Unruffled | Austin Boudoir Studio

In 2017, I've been setting a weekly mantra for myself. Undoubtedly inspired by quotes (I'm a quote girl, you know it...I know it...and it's never gonna change!), each week I repeat the quote or mantra each day and look for ways the mantra presents itself in my world. 

This week's mantra is to "remain unruffled", inspired by a pretty spectacular quote by Thomas Jefferson that's been giving me life this week amidst lots of things that would normally "ruffle" me. 

“Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.”

— Thomas Jefferson

I won't go into a long-winded story here (I know, that's a first!!! More on Instagram)...but this set of images of Miss D seemed so calm, cool, collected, and UNRUFFLED AF. Something about her demeanor in these photos says "Whatevs. I'm just gonna keep doing my thing." and these photos are giving me life this week! ENJOY!

Client wearing Stella McCartney bodysuit from Teddies for Bettys. Hair and makeup by Kendall of Mayhem Boutique Salon.

Client wearing La Perla from Teddies for Bettys

AHHHH! Yes. Unruffled AF. I adore these images and am so delighted that more and more clients are opting to do an artistic nude set. The resulting images are so classic, timeless, and FREAKING STUNNING. 

The parallels between yoga and boudoir | Naked Yoga | Austin Boudoir Studio

Finding the right words for this post was far more challenging than most others. But I think I have a point to make, and I'll do my best getting there....so forgive the ramblings that are about to happen along the way. Hey, my blog, my rules ;) 

I find a lot of similarities between yoga and boudoir.  Though I don't regularly practice yoga any longer, I used to be die hard. During that time of daily yoga, I was so at peace with myself, mentally and physically. I was so aware of how I was feeling emotionally, and so aware of every part of my body. IN TUNE, I suppose is the best way to describe it. I felt like I had superpowers because I was SO in tune with myself, and so in tune with everyone that I held near and dear. 

Although I practiced at least 5x/week, I learned something new about myself every time I set foot on my mat. I learned to accept where I was in my practice and not necessarily aim for perfection.  We all know that "comparison is the thief of joy"...but I really UNDERSTOOD that through my daily yoga practice. It wasn't about how I always seemed to be lightyears behind "front-row Caitlin" in my abilities, it was about how much "back-row Kara" had improved from the day before. I learned to love myself. I never did learn to do crow pose, but I learned to be ok with that. 

As I've fine-tuned my boudoir technique and client coaching over the years, I've drawn so much from my yoga practice. From coaching breathing, relaxation, and body awareness, to self acceptance and not comparing yourself to "front-row Caitlin", there are just so many parallels. 

A proper boudoir experience isn't about what my other clients are doing, what they're wearing, or what they look like. A proper boudoir experience is about YOU. Not you after you lose 20 lbs, but you RIGHT NOW. It's about loving yourself as you are today. It's about recognizing how far you've come in your life journey, and giving yourself a big, loving, bear hug. It's about being able to look back on that moment in time for the rest of your life and reminding yourself how amazing you are.

For all of these reasons, I've been visualizing a nude yoga photo shoot for years.  The female form is just so stunning...there's no arguing that.  It just LOOKS like art. It IS art. Add in some absolutely breathtaking yoga poses, and you've got a seriously awe-inspiring set of photos. 

A client of mine happens to be one of Austin's finest yoga instructors and when I bounced this idea off of her and told her that I was basically going to be zero help in the pose direction (polar opposite of my regular boudoir sessions where I direct every inch of the body), she was so enthusiastic and receptive to the idea and began planning the poses. 

The session was genuinely a breeze for me, though obviously, she had her work cut out for her. I can't take much credit for this one. Compared to the constant direction on posing and body movement that I give in my boudoir sessions, I felt very insignificant in this collaboration. But, alas, the finished product turned out so much better than I had imagined, largely due to Miss R's badassness and trust. 

So this is my weekly rambling blog reminder to you to love yourself, appreciate yourself, respect yourself...I'm talking to myself, too. 

Love and peace. 

Straight out of a magazine: Miss W | Austin Boudoir Studio

If you follow me on Instagram, you've seen little peeks of this blonde bombshell and her killer boudoir shoot. She showed up with her friend, a bottle of champagne, and a kick ass attitude, and left with a really incredible set of images just for her own damn self. 

