Tips To Prepare For Your Boudoir Session

1. Shop for lingerie or other outfits that make you feel good about yourself and that are true to your style. Do not select something that you do not feel yourself in.

2. Have a fresh manicure and pedicure for the shoot as your nails and feet will show in photos and it will make a difference if they are well groomed.

3. Hydrate! Drinking enough water will help your skin look better in photos.

4. Moisturize! Avoid the look of dry skin and give your skin a nice sheen to reflect light nicely and you will have a nice glowy look.

5. Do not starve yourself! Eat a nourishing meal the morning of your shoot- it will not make you look any different, trust me.

6. Stretch! The poses can feel a bit like strenuous yoga, Stretching will help make it easier on you.

7. Avoid self tanner- I know you do not want to appear pale in photos but trust me-my lighting and editing style will make your skin look warm and healthy. Self tanner more often than not gives the skin an orange cast which is not flattering.

Nikki's Experience

Nikki had never done a boudoir shoot before. She didn’t even know what to expect, she only knew she wanted to do it. She brought a selection of lingerie that we went through together and I recommended what I felt would look best and most flattering. We had so much fun shooting, chatting away the entire time. She told me I made her feel very comfortable, which is so important to me to do for all clients. She could not believe the images I was giving her a sneak peek of on my camera were her. She LOVED them. She felt so confident and so great about herself after and she also loved having photos of herself that not only made her feel great but were also artistic. She has already done 2 shoots with me!

Mia's Boudoir Experience

When I asked Mia to tell me about her boudoir shoot experience she was quick to reply. Her answer made me feel emotional and I smiled at the thought of how transformative an experience this was for her.

She had been going through a hard time. She hadn’t felt like herself in a while and she had been in a horrible relationship. According to her, THIS photoshoot helped her through it.

Even though she wasn’t in a great place the day of her shoot she felt better by the end of it. It made her feel confident and in control.

In the days following the shoot her confidence multiplied. She felt good about setting boundaries and digging her way out of what felt like a deep hole. 

She got out of her bad relationship and finally started to feel like herself again. She started to feel free. Her photos were a reminder of her strength and her beauty. They brought light to her in an otherwise dark time. 

She never thought she could do photos like these- she never thought she would be comfortable or would even like to see herself. 

She certainly was reluctant at first but then she felt brave for doing it, which made her feel good. It made her feel stronger and strength was something she surely needed.

She found herself a lot more comfortable during shooting than she expected to—she was directed and guided throughout which helped as she definitely didn’t know how to post on her own.

When she got to see the photos she really couldn’t believe that she could look this way. She barely recognized herself in the photos—who was this confident and fiery woman? Oh yes, it was her—she just needed to be reminded of the fire within her.

That was just the start. The effects this shoot had on her was a ripple effect to so many great things in her life. It all started with her feeling empowered and taking a step towards self love, Its quite a journey. 

Frequently Asked Questions

The thought of doing a boudoir shoot can be overwhelming and leave you with hesitation. When talking to women about doing a session I get asked all kinds of questions, so I wanted to address them all. Here are my top 12 most frequently asked questions!

DO YOU SHARE MY IMAGES? One of my highest priorities is my clients’ comfort level during their shoot and surrounding their shoot. Sometimes while we are learning to love our body we aren’t quite ready to share it with the rest of the world or sometimes we want our photos to be for our eyes only (or our partners). This is totally fine! During the booking process clients have the option to request that photos are not shared. The options for sharing photos is : full exclusivity (none shared in any way), body only (no face shown for identity purposes), or full share. The choice is yours!

DO I HAVE TO WEAR LINGERIE? You definitely don’t have to wear lingerie if it isn’t your thing. This shoot is about you and should be true to your style and personality. There are a BUNCH of outfit ideas that you can wear that aren’t lingerie and we can talk about it and plan together!

