Calming Your Nerves Before a Boudoir Session:

You have a Boudoir photography session coming up? I’m so excited for you! It will be the most invigorating and empowering experience you’ll ever have!  But with that, comes anxiety and fear of the unknown of what will happen during your  Boudoir Session.  It’s completely normal, and to be honest I’d be taken back if you weren’t nervous if this was your first time.  Calming your nerves before a Boudoir session can be easier said than done, but I’m here to make it as smooth and comfortable as possible for you. For most, the reason the Boudoir session was booked was because they are on a self love journey to love their bodies more.  Women already have doubts about their own bodies and we are our own worst critics when it comes to how we look so even thinking about stripping down to basically nothing in front of a complete stranger is terrifying.   But you should be proud of yourself.  You made the first move and that was to call your Boudoir photographer and start the process in your body acceptance journey.  I really think that’s the hardest part by actually making the move to schedule the appointment.  You have found someone you trust and that’s extremely important when Finding the right Boudoir photographer.   The bond between you and your photographer will be strong and you can assure that your images will be handled professionally and will remain confidential.  So how do you calm your nerves before your Boudoir session?

So you have already spoken with your photographer regarding all of the information and what to expect on the day of your session.  I feel like phone calls are extremely important beforehand. This way there is no miscommunication and everything is fully transparent on how the day will go.  You might even end the phone call even more excited than when you originally messaged them inquiring about a session.  So you’re booked for your Boudoir session in 5 weeks. Great!! But what’s next? What do you need to do to on your end to prepare for a Boudoir Session?  Calming your nerves before a Boudoir session doesn’t happen the day of. There are multiple steps you can take to help prepare yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally with the weeks leading up to the scheduled date.

Calming your nerves before a Boudoir Session Tip #1:

Stretching

Stretching is a huge part of Boudoir preparation and the right amount of stretching can take your photos from drab to fab just by a few stretches 10 minutes a day.  I can’t even count the number of times you’ll be arching your back so it’s vital to really stretch your back every day.  Yoga poses work great and there are amazing tutorials on YouTube to help you at home.  I do take into consideration if someone has had previous back surgeries, scoliosis, or other ailments. I understand there are limitations with all poses so that’s why I love talking to clients beforehand to get that information so injury won’t occur.  I’m not going to lie, even if you do stretch, your body might be a sore after your session but nothing like it would if you didn’t stretch within the weeks leading up to it.  Stretching is also a great stress reliever. Relaxing your muscles and loosening those ligaments helps with not only your body but will also help with calming your nerves before a Boudoir session.

Calming your nerves before a Boudoir Session Tip #2:

Self-Talk

Yep, that’s exactly what it means. You have to talk to yourself. Ok, maybe not out loud but at least inside of your head. Mindset is HUGE when it comes to Boudoir photography sessions so if you come into your session thinking that you are ugly and unworthy and hate your body, well then it will reflect that back in your images. My posing advice and tips on how to relax your face and body won’t help in instances like this. You need to start your body acceptance journey at home, then I can help speed up the process.  This is the part that everyone hates. You need to look at your body in the mirror every day in the weeks leading up to your session.  And I can understand why you’d hate it.  No one wants to stare at their naked body in the mirror, that’s just torture!  I will prove to you that there’s a method to my madness.  Take baby steps.  These steps are not only vital in calming your nerves before a Boudoir session, but to help make it the best experience possible.  You can hate me for making you do this, but you’ll be thanking me later 😉

1. Write out a list of things that you love about yourself with your body.  For most, this would be breasts, butt, eyes, hair, etc.  Don’t forget the little details. Maybe you love your naturally long eyelashes, or maybe you love the curves to your hips. Really think hard about it.  (If you have a partner, ask them what their favorite parts about you are. You don’t need to tell them what you’re doing but it may help in the process).
2. Write out a list of things that you aren’t fond of with your body.  For most women, it’s our stomachs, arms, thighs, etc.  It’s ok, to not like them.
3. Now look at yourself in the mirror in your bra and underwear.  It’s ok if you don’t like what you see but set a timer on your phone for 2 minutes. It’ll feel like the longest two minutes of your life but do it.  Stare at your body, do a full 360.  Take it all in.  You might feel like this is doing more damage than good but again, trust me in this process.
4. For the next few days, do it again and again each day. Staring for 2 minutes each time. Maybe try out different bra types such as lacey ones, or push up bras. Change out the style of undies as well. Try some cheeky peeks, lacy undies, or a thong. And don’t say you don’t have anything cute to wear or a thong because you know we’ve already discussed that you need to bring those to your session with me.
5. After about 5 days of doing this, do you feel like your mind has started to shift a little bit with your body?  Are you starting to accept the body that God gave you? Yes, you may still not be fond of your tummy or other areas that change over time and with age but has it gotten easier to look at your body?  This next step is optional: To look at yourself completely naked. Take it all in. If it’s too much, then you don’t have to do that.
6. Now after a week look back at the list that you made previously. Did anything change on it? Are you adding more things to it that you love about your body? Less things that you hate?
7. Here’s the fun part. You’ve gone shopping and have purchased a couple pieces of lingerie for your shoot. Go try them on. You will see your body differently now. Now that you’ve started to accept your beautiful body that is yours, let’s dress it up a little bit.

