Hello to the most wonderful Augusta Boudoir friends ever ever!! I say that because my children and I have ended up sick, and we have had so many wonderful well-wishes. Sweet Madness Bakery even made us some of their famous (okay, soon to be famous) peanut butter balls. YUM!! If you haven't had those things, OMG call that bakery and ask them to make some for you. Thank you to my sweet friends for caring.
Feeling physically yucky has given me some down time to examine some of my (many) flaws as a Boudoir photographer.
One of these flaws is that I am probably a little bit too conservative to be in this line of work. I am guilty of talking some clients out of giving me permission to show their images, and I am also guilty of not showing images in an effort to protect clients.
So isn't that a little bit two-faced of me? Nah. I know very well the potential pit-falls that can happen from sharing these types of images, and honestly it is not the same outcome for every woman. So how do you know if sharing is right for you?
Here is a guide....a list of reasons to show or not to show your Boudoir images. After I write this list, hopefully I will no longer find myself shielding clients who do not wish to be shielded. Maybe I will include in the model release a signature line to indicate that you've read this blog post. Haha!!
TOP REASONS TO SHOW OR NOT TO SHOW YOUR BOUDOIR IMAGES ONLINE:
1. YOUR EMPLOYER: Obviously if you had to sign a contract with a moral clause, never letting the pictures see the light of day would apply to you. I have a lot of teachers who seek my services confidentially because of this reason. BUT even if you aren't in a current job with this as a problem, think about what your career goals are. If you aspire to be in a field or position that could be jeapordized by the images, then keep them private. If your employer or career choice is something that embraces revealing or edgy pictures, then by all means, show them off!
2. YOUR SIGNIfICANT OTHER: Even if you are super happy and excited to show off your pictures, HE may not be so excited for everyone else to see so much skin. I like to wait until he sees the pictures before I share them because even though you have the ultimate say-so, the whole point of showing him is to enrich your relationship.....if Both of you disagree about showing the pictures, then the pictures become a sore spot in your relationship, which is opposite of the goal. Let's respect your guy's input so he will be proud of your images and know that his opinion is reflected. I LOVE it when a husband is fine with the pictures enough to let them be seen. But even when husbands are not supportive of it, I do not knock them for it. They have to consider their own position in employment, the community or their future goals as well. It doesn't mean he doesn't love you or isn't proud of you....it means he is trying to protect either you or himself and that's part of a husband's purpose too. Honestly his opinion counts more than anyone else when it comes to showing the pictures. If he is supportive of it, then who cares what anyone else in the whole world thinks? Okay, other than your mom.
3. YOUR MOM: Moms play a huge role in a woman's Level of nervousness or confidence with choosing to do a Boudoir session. If you are super worried about telling mom, then maybe in the end showing them online is not going to be a good fit. On the flip side, some moms are highly supportive and will share in the excitement that comes with doing a session. Your mom may want to do her own session!! If your mom is on board with these pictures, then show Them off for sure! Passing the mom test is really ultimately a big hurdle. I have actually found that moms end up really loving the beautiful pictures of their daughters because they are tasteful and elegant.
4. IT IS PERMANENT: once the pictures are "out there" they cannot be retracted. I can take them off my blog and website, but that doesn't mean they weren't copied by someone, pinned on Pinterest, or archived somewhere out there in the cloud. If you have a change of heart about it, then the pictures could pop up later and come back to haunt you.
5. YOUR REPUTATION: Did I just dare suggest that we should care about what other people think of us? Oh well, it's true.....we humans DO worry about what others think about us to a point. But why?!!! I'll share a HUGE secret with you that I am pretty sure my own husband doesn't know (although I am sure he wouldn't mind me sharing this info regardless). More than a decade ago I went to Key West, Florida during a Fantasy Fest event. Okay so the secret is that I participated in the festivities by having some (alcohol-inspired) body paint artwork done....two frogs strategically placed on my front chest area. I am certain somebody somewhere has pictures of that. And short of a family tragedy, my worst fear in life ever has been that those pictures would end up being seen. I have spent more than one night wide awake worried about the fate of those pictures. Eek!!!
But I am almost 40....after being married for 9 years, having three children and taking on the identity of a boring housewife, some froggy pictures Really might help spice up my reputation some instead of ruining it. I no longer care about trying to show only a squeaky clean image. Being honest and open about our flaws disarms others from using them against us. I am no longer terrified of the frogs. To thine own self be true. I think the only place a reputation ultimately matters is the reputation we have inside our own brain, and If we are trying to do good, to be our best and to treat others with Nothing but love in our heart, then that's all we can do to make others talk fondly of us. I am accountable to myself and to the people in my life who truly love and care for me! Like the people who make me peanut butter balls when I am sick. Love me or hate me for my pictures....in the end, a little bit of skin may be just what the doctor ordered, and if not, then honestly our world has bigger problems to worry about than seeing a little bit of uncovered skiN, frogs or no frogs.
Ribbit, Sharon
For a consultation or to reserve your Augusta Boudoir Experience, visit the website: www.augustaboudoir.com