DO YOU HAVE PAYMENT PLANS? When you book your shoot you are required to pay your session fee upfront. You can certainly pay in increments leading up to the shoot but the balance is due the day of.

IS MAKEUP INCLUDED? Professional makeup is included in all of my boudoir shoots. I think it is important for you to feel pampered as this day is all about you. 

DO YOU PHOTOSHOP MY IMAGES? All images are edited for proper light, exposure, and color balance. I edit blemishes and temporary markings such as bruises. I do NOT edit anything that is permanent. If you want me to lightly edit stretch marks and scars I will certainly soften their appearance. But I really want you to see your natural self and find her beautiful as she really is. I would hate for you to have a boudoir shoot and see completely altered images of yourself as that can be damaging to the experience and take away from the purpose of you accepting yourself. I am skilled in posing and lighting so rest assured that you will be captured in the most flattering way and likely won’t even notice your insecurities.

WHERE SHOULD I BUY OUTFITS? I have a list of recommended websites for you to shop from and I send them to you in my boudoir prep guide once we book.

WHAT TYPE OF PRINT PRODUCTS DO YOU HAVE? I offer a variety of high end luxury albums and custom wall frames

DO YOU OFFER DIGITALS? All packages include digitals- the amount included varies depending on the package.

HOW DO I CALM MY NERVES BEFORE A BOUDOIR SHOOT? Nerves are all part of the experience! It is normal to feel anxious when stepping outside of your comfort zone. All women arrive feeling nervous and it quickly dissipates once you sit down for makeup and start feeling comfortable.

HOW MANY OUTFITS SHOULD I BRING? You can have 3 outfit changes during your shoot unless you add a bonus set then you have that one as well. 

WHERE IS YOUR STUDIO LOCATED? I am located in Fort Lee, NJ right near the George Washington Bridge.

Why I Shoot Boudoir Photography

Shooting boudoir photography is so much more to me than the photos. It is about art, self acceptance, body positivity, and self love. It is about taking a day to yourself and making yourself a priority for once. It is about the transformation that takes place between the time you walk into my studio and the time you are on your way out. It is about feeling GOOD and beautiful and proud of yourself—something everyone deserves to feel.

I started doing boudoir photography after I was asked to by a grieving widow—she said she spent years feeling ugly after losing her husband. Once I watched her transform right in front of my lens I felt the power of boudoir photography and knew I needed to bring this option to more women.  I believed I had the power to make any woman see herself in a different perspective and find herself and see her beauty. 

I have heard women have reservations because their bodies aren’t what they used to be, they want to lose 10 lbs, they have stretch marks, their pregnancies destroyed their breasts, or even reasons like they simply feel awkward or don’t know how to be sexy. Getting to prove them wrong and show them that all these reasons don’t matter is SO rewarding. 

Hearing women constantly say “is that really me?!” When I show them their photos is enough of a reason for me to do this.

I love to hold up a mirror to women and instead of them seeing their imperfections, they see their sparkle.

Every time a woman walks into my studio she is nervous and isn’t sure how her photos will come out due to self doubt. Once she sits in the chair for makeup and we start talking the nerves start to dissipate. Her transformation has already begun at this point.

Once we start shooting the anxiety starts to dissipate. We start shooting and I show her the back of my camera as a preview and shock falls on her face as she screams “no way! That’s me?!” Suddenly she is feeling good and I can tell she is feeling beautiful and more confident. 

By the time we do the reveal it’s like we’ve been friends forever. I tend to share a lot of personal things during our shoot so we definitely get to know each other. 

At the reveal, I watch them view their photos and tears stroll down their cheeks. It is so amazing to make women feel this way. They get emotional, their jaws drop, they giggle.  Narrowing down the photos is the hardest part because even though they claim they never like photos of themselves, suddenly they have over 100 photos they are in love with.

When it’s time to walk out the door they have a huge smile on their face and feel so confident and full of energy. They can’t wait to tell their friends what they just did. 

