Diary

Meet Mickie, one of my stunning 50 and wiser clients. When Mickie and I collaborated to design her shoot concept, we came up with a collection on portraits that were family friendly as well as some tasteful and sexy boudoir. While I love capturing all forms and stages of the female journey, 50 and wiser women are one of my favorite groups to photograph. As we evolve, It's important to remind ourselves that we still have that spark of sensuality!Women! You can be sexy at any age. Don't let the word "boudoir" scare you away. Mickie's allure is effortless and spunky and these photos are here to be a forever reminder for her, and her family. Take a look through her gallery and see how true beauty can be captured at any age.

Open any given social media app and you're met by the highlight reel of everyone’s life. It seems like the comparison game is showing up even in the realm of professional success. Digital ad campaigns target entrepreneurs' insecurities. They call on businesses to increase online engagement, post at the perfect times, and triple their following with secret tips and tricks. These ads seem to be adding more to the dogma that our efforts aren’t enough.

Voulez Vous is gearing up to celebrate the holiday of love. Boudoir photos make for a classic Valentine’s Day gift and if you’re looking to give your loved one some steamy pics or an empowering boudoir experience, then now is the time to book! I'm offering 1/2 OFF boudoir sessions now through Valentine's day!!Fine art boudoir is timeless. You and your partner can both cherish these portraits for years to come. Unlike gifting jewelry or perfume, a boudoir photoshoot gives your partner a complete experience with something tangible to walk away with. I offer several package options to choose from. Whichever you choose, you will receive a timeless collection of art that is both empowering and alluring.Sessions are limited! To book today, simply fill out the contact form at the bottom of this page or give me a call at (918) 810-5402.1/2 OFF sessions available now through February 14th. Last day to book to receive images before Valentine's day is January 31st.Spice up your Valentine’s Day this year with the gift of love and empowerment! Reserve your session while they’re still available.

I’ve started reflecting on all the wonderful shoots I’ve done this year, as we near the end of 2019. Photography is a job that always calls for a little creative edge. I believe the secret ingredient to a photoshoot that really stands out is mutual willingness to try something new. I was reminded by my lovely client, Penny, when she filled out her questionnaire. Penny listed trying new things as one of her hobbies, commenting, “if that is not a hobby it really should be!”

Alright ladies. It’s that time of year.If you’re anything like me, finding the perfect gift for the person you love can be quite daunting. This year I encourage you to try a different approach to giving. Rather than spending your time fighting the holiday crowds, give a novelty gift that says more than another department store sweater.Here are 8 novelty gift ideas for the one that you love:1.Coupon Favor Book: Tap into your inner creative and make your significant other a coupon book filled with redeemable favors and acts of kindness/love. You can offer things like a 20-minute foot massage, movie night out, a little bedroom fun, or a day spent doing an activity he loves that you usually aren’t as into.2. Evening Stay at Hotel: Book a night in a hotel near you or make it a day trip to escape for a little while after the holiday chaos is over. Have drinks at the hotel bar, order room service, enjoy a relaxing bubble bath and have fun knowing you don’t have to worry about cleaning up after yourselves!3. Tickets to a Concert or Event: Check out your local event listing and find a show you think your partner would be thrilled to see! This could be a concert, comedy show, or play. It will give them something to look forward to even after the holidays have passed.4. Engraved Watch for timeless reminder of your love: Give the timeless gift of an elegant watch with an engraved love note. The watch can act as a subtle reminder throughout the day that they have someone they love to spend their time with..5. Letter of Gratitude: Write a letter expressing all the ways you are grateful for the things your partner does to brighten your day. This can be a simple yet genuine way to let your partner know all of the things you forget to say on a daily basis.6. Sentiment Keepsake Wallet Insert: Have a metal wallet insert engraved with a sweet message of the love you have for your partner. The insert can be tucked away in their wallet to stumble upon on days when they least expect it or for times when they just need a gentle reminder that they are loved.7. “Open When..” note collection: Another crafty idea is to make a collection of notes for your partner to open on different occasions! You can write little messages of inspiration for when your partner is feeling bored, stressed, or can’t sleep. You could also make notes for when they need a laugh or notes that can be opened on specific dates like New Year’s or Valentine’s Day!And last but not least...8. Boudoir Images!!!: Give your partner a chance to see you in a new light. Spice up your holiday season with some sultry boudoir images that will inspire a giving mentality well into the new year.You can book your free boudoir consultation here.Happy Holidays from Voulez Vous Boudoir!

