I am a Christian, completely devoted to my Savior, Jesus, and I am also a boudoir photographer. It’s not too often that I get asked about how I am able to be both. But it comes up every once in a while. So I wanted to share with you why I love boudoir photography, even as a Christian (or especially as a Christian) and why I believe all Christian wives, or soon-to-be-wives should do a boudoir shoot.
What is a boudoir shoot?
Boudoir is pronounced Bu-dwah or Bu-dwar, and is technically defined as, “a woman’s bedroom or private room for dressing or resting.” So in the photography world, that involves a portrait shoot that a woman does privately for her man, usually in lingerie. Although the shoot is primarily done as a gift for her man, the women find that the shoot is very pampering and creates a space for her to feel feminine, lovely, and even sexy. Women spend far too much time comparing themselves to other women they see in magazines or on TV and feeling “blah” about themselves. Especially tired Mommies who feel more like a Mom than a woman, most times.
Why should Christian couples be interested in boudoir?
God created men to be highly visual. They can’t help it, it’s the way they were built. They are bombarded with images of sexy woman all the time and no matter how much they try to look away and avoid lusting after the women in those images, it’s inevitable that some of those images are going to get in, and stay there, and even pop up from time to time. How great would it be if his memory was chalked full of lovely images of his wife and the majority of the images popping up in his mind were images he could cherish and feel good about?
The other point to consider is that in a healthy, Christian marriage, a woman should feel sexy, desired, and appreciated for her body even with it’s imperfections. (Obviously there is a lot more about her to be appreciated, but that’s a post for another day) But when a woman doesn’t feel good about the way she looks, she doesn’t bring to the marriage that needed energy that can really help fuel true intimacy. A boudoir shoot can give a woman that much needed confidence. It’s really amazing what a little sexy confidence can do for a marriage.
The Who, What, When of it all…
The photos are an amazing gift to give to a Groom on the wedding night. Valentine’s Day and wedding anniversaries are other occasions when a boudoir shoot would be a very special gift.
There are a lot of amazing photographers to choose from for your shoot and you should find the one that is the best fit for you. If you find that a female photographer would make you feel more comfortable, I would happily welcome you in to my studio, as we have an all female staff. My style is very conservative, as far as boudoir photography goes, so if you are more on the shy side or you just want to keep things tame, I’m the photographer for you! My images are sensual but beautiful and tasteful and not over-the-top sexual. Although you can choose how far you want to go, nudity-wise, most of my clients prefer to wear lingerie or to do what I call “implied nudity” where you aren’t wearing much of anything, but all your girl bits are covered by your arms or legs or with sheets.
Will my photos end up on your website?
It’s fantastic when a woman feels comfortable sharing at least a few of her photos on my website so that other woman can relate and be encouraged to do a shoot that will enrich her marriage. However, it’s completely understandable when a couple wants the boudoir photos to be for his eyes only and I respect that decision and would never share your photos without your permission.
If you are ready to schedule your shoot, or if you have any questions, please contact me! I’d love to talk about it more with you.
Rayleigh Leavitt : Boudoir and Glamour Photography, Portland, Oregon
503.828.2973 info@byrayleigh.com
