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 :) 

Miss "K" in black and white | Austin TX Boudoir Photographer

So here it is. It's the post that I've had saved as a draft for a month. My own personal boudoir shoot.  The only reason that I was even the slightest bit hesitant to post these images was not because I was worried about who might see them, or because I was worried about my husband having an issue with it (seeing as how he has them up as his laptop, iPad, and iPhone backgrounds for all of his friends and clients to see, which is an honor.), or that my bod was going to be plastered all over the internet forever and ever.  I just didn't want everyone to think that I was a narcissist posting my own images on my own blog.  BUT, I'm over it.  I'm proud of them. And, after all...I DID shoot them myself. Yeah. I did. {disclaimer: not a recommended route to take for your own photos.}

I think sharing each woman's story, if I'm permitted to, is just as important as the photos. Sure, most of my clients, when first approaching me about boudoir, say "I want to do a shoot for my _______{boyfriend, husband, girlfriend, etc} for __________ {their birthday, our anniversary, Valentine's Day, etc}. Then I dig a little deeper and discover the real reason why they want to do a shoot. And it's about them.....not the lucky gift recipient.  That's my story too. I wanted to celebrate myself...which is something that I am not used to doing. I do a lot of preaching about embracing your body. I do a lot of preaching about being beautiful on the inside. It wasn't until after I had my 2nd son, Max, that I was able to really grasp that concept. Without being too long-winded::: Yes, I've always been "thin". I have NOT always taken good care of myself.   Instead of taking any sort of action, I just continued to eat crappy "food" and be insanely inconsistent with my workout regime while blaming all sorts of external factors for my lifestyle choices ("I'm just too BUSY to eat well"). After having Max, I was forced into extreme clean eating (he was allergic to dairy, soy, gluten, and beef...and I was nursing him). Once I started feeling the awesome benefits of healthy eating, I felt really, really awesome. I had energy all of a sudden. Energy that I then used for physical activity which then snowballed the benefits. Pairing this newfound eating lifestyle with my fantastic personal trainer and a little extra effort on my own at the gym or a yoga class, I had discovered that I am finally happy in my own skin. I'm comfortable with myself for the very first time ever.  I'm not perfect. And I'm perfectly happy with that. THIS was a reason for a celebratory photo shoot. Oh...and my husband and I's 14 year anniversary back in December. The gift giving was just a bonus, though.  

Now, the process.  This was a bit different from my usual boudoir shoots. Making sure my composition, exposure, and shooting angle was just right was only half the challenge. Now I also had to worry about posing myself...and looking good while doing it.  I shot my boudoir photos over 3 different days in between motherhood and running my business, with a tripod and the interval timing feature on my camera in my old apartment that had VERY little natural light, a complete lack of decor, and a maintenance man who coincidentally was always working on the landscaping directly outside of my largest window.  Talk about a challenge.  

Don't be too impressed, though....about 98% of the shots looked like this:

But I ended up with about 14 images that I was proud enough of to present to my husband. 

SO--I don't want to hear "That's easy for YOU to say...you're on THAT side of the camera!!!" coming from anyone. I've been on both. And now MY boudoir photos are posted all over the internet for everyone to see. And I'm not ashamed of that one bit.  This body has birthed two beautiful boys.  This butt has been busted in building two businesses. These eyes have been strained to the max while editing thousands and thousands of images. These legs have held me up when I've been completely and utterly exhausted. These hands have held the gear that has made my life possible. I am happy. The happiest ever.  Cue Katy Perry's "ROAR"......

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

AUSTIN BOUDOIR BLOG RSS

"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 

How to use Pinterest for your Boudoir shoot... | Austin TX Boudoir Photographer

If you aren't using Pinterest, you are truly missing out.  Truly.   Pinterest is my go-to in a multitude of ways! I pin my clean eating recipes (and on the flipside, desserts to die for), DIY projects, interior design ideas, my own photography, photography that inspires me, things that motivate me, and more. I have a board for just about every aspect of my life.  Being a photographer, clearly I'm a visual person.  Pinterest offers me a visual of all the things "me". 

Sometimes my boudoir clients are a little surprised when I give them homework....and even more surprised when I tell them that their homework is to log on to Pinterest. That's MY kind of homework...where was THAT class in college? Am I right?!    