A little about me- I grew up with major body dysmorphia issues. I have always struggled to accept my body and love myself as is. I always fought with myself trying wacky diets or starving so I could be as thin as possible. Self confidence was never something that I was familiar with. It has taken me a very long time but I am finally in a place where I may still be hard on myself but I can appreciate my body. I had my own boudoir shoot done and while I still saw my flaws in the photos I was able to say “wow, I look so beautiful flaws and all.” Seeing these photos of myself makes me smile every time and they make me feel so good. 

Boudoir photography is a celebration of your body and who you are. Let me show you your spark, reignite the fire within you, and remind yourself to love yourself. 

Stop Making Excuses-Your Deserve A Boudoir Shoot

When we doubt ourselves, we make excuses. We make excuses as to why we shouldn’t love ourselves, accept ourselves, or even take care of ourselves. Sometimes life is just busy, we have too much work to deal with, or we have responsibilities and always need to do something for anyone else who isn’t us. 

Sometimes it’s more important to us to spend time with our significant other, or our kids, or our friends. We also use excuses like “but I want to lose 10 lbs first!” or “I just don’t have the money right now” or “I’m going to do it just not yet.” I wanted to write this to explain to you that regardless of your excuse you CAN do it! No matter what excuse you have to present to me I will show you that you are worthy of self love.

“I don’t have time for myself.” It is also Important to remember that if you aren’t considering your mental health and taking care of yourself within, you will not be able to handle doing all the things for everyone else. Can’t fill from an empty cup remember?

I know it is easier said than done. Sometimes I too am the worst at making sure I am giving myself mental health breaks and that is why I am sharing this with you. I make the same excuses as I listed above and sometimes I just need to snap myself out of it, look myself in the mirror and say “ SLOW DOWN, take a deep breath, and give yourself a break!”

Your boudoir shoot is a day that is scheduled ALL for you. A few hours where all the focus is on you, you can finally breathe, and release. Think of all the energy you will save on a daily basis if you stop worrying so much about what everyone else thinks about you and if you stop comparing yourself to all the unrealistic women you see on social media. You finally get to see your beauty shine through and a huge mental weight is lifted. It really is an emotional experience.

You need this time for yourself. Come have an amazing day getting all glammed up and feeling beautiful.

“But my body is not where I want it to be right now.” Do you know that the body type portrayed all over social and advertising is naturally only possessed by only 5% of American females? Only 5!

I will repeat myself over and over again but WHY do you have to be a certain size to love yourself? WHY do you have to fit a cookie cutter social standard of beauty to love your own body? Why do you spend time comparing yourself to other women when ALL women are different and even the ones who you perceive as perfect have their own insecurities?

I think it’s amazing to have goals and want to be fit and healthy, but doesn’t that mean you have to hate your body while you’re on that journey? Def NOT! You should love yourself every part of the say and be proud of where you are so that you can be proud of where you end up and how you got there. Have a boudoir shoot to celebrate where you are now, and then have another one in the future to celebrate how far you’ve come.

“I never feel sexy anymore so I can’t imagine doing a boudoir shoot.” WRONG. This excuse is the exact reason you SHOULD do a boudoir shoot. We often lose touch with our feminine energy and our sexual energy because of all the life things-work, kids, health, money, etc. It happens to all of us and it is ok. A great way to reconnect with this side of ourselves is to do a boudoir shoot and reignite that spark within us. I can remind you that it’s still in there and it may even help relight a spark with you and your significant other!

Another thing to remember is that you don’t have to wear lingerie if it’s not your thing. There are many options to wear that aren’t typical lingerie and I can help you choose.

“A boudoir shoot is an investment and I don’t have that money right now.” Yes you are right, it is definitely an investment —in yourself. This investment is one that goes toward your well being and confidence which is priceless. In order to book your shoot there is a session fee but after that you can pay in increments if it helps so you don’t have to pay all at once. 

