this right here

...is pretty much my mood today. I had to work, of course, but all I really wanted to do was turn on jazz, curl up in a cozy blanket with a hot cup of coffee and watch the rain roll in from the porch.  Of course, first I'd need a porch.

I don't know what it is, but incoming storms and rain always wake up the dreamer in me. I do some of my best thinking during rainy weather.  For example, today between bouts of rain I began thinking about how I can better make my ladies feel more comfrotable during their sessions. 

Boudoir is a private thing, I get that. It's something way outside of most people's comfort zone and it's hard enough to feel comfortable with yourSELF, let alone someone who's pushing a camera into your personal bubble.

I've been there. I've turned every which way in the mirror, frowning at the rolls and trying to find a "prettier" way to stand. Heck, catch me on any given day trying to pick out what to wear and you'd never guess I preach self-love to anybody.  But that's the magic of these pictures, guys... once I saw the finished photos of myself, I stopped and said, "Wow. I actually look GOOD." I admit, it was weird at first. Setting up the camera and then leaping onto the bed within the 10-second timer, praying that the pose I was striking was somewhat attractive and un-whale-like. It was hard to relax. It was difficult to detatch my body from my brain's screaming doubt.

But let me tell you, once I figured out how to do that, and began to trust the camera, I began to love my own body. Beauty isn't a size. Sexy isn't an angle. It's a perspective. It's a choice.

It's okay to be vulnerable. It's okay to open yourself up... After all, it's how we learn. It's how we grow. 

I promise, I won't judge, girls. Give me a try... We'll both be surprised.