Shooting with Brooke was a blast! I’ve done many photo shoots in the past, including some boudoir, and I view this kind of shoot as a chance to step into my sexiness and channel my inner goddess. As a new mom, boudoir has helped me see and embrace my post-baby body. My experience modeling doesn’t mean that I always love the way I look or every photo of myself, but I trusted that Brooke would know how to work with what I was bringing to the table to create images I would feel good about.

I had met Brooke previously through our work as writers, so I knew she would be fun, respectful, and bring an artistic spirit to the shoot—and I was right!

When I arrived, she showed me around the space, offered me snacks and beverages, and let me get comfortable in the changing area. It was bigger than I expected (I could see it being extra fun to get ready in there with a couple of friends or a bridal party!) I felt like a starlet hanging up my vintage robes and lingerie and putting on my lipstick in the big vanity mirror.

The session felt relaxed and playful; I felt encouraged by Brooke’s mixture of excitement, direction, and exploration. I prefer collaboration when it comes to taking photos, so I appreciated being able to try out directed poses and to also try out my own ideas. It was fun and helpful to see some of the photos as she was shooting and confidence-boosting to have her exclaim about how gorgeous they were! The shoot flew by and by the end, we had almost 100 photos to narrow down. I could easily have played for another two hours with Brooke.

The best portrait photographers are able to capture emotion and personality. In the final photos, I could see different aspects of my sensuality—coquettishness, bad bitch energy, interiority, generosity, joy. This boudoir shoot wasn’t simply about capturing shots of my body in its best light but about showing my true self