photography Archives - The Boudoir Divas

Get in on the boudoir excitement!

By boudoirdivasadminBoudoir International, Boudoir Photo Shoots, Boudoir Tips, Inspiration, Personal, Sales & Contests2 Comments

Heya Bou buddies! We are always amazed and seriously so grateful when we look at our analytics and see how many people are stopping by this blog. Wowzers, thank you for stopping by, even if just for a few minutes! So we feel like we have been posting all the things going on randomly on our blog, facebook and twitter, and if all the chaos is kinda making our head spin, then we wanted to make sure we spelled out exactly what was going in case your head was spinning too. So below we have a list of all the current happenings. We would just love for you to be a part of one, two, three, or heck, all four of these fun, boudoir-inspired activities. And while we are in a “Back to School” mode, we hope that our “zesty-ness” maybe inspires you to do something a little quirky or energetic for YOUR boudoir business. Maybe a fall-inspired boudoir marathon for your clients, styled with boots and sweaters? Maybe a boudoir concept shoot like we talked about a couple months ago? An annual sale? A set make-over? Or maybe it’s time to really push that one product you have been meaning to push more for your clients. Like boudoir gift certificates or beautiful wall art. Whatever it is, just know that we wish you the very best – and we are rooting for you! We want boudoir to be famous all over the planet. (“Boudoir Photographers, Unite!”)

That’s right, as I am sure you heard, we have finally re-launched Boudoir International. And if you sign up by TODAY, you’ll be able to enter to win one of these killer prizes!!! What we love about our contest is that you actually have a pretty darn good chance of winning something! We have so many people emailing and calling the studio asking us if we have a specific recommendation for a boudoir photographers in there area, now we can easily point them in the right direction. Yay! You may have gotten an invitation to join Bou Intl, but if not, don’t be afraid to email us at [email protected]

We just love that we get to host other photographers in our studio, that together we can have so, so much fun while also helping your boudoir business move to that next level. I think that seeing some of our past attendees just take off after attending our workshops has brought more joy to us than we could imagine. To say we would be delighted for you to make your way out here to spend time in our studio is such an understatement.

And we believe with every fiber in us that it will help your business grow so much. Investing in education and learning is one of the best ways to spend your money when you are building your business! For instance, in 2005 I couldn’t find any boudoir photography workshops, so I (M) attended Vickie Taufer’s children and family workshop. I just wanted to see a huge dream that was realized in action – and that alone was worth more than I could ever have imagined. If Vickie was surprised when I told her (while we were studying light on babies!) that I wanted to shoot boudoir only, she didn’t show it. And just being around her, with all of her enthusiasm and drive, was infectious. I never could have imagingd I/we would fall so in love with boudoir photography, and that our business would see so much success, that we would soon have the opportunity to play that same role for others. Life is amazing, isn’t it?

We are so in love with our Boudoir Workshop – and we would love to have you join us in October! It’s the last workshop for 2012, so go check it out!

Enough said right?! Um…. best photo shoot opportunity ever! We shoot about 4-8 Supermodel Package shoots in our studio a month, but come on, as much as I ADORE our studio, I think this backdrop beats it, hands-down. Our shooting locations are going to be so glorious that I may have some bouts of jealousy of the gals I am shooting – simply because I will want pics of myself in all the spots I place them! 🙂 Nothing is sexier than a sandy beach, with the turquoise blue water shimmering and palm trees waving in the breeze. Oh and I should mention, one of the spots we will be shooting is in Old San Juan, it looks like those cool pics you see of vintage Cuba. Ah!!!! So freaking exciting!

We do have just ONE spot left (all the other 3 have been snatched up!)… so if you are a photographer & want to get in FRONT of the lens for a change, we would be honored with the opportunity to work with you and take your photos with our Caribbean Supermodel session! (Email: [email protected] if you want more info on this last spot).