First Time Boudoir Shoot

She had never done anything like this before. After following me for years and occasionally corresponding via dM, my posts appealed to her and she felt compelled to book a shoot.

Knowing she’d unlock a boudie bonus set by prepaying for a package, she chose the lowest one because what are the odds she’d actually like so many of the photos? (Pretty high actually!)

She knew the wet set was the one bonus she had to have and boy did she choose right because that series of photos was SIZZLING HOT. 

Did she upgrade her package to the Boudie Goddess ? For sure she did-it was impossible to let go of any of these images because seeing herself like this was a high. Was it a big investment in herself? Yes. Did the way it made her feel make it worth it? Also yes. She even shed tears.The power of these shoots is real. 

You deserve to do something solely for benefitting how you FEEL. It’s good for your soul. 

Let Go and Trust

She was a beautiful woman- fitness junkie with an amazing figure, very pretty, cool tattoos- when she told me how awkward she felt in front of the camera and how utterly unsexy she considers herself I didn’t bother reassuring her that she was- instead I just asked her to trust me.

“I can’t believe I am here and I am doing this” she said upon arrival. I laughed and told her she was going to do great. 

It was time to let go and give me her trust. I guided her and posed her and I probably said “holy shit” half a dozen times as I was looking at the back of camera preview. 

She started to feel good and it showed. She got to let out her sexy side once she let go of the idea that she didn’t have one.  Boudoir is cool in this way- it gives you the confidence to change the narrative. 

After the shoot began she was relieved that the experience was actually fun as we chatted away and not awkward or scary like she thought it might be. I made her feel safe and comfortable.

Would she do it again? Absolutely. These photos are gold and a daily reminder that she is IT.

Hi, Its me!

👋🏼 Hellooooo to all who are out there wanting to love themselves a little bit harder!

I’m Rou (like the Kanga 🦘!) your tell it like it is, raw, unapologetic, universe loving, endlessly optimistic boudoir photographer who is here to help you love the skin you’re in and reignite the fire in your soul that will make you confident that everything you desire WILL be yours.

My studio is in Fort Lee, NJ not far from the George Washington bridge. 

I give women the confidence boost they crave to help them reconnect to the best versions of themselves that they’ve disconnected from. As women we go through multiple transitions in life and I’m here to guide you back into YOURSELF.

We should all feel empowered, sexy, valued, beautiful, respected, and seen. And guess what- it all starts within. The power of boudoir is REAL and can really transform us. 

Click the link in my bio to reconnect with yourself, your feminine energy and your sensuality. I’m happy you’re here- now pull the trigger and you won’t regret it!

Pursue Your Happiness

One message that I hope I always get across to people that is a very personal one for me is to always pursue your happiness. Happiness is underrated and is NOT selfish. I have 3 kids who I adore in every way possible but almost 10 years into a marriage I realized I wasn’t happy. I didn’t feel like me. I didn’t like the me I was. I felt I had lost myself trying to be this perfect wife. Not to mention I also got married way too young and didn’t even know myself yet. I was a nice Greek girl living the ultimate fairy tale and being a super domestic goddess (I still am one of course lol).But I wanted more out of life and I couldn’t grow or bloom in the environment I was in… In my community divorce isn’t really a thing. It was an awful process trying to convince everyone who cared about me that this was the right choice for me. I had to go through hell to prove I’m not insane (song lyrics that always resonated). It really was the most awful process and experience mostly because (on top of my own coping and navigating through this insanity and also ensuring my kids were ok through it)I had to deal w everyone else and my family who all seemed to think I was crazy just going through a life crisis. They meant well, but dealing with my family was probably the hardest part for me. Constantly repeating myself over and over and having to essentially sell my idea to them to gain their support. In the end they gave me endless support and still do and I couldn’t have done it without them. There’s much to be said about this whole era of my life but I’ll try not to go off on tangents here. My point is. It was fucking hard, scary, painful, I had a lot to lose a lot at stake. It was a dreadful process. But I will tell you that I have never been happier in my whole life. I have never grown as much as I have since then. I have never felt more like ME, more free, more in control of my life. I am now someone I love. And because of the happiness that I fought for I’m a better mother, a better person, even a better business woman. Everything comes from within. Never settle no matter how hard it may be. Chase your happiness and hold on to it for dear life. You deserve it.❤️

