Kait recently booked her boudoir session at my studio. I loved working with her, and she was a joy to photograph. Through our talks during her session, we really connected. And Iove how she is putting a focus on herself and learning to get a little bit of herself back. What Kait had to say about her session hold so much more truth than I could ever convey.
So, the rest of this blog post will be written by Kait herself.
Words from Kait:
“I booked the session! Beginning to see the light at the end of the young kid tunnel (I have two kids ages 3 and 6) inspired me to reinvest in myself. Losing bodily autonomy to pregnancy, nursing, and caring for young kids 24/7 put me in a state of almost dissociating from my own body and myself. Constantly overstimulated and overwhelmed, physical self-care and sex weren’t even on my back burner, they were just non-existent. I worried something was inherently wrong with me or that I was broken.
Motherhood is an incredible and surreal transformation – it also came with a force I couldn’t have possibly anticipated, even with all the advice from other moms. My kids still take up most of my physical and mental space, but now there’s also room for me. Losing bodily autonomy gave me somewhat of a “fuck it” mindset when it comes to the privacy of my body, in a freeing way to me. A big reward of the struggles on motherhood is gaining a confidence in myself I didn’t know was possible, even before kids. Confidence not necessarily in the beauty or structure of my body, but an assuredness that I accept myself in my skin.
Reclaiming her body!
My body has been with me since birth and will continue to be with me the rest of my life. Let’s celebrate her! Experiencing sexual assault in my childhood left me feeling incredibly protective of my body. I used my body and mind to protect myself in a way I was not protected then. At this stage in my life (and with boatloads of therapy) I feel safe and secure.
I wanted to challenge and empower myself to reclaim my body as open, sensual, and mine. In part because of the SA but also just who I am, I’ve always felt awkward and almost can’t say the word “sexy” with a straight face. Just sort of rationalizing that sexy stuff is for others and not meant for me. Fuck that, I want it too! Lastly, I want my 85-year-old self to look back on these photos and say daaaaaamn! Maybe my granddaughters too :)
Why I booked my session:
Once I decided I wanted to explore a boudoir shoot, I looked online for photographers in my area. The first photographer I came across listed one package as the “Get Your Man Back” or something along those lines. I knew that wouldn’t be a good fit. As much as I know my husband will love my photos, they aren’t for him. They are for me.
I found Sarah and immediately connected with her bio online. Another mother who prioritizes women to feel safe, beautiful, and celebrated. Aside from finding her, Sarah was incredibly communicative and provided answers to every question before I could even think to ask!
The session…
When I arrived at the session, she greeted me and I immediately knew she was safe. Alongside her makeup/hair artist, we seamlessly chatted about kids, womanhood, and the shoot. When the photoshoot portion began, Sarah intentionally made the space safe by communicating what we would be doing, demonstrating poses, and giving incredibly specific directions. I was not left to decide how to be sexy and sensual. She choreographed it all!
I had so much fun, so much more fun than I expected! Embracing some of my awkwardness in a safe setting and Sarah giving constant reassurance that the poses that felt uncomfortable (mentally, not bodily) would turn out beautifully. I felt powerful during the shoot, which was very unexpected. She helped me choose which of my outfits to pair with each area of her studio.”
What a great session with Kait! Want to see another past session? Check out Brynn’s session!
