a surprise for him!

After the session happened and the afterglow of her beautiful wedding died down, I was able to ask Sylvia a little bit about her boudoir experience, and believe me, you’re going to want to read this…

Why did you decide to do a boudoir session, and what were you hoping to get out of it?

The original "trigger" that made me want to do a boudoir session, was wanting to do something special for my fiance as a gift on the night before our wedding.  Paul is the first man I was ever with that truly respected and admired my body, and persisted every single day of our relationship to make me love my body too.  As myself and many other women know, this is not a guarantee when it comes to significant others! Past boyfriends would tell me they preferred if I straightened my hair, or would ask me to put more make up on before going out.  I was also in one very abusive relationship when I was younger that basically destroyed my self-esteem.  When I met Paul, I couldn't even believe him at first when he would encourage me to leave my hair natural or beg me to not put any make up on.  "You are so beautiful the way you are, and you never need to change a thing" he would say…

Slowly, over our almost 4 years together, Paul has helped me rebuild my confidence and regain my sense of independence and strength.  So, in celebration of getting married to my best friend, I wanted to do something that would show him and thank him for bringing me to a point where I felt confident and sexy doing a boudoir shoot.  Doing this session was proof to myself that I was where I wanted to be in regards to my mental perspective, that I loved my body.  Having Rebecca do this shoot for me was a little treat for my soul, and a little treat for the one who helped me learn to love myself again.

Were you nervous leading up to the session?

A little bit. But after speaking with some of Rebecca's previous clients, everyone said they also felt a bit of nerves beforehand, but that the second I would start, I would love it.  This couldn't have been more true! 

How did your session go?

On a scale of 1 to 10, my session was a million billion trillion.  I loved spreading out on my bed, or leaning against a wall in my hallway and just feeling naturally sexy.  My thoughts throughout the session went back and forth from excitement about myself, and excitement for Paul to eventually see the results! I can't believe I kept it a complete surprise for him.  On the night before the wedding, (we weren't seeing each other for a few days) my maid of honor called him with directions on where to find the album in our apartment.  We decided not to speak until the wedding, but he couldn't help himself. He texted me and said it was the best gift ever! He loved the photos and said they were beautiful and sexy.

Did you get anything out of the session that you didn't expect?

This is a bit strange, but I actually had a very special moment with my mother after I received the photos and showed them to her.  She smiled and said she was proud of me.  She was happy to see her daughter love and respect her body, and she was happy for me that I was marrying someone who loved and respected my body too.  Definitely wasn't expecting that reaction from her, but it really meant the world to me.

Did your boudoir session have an effect on your perspective or body image?

Yes, an incredibly positive effect.  And the effect grows stronger each and every time I look back on the photos and remind myself to love and appreciate my body and all the little marks and curves.

Would you recommend this experience to other women? If yes, who would you specifically recommend it to and why?

My mother! I'm hoping to gift her a session for her 65th birthday.  My mother is one of the most hardworking and independent women I know, plus she is the best example when it comes to loving your body.  In her 60's my mom isn't worrying about chasing her wrinkles or fighting the aging process, instead, she became a half marathon runner.  She wakes up every morning before work to run, stands on her feet each day for a 12 hour work day, and cooks all her food herself and eats extremely healthy.  She never touches her hair or puts on make up and has always encouraged me to follow her example of loving my own natural beauty. I think she deserves a few hours of pampering and special photos to hold on to! 

Photographing this absolutely gorgeous, loving and sweet woman right before one of the most meaningful milestones in her life was an honor. Her reasons for embarking on this boudoir journey was a personal one, and yet, her story is a celebration of all womanhood. Being in a place of self-compassion and truly knowing that we are worthwhile enough to be in healthy and fulfilling relationships is everything.

Makeup and Hair by Jaquelyn Mowszowski Lawrence

Year in Review : 2013

I walked into my first boudoir session, not sure what to expect. In front of me was a beautiful woman in her thirties. With multiple children, and having given birth just a couple years before, she wasn't run down, jaded or distracted. She was determined and kind. Strong and maybe a little apprehensive. Days spent being a cook, therapist, taxi cab driver, cleaner, teacher, personal assistant, accountant and all those jobs that intertwine into being a mother does not always allow time for us to stop, breathe and love ourselves. As she sat down in her living room for hair and makeup, I saw a woman transformed before me. It wasn't just a change in her outer appearance that struck me, but she had an inner glow and confidence that truly radiated from within. It was amazing. My hands shook a bit as I placed my lens on my camera, and together, we created magic.

This was the first of many women I would meet and photograph. No one's story was exactly the same. I learned about their passions, their insecurities, their childhoods, their relationships, what makes them happy, what doesn't. I saw the power of femininity, of being in touch with our inner and outer selves.

I cried the first time a client said to me, "Is that me? I'm really that beautiful? Did you photo shop everything?"

I said, "Yes, that's you."

and she said, "Today I'm going to stop hating myself."

The media tells us that to be pretty, we have to look a certain way. That our bodies are not perfect, feminine and gorgeous the way they are. We need Botox, liposuction, face lifts, boob jobs, and if all else fails, then we do.

It's just not true. I believe, because I have seen, that every woman is beautiful. It's really incredible to be able to give women, in any stage of their life, the space to feel like a queen. I feel fortunate to have started this part of my journey now. I know that there is so much more to learn, create and give. The following are some my favorite images, that I'm allowed to share, of 2013...

I’m really grateful for everyone who has played a part in this new beginning. With the exception of my husband and children, I have never ever been so inspired and in love with what I do every day. I’d like to invite you, through my blog, to continue on this journey with me. I can only imagine what an amazing year of glamour and boudoir it will be!

Make up and Hair by
Avital & Avital
Miriam Veffer
Lia Veffer
Leah Neppe