Big Day Small Talk Episode 4: Boudoir and Bubbly

Hello!

In today’s edition of Big Day Small Talk, I had the pleasure of sitting down with boudoir photographer Alisha White in her poolside studio! We chatted all about why every woman can enjoy a boudoir photography session, and how to get the most out of your boudoir experience. We talk what to wear, how to book, why it’s great, and what you can do with the photos afterward. Take a look and get in touch with your sexy side!

~Andrea

Contact Alisha White at Fearlessly Feminine and take advantage of our September promotion where you can receive $100 off a boudoir shoot AND be entered to win a free photo shoot!

Hey!  Welcome to Big Day Small Talk!  I'm just sitting here poolside with Alisha White.  Let's talk boudoir pictures!

Hi Guys!  Welcome!  I feel like you are peeking in on our vacation.  So we are here at Alisha White's new home/studio, which is fantastic.  So, why don't you first just tell us a little bit about what you do?  I am a boudoir photographer.  If you don't know what boudoir is, they are intimate images that a lot of women do for themselves.  I'm a huge promoter of self love.  I love the opportunity to sit and talk with you today because I'm one of your former clients!  You are!  I had my boudoir session...how long ago was it?  Was it 5 years?  For or 5 years ago?  It was an amazing experience.  I'm so glad that I did it.  So let's start with a definition.  What is boudoir photography?  What does that involve?  It can be anything from sexy to sweet.  Anything from completely in the buff to completely clothed.  For Fearlessly Feminine girls it's a lot of in the sheets, it's a lot of lingerie.  Mostly it's about celebrating our clients.  Celebrating women's bodies, and celebrating self love.  When I explored boudoir photography I ran into a lot of corsets and garters.  It just didn't feel like me.  I wanted white sheets and simple and pretty and soft.  And I think that speaks to so much of your work.  It doesn't have to be complicated.  I actually discourage props.  You don't need a ton of stuff.  It's not a magic show!  It's about you.  I usually encourage somewhere around 4-6 outfits.  Nothing crazy.  And I have girls bring as little as 2-3.  We'll get it done.  Or just go naked?  Exactly.  Now talk to me about stripping down.  So, I feel like getting people naked is my superpower as a person.  I feel like when I go on trips with my girlfriends no one even fights me on it anymore.  They're like "so we're doing the booty pic, right?".  I encourage all of my boudoir clients to do some of their pictures naked just because you can always go back and delete them if you don't like them.  But you will not hate them. You will love them.  I always tease that your 85 year old self called and she wants this picture.  She wants to sit in the nursing home and be like "yes girl".  She wants to look back at photos of herself and say "Why was I so critical of myself? I was fabulous!"So talk to me about locations.  I've shot boudoir photography outside, inside.  In an AirBNB, in cities around the country.  A lot of girls come to my studio, but I also have girls who are like "Oh my gosh, I really want this epic bathtub shot".  Anywhere that my client feels sexiest.  This is amazing.  This is such a cool space.  Now tell me, you have not always shot with a pool.  When me and my husband purchased our house, having a pool and having so much natural light was vital to me.  This backyard is the most private back yard I've ever been in.  I think doing a photo shoot poolside, with your summer tan and that summer feeling is such a cool idea.  So I love doing images where it feels like you're at a resort.  And while we're talking vacations, tell me a little bit about your trip.  So so excited.  I am taking clients to Paris and Positano this year.  I have six girls coming and in Positano we are taking a boat around Capri.  We're doing shots on the boat.  Shots in the water.  Shots on the balcony with Positano in the background.  And then we transition to Paris and I have a whole fresh set of babes who are meeting me at a flat in Paris.  And when you really think about it, of course traveling and boudoir photography go hand in hand.  Because when do you feel your lightest, your sexiest, your bubbliest?  Is when you're traveling.  Many of the girls who are coming, it's their second or third session with me.  Our sessions are not once in a lifetime.  Boudoir photography is for everyone and I am a huge advocate that you don't have to be any one type of thing.  You don't have to be in any kind of box.  We will tailor this experience to you.  Boudoir is for everyone.  Don't tell yourself "I've booked a boudoir session, now I've got to go lose ten pounds."  