Effortlessly Elegant | Miss F | Austin Boudoir Studio

How's everyone feeling after the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend? Refreshed and replenished or completely burned out? 

I took a few days off, and I have to admit....I AM SO READY TO BE BACK AT WORK!!! Especially knowing that THIS gem is today's blog feature!

Miss "F" was so effortlessly elegant. Her boudoir wardrobe knocked it out of the park. Her eyes were mesmerizing. And we had such a great time creating this amazing gift for her and her love!

Hair and Makeup by Kendall Koehler of Mayhem Beauty

Here's what Miss "F" had to say about her boudoir experience:

"Kara, you showed me in a way I rarely, or maybe never, see myself. When I came to my shoot, I was feeling really bedraggled, tired, and stressed about life. But this shoot made me feel so wonderfully good about myself!"

“I walked out with one heck of a sexy attitude and a ‘bring it on world— I can take whatever you throw at me and not just handle it, but have FUN with it’ mentality!”

— Miss F

"I feel more beautiful and vivacious than ever. And the pics are too die for!"

And I have to agree--the pics ARE to die for!

And then....AND THEN....we changed into this ridiculously amazing outfit. The magenta bra paired with this STUNNING ethically sourced rabbit fur coat and tousled hair. AHHHH! Love love love!

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Can I get a resounding "DAYYUUMMM", here!?  I love the confidence not only exuded in these images by this outstanding woman, but the confidence she herself says she acquired just by doing the shoot! It's no exaggeration when I preach that boudoir is a major confidence boost!

THANK YOU to Miss "F" for sharing her badass images with us, as well as her rave review! I've said it a million times and I'll say it again: I absolutely ADORE our Kara Marie Boudoir clients!

Just do it already! | Austin Boudoir Studio

If you have been a long time follower slash boudoir yearner but haven't taken the plunge yet, you are not alone. 
 

SO many of my clients don't actually become my clients until they've followed me and my work for a few years, and then they read a particular blog or see a particular image that speaks to them and they finally have the nerve to send an email.

After that, it's all easy as pie. Mmmm. Pie. There's a pumpkin one in my fridge riiiiight now. Waiting for me. Calling me. I imagine the pie has a very seductive voice. "Karraaaaaaa! EAT ME! YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO." Whoah. Sorry. Note to self: No hungry blogging. 

But really, I do make everything SO completely easy for my clients. From prepping/shopping for your session to making your final selections, I really do direct you on every little thing. So sending that email is the hardest part. Promise. 

Miss H, here, was one of those "long time followers" who finally bit the bullet! I'm so glad she did! We had SUCH a fun time at her shoot, and even more at her photo reveal when she brought her girlfriend in for a surprise date. I MIIIIGHT have pretended that I was an ordained minister and that I was about to marry them on the spot before finally revealing that they were there to see Miss H's boudoir photos. Might have. 

Makeup by Kendall of Mayhem Beauty

"I have always wanted to do one and missed out last year!  I made it a priority this year, does Christmas shopping get any easier?"

"Seeing the photos?  We set it up as a surprise date for my girlfriend - Kara of course was awesome as always - probably one of our best dates EVER!  Can you beat hot pictures and Lana on vinyl?  I don't think so!" -Miss H

“Do it! You don’t have to have someone to do it for, except YOURSELF! Do it for you! ”

— Miss H

"Kara will walk you through it all, step by step.  You just show up, ready to be beautiful! #NoExcuses #BeYouTiful #YoureWelcome"

It's true. Step.by.step. 

Thank you so much to Miss H for rocking out her session and for being one of my favorite new Snapchat buddies. And thank you to Miss H's girlfriend for not passing out when I tricked her about what we were about to do. ;) 

LONG TIME FOLLOWER WAITING TO TAKE THE PLUNGE? THIS IS ME (AND MISS H) TELLING YOU, IT'S TIME! LET'S CHAT, DAHHLING!

