When I used to think about boudoir photography, I always thought of the stigma of having to be beautiful, confident, petite, all of which I have struggled to see in myself. So when Tara posted about hiring Brand Ambassadors, I thought I would never qualify to be included in a group of such beautiful and empowering women.
However, I took a leap of faith and thought to myself “,Why not?” Shortly after I applied, I found out that I had been accepted into the program! I was absolutely over the moon and excited! I could finally learn to love my body and influence other women to love theirs as well. Soon after being accepted as a Brand Ambassador, I found out that I was pregnant. I was ecstatic to learn that I was going to be bringing a baby in the world, but also very nervous.
I was afraid that I would stand out from the other girls and not feel or look as sexy as them. I had it set in my mind that people would judge me and think “pregnancy cannot be sexy, cover yourself up.” When I walked into my first shoot with Tara, all of my negative emotions had subsided. Tara made me feel like I belonged in front of her camera and I quickly lost thought of my protruding bump and how I was different from the other women. That’s what is so great about Tara, she gives you a sense of belonging in your own skin, even after years of low self-esteem. All of my fears, worries, and inner demons had subsided and I knew that I was meant to stand out and to show other women to love their body as much as I love mine, even with a belly that continues to grow.
Gaining the confidence to jump in front of the camera has shown me that pregnancy is beautiful and you don’t have to be petite for boudoir photography. It doesn’t matter if you have stretch marks, body fat, or if your ribs stick out; you are beautiful.