Miss W Said:

"It feels damn good to do something for yourself! I turned 31 on Monday and thought 'Hey, you are't getting any younger!' Every day I thank my lucky starts for all the greatness I have in my life.  I loved how comfortable and beautiful everyone made me feel throughout the whole process!"

“ If you’re a girl out there contemplating a boudoir shoot....DOOOO IT!!! Kara is AMAZING!”

— Miss W

"I love not only feeling sexy and confident but also LOOKING fuckin sexy!"

When she first contacted me about a photo shoot, her email signature was followed by a quote. If you know me or follow me at all, you know that I'm a quote girl. SO...I knew we were a match made in boudoir photographer/client heaven before I even met her. It said:

“I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.”

— E.B. White

Hellllooooo, RED! Amiright!? Yasss. 

This set. This set with the classy red lingerie, chanel pearls, red bottoms, and fur coat just SCREAMED magazine ad to me! Miss W seriously rocked it! I'm thrilled with our finished product. 

Hell yes to rocking a boudoir shoot. Hell yes to doing so for YOU. Hell YESSSS to feeling even better about yourself after you're done. I love these kinds of stories. 

Thank you Miss W for your badassness ;)

Makeup credit: Kendall of Mayhem Beauty

WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU DID SOMETHING TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL LIKE A GODDESS? LET'S CHAT, DAHHLING!

Moody Muse | Austin Boudoir Photographer

This shoot holds a special place in my heart and I'm really excited to finally share it with you! 

Miss A, here is a photographer who lives across the country and she flew in to Austin for a little weekend away with her hubs, and to have her own boudoir experience with me!  She said she liked dark and moody, which was PERFECT because it just so happened to be a gloomy day in Austin (totally rare!).

We channelled that energy into our shoot and had a fabulous time. 

I know that when people come to a boudoir blog, their inclination is to scroll past all the text to get to the pictures. I'm a visual person, I get it.  BUT, each woman's story is SO important. The WHY is SO important. You need to know that these aren't just "I woke up like this" women who have nothing better to do than to look pretty and do photo shoots. These are women who bust their asses at life. They have their own insecurities just like you. They wear many hats and don't take enough time for themselves. 

So please take a moment to read Miss A's powerful words!!

"Buxom Shanghai.
That's my color.

I learned this incredibly helpful tidbit as I sat perched atop a barstool at Kara's photography studio in Austin, Texas just five minutes before baring it all for my very own boudoir photo shoot.

I needed Kara's eyes. I have incredibly jacked up self image and can be so very hard on myself. I don't practice what I preach to my own photography clients nearly enough. Don't be like me. It's silly.

Kara's make up artist, Kendall, had no hesitations while doing my make up and I had already vowed to trust her and Kara completely. So when she chose Buxom Shanghai for my lips... She knew what she was doing.

For Kara, she uses her passion for portraits, her strong intuition and completely on point male-like perspective to allow women to shine like the crazy diamonds they are."

"It might seem like playing dress up. It might look completely vain.
But these women make space for change and growth and acceptance. And it's downright kickass.

People like us might seem out of touch. Like we don't have real jobs because what we do is so incredibly fun. But make no mistake- the purpose is important, the work can be tedious and the results are undeniable. Passionate people always find a way to inspire others. It's why we exist.

For me, doing a boudoir session is a simple visual reminder to put down the self-doubt and stop playing small. The world doesn't benefit from my petty insecurities.

So, for those dreaming of a boudoir photoshoot ... Put down the boxing gloves and quit beating yourself up about the 10 lbs or the stretch marks or the "but I'm not....." fill in the blanks.

Ask yourself this - what's the worst thing that can happen? And what is the best? If a boost of lasting confidence sounds good to you - then book it right now.

Do not get me wrong - my husband is head over heels for these images; he adores them and me and that's wonderful. But as my Kara's blog headline says - "It's not about seducing men - it's about embracing womanhood" and that, my sisters is something worth celebrating."

THANK YOU, Miss A for trusting me with your boudoir experience, for allowing me to share your photos, and more importantly, for allowing me to share your words. 