The Glowing Miss K | Austin Studio Boudoir

WHEWWWW!!! This has been a CRAZY year! 2015 is wrapping up with a total bang. I'm so grateful that every year has been better than the last in this awesome little business. This "busy" season has been the busiest of them all. So when I got an email from this woman needing to get in RIGHT AWAY because her little baby bump was starting to develop, a little panic set in as I looked at my schedule. 

ALAS- we made it happen, and she was stunning. I love her natural, glowing boho look. And holy crap--does anyone else see the resemblance to Elizabeth Shue (circa "Adventures in Babysitting" days)!?! It was uncanny.

Miss "K" said: 

"I was a little hesitant to go through with this experience, but as a newlywed, I really wanted to do this for my husband. Quickly after I said "I DO," we got news that we were expecting so I ended up convincing myself to go through with this NOW. 

I wasn't feeling all that well the week of my shoot but as soon as I got to Kara's studio I felt better!! I was so comfortable and relaxed."

It was such a natural progression going from oversized cozy sweater to nothing but the sheets. So for those who are freaking out about boudoir wardrobe...this is a fantastic example of how to do it simple and still get amazing images! 

“The photo reveal was my favorite!!! It is so crazy looking at these pictures and believing that it was me!! I can’t wait to do it again... post baby :) ”

— Miss K

We're currently planning her maternity beauty session, and I.Can't.WAAIIIIT. 

Rainy Afternoon Delight | NSFW | Austin Boudoir Photographer

Being downright hot and sexy is especially empowering. I am so thrilled to see this mass movement of embracing female sexuality spread through the population. 

Women are realizing that not only is it OK to be sexy and to love sex....but they are starting to shout it from the rooftops. 

More and more clients are coming in wanting to push their boundaries a little bit to create something that reminds them they are sexual beings.

Take a woman who wants to be photographed embracing her sexuality and her nudity and combine that with a stormy day and I'm pretty much in heaven (and also guaranteed to get some of my favorite images ever).

There's just something about the rain, isn't there? 

“We are all born sexual creatures, thank God. But it’s a pity that so many people despise and crush this natural gift.”

— Marilyn Monroe

“The most profound relationship we will ever have is with ourselves.”

— Shirley Maclaine

Go forth, goddesses, and embrace your sexuality. 

Motherhood hasn't stripped you of your womanhood | Austin Boudoir Studio

When you have a baby, you pretty much want to wear the largest poncho that Costco has to offer and a bag over your head. Learning to love yourself after you've birthed a human is no easy feat.  Some of us hold on to 40lbs for what seems like a lifetime. Some of us bounce right back and have to deal with all the other moms hating us even though we still have mom insecurities, too.  Some of us develop crazy hormonal mental problems and can't see anything but our flaws.

The miracle happens when you have see yourself looking incredible for the first time after having a baby. You NEED to know that you've still got it....and that motherhood hasn't stripped you of your womanhood.

Because it hasn't. 

You're still a woman. You're still gorgeous...sexy even. 

Miss "M" here had a shoot and got to experience this first hand. Yes, she's a slim girl...but that certainly doesn't mean that she doesn't have any "mombod" insecurities. All women have them...no matter their shape or size. 

She rocked the hell out of her photo shoot and got to see that, damnit, she still had it!

"I did this shoot as a present for my soon to be hubby to give to him moments before the wedding! It's taking all the power inside of me not to tell him!!

“I LOVE the pictures so much and am so happy I did this for him and for myself”

"After having my son, I never thought I'd say 'DAMMMNNN I look GOOD!'. It definitely took the stress away from wedding planning and had some much-needed fun."

So. I repeat. Motherhood does NOT strip you of your womanhood. You are woman, hear you roar and stuff. ;) 

WANT TO EMBRACE YOUR WOMANHOOD? LET'S CHAT!

She didn't think she could love a photo of herself | Austin Boudoir Studio

I can't even tell you how many women approach me with the ol' "I am NOT photogenic" line. Which basically means they always hate photos of themselves. I always say "That's because you've never had your photo taken by me before!".  It may seem like a bold (and super cocky) statement to make, but what I mean is, you wouldn't believe the power of a good pose, great light, and a professional eye.  NOT TO MENTION the evil evil powers of a bad pose, horrible lighting, and an amateur eye. 

