I wanted to be brave and beautiful.
What's your story?
I don’t really know what to say. The ordinary “Hi I’m Kate” seems pretty boring, but I don’t have much to tell about myself. :) I am 35, I am married and mother to a beautiful, kindhearted 5-year-old girl and a very energetic little 1-year-old boy named Hendrix. I admire Marina for standing up for what she believes in and for using her art to change the image of women that social media has projected on society for years. I am glad she gave me a tool to do my part!
Why did you want to do a boudoir shoot? Honestly, I had no idea “why?” when I applied. I was drawn to Marina’s ad, looking at all these beautiful, brave women in her photos and I think I just wanted to be one of them. I wanted to be brave and beautiful. Without much thought, I answered all the questions and sent through my details. However, only after speaking to Marina about her work and the message behind it all and after meeting my lovely fellow Brand Ambassador sisters I knew exactly why I needed to do this.
I have the opportunity to be part of something important, something that matters not only to me but pretty much every woman out there. And my contribution might change something for future generations. This is a very empowering motivator.
What was the location of your shoot and why did you choose it? Marina took my pictures at Mt. Glorious at a semi-popular hiking track. Since I decided to be one of Marina’s Brand Ambassadors, I knew I will have my photos taken in nature and the rainforest is very special to me. After telling Marina, she knew where to go right away.
How did you feel preparing for the session? Nervous. Looking at my mood board I had so many ideas of how I wanted to look in the photos and I desperately tried to find something “appropriate” to wear (For a boudoir shoot, duh).
I ended up wearing nothing most of the time.
What was it like to be naked/ half-naked in front of the camera? I am not shy, so it’s not that big of a deal for me to be (half-)naked in public. But when someone is taking photos of you, that’s obviously somewhat different. Weirdly enough, shooting with Marina made me so incredibly happy and the whole time it felt like it was about me and not about the photos. It mattered how I felt and what I want. Marina had the incredible ability to make me feel comfortable in the most awkward situations.
How did you feel after the session? I was soooo happy!!! I felt incredibly sexy and was unbelievably proud of myself.
What have you thought when you saw your images for the first time? I was worried I will only look for the little things that are not perfect, rather than looking at the whole picture so I went in with mixed emotions. Marina told me to try to look at the photos as a whole and try to remember how it felt. I couldn’t find one thing that bothered me in any of the photos. All I felt was pure happiness and I couldn’t wait for everybody to see them.
Would you do it again? YES! Period.
Would you recommend a boudoir shoot to other women/men and why? Yes, I do!!! I couldn’t think of a better way to embrace your true you. It is a once in a lifetime experience.
Do you have any tips for women/men who are planning to do a boudoir shoot? Relax. Don’t overthink it and especially don’t try to be someone you are not. Be in the moment and enjoy it.
by Kate - Brand Ambassador