If you're ready to celebrate yourself, let's chat, darling! 

Boudoir in a Bar | Austin Boudoir Photographer

This shoot was truly one-of-a-kind, as you will see. It's not often (ok, so it's not EVER) that you see a boudoir shoot done in a bar. This client contacted me a few years ago with a pretty solid location idea in mind. The result was so fun! Checkity check it out (I rapped that.)!

Miss S was such a badass trooper strutting around the bar in her undertheres (and even outside for a few!!). It just goes to show you, that, when you step outside of your comfort zone, magic can happen! 

Xo

Your turn! Let's do something fun!!! Email me at hello@clickchickboudoir.com to chat more!!

Vintage Boudoir Part 2 | Austin Tx Boudoir Photographer

Remember the vintage pin-up-esque awesomeness that was last week's blog post?? If you don't, you MUST go check it out. 

I promised you a part II, didn't I??   Here it is!!! YAY!

BAM!!!  

Thank you again to all the collaborators! 

LINGERIE STYLIST-- Jennifer of UNDERWEAR Austin

HAIR STYLIST-- Nina of Urban Betty

MAKEUP ARTIST-- Lauren of Hint of Shimmer

LOCATION-- Roadhouse Relics

MODEL-- Elizabeth M

PHOTOGRAPHER-- duh. 

You want your own shoot, don't you?? It's ok. I don't blame you.  Let's chat, dahhling!

My Boudoir Philosophy | Austin Tx Boudoir Photographer

There are so many interpretations of boudoir photography.  No one boudoir photographer is the same as the other. If you are thinking about booking a session, you should pour through your potential photographer's images and you should be able to say about almost all of them: "Oooh I love that."  You should know your photographer's boudoir philosophy and you should identify with it completely.  I try to do my best to put it ALL out there for potential clients. It can really be summed up with one quote by Dita Von Teese (that you'll find plastered on several pages on my website)... "It's not about seducing men. It's about embracing womanhood."   Read on for a more in-depth discussion about Click Chick Boudoir's Philosophy...

To elaborate a little more on that:

1. Confidence beats physique any day. 

Insecurity will plague your photos worse than any muffin top, stretch mark, or forehead wrinkle.  I'm not saying that anyone who is insecure should not be photographed....it is my job to make you feel comfortable and to point out how stunning you are.  Seriously, trust me.  I guarantee you will walk out of your shoot feeling 10x more confident than you did when you started.  It's just a matter of how far into the shoot it is before I crack through your insecurity barrier.  That's why I assign homework prior to your shoot. On top of asking women to create a secret pin board of boudoir images they're drawn to, I also ask some questions that might be hard to answer.  The most important being "What do you love about your appearance?". I don't ask for your flaws, I don't ask for what you want to hide. Positive talk only, girl!  Confidence is key.  So get ready to compliment yourself! It's a requirement! 

2. Boudoir is for everybody and every body.

Yup. I said it. The concept of "beauty" is obviously extremely varied from person to person. What I think is beautiful may be completely different than what Vogue thinks is beautiful.  What you think is beautiful may be completely different than what a man thinks is beautiful. I don't really care what size you are.  I don't care what your skin looks like. I don't care if your teeth are perfectly straight and white. It doesn't matter. If you are a beautiful person on the inside, you will photograph beautifully.  Boudoir is not just for "skinny" girls. It's not just for 30-somethings. It's for REAL women. It's for every woman. While the size 16 woman may be thinking "If I were a size 2, I would be beautiful.", the size 2 woman may be thinking "If only I had some curves.".  Us women need to really let go of those insecurities and embrace exactly who we are at this very moment.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with striving to better ourselves...but that doesn't always mean changing our bodies.  

3. Keep it classic and classy.  

This not every boudoir photographer's stance, and that's ok! Every woman has their own style, and every photographer has theirs. It's important to make a good match.  Me, personally...I believe that you don't necessarily have to bare it all to create a sexy image. I don't believe that you necessarily have to be able to master the "come hither"  sexy look or lip bite. My boudoir style is tasteful, relatively modest, and playful. It's not Penthouse. It's just not.   I also try to keep my post-processing pretty timeless. Fads come and go, and I want your images to look just as amazing in 20 years as they do today. For that reason I stick to pretty classic editing techniques. 