I've spent many years learning exactly how to pose women, how to light women, how to make women feel comfortable, and how to let a woman's inner light shine though in a photo. I'm happy to say that I'm STILL learning and always will be. 

THIS little gem of a woman. My goodness.  She completed her pre-shoot homework, which led me to believe that she wanted to keep this SUPER conservative and really just wanted a pretty picture or two of herself. 

She said her favorite feature was her hair, that she never likes photos of herself, and on our sexy scale 1-10, she wanted her photos to be at a level 3. A LEVEL THREE SEXY. I don't even know how to do that. Hahah. I teased her just a bit about that and we rocked the hell out of our photo session.

Meet Miss C. 

Makeup by Kendall Koehler of Mayhem Beauty

Here is what she had to say about her Kara Marie Boudoir experience: 

"I couldn't have asked for a better experience. From the moment I walked in the door I felt so comfortable. I've had a lot of big changes in my life and I felt like I was losing myself but after this experience I have never felt so empowered and good about myself. I still giggle when I think back to my shoot."

“I never thought I would actually like pictures of myself but I am in LOVE with my photos!”

— Miss C

Thank you, beautiful, for letting me prove to you  that you ARE, in fact, photogenic......and sexy. Like level 11 sexy. I'm overjoyed that I was able to provide her with a full collection of images she loved of herself...not just one as she'd hoped for. 

Let this be encouragement for other women who maybe don't ever like photos of themselves. For the women who deem themselves "not photogenic". For the women who don't think they can be more than a level 3 sexy. 

LET ME PROVE TO YOU THAT YOU *ARE* PHOTOGENIC. LET'S CHAT!

Boudoir : Bet you can't have just one | Austin Boudoir Shoot

When I first began discussing the possibility of going full-time, all-the-time boudoir photography with my close friends and husband, they all had the same questions: "Is there really enough of a market for that to do it full time?!" and, more commonly commented "But, I mean, that's just a once in a lifetime type of thing...you won't get repeat clients, right?".  

Wrong. 

Almost EVERY SINGLE one of my clients comes back for more. If they haven't come back yet, they say they can't wait to!

This is not a once in a lifetime type of experience. 

It's a "any damn time you need a boost" type of experience. 

Miss "F" proclaimed the same after her Austin Boudoir shoot.

Hair and makeup by Kendall Koehler of Mayhem Beauty

Miss "F" said...

"It was AH~MAZING!!!! I felt completely comfortable from start to finish - it was like I was hanging out with a friend even though it was our first time meeting.

I couldn't have asked for a better experience & I'm beyond happy that it was with with Kara Marie Boudoir!" 

“I’m already thinking about when I want to do it again!”

— Miss "F"

Just about every woman says the same as soon as she sees her images, and often times, even at the end of her shoot, BEFORE she even sees her images. 

YES, the photos will be badass. But it's so much more than that. It's about walking out of that studio with a sexy strut and your head held high knowing that you are absolutely incredible. Knowing that you just got a little piece of your old self back. Knowing that you STILL GOT IT.  

And I don't know about you ladies, but I could use that boost more than once in my lifetime ;)

Thank you so much to Miss "F" for trusting me with her boudoir experience. 

I absolutely cannot wait to have her back for round 2 (and 3 and 4, I'm sure!)

WANT TO SEE WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT??? LET'S CHAT ABOUT YOUR BOUDOIR EXPERIENCE, DAHHLING!

Come just as you are. Now. Right now. | Austin Boudoir Studio

I woke up this morning to a cool breeze and fall temperatures. The air smelled like FALL for the first time this year in Austin. So I was inspired to post this fall-feeling boudoir shoot.

“Life is short. From here to that old car that you know so well there is a stretch of twenty, twenty-five paces. It is a very short walk. Make those twenty-five steps. Now. Right now. Come just as you are. And we shall live happily ever after. ”

— ~Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

There are so many things in this life that we put off until the "perfect" time.  We wait to get married until we're "financially stable". We wait to have kids until we're done traveling. We wait to do a boudoir shoot until we've lost 10 pounds. 