No.  That is not the point.  I don't want anyone starving themselves.  So let's say that a girl has decided "I'm going to do this".  She's worked up that courage, she calls up Fearlessly Feminine and says I'm interested in a boudoir session.  What's next?  So, we send out really detailed emails about setting up your pinterest board.  About sharing that process with you.  I want to be your cheerleader.  I want to be your confidant.  I want to know what you're planning.  What outfit you're going to wear.  I send out a detailed guide about hair, makeup, when to get your hair colored, where to get a wax, where to shop, what stores I recommend.  The whole shebang.  Also you don't have to pose yourself.  I'm not going to just set you in front of the camera and say "do your thing".  I'm going to show you where your feet go, where your hands go, where to move your chin.  Girl, don't fret.  I have you.  I love how you know exactly how to work every woman's angles.  You know you're going to get those shots that flatter her the best.  All they have to do is trust you and put themselves in your hands.  What is it about planning a wedding, about getting married...because I'm sure you shoot so many brides.  I shoot so many brides.  The year of your wedding is a celebration.  It's that iconic year that you marry the love of your life.  Although there is a lot of stress involved in wedding planning.  There's a lot going on.  So I feel like this is an escape from that stress.  Also I feel like you don't need an excuse to do a boudoir session, but I feel like giving a present to your man is a great excuse.  But it's not just a gift for him.  It is a gift for you.  It's a gift for the whole family.  I have girls that put them in their master bathroom.  I had a naked picture of myself in my kitchen for years.  What do you recommend for someone planning their session, their first thought is "What do I wear?"  I feel like you should wear what you feel amazing in.  I feel like bodysuits are always a yes.  I think a really great tip you gave me when I was planning my session was not to do anything super blousy or babydoll-y.  So, it's terrible.  They don't move with you, and you end up looking like a shape that you're not.  I'm here for the bra and panty sets.  I'm here for the robes.  I'm here for the bodysuits.  Just let those babydolls go.  Talk to me about bubbly.  Alcohol.  Do you recommend?  I always provide wine.  I would not recommend hard liquor.  We're not doing shots.  We don't want sloppy.  We want relaxed.  There are girls who you don't have to convince to do a boudoir shoot.  Talk to me about those girls who, this is way out of their comfort zone.  So for so many of my clients this is something where they're like "I would never do this.  My significant other would never think I would do this".  And it's just, they have to be convinced a little bit.  Those clients have to be so fun for you.  It's so fun, because when they really get going I'm like...I've never had someone regret doing a boidoir session.  But I have had women feel more empowered.  More seen.  And more confident because of it.  It's like they climbed that mountain, you know?  It's just such a happy experience when they get to see themselves the way everybody in their life sees them.  Just giving yourself the gift of looking at a photo of yourself through that lense.  It's so empowering.  I actually had one client in particular, she actually did the session as a first anniversary gift to her husband.  And she ultimately decided it wasn't really for him; it was for her.  She didn't do it when she was skinny enough.  She didn't do it when she was perfect.  She did it outside.  She did it in the snow.  She did it in the salt flats.  It was amazing.  It was the coolest picture.  Everything is a reflection.  So just reach out to you and you guys will literally walk them through it.  We will do the work for you.  We will hustle for you.  We're doing a really fun promotion which I love, I'm so excited because we have so many brides who love doing this kind of thing.  So we're really doing a fun promotion.  Tell us a little bit about it.  So every bride who buys their dress in the month of September will receive $100 a fearlessly feminine session.  Everyone who buys a dress will also automatically be entered to win a free boudoir session.  One lucky lady's getting the session, the viewing, the whole day all about her, and I can't wait.  It's also ultra important, if you have a date in mind, we're booking up quickly.  I definitely recommend you solidify your date, and then if you win I'll refund.  It's such a fun thing and a fun gift to our brides and I so love that you're doing that.