Can a New York Boudoir Photographer Make you Love Your Flaws?
In a world where perfection is often portrayed as the ultimate standard of beauty, it's easy to feel insecure about the aspects of ourselves that don't fit the mold. We all have parts of ourselves that we hide away, but one woman was finally able to see the beauty of her scars through the transformative impact of a session with a New York boudoir photographer. Her story illustrates the power of self-acceptance and the beauty that lies in embracing our imperfections.
Before we get into her story, here’s what she had to say about her session:
“Haley is a dream to work with. I was nervous she made me so comfortable and helped me pose. Insecurities I had I was able to see in a different beautiful light. The pictures, prints, book, everything are amazing quality. 10/10 recommend and will be doing another shoot with Haley in the future.”
Thank you for the love, Bella! We’re all so happy for you!
Doing Things That Scared Her
The story centers around Bella. When she hired me as her New York boudoir photographer, she was both excited and nervous. She told me that she wasn’t about to let fear hold her back though, because this was her “year of doing things that scared her”.
But even after booking, Bella grappled with the notion that her imperfections made her less pretty, and therefor unworthy of love and acceptance. She had a large scar on her back from a prior surgery, and had deep fear of seeing it on camera. She was so distraught that she even called me and considered canceling her session or rescheduling for another year, hoping that the scar would fade with time. But she really was heartbroken at the idea of no longer doing her dream boudoir session.
Choosing to Celebrate Her “Imperfections”
After exploring options Bella decided that by hiding her scar she was not only denying herself the opportunity to be seen fully, but she was also perpetuating the lie that her “imperfections” made her any less beautiful or needed be hidden away. We could have easily concealed Bella's scar through strategic posing, makeup, wardrobe choices, or photoshop, but instead she took a chance to challenge her negative beliefs about her body. She chose to embrace not only embrace, but to celebrate her scar on camera.
She flew out to New York City just to see us for her photoshoot, traveling all the way from the west coast! And we decided we were going to treat her scar the way we would treat any feature of her body that she loved. We chose lingerie that left her scar exposed, and with the support of our talented makeup artist, Hailey Sipes, we accentuated it further with glitter. Our plan was to take a photo with her scar front and center, and if she didn’t love it, we would simply delete it.
Shattering the Need for Perfection
After her photoshoot with her New York boudoir photographer, Bella radiated confidence and beauty like never before. By confronting her fear and boldly showcasing her scar, she discovered that she actually loved the way it looked on her body. In fact, her scar portrait was her favorite photo from the whole session. It gave her a newfound sense of self-worth and empowerment. And in doing so, she unknowingly shattered the illusion that she needed to achieve perfection to be beautiful.
This story serves as a powerful reminder that true beauty lies not in being perfect, but in being ourselves. It reminds us that our scars, both physical and emotional, are a testament to our resilience and strength. They tell the story of our journey and the battles we've overcome. And when we embrace them, we not only liberate ourselves from the shackles of self-doubt but also pave the way for others to do the same.
In a world that often tells us to hide our scars, let us instead choose to wear them proudly, as badges of honor. We deserve to cherish out bodies exactly as they are right now.
Transform Your Own Confidence
If you’ve been struggling to love your body, I would love to help you see yourself differently. My name is Haley, and I’m a New York boudoir photographer and the founder of Earthly Venus. Whether you’re ready to dive in and book, or just have some questions you’d like to discuss, you can get started on your boudoir journey by inquiring on my contact page.
You can also download my FREE Ultimate Guide to Boudoir, which will teach you everything you want to know about my boudoir sessions while also showing you how to make the most of your experience. Plus it comes with a $100 print credit to spend at your session!
No matter where you’re at in your confidence journey, know that you deserve to love the body you live in. There is nothing more valuable than your own self-worth.