Here is the assignment I give them:  Log into Pinterest.  If you don't have a Pinterest account, get one. You'll thank me and hate me simultaneously.  Create a "secret" board and title it "My Boudoir". This is a board that you can pin to without all of your "followers" seeing what you're pinning. Invite me to the board (click_chick). Then, I want you to start searching within Pinterest "boudoir".  Start with that broad search term. Start pinning images to your secret board (it all sounds so sleuth, doesn't it?!) that draw your eye. I don't want you to put too much thought into it. Just pin the images that visually stimulate you to say "ooh, I LOVE that!".

Once you start going through a slew of images, you'll start to realize some more specific search terms you might like to try...like "modest boudoir", or "black and white boudoir", or "classic nude boudoir". Continue on this route until you have at least 50 pins.  The purpose of this homework assignment is NOT to find images to replicate.  The purpose is multi-faceted. Doing this assignment will  1.)Give me a very fast and easy visual of the types of images you are drawn to. Do you like the teaser images? Are you into bright and cheery images? Dark and seductive?  2.) It will start to get you really thinking about the possibilities for your shoot and get you SUPER excited.  

Here's a peek at MY secret board for my own boudoir shoot:  

By taking one very brief look at this board, it's apparent that I love black and white imagery. Also, that HAIR plays a very big role in my desired photos. Also that I dig "classic".

Fun, huh? Now, go on...even if you aren't planning a boudoir shoot RIGHT now...create that secret board, and even invite me to it! You might find that you're ready to have a sexy shoot sooner than you thought. 

Stay tuned for more ways to use Pinterest for your boudoir shoot in future blogs installments! Yay Pinterest!

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

Miss "B" | Austin TX Boudoir Photographer

When Miss "B" first showed up, she said "I want you to take my before photo!!!". It's not often that someone REQUESTS to have a photo taken before the transformation begins...so obviously, I obliged. Meet Miss "B": 

My absolute FAVORITE thing about Miss "B" here, is her awesome laugh.  Seriously, y'all....her laugh is out of this world. I found myself throughout the length of her session trying to elicit all of her over-the-top-awesome laughter.  Knowing that her husband would probably appreciate the "sexy face" photos, too, I went ahead and shut my mouth for part of the time, as well. But I'm still partial to her sheer joy.  

I love when I get to hear feedback from my clients on their sessions. Miss "B", whose identity will obviously be revealed if you visit her blog, shared her boudoir experience with her readers.  Here's a little snippet of what she had to say:  

"I did it. And I’m not going to lie – I was absolutely terrified leading up to the shoot! And I felt like such a hypocrite, because I always encourage my brides to do it and now here I was, scared like a little chicken. But I know Kara and I’ve seen her work many times so I knew that whatever happened was going to be incredible.

Here’s how it all went down:

Kara asked me to create a private Pinterest board for boudoir and share it with her. I was able to pin the pictures that I liked and she pinned some additional pictures that she thought I might be interested in as well. This way she could get an idea of what style of boudoir photos I liked. In my case, I generously allowed my husband to add pins as well. Of course, it wasn’t a surprise to him and we aren’t newlyweds, so it was a little different for us than it might be for a new bride.

I didn’t realize until later that this step was so important in that it was actually helping me to become very excited about the shoot, and at the same time, really comfortable with what was about to come. You see, Kara wasn’t asking me to pick pictures that I wanted to replicate – she was asking me to pin the pictures that spoke to me so she could get an easy visual of the “types” of photos that I was drawn to. Was it the detail shots that I liked? Am I more modest? More adventurous?

She emailed me a list of Do’s and Dont’s that I could use as a guide to prepare for the shoot. Things like what I should wear, what I should do before hand, to drink or not to drink – and how much. (This was an easy one for me, because I’m not really a drinker. But I can see how some ladies might like a little liquid courage with a shot!)

I followed all of Kara’s advice – exactly. And I think it made all the world of difference during the shoot.

I arrived at the shoot and the hair and make up artist, Erica with Erica Gray Beauty, started on my make up while Kara went through the things I had brought and chose the outfits she thought were best for me. You might do differently, but she’s the professional, so I just laid everything out and let her decide!