4. Do it for you. {gift-giving is just a bonus} 

You'll hear me preach this in just about every blog post or conversation you have with me about boudoir.  YES, your beau will LOVE the pictures--so yes, a boudoir album makes an AWESOME gift.  But, beyond the sexy little Valentine's Day present, doing a boudoir shoot will rake in all kinds of benefits for yourself. It's an automatic confidence booster. It's that girly day that every woman needs every now and then. And it's FUN.  Seriously...a freaking fantastic time! 

5. A smile is the sexiest thing you can wear.

I wrote a blog post about this last week, so check it out.  My boudoir style isn't ALL about the sexing it up. It's about beauty. It's about who you are on the inside.  When a woman smiles...I mean when she REALLY smiles....you can see into her beautiful soul. SO I welcome authentic smiles in my shoots with open arms.  Don't worry...we'll work on your sexy face, too. ;) 

For more information on Austin TX Boudoir, visit the Click Chick Boudoir website.  For availability or to book, email Chick@ClickChickImages.com   ALSO--it's new---OVER THERE--to the right....enter your email address in the box to SUBSCRIBE to the Click Chick Boudoir Blog! That way, you'll never miss a juicy post. Go ahead :) 

"It's the most beautiful body I have ever seen." | Austin Boudoir Photographer

This story. Ahhh. I just LOVE this story. Miss "S" is one of my past boudoir clients. When she contacted me, she shared the most touching story about why she wanted to do this shoot.  You know when you meet someone, and they are so happy that even when they aren't smiling, they're smiling? That was Miss "S".  Her SOUL smiled. She was the kind of person you really wanted to get to know and be around all the time.  I asked Miss "S" if she would like to share a little of her story with my readers and she was thrilled to.  Here is what she had to say....

"I spent the majority of my childhood and adolescence struggling with my weight, self-esteem, and confidence. I was an overweight kid, and as I grew up, I felt a lot of shame surrounding my appearance. As a teenager and young adult, I struggled with an eating disorder. It wasn't until I was almost 24 that I made a conscious decision to no longer be bound by labels or identified solely based on my appearance.

In college I bought a book that showcased women of all ages and body types. Each woman had a story, ranging from surviving cancer to being a professional dancer. Each woman bravely posed either nude or with a sheer cloth around her body, and I found it incredibly powerful. It was then that I knew I wanted to honor my body and my journey through photography.

Kara offered a very unique and empowering opportunity. After getting in touch with her, I knew immediately that I wanted her to be my photographer. I loved every minute of my session. She was very kind and seemed to appreciate the meaningful experience as much as I did. Once the photos were available for viewing, I knew without a doubt I had made the right decision for myself. What surprised me most was that I didn't just see me. I saw my mother in my cheek bones, my father in my smile, my Native American heritage in my skin tone, and my very curvaceous hips that I inherited from my European grandmother. And I became even more appreciative of who I am and how beautiful I am.

I am almost 27 and in just a few months I will be a mother. The body that I once didn't love, and spent years trying to change, is now creating life and giving me the most precious gift ever. It’s the most beautiful body I have ever seen."

I really want to thank this amazing woman for sharing her thoughts with us.  I wish more women had this view of themselves. THIS is why I do what I do.  

Ciao, beautiful!

xoxo,

Kara Marie

For more information on Austin TX boudoir photography, visit the Click Chick Boudoir website.  For availability or to book a session, email Chick@ClickChickImages.com 

"Miss K" | Austin TX Boudoir Photographer

I figured since today is July 4th and everyone is in fireworks mode, it would be a good day to share a little bedroom BOOM with you! Here's a little preview from one of my recent boudoir sessions!!

Isn't she stunning!?

Her look was completed by my favorite girls: Lauren from Hint of Shimmer, and Nina from Urban Betty

Everyone have a safe and happy 4th of July holiday!

For more information on Austin TX boudoir photography, visit the Click Chick Images website.  For availability or to book, email Chick@ClickChickImages.com