About Hammond Boudoir
More than you'll Ever Want to Know About Us and Boudoir
Welcome, Darling!
Thinking about treating yourself to a boudoir photo session? An intimate gift for your partner maybe? You’ve come to the right place to find all the do’s, don’ts, tips and tricks to make your experience exceptional.
Already preparing for your third session? Fabulous! We are always exploring new ideas to make each photo shoot extra special and catered to your preferred style or occasion.
Don’t know where to start? Even better! From boudoir basics to training programs, we will provide everything you’ll ever need to ensure your confidence and satisfaction before, during, and after your shoot. Trust us. You’re in good hands.
Here at Hammond Boudoir we value your time. We’ve already done the tedious research so you don’t have to. We value your happiness. Our mission is to assist in every way for you to find exactly what you need. But most of all, we value you. You are a unique, exquisite person and we want to celebrate everything you are.
What is Boudoir Photography?
“Boudoir” is a French word referring to a woman’s sitting room or her private bedroom. The room was where she could entertain guests, lovers, or withdraw from the world to spend some quality time with herself. In the last century, the word has expanded into new contexts and art forms, but the essence of the word remains the same. Boudoir photography allows you to be yourself in a space that embraces your personality and invests in your self-worth.
Boudoir photography has not only been adopted but celebrated in many modern niches – pinup fashion, wedding, anniversary, maternity, cosplay, Valentine’s – for all shapes, sizes, and genders. Each person’s style is their own and boudoir photography sessions are spaces where you can immerse yourself into a world where you feel connected and expressive with that part of you no one else gets to see. It is a space that encourages you to be the truest version of yourself, for yourself. In the studio, you can free yourself from any social expectations or prejudices.
What isn't Boudoir Photography?
One of the biggest misunderstandings that surround boudoir photography stems from the assumption that it holds pornographic tendencies. Boudoir photography is not glorified porn. It is not simply taking suggestive photos in lacy lingerie. And it certainly is not about exhibiting modern misconceptions of beauty through slender models in makeup. It is an immersive experience of celebrating your body, your natural beauty, and your more intimate self through another’s eyes. It is an artistic medium that embraces your every curve, captures your flirty, sexy, softer side, and empowers confidence in your more vulnerable moments.
Boudoir's Past, Present, and Future
The beauty and form of the human body has been the subject and muse of photographic and sculptural art for centuries. Boudoir photography has a longstanding history in the states, owing much of its popularity to the fashionable pin-up girls in the 1930’s and 40’s through WWII. Pin-up propaganda was used to enlist soldiers, gave them something to fight for, and motivation to return home.
In the 60’s and 70’s, the movement to normalize female sexuality empowered women in bolder new ways than ever before. This boost is credited to many women during this time including Eartha Kitt, Bettie Page, Anna Mae Clift, and Zoe Mozert, but many often think of Marilyn Monroe as the symbolic face of sexual liberation. In the spotlight, she was objectified and idealized for her body image, but it was her genuine playfulness and charismatic personality the world fell in love with. As true role models of this era and since thereafter, these women gracefully embraced their femininity and courageously allowed the world to share it with them.
Fast forward to 2020: the age of digital technology has broadened opportunities for the art of photography in unthinkable ways. Digital photos can be edited and enhanced using intuitive software that can add the professional final touch to any image. Photo editing, storing, and printing processes have allowed photographers and clients to get every detail exactly how they want it to be, down to each pixel.
Her Personal Journey
Speaking from experience.
If you are reading this than you might have gotten lost on the internet, OR more likely you are entertaining the idea of a boudoir photo session yourself. And I couldn’t be more excited for you! I was where you are a few months back, and now it is my privilege to pass along everything I’ve learned on my journey.
If you asked me 10 years ago if I ever considered a boudoir photo session, I probably would have responded with something like “Uhhh, no. Nope. No way, not for me”. But let me tell you, as a curvy woman with once low self-esteem, it took something truly spectacular to push me out of my comfort zone. And let me just say, I wish I had discovered this sooner.
If you think I’m here to tell you that boudoir photography was answer to breaking free from my inner judgmental self, I won’t. But I can’t pretend it didn’t help me – more than I ever imagined. A journey inwards takes time, work, and an open mind. Relieving the burden of your critical self-conscious doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s a pipe dream to fictitiously sell that to you. That is not why I’m here. I want to share with you a part of my journey that made a shockingly significant and meaningful impact on my life and how I think about, look at, and appreciate my body. I passionately want that for you too. You deserve it.
My partner and I just celebrated 7 years together. As many are familiar, a relationship takes new shapes and forms over time – from the flirtatious self-conscious honeymoon phase to letting ourselves get very comfortable with each other and our bodies. With growth and maturity, we aren’t quite who we were when we first started dating. But we are both always looking for new ways to keep each other smiling, keep us feeling youthful and sexy. Finally, with a ring on my finger and step towards our forever future, I wanted to celebrate that spark we had at the vert beginning. I wanted to give him something intimate and special, something we can cherish for years to come.
I can’t tell you how many hours I spent shopping for the perfect gift to celebrate our love. You know how it goes, those late nights with a glass of wine browsing the internet, scratching an itch to buy something yummy. Even though a few suspicious looking Amazon packages showed up at my door the next day, not a single one did I intend to give for this special occasion. Unless this fabulous llama lamp (yes, llama lamp) qualifies, I had to keep searching.
Now, you might not ever guess where I finally found THE BEST IDEA. I joined a local Facebook group full of recommendations to the best businesses and restaurants in my area. Someone along the way posted an ISO asking for feedback on experience with boudoir photography and who in the area offered these services. And since I AM that nosey neighbor, I read the comment thread – the whole 200+ comment thread.
Ladies of all sizes and walks of life RAVED about their experience. Not simply a “Yeah, it was ok. I’d recommend it”. No. They were more like “This changed my life!” and “I’m booking my third session for Valentine’s Day!” Credible and experienced photographers all over the area came highly reviewed with glowing testimonials.
Bingo! This sounds intriguing but where do I start? Is it expensive? I should probably lose some weight first. What would I wear? Would I have to be nude? Can I just take my own boudoir selfies? A flood of questions and feelings of intimidation washed over me before I finally just took the leap and called someone on the list – the same list recommended by my insightful neighbors, and the same I will share with you here [link].
After my experience in my boudoir photo session, I felt I just had to tell someone – which makes this your lucky day! This was by far the best gift I could have ever given not just to my partner, but to myself. I’ve learned a lot on this journey, but most importantly I’ve come to learn how to love and appreciate my body – something I’ve never allowed myself before. And let me tell you, there is nothing sexier than feeling the true value of your own self-worth.
Here, let me show you what worked for me…