Up to this point I was really working under the assumption that this was to help out my friend in her business but once the hair and make up started I quickly realized that Kara was making every bit of this event about me. And it was really pretty cool!  I started to relax and enjoy the whole experience. I’m a (30 something) mom of two kids that I homeschool – and I spend my working hours creating amazing days for other people.  So let’s face it, there aren’t a lot of things that happen in my life that’s all about me!  As corny as it sounds, Kara and Erica taking so much effort with every little detail of me made me feel like I was someone very special. It was an oddly emotional experience to see myself transform into this amazing looking individual.

Once finished with hair and make up, we started with the photos. And I was a little nervous at first. But within a few minutes we were laughing and having a great time. And it was easy – and so much fun! It was over sooo fast!"

To read the rest of her boudoir report, visit her blog!

Thank to SO much to Miss "B" for being such a trooper and not only sharing her photos with the world, but also her experience! 

Hair and makeup by Erica Gray Beauty.

For more information on booking an Austin TX boudoir or beauty experience with Click Chick Boudoir, visit the website. For availability or to book, email Chick@ClickChickImages.com

xoxo,

Kara Marie

The Sexiest Thing You Can Wear For Your Boudoir Shoot | Austin TX Boudoir Photographer

You ready for it, ladies?? I'm going to give you the KEY to outstanding boudoir photos. It's the sexiest thing you can wear.   The answer isn't lingerie, your beau's favorite shirt, or nothing at all. The answer is: YOUR BEAUTIFUL SMILE.  Yes, that's right.  I said it. It is OK to smile/laugh in your boudoir photos.  Not only is it OK, but a full-forced laugh while you're sprawled out on your bed, in my opinion, is insanely sexy. There is really nothing more attractive than a woman who loves life.  Do you know what else? It's probably going to be a lot easier for you to burst into laughter during your shoot than it will be for you to sport a sultry "come hither" look.  I don't encourage my clients to smile for their photos because I want the smile, when it happens, to be genuine. I don't want it to be posed, staged, faked, or the like. I want actual emotion. 

Some of my favorite boudoir shoot moments came from my clients rolling into a fit of laughter after I ask them to give themselves a sexy hug. Sometimes that laugh happens because I say an incredibly immature word hoping to elicit emotion (you'll know it when you hear it, ladies. And.it.works.every.time.)  SOMETIMES I don't have to do anything at all, and you just laugh because you're feeling totally awkward. That's ok, too! No matter how we get it, I love it, and you will too, and so will anyone you show the photos to.  Seeing a person laugh is like looking through a window to their soul. You see it all, baby!  SO, sure, I get it--the sexy face has it's time and place in boudoir. BUT, if you are lying there being photographed and you have the urge to laugh uncontrollably...please don't fight it. 

So hit me up, ladies! Let me capture that shiny soul of yours ;)  

xoxo

Kara Marie

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

Miss "M" | A Cozy Boudoir Shoot

This shoot.  THIS shoot, in particular, goes to show you that you truly don't have to "bare it all" in a boudoir session.  

Miss "M" is one of my dear friends. She's sweet as pie, absolutely stunning, and completely ROCKS this baggy sweater, don't you think!?

This shoot was even better than we envisioned it, and according to the texts I got after sending over a few teasers which read "HOLY SH*T!!! In loooooove!" and "AGHHHHHH KARA THEY'RE SO PRETTY!! I can't even believe it's me! I love them!"....I think Miss "M" was pleased too! 

Many thanks to the incredible Lauren of Hint of Shimmer for her glamorous handy-work on Miss "M"'s beautiful face!

For more information on Austin TX Boudoir photography, take a little browse around my website, dahhling!  To inquire about your own shoot, just complete the form below! 

Click Chick relaunch + brand spanking new site! | Austin TX Boudoir Photographer

It's here, it's here, it's REALLY HERE! I am SO over-the-moon excited for this!! 

 For YEARS I have been absolutely obsessed with boudoir photography. I adore it. I shoot it all the time. I live it. I breathe it.  If I could smother it on toast and eat it, I would.  Since the start of 2013, I have been gradually limiting the number of other types of photo shoots I've been taking on (weddings, engagements, and families, etc), and have really been focusing on narrowing my specialization.

As of TODAY, Click Chick Images is re-launching, re-directing, re-birthing into Click Chick Boudoir!!!  

