Shooting Boudoir is addicting and a total party! I did a 15-minute boudoir demo shoot with my gorgeous friend Ximena at The Workshop this past weekend. Ximena is a regular gal, had never done anything like this before, and was totally nervous… which made her the perfect model! And for most of my 18 workshop attendees, it was their first time shooting boudoir…. ah, I love a good challenge! They each got time in my studio, shooting one of two models, and by the end of the workshop, I believe 18 little boudoir addicts were born!
I started the demo by sharing my philosophy on what’s beautiful and sexy to me: a woman enjoying herself, having fun, being free and open… and expressing all the wonderfully different facets of being feminine. It’s not about what you look like, it’s not about what you’re wearing or not wearing… it’s about letting that feminine energy out! Wooooohooooo….
I talked about creating movement and giving direction (above pic)…
…that laughter is sexy…
…extreeeeeme poses (and a little help from the liquify tool)….
…capturing the beautiful “in-between” moments…
…the importance of sexy little details…
…and your artistic choices in post…
…and making sure to be energetic, keep the laughter going, and the camera clicking!…
I’ll talk more in the coming weeks about shooting Boudoir and being sexy and feminine. In celebration of Valentine’s Day coming up, I’m giving you my Top 5 Things to do on a Boudoir Shoot, as well as my Favorite Things to Bring to a Boudoir Shoot.
On Monday, I’ll be opening registration for The Boudoir Workshop in LA on April 3rd and 4th, and The Boudoir Workshop in Paris! in June, details on that coming soon…
Have a sexy weekend :)
xoxo,
Christa
Christa –
These photographs are mo-NEY! Well done! Ximena was already beautiful, but you made her shine even more. And Ximena – good on ya for doing this for us! You’re sweet, fun-loving and just down for whatever, and it showed. Many and continued thanks!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this! It was so much fun from beginning to end, and I love seeing the end result after watching you demo the shoot- FANTASTIQUE!
and if you need a translator a Paris- je suis prete a venir avec toi!
Sexy Hawt! Love these! Thanks for sharing and can’t wait for the workshop. Et moi aussi je veux venir a Paris! Mais LA, c’est assez bien….
Fabulous Christa! Can’t wait for those tips! I have my first B/Session in March!
THANK YOU CHRISTA MEOLA! Holy cow!!! I can’t believe it’s me!!!!!!! Who is that girl??? I have to say this to all the women out there who are looking at this blog, at these pictures – This experience has been WONDERFUL for me on so many different levels. It has liberated me from my own confines of insecurities of my body, particularly my big breasts. Aside from their weight, they have always been a huge insecurity for me. I have always known there was more to me , but my boobs seemed to come first (literally). When you are walking down the street, it is not your smile or your bright eyes that call attention. The boobs became me. If you have large breasts, I know you can relate. I NEVER felt sexy. I always wanted to hide them, make then less noticeable. You have to understand… I have a small frame with size 30 G breasts! It’s A LOT of weight! It’s not very fun and hard to shop for (I have found that clothes are typically made for smaller breasted women). Needless to say, they were more of a burden than something about me I felt proud of.
This experience has shattered all of those feelings. I walk a little taller now with a HUGE smile on my face. This is my body – pale, not toned, much heavier on top than bottom, NOT PERFECT – but it is my own and I love it just the way it is. After this experience I have to say, those boobs are great! Good thing I did this before the ladies start go’in south!
When Christa mentioned this opportunity I knew I had to do it. When the day came I was TERRIFIED, nervous, second guessing myself and on top of it all ON MY PERIOD!!!! I know too much information, but I need to get it out there for someone who is going through these same feelings and emotions. I HAD to face my fear and my insecurities and be free from them. Christa presented me a wonderful opportunity.
Yes, you can do the Boudoir for your lover, it will make a great Valentine’s Day gift FOR SURE, but I encourage EVERY WOMAN OUT THERE READING THIS… DO IT FOR YOURSELF!!!! It will liberate you and make you feel like the most beautiful, sexiest woman in the whole world! I feel SO GOOD!!!! Really good… the kind that comes from inside… and I am proud of myself too. It takes courage to face yourself with all your imperfections.
Maybe sometimes it is just necessary to take off your clothes!!!!
Thank you Christa for this experience… you have helped me overcome a tremendous obstacle…
And for all of you women out there… call and book your appointment with Christa!!!! It will be the best thing you do for yourself.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
That workshop sounded like fun and I guess it was for all the people who went. I so much like reading how you do, what you do from the mental/emotional level, “Making it fun for yourself and twice as fun for the model”. As I shoot more people, I’m realizing that the better they feel about the entire process, the planning conversations about the shoot before hand, then during the shot and then afterwards, makes the whole experience an “event” thats something to be remember. Thanks for sharing and teachingat the same time.
wow… you really know what it means to be feminine and sexy because you are feminine and sexy in your everyday life… and you know how to pass it on to your models. That is an incredible skill. You are able to make people feel good about them self and enhance their experience of their body.
You are the only effective life coach behind a camera that I know :-) You intensify the experience of life in such a great way and you pull out the very best in people not only on your pix but in real life as well.
Girls if you have your boudoir pictures taken by Christa you’re not just getting pictures – you get a new experience of yourself and life.
She knows how to live with passion and she gives you a taste of it that will change your life!
These are fabulous. Ximena I loved reading your comment. It is so true, the experience is unforgettable and fantastic. You feel like you are walking 2 feet off the ground after a boudoir session with christa.
It was so nice meeting you at Christa’s workshop.
Wonderful set, and the comment by Ximena just adds that little spark to the whole post. Thank you for sharing this little gem :)
Christa NOBODY does boudoir like you! Your love of the human body, and for being a woman shines through in every single detail of your photos. It is TRULY amazing! These are phenomenal, and your model is of course just stunning! Simply, amazing work, you are so inspiring! :)
Ximena…i am SUPER proud of you!!! :D
i’m so happy you bared your bodacious bod! especially those boobies :P it took a lot of balls, and you did it!
i want you to start strutting your stuff now and show those puppies off! your momma gave them to you and they couldn’t be any more perfect :O)
Christa,
These are so stunning! I love them. You always amaze and dazzle me! xoxo
Es ist immer wieder faszinierend, wie wundervoll du, Christa, es verstehst, die Schönheit des menschlichen Körpers in allen seinen Nuancen abzubilden.
Du bist nicht nur eine begnadete Künstlerin, sondern auch eine gute Psychologin, wie der Beitrag deines Modells Ximena beweist.
SUPER SEXY!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!
[...] month ago, I was killing time on Facebook when my friend Ximena posted a link on her profile of her boudoir photoshoot. When I looked at that, my first reaction was, “Oh shit! Who the hell is that?!?” [...]