I CANNOT wait for our session together! Now that you see the beauty with your amazing body, it is my job to help accentuate that. With professional makeup application,  the right posing, flattering angles, and lighting techniques, you will be feeling on top of the world! I will show you the back of my camera throughout the session which will just intensify the confidence you are increasing throughout the session.

Then comes my favorite part! The photo image reveal a couple of weeks after your session.  You thought you were nervous for the shoot? This can be even more nerve wracking seeing yourself from a different perspective for the first time.  I must warn you, it may be emotional.  We will take our time going through the images one by one and talking about how sexy you are.

Calming your nerves before a Boudoir Session Tip #3:

Drink plenty of water

Remaining hydrated is extremely essential when it comes to your Boudoir session.  Drinking enough water throughout the day will leave you feeling hydrated, refreshed, and will help your mood.  Being well hydrated will not only help you throughout the Boudoir photography session with the posing workouts that we will do, but it also will help give you that special glow to your skin.  Drinking water throughout the day helps flush out any toxins in your body and will help keep you healthy and motivated. I will also have water here for you in the studio, but it helps with calming nerves for your Boudoir session with a tall glass of refreshing H2O.   If you’re like me and love fruit added to your water, it’s an added bonus!

Also, get a good nights sleep the night before your session and eat a nutritious breakfast. No one likes to work when they’re hungry!

Calming your nerves before a Boudoir Session Tip #4:

Choose a Self-Love Mantra

Just like this photo above, we are all human. We all make mistakes, we are not perfect, and we all have flaws.  But switching our mindset to see the positive in life is life-changing.   Let’s see more good in things like the fact that we are healthy, our family is healthy, we have a roof over our heads, and we are able to live with freedoms. It’s very easy to get consumed in the thing called life, but we are only here on this Earth for so long. We were given one body to live in and to protect us and we need to be nicer to that body of ours.  There’s no other one like it.  There are multiple reasons why we should compliment ourselves daily, but choosing a self love Mantra is vital to our health, well-being, and will also help with calming nerves before a Boudoir session.  All of us have cellphones nowadays, so finding a positive Mantra app is easy.  Finding a free one is even better but even if it’s only a few bucks, I promise you it’s worth it.  Or getting one of those positive mantra flip calendars for your work desk is great too. Whatever way helps you see inspirational quotes for the day. Bonus points if it helps celebrate your body!   Here are a few of my favorites that I’ve seen/read:

• I am beautiful just the way that I am
• My imperfections make me uniquely beautiful
• My beauty is worthy of being photographed and captured forever
• My confidence increases each day
• Being beautiful isn’t just about how you look, it’s also about how you feel
• I am motivated to become a woman who is comfortable in her own skin

Plus many more!! Reading those everyday will get you even more pumped up!

Calming your nerves before a Boudoir Session Tip #5:

Retail therapy

What girl doesn’t love to go shopping? This is the perfect excuse! There’s no justifying it here, your Boudoir photographer said you need to bring a few things with you to your Boudoir session so grab the keys and go!  This is always exciting. You know that feeling when you buy something new and wear it out for the first time and you feel like a million bucks?!  This time, it’s feeling like a million bucks and intensifying the sexiness level by 1000 percent! LOL.  Go purchase some cute lingerie that you never thought you’d ever see yourself in. Go for the bold colors or maybe you like something with black lace? There are so many choices!  Go get a cute pair of heels, or a new bra and panty set. Because GIRRRLLLL you freaking deserve it!  Pamper yourself! This is what it’s all about.  In a world where you put others before you and take care of everyone else, it’s your time to shine!  And feel free to send me pics of what you got or if you have any questions about certain pieces, get a hold of me! I love what I do and I am here to help you every step of the way.  I have also developed a helpful article on Lingerie For Your Body Type  and it may come in handy while shopping.  I can’t wait to see what you bring!

Calming your nerves before a Boudoir Session Tip #6:

Create a Pinterest Board

I know if I’ve talked to you on the phone during our pre-consultation phone call, I’ve recommended putting together a Boudoir Pinterest board.  Again, I cannot and will not replicate an image exactly but I can add my own artistic flare to it.  Remember, the images that I share in my private women’s only Facebook group, Boudoir by NinaRose VIP Facebook group, aren’t always necessarily in my posing flow during my normal sessions.  So I love when women come with inspiration or ideas because it not only changes it up for me and I always love a challenge, but they get a similar photo of what they’ve wanted.   Now is the opportunity to go for a certain look that you want.  I am here for you to get you the images that you are looking for – be it a certain theme or a specific look.  Creating an inspirational board also helps with calming nerves before a Boudoir session because it increases dopamine in the brain signaling happy feelings and excited emotions.  It give you something to look forward to even more!

To start creating your own Pinterest board, click here.

Calming your nerves before a Boudoir Session Tip #7:

Schedule a Girls Night Out

Grab a group of friends or just your one best friend and go out on the town!  Get your mind out of the stress of life and take a night for yourself. This is super helpful with calming your nerves before a Boudoir session especially if your scheduled date is only a few days away.  Your besties are there to support you and help motivate you so I’m sure if they find out that you’ve scheduled a Boudoir session, they are with you throughout the whole process and will have your back. They are probably just as excited for you and they aren’t even the ones having it done!  Go let loose on the town and come to your session and tell me all about it!

I’m hoping these tips help you with calming your nerves before a Boudoir session.  Remember, you are worthy, you are deserving, and you are beautiful!  I can’t wait to see what we can create together! See you soon!!!  XOXO