As a Denver intimate portrait photographer I get to witness women literally blossom in front of my eyes. Some of my most nervous clients, the ones that tell me they almost canceled the night before, are the most transformed. Lady M blew my mind…
99.99% of my intimate portrait clients are nervous about their session. Some a lot more than others, or at least those are the ones that voice it to me more. I expect you to be nervous & I even tell you to lean into that. And after working with women since 2015, I pick up on your energy whether or not you tell me about it 😉 There have been a good handful of women who let me know ahead of shooting that they were honestly terrified, told me they where this close to texting the night before the shoot to say they couldn’t do it. ALL of those women walked out of my studio liberated with their head high AF.
I wish I could explain to you the feeling that overwhelms me, in the best way possible, as I watch them realize all the BS that weighed them down. Lady M was one of them; we spoke a few times before her session & she was open about her anxieties around having an intimate portrait session. To be honest, I was getting nervous that I was not going to be able to give her what she deserved. She came into her session giving it 100% & being so open & trusting, totally present in her moment. She blew me away & melted my heart. I think she blew her own damn socks off. She ended up leaving the studio for lunch wearing just the bodysuit from her first look & jeans, something she told me she would have never done before. The excitement + pride radiated off of her. She was fucking beaming.
The following testimonial she emailed me a few days after her session, it brought me to tears. Lady M, you are on fire!
“Since I can remember, I’ve struggled with body issues. I can’t remember a time I felt comfortable in my own skin. I had cellulite in places I didn’t see on my friends and I remember a boy I liked pointing at it and saying “Why does your stomach look like that? You shouldn’t wear that.” I was 15 and 90 lbs, but it didn’t matter.
Fast forward 22 years and I still struggle with accepting my body. I don’t avoid certain activities nearly as much as I did in my 20s, but I still avoid wearing bathing suits, tank tops, shorts, etc. For whatever reason, I continue to see my cellulite as a flaw, as something I need to fix in order to be attractive. And if I can’t fix it, then I should hide it.
Half a day with Mackenzie at Blue Flame Studio and all of that has changed. Leading up to the session, I thought about cancelling a few times. Thank God I didn’t! I found 3 outfits that felt authentic to me (check out Zara’s lingerie line) made myself a “body love” playlist, and showed up ready to “feel the fear and do it anyway.”
To my surprise, it wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. Mackenzie’s studio had such great vibes and she and her makeup artist made me feel so welcomed, nothing but body positivity, genuine compliments, and great energy from the onset.
Once hair and makeup were done (under an hour) it was time to change and start shooting. Prior to my shoot, I NEVER changed in front of friends or family, let alone strangers. Mackenzie was such a professional, I decided to just go with it. Go big or go home, right?
So far, I was off to a good start. Now for the posing. Prior to this experience, I never thought of myself as sexy. Maybe pretty or cute. But NOT sexy. So I came into it feeling nervous about the poses. I didn’t want to feel or look inauthentic. I wanted the photos to reflect ME.
Mackenzie did just that and so much more! She is so unbelievably talented at what she does! Let’s just say, she told me what to do and I listened. From the positioning of my hair tendrils to the flexing of my feet, she paid attention to every detail and was skilled at showing and instructing, making the process feel more like “creating art” rather than taking semi-nude photos.
The results blew my mind. I had no idea I was capable of being photographed in that way. Of looking so much like myself, yet so different. I was beautiful, really beautiful. And my cellulite was beautiful too! Mackenzie created a collection of photos that exceeded my every expectation. More importantly, she opened my eyes to a new reality, a new perspective about myself. I left there feeling stunned, elated, and grateful. Even a little silly for being so hard on myself for so long. I wish I had done this sooner and I can’t wait to do it again. It was worth every penny and more.
To all the women out there that struggle with body issues, this experience may change everything, set fire to the bullshit we tell ourselves, and pave the way for actual self-love. What a concept, right? Take a chance, step outside your comfort zone, and go for it. I’m sure you’ll get as much out of it as I did. And thank you Mackenzie for sharing your gift with us. The world is better for it.”
You gotta make the first move & honestly that’s the hardest part. For more info on an Intimate Portrait experience, click here.