We are such Cali girls at heart. Maybe even a little bit more “hippie” than “Diva” in reality. So with that said, beach boudoir photo shoots are pretty much pure excitement and joy for us around here, and being in Cali we have the added perk that our summer lasts a bit longer than the typical summer season. So we are gonna squeeze the summer for every drop we can get out of it! Do you want to join us by booking a killer beach shoot promo? Email us at [email protected]

“Paris, Paris, Paris”. That’s what my Mom kept saying in her sweet little voice when we were on the plane to Paris for our 2010 workshop. Now it always rings in my head whenever I start dreaming & planning our next workshops. Have you always wanted to go to Paris? Are you a boudoir photographer? If you said “yes” to both of these, then 2013 is YOUR year! Email us at [email protected] so we can be sure to email you first as soon as we launch the workshop. (*NOTE: we already have about 40 photographers on the list who want to be notified about Paris… this workshop is gonna fill up FAST! So start looking at your calendar for mid- to late-April 2013, and start dreaming/planning – and then you’ll be able to grab a spot before it fills up!)

Have you seen our past Editorial Concept Shoots that we titled, “Believe in Beauty?” If not, please check out our pirate beach shoot and our hot air balloon dream shoot on you tube. We are now planning for our next big shoot. Watch the video below to see the latest item we checked off our list in preparation for this fun shoot. (Oh, and keep in mind that this video was taken and edited on my iphone). It seems I still have a few quirks to work out when it comes to editing on a telephone – don’t judge us, it’s just for fun. 🙂

So that’s a little bit of what we are up to right now. We sure hope that you can be a part of at least one of these fun events! And again, as always, thanks so, so, so much for stopping by. xo- M &K

September 13, 2012

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Nothing spells out our journey as much as this lovable video playlist

By boudoirdivasadminInspiration, Personal3 Comments

Growing up I was OBSESSED with Disney movies. I know all young girls are, but are they so obsessed that the sound of each epic Disney song can tell them exactly what stage they were at with their own “Walt Disney-inspired dream”? Maybe. I know I sure can! This morning I was feeling very grateful for all that has transpired in the past few years, thinking about how in some ways it truly was Walt Disney that taught me all about “dreaming,” and I think the best way to sum up and celebrate the journey is by sharing our timeline/progress through this series of videos. Hope they make you smile as much they do me.

1. A dream emerges It all starts with that wish your heart makes. And as a child this song gave me permission to dream big. And although we didn’t have little mice friends to help us out along the way, we DID have an amazing team pushing us forward with this dream. We can’t talk about our dreams and our timeline without mentioning the pivotal people who have been a part of the Diva family through the past eight years. We are so thankful for each and every one of you!

2. Getting to work. Although not always whistling, I did often play this song to remind myself that rolling up your sleeves and working very hard can be an enjoyable thing. It’s all about the attitude right? I actually did listen to this song multiple times when I was getting a little pooped.

3. Almost there!
“Getting closer and closer every day and I am almost there, trials and tribulations I have had my share, ain’t nothing gonna stop me now, cuz I am almost there. You gotta make it happen, it all depends on you” – Princess Tiana. When I heard this song the first time, I knew it was just what I needed. We were going through some changes and I could see how things NEEDED to be, but I knew it was going to take a lot more tweaking to get there. So we rolled up our sleeves and made shtuff happen!

4. In awe with gratitude and satisfaction. In so many ways I feel like this is a gratitude hymn or some sweet melody to God. In the past few years this journey has really been a spiritual transformation for myself, and I might be a able to speak for K in saying that is has been for her, too. It wasn’t about getting what we wanted (because I assure you sometimes we didn’t), but more about seeing how God is in control and is always there for you even in the small things, and definitely in the big things. I know K and I are on to new chapters of God’s plan for our lives, and as we discover what this looks like, I know we both really feel as though he has shaped us for new adventures. Yes we are still and always will be photographers and business owners, partners & BFFs, and we will always be working toward our goals and dreams for the Boudoir Divas and bringing boudoir to the masses. But along with all of that, I think we will now ALSO be able to put our focus more on HIS bigger picture. Because we have been able to reach and realize so many of our original dreams for The Boudoir Divas, we are at a place where we have found more freedom – and that freedom is allowing us to dream in new ways. So now, we are thrilled about re-launching “Boudoir Photographers Unite” – and we are also on quite a roll of documenting and helping the marketing aspects of a few different non-profit organizations – which makes our hearts feel alive. We can say we see His plan for us – and we are so grateful. I don’t think I can watch this next video without crying every single time.

