Life After the Boudoir Photoshoot: What Changed?
When I talk to people about Divine Divas, I probably throw them off by saying our end goal isn’t photography. Because, well, isn’t that what we do?
There’s no short answer to this one, and the trickiest truth of them all is that you need to experience Boudoir to truly ‘get’ it. But, I will do what I can to explain.
Don’t get me wrong, we put our heart and soul into the artwork. Our founder’s background is Fine Art, and in fact they’re currently doing a Masters in Fine Art as I sit typing this… It’s just that people don’t come to us to have a ‘few nice photos’. People come to us so that in five years time they can turn round to their best mate and say ‘that is one of the best things I have ever done for myself.’
We don’t want you to have one nice day where you get some spicy photos; we want you to have an experience that will forever awaken and connect you with a soul-deep confidence; the type of self-belief that doesn’t care what the scales say, and opens up opportunities for you - and we put a lot of energy into making that happen.
Before you come in, we spend time on the phone with you getting to know you, and what you want to feel. We set you confidence challenges, we do exercises, we speak to loved one’s so you can see yourself through different eyes… and then the photoshoot itself, and the artwork itself, acts as the key and the anchor to keeping that feeling of confidence alive. The calls and the experience light the spark, and then looking at your artwork everyday adds fuel to the fire.
Because it’s not about how you look. It’s not just ‘feeling good’. After all, confidence isn’t an end goal - it’s a vehicle that gets you where you need to go. When you believe in yourself, you go for the jobs you want, you look after yourself, you say yes to adventures. So THAT is what Divas Boudoir is all about. Helping you believe in yourself, helping you understand that you are worth your own time and money, so that you can live the life you deserve.
SO, with that in mind, we asked some of our Divas - what happened after your Boudoir Photoshoot? Did Boudoir actually change your life? Here’s what they said…
Lin
“Every morning I wake up and see my photos and, subconsciously, I have reinforced on myself that my body isn't that bad so, when circumstances arose where I was offered a chance to try a new sport and, following a bit of madness and over-enthusiasm, I ended up in the National Masters Artistic Swimming competition with there being two parts of the routine where my body was very much on show. I would never have done anything like this before my photoshoot!”
Anne
“About a month or so after my photoshoot, I got married to my amazing husband which was a big change. My confidence has grown every day since the photoshoot to the point where I've started my own business (an engineering consultancy business focused on helping engineering design companies make safer systems like cars, trains, aircraft etc) and I'm about to present my first ever academic paper next week.
But something that changed completely was my attitude towards my body. Sure, I still have many wobbly and squishy bits, but I was able to see myself the way my husband sees me for the first time and it changed my perspective completely. My self-belief has grown immensely and I'm forever grateful for that experience.”
Claudia
“I've stopped shrinking myself and whenever I need a pick me up, I look at my art. My confidence has grown which led to me finding some absolutely incredible friends. It also helped remind me ti give myself more grace; I'm chronically ill and young, so its hard sometimes to not feel like I'm failing or falling simply because my body doesn't allow me to. Yes there are still bad days, but how I look at my body is far better and honestly mentally healthier for it.
I met my new friends at the local coffee shop (also run by one of them) and all were regulars, my late dog was a wonderful ice breaker. So I got to find my delightfully odd people!
Donna
“I definitely gained confidence after my photoshoot. My husband tells me I am definitely more confident in my looks!”
Paula
“My photoshoot helped me rediscover myself. It helped me love and accept my body as it is now and stop feeling like I constantly need to be on a diet to become skinny (which is never going to happen realistically). It also helped me gain my confidence and gave me the strength I needed to leave my partner of 15 years. I had completely lost myself in my relationship and now I’m back feeling beautiful and sexy!”
Stephanie
“After my photoshoot, I don’t hate having photos taken as much as I did. My Divas artwork reminds me of what I had been through just before my first son, and how grateful I am to be alive. I still have too many days where I hate myself and how I look but the photos help me to get through that. They are a great reminder of where you were and where you are going.”
Rachael
“My photoshoot gave me a sense of "me". I went way beyond my comfort zone and found that I was/am bold, fierce and determined. My photos remind me of who I am, even on a bad day I know that person is still inside me. My session with DD was the best thing I've ever done!”