Why I Believe in the Power of Boudoir
Hi! My name is Lauren and I’m a Boudoir Photographer based in Colorado, though I’ll happily hop on a plane to meet you absolutely anywhere. I’ve been photographing boudoir for two years, but decided that in 2025 I would start writing about my journey because I’ve realized how much my experience resonates with so many every-day people. If this helps even just one person, it has served its purpose.
Growing up, I never felt like I fit in. High school felt incredibly lonely for me. I was never “cool” and constantly felt like I was being made fun of behind my back. Every time I heard giggles in the hallway or in class I was certain those giggles were about me. Was it because I didn’t know how to style my hair, because I had no makeup on or because I dressed in baggy overalls from Old Navy while everyone else seemed effortlessly normal? I joined sports teams to be cool but wasn’t good at sports. I joined the theatre club to be cool but wasn’t good at acting and cringed at even the thought of stepping foot on stage. I felt isolated and ashamed and was always comparing myself to everyone else - trying to do what they did, even though it was never what I liked, thinking it would make me “cool”. Those feelings of no self worth stuck with me for years, even long after high school was over.
Once I got to college, independence and being away from home for the first time hit me straight in the teeth, and I started to slowly come more into myself. I developed a group of solid friends, got involved in activities I was actually passionate about and studied abroad which opened my eyes to the world outside of my previous bubbled life. But the inadequacy still lingered. I still looked at myself in the mirror with harsh eyes. I would pick apart every little thing about myself. I felt like if I didn’t look a certain way I would be judged for not keeping up with the trends, and that if I didn’t weigh a certain number on the scale that guys wouldn’t want to date me. It’s amazing how we make these things up in our own minds, isn’t it? I was my own worst critic, as many of us are.
After college, I started down the path of marching to the beat of my own drum, but specifically when it came to living an unconventional life, not when it came to confidence. I quit a stable corporate career and drove from Boston to Los Angeles with no job, no place to live and not knowing a single person. Shortly after my very brief stint in LA I looked at a map, pointed to a ski town in Colorado and said, “this looks neat, I’ll move there for a while!” I lived the ski bum life for years, trying to fit into this new town where no one knew me. The story continued, moving across the country, and then back again, and then somewhere else, trying to figure it out and find my way. But I couldn’t seem to find my way, because deep down I didn’t truly believe in myself. I didn’t believe I was good enough.
Fast forward to 2014. I was living on Long Island after taking a job I was hesitant about taking. I had a lonely apartment in a town where nothing exciting ever happened, and was too far from Manhattan that it didn’t make sense to haul my ass into the city and pretend to be cool there either. I met a girl in the mailroom of my building and we became fast friends. And that friend is who introduced me to what boudoir is. This girl wanted to do a shoot for her boyfriend and invited me to join. I wasn’t planning on getting photos taken myself, but I did. And that’s when it all changed.
That experience, unbeknownst to me, ended up setting me free. Going into it I was so nervous, because I never saw myself as pretty, or sexy, and what the hell was I supposed to do with my facial expressions and my hands! But after I saw my photos, for the first time I saw myself through someone else’s lens, and the woman staring back at me was powerful. That experience ignited something in me - a spark of self-love that had been missing for what seemed like forever.
Today, I’m on a mission to help other women feel that same way. Because without that shoot, I might still be stuck in my old toxic mindset.
As a boudoir photographer, I specialize in creating empowering, transformative experiences for women. I know how incredibly intimidating it can feel to step in front of the camera because I’ve been there! I have been in that exact same place. When I did my shoot I didn’t love the way I looked, I didn’t love the number on the scale, and I didn’t love where I was at in my life, but it turned out that it didn’t matter. That is why I approach every session with patience, understanding, and guidance throughout the process.
I believe that boudoir is more than just beautiful photos - it’s about reconnecting with yourself, embracing your body, and celebrating who you are. Whether you’re here to reclaim your confidence, mark a milestone, or simply do something special for yourself, I’m here to remind you that you’re already strong, radiant, and enough.
Let’s capture the badass woman that you are.