The sad truth is, our idea of "perfect timing" is skewed tremendously. Because...the perfect time to do something you're passionate about is now. Right now. 

I look back at the list of things that I've been meaning to do...and it's a crazy long list. And those things on the list?  There's absolutely no reason why I couldn't have accomplished them already. 

That quote from Lolita really resonated with me, and I assume it will resonate with most of you. It did with Miss "E" here, whose favorite book is Lolita...and she happened to bring a copy to her boudoir shoot. She is a published journalist, blogger, and a writing magician. It was so awesome incorporating her love of books into this shoot a little bit. 

Miss "E" said...

"Despite being extremely camera-shy, my photo shoot ended up more like a spa treatment. Kara and her team are so down-to-earth and hospitable, and they made it felt like that whole hour was all about me and me only.

When I saw the results at my photo reveal, I teared up looking at the woman in the photos; after all the adversity I have been through in my 20's, I assumed that woman was dead. "

“The experience resurrected that woman. Or perhaps brought her back to the surface.”

— Miss E

So this is me encouraging you to come as you are. Do it now. Right now. Book your shoot, schedule that vacation, learn to salsa dance, jump out of that plane (but with a parachute, please!), and do whatever you can to make the absolute most of your life RIGHT.NOW.

Thank you, Miss "E" for sharing your incredible images and experience with us!

IF A BOUDOIR EXPERIENCE IS ONE OF THE THINGS ON YOUR "SOMEDAY" LIST, LET'S CHAT. RIGHT NOW, DAHHLING!

I traveled. She cried. | Austin Boudoir Studio

One of my favorite things about being a photographer is that I can do my "job", my passion, anywhere I want. My camera, while at times after a long day of shooting it feels like it weighs 50lbs, is actually portable ;) I can put it in a small bag and take it with me in the car, on a plane, on a boat, wherever the hell I want. And while I love my studio, it's always so fun to shoot in different places with new light, new atmospheres, new people. 

Last month, I was hired by Moodboard Productions to travel out to Midland, Texas for a bit of a "pop-up" boudoir photo shoot. I worked with 4 incredible women to give them a boudoir experience, KMB style. 

One of them was Miss "A" here. She was a little southern belle ball of enthusiasm who said things like "I'm fixin' to leave" and I instantly loved her. She's a mom of 2 and seemed to have a hard time believing she was doing something "like this". Needless to say, she absolutely rocked it. 

“This was one of the greatest experiences ever. I felt so comfortable and at ease... Did I mention I was half naked? I cried when I saw the pics...”

— Miss A

Thank you to Miss Olivia Jordan of Moodboard Productions for coordinating a great day of boudoir shoots , and to Ashlee Rice of Let's Face it Makeup Studio for the standup makeup job. 

If you're ready (or even if you don't think you are) for your own boudoir experience, let's chat dahhling! 

Kara Marie Boudoir is HIRING | Austin Tx Help Wanted

Ohhh heyyy! You there! You super friendly, awesome, hard-working, creative minded grammar-fiend, you! I'm looking for a new boudoir retoucher and studio assistant as mine is fleeing the country (I didn't scare her away, promise!)

This part-time position involves flexible hours in our south Austin studio. Candidates should be self-motivated, efficient, tech-savvy, super friendly and positive, enthusiastic (but not before 8am), organized, female, and have a passion for making women feel on top of the world. ✔✔

Candidates should NOT be photographers, based outside of Austin, mean, grumpy, lazy, confused by you're/your, or allergic to coffee.

Basic photoshop knowledge is a HUGE bonus, but if you lack that knowledge, it's not a deal breaker. Extensive retouching training will be given regardless, as well as assistant training. If this sounds like YOU, shoot me an email at hello@karamarieboudoir.com ! I want to hear all about you (you can spare me the fluffed up resumes!) and why you would be a perfect fit for Kara Marie Boudoir!

Cheers, dahhlings!

xoxo,

Kara Marie