I've decided that 2014 was the year to rebuild a website to exclusively showcase my beauty & boudoir work.  It's not just a blog anymore, and it's not just a small gallery on my website.  It's my bread and butter. I can tell you that I am an extremely impulsive person...so the fact that I didn't jump into boudoir full-force years ago when I first discovered my passion for it really shows you how much time and thought I put into this change in direction. 

You know what I discovered as I progressed through year after year of photography business? I'm not good at everything. This may seem like an obvious statement, but to many photographers (like me at one time), being a one-stop-shop seems like a great idea! Weddings, engagements, families, corporate events, product photos, fashion, construction sites?? "YES, sure! I can do that!". Rookie mistake. But throughout the years of fine-tuning my skills and shooting literally EVERYTHING under the sun, I slowly discovered what I loved and what I loathed. I discovered what I was fantastic at, what I was *ok* at with a little extra work, and what I was horrible at.  I slowly uncovered my niche...and that is: WOMEN.  I.am.good.at.WOMEN. I'm good at making women feel comfortable. I'm good at making women feel beautiful. I'm good at making women LOOK beautiful. I'm good at helping women discover their confidence.  Beauty and Boudoir photography is where it's at for me. The saying "Stick to what you're good at!" echoed in my head over and over for years.  I found that when I accepted a booking for something that wasn't my speciality, I was disappointed in my own work. It just didn't make sense for me to try to be something I wasn't. I am not a commercial photographer. I am not a family photographer.  I am not a corporate event photographer. 

Before I go too much further....I am going to tackle the question that everyone I let in on my little secret asked me with puppy dog eyes..."So...no more WEDDINGS!?!???".   Here's the deal:  I still love weddings. I still have a full year of weddings on the books. I will still continue to give each and every client my 100% best, as always. I will still consider accepting a very, very limited number of bookings for past clients and referrals.  This is not the death of Click Chick Images. It's the re-birth :) It's the shift in specialization.

I want to concentrate on being the absolute BEST at one thing, rather than being pretty good at several.  

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT, y'all!! I am SO excited for all of the amazing things to come! I have so many big plans in the works that I could have never accomplished by spreading myself so thin. I cannot wait to continue to make women realize how awesome they really are.

Go ahead and browse through the new site...get acquainted ;) 

You can continue to follow my Facebook pages to see my upcoming wedding and engagement work.  You'll also notice that I will be posting a lot more boudoir-related content. However, I will let you know that I fully intend to keep my social media posts consistent with my brand and style of boudoir:  Classy, tasteful, and beautiful. Never trashy.  :)

Cheers, y'all!

~Kara Marie

P.S. To celebrate my new "COMING OUT", I am offering $100 OFF any boudoir booking in the month of February!  YESSSS!  

If you are interested in booking a beauty or boudoir shoot, simply fill out the form below and I will get back to you right away!

Valentine's Boudoir! Ooh la la | Austin TX Boudoir Photographer

It's THAT time of year again, already ladies! Valentine's Day is just around the corner.  While I am a FIRM believer in doing boudoir photos for yourself, the special-someone in your life will appreciate it more than you know!  I don't typically offer promotions on boudoir packages...believe me...it's worth every little penny...but this year I decided to give more ladies the experience that will forever boost their confidence!

So take advantage, y'all!!  Each boudoir experience includes professional makeup application, convenient and comfortable in-home photo shoot (we come to YOU!), image enhancement, and a guaranteed good time and confidence boost!

clickchickmisss_0004

003-clickchick_cb

For full package and pricing details, email Chick@ClickChickImages.com

To view more examples of  Boudoir photos, visit the Click Chick Images website!

Ciao!

xoxo

Kara Marie

Miss "S" from Sweet to Sassy! | Austin TX Boudoir Photographer

Miss "S" had THE most amazing smile. ON CAMERA, to boot! That is REALLY difficult to achieve for most people. This girl's laugh was infectious. Our session started out super sweet with her cowboy boots and hat...

See that laugh?! AH! I love it!

THEN things got a little sassy...

And this mirror set?!?! Ah-mazing!

I had an amazing time photographing Miss "S" and LOVE the resulting images. Apparently, so did her husband who deemed these photos "the best gift EVER!". That's what I like to hear!!

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I've been getting blasted with boudoir and glamour session requests--I do have a FEW time slots remaining if you're interested in gifting some glamour for February 14th!

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