We would absolutely LOVE to hear what Disney songs, or just songs in general inspire you. To leave a comment you actually need to click on the blog post header to get you into the post page. It would make my day to hear what songs move you. 🙂 – Marissa

July 24, 2012

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Random Act of Kindness From Pops

By boudoirdivasadminPersonal2 Comments

This afternoon I was going through my emails and I came across a newsletter my Dad was sweet enough to forward me today. He must know me well or something 🙂 I’d like to think that I am usually an optimist, but I have some serious whiny days. Only a Dad would be able to sense today was one of those days. Hee hee. Here’s the rejuvinating info that I think I already knew, but almost wish I could tattoo it on my forearm! Someone give me an aaaaammmmeeennn to this reminder! xo- M

Look on the Bright Side
By Brian Tracy

The most important application of the law of cause and effect in your life is this: thoughts are causes, and conditions are effects. What this means is that your thought is creative. You create your world by the way you think. Nothing in your world has any meaning except for the meaning you give by how you think about it and talk about it. If you don’t care about something, it has no effect on your emotions and actions.

How to be Happy
Many thousands of people have been interviewed over the years to find out what they think about most of the time. Can you guess what the most successful and happy people think about all day long? The answer is simple. Happy healthy people think about what they want, and how to get it, most of the time. When you think and talk about what you want, and how to get it, you feel happier and in greater control of your life.

How to be Unhappy
What do unhappy people think and talk about most of the time? Unfortunately, they think and talk about things they don’t want. They think and talk about their problems and pains, and the people they don’t like. Sometimes, their whole lives revolve around their complaints and criticisms. And the more they think and talk about what they don’t want, the unhappier they become.

The Most Important Quality
Based on many psychological tests, the happiest people seem to have a special quality that enables them to live a better life than average. Can you guess what it is? It is the quality of optimism! The best news about optimism is that it is a learnable quality. You can learn to be a more positive, confident, and optimistic person by thinking the way optimists do—most of the time.

Look for the Good
Optimists seem to have different ways of dealing with the world that set them apart from the average. First, as we mentioned, they keep their minds on what they want, and keep looking for ways to get it. They are clear about their goals and they are confident that they will accomplish them, sooner or later. Second, optimists look for the good in every problem or difficulty. When things go wrong, as they often do, they say, “That’s good!” and then set about finding something positive about the situation.

Seek the Valuable Lesson
The third quality of optimists is that they seek the valuable lesson in every setback or reversal. Rather than getting upset and blaming someone else for what has happened, they take control over their emotions by saying, “What can I learn from this experience?” Fully 95% of everything you do is determined by your habits, good or bad. When you repeatedly look for the good and seek the valuable lesson in every obstacle or disappointment, you very soon develop the habit of thinking like an optimist. As a result, you feel happier, healthier, and more in control of your world.

The Body-Mind Connection
More and more doctors are coming to the conclusion that 80% or more of all diseases and ailments are psychosomatic in origin. This means that “psycho,” the mind, makes “soma,” the body, sick. You do not get sick from what you are eating, but from what is eating you.

Action Exercise
Resolve from now on to see your glass of life half full rather than half empty. Give thanks for your many blessings in life rather than worrying or complaining about the things you do not have. Assume the best of intentions on the part of everyone around you.

May 11, 2011

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