Keep It Simple

“You make everything so easy” is something clients tell me time and time again. I personally get overwhelmed by too much information to process all at once so I really do try to keep everything super simple from the booking process to the day of the shoot as well. 

I have been making it a point to get everyone on the phone for better communication and try and present all the options up front so they have time to process. 

Day of shoot I tell clients they can just show up without their brains and not worry because I will lend them my brain and guide them every step of the way. 

I usually demonstrate poses for them and continue to hear how easy I make it seem or how they’d never think to pose that way- I usually reply with it’s from all the practice I’ve gotten from sexting 😂😆. Trust me I definitely over share and make everyone feel comfortable af around me too. 

If you’re considering a shoot and feeling overwhelmed let’s chat! I will show you just how simple (and enjoyable!) this whole experience can be. 

Self Image

How we think about ourselves affects how we FEEL about ourselves. Our self image flows into every area of our lives. A positive self image can boost our well being physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. That’s the point of boudoir shoots. To help us feel better about ourselves- to learn to love and accept ourselves. That positive self image can impact every last area of our lives. Sure some of these shoots can be extra risqué and very sexy. But it’s really so much more than that. Hope you all can love and accept yourselves just a little more each day.

Psychology of Feeling Beautiful

The thing that many people don’t understand is that women want to FEEL beautiful and sexy. It’s not about vanity. There is a psychological connection between the concept of beauty and self confidence. We feel good inside when we visually see ourselves positively. We are wired to seek out beauty- in nature, in arts, in everything- so of course we seek it in ourselves. It is a part of embracing ourselves. Are we more than what we look like? Well yes of course, so much more. But to be able to see beauty within yourself in any capacity goes a lot deeper than just a pleasant reflection in the mirror. I absolutely love showing people their beauty. I love the way it makes them feel. I hope to get to do so for more and more. 

Your Happiness Matters

I don’t know who needs to hear this but listen up. YOUR happiness is valuable. Both to you and also to the people that rely on you in your life. By pursuing your happiness you may cause a stir. Unfortunately you may cause other people upset. You may even cause other people discomfort due to the fact that they can’t understand you or even because you make them realize their own unhappiness and ways of settling. All of that doesn’t matter. You are not crazy. You are NOT selfish. You are WORTHY. You are deserving. Always take care of yourself, especially on the inside. The world needs the best version of you possible and you need to feel good to BE good

10 Ways to Practice Self Love

10 small ways you can practice self love TODAY! 

1. Be Around people or places that make you feel good

2. Eat a nourishing delicious meal 

3. Wear something that makes you feel good

4. Say no if it’s not what you want to do

5. Put yourself first

6. Exercise

7. Think 3 positive thoughts

8. Take time to yourself 

9. Express yourself creatively-write,paint,use music,etc

10. Stop comparing yourself to other people

Self Love Languages

I’m very big on the love languages and how we each show and receive love. But what about our own self love language? We all talk about the need for self love but how do we feel loved by ourselves and show ourselves love? Here are some ways to practice each of the love languages on YOURSELF

-Physical- taking care of our bodies:movement, pampering, pleasuring

-Acts of service- cleaning/organizing our spaces, setting goals, accomplishing tasks, going to therapy

-Gift giving- buying something for ourselves, going out to dinner, booking a vacation

-Quality time- reading, meditating, having “me time”

-Words of affirmation- journaling, manifesting, acknowledging positive things about yourself