I’m back to blogging, and I’m excited about it! With everything that goes on behind the scenes of boudoir photography, it can be easy to let my blog go a little bit. Yet there is always something that reminds me of why I started boudoir in the first place which leads me to think about my blog. This is where we tell stories. Not only are photographs worth a thousand words, but our bodies tell our unique journey; from our wrinkles and cellulite to our baby blue eyes and sun-kissed freckles to our scars and burns. I love that this blog gives women a platform to share their stories. It might be that the words speak to you because you have gone through something similar. Or it could be that one of the photographs hits you emotionally and reminds you of something beautiful within yourself. Whatever it may be, I’m grateful for this space.
This boudoir session was really special. I walked into the Tel Aviv loft, shortly after my maternity leave ended, and a week after the entire country was flooded, to Nina. A strong and gorgeous force of nature, who was willing to push herself out of her comfort zone. She did this session to feel sensual and feminine and to celebrate her body. As she told me her concerns about how the photos would turn out, I nodded and understood, but I smiled to myself because I couldn’t wait to show her how beautiful she truly is.
Over makeup and hair and delicious snacks, Nina shared part of her journey with Rhonda and I…
“I grew up with parents that were always commenting on what I ate and what they ate and how we all looked. I always had a thin sister who was the ideal example of what women should look like and I always felt insecure next to her. This was exacerbated by my parents feedback. Now I finally feel beautiful and even though my body might never look like the body of a supermodel it is perfect and healthy, and I feel good in it. I wanted to celebrate that feeling that I’m so glad I finally feel it.”
“Through this boudoir session, I learned to trust the process and go with the flow. We were originally supposed to do the shoot a week earlier. But due to thunderstorms, it had to be postponed. I was upset because I had gotten ready for everything for this specific date. However, it was worthwhile to wait because we had a great day and great weather and everybody involved was calm and excited. Although I was feeling good about my body in general, these pictures taught me to love it more and just love myself for doing something really exciting and therapeutic.”
“I think this is a therapeutic experience. As somebody in the mental health field, self-care is extremely important. So why not pamper yourself in a way that boosts your confidence and makes you feel like a queen? All women deserve to feel sexy. And if they don’t, I certainly encourage them to explore ways that make them feel sexy and what better way than an empowering photoshoot? I believe that sexiness radiates from the inside, and as soon as you start posing for these photos you gain a sense of confidence that you never thought you had.”
“When I got my pictures for the first time, I was so nervous to look at them. What if they were all bad? Since Rebecca works with a non-digital camera, I couldn’t see any of the shots mid-shoot.”
“I was so thrilled with the results. Of course, I didn’t love every picture, but I knew that was due to some insecurities I still have. Rebecca is definitely an expert in every way and the pictures reflected that. I fell in love with so many of them and was so excited to show people. Even though I don’t have a partner, I still wanted to share them with my friends who also loved them and were so impressed by my ability to decide to do this.”
“I finally feel like I’m at a time in my life where I am really confident with who I am both inside and out, and I wanted to celebrate that. Thank you, Rebecca, for this experience! I want to do it again!”
Makeup and Hair by Rhonda Lev