With all of the holiday festivities right around the corner, it's easy to get stressed out and over-indulge. I'm here to remind you to be kind to yourself during this busy season. Between family gatherings, holiday parties, and finding just the right gifts for your loved ones, we must remember to take time for ourselves to practice self-love.There are lots of ways to show kindness towards yourself during the holidays. One of my secrets to surviving typical holiday stress is being extra aware of my body’s needs. After all, your body is the vessel that carries you through every season of life. When we go through a season of high stress, our bodies take a serious toll if we aren’t mindful of how we treat them.But How?You can be kind to yourself by being aware of what you feed your body.

We all struggle to love the body we live in. Throughout my journey, I have experienced body transformations that have challenged my own body image. When I was younger, I used to compare myself to my sisters- wishing I had curves in all the same places as they did. As I got older and had my son, my body began going through a change. My stomach, chest, bum, and legs became areas I was challenged to love about myself. Even though I have periods of my life when loving myself is harder than other times, I use positive self-talk as a daily practice to teach myself how to appreciate the body I have.It is so important to exercise positive affirmation because how we see ourselves directly influences our own self confidence and the way we come across to others. Body image is something we have to work on all the time, every day. We encounter negative thoughts throughout the day that can easily add up to a damaging self-image. Here are some of the tools that have helped me love my body:1. Surround yourself by people that lift you up2. Take new photos of yourself as a physical reminder of the beauty you hold.3. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones4. Wear clothes that fit and that you are comfortable with5. Take notice of the things your body can do6. Do nice things for your body and mind7. Find activities you love to get your body moving8. Make a list of things you love about your body and yourself. Review it often.9. Stop comparingPracticing mindfulness in reference to your body image will lead to an overall stronger self-image. I challenge you to take time to appreciate the body that serves you every day. I have trained my mind to not dwell on the attributes I see as negative and to instead be empowered by all that my body is capable of, and I believe you can too! I hope these tips will help you cultivate a body positive mindset and appreciate your own body at any stage of life.“Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful.” ~ Sophia Loren

Oh the experience of being an entrepreneur. Some days you wake up on fire for the work you do and others… you have to build the fire. When I began my journey as a professional photographer, I desired to use my creative lens to travel the world, connect with others, and show others the natural beauty I saw in them. Fast-forward 20 years later and here I am living my daydream. I get to travel to beautiful places and spend my days empowering women to love themselves. Little did I know that my daydream would also require me to spend more time in front of a computer than behind my camera.I spend a lot of time and energy running the business side of Voulez Vous.This includes:- Keeping up with the books- Responding to emails- Meeting with clients- Coordinating with hair & makeup- Marketing my services- Networking- Curating products- Producing online content- Styling and designing photoshoots with clients- Maintaining the studio- Continuing my photography education- And long, long hours of editing.I also spend time working on personal photography projects to test out new visions for my clients and often take my work home with me. The hours add up.I do all of this because I value the experience I create for my clients more than anything else. When you book a shoot with me, you are getting the full Voulez Vous experience.This means a day full of pampering and empowerment. We start with a hair and makeup look that makes you feel your most beautiful. Next, we pick out a wardrobe mixing your favorite intimates with Voulez Vous’s closet of statement pieces. We spend the rest of the day channeling our creativity into a shoot that leaves you feeling empowered by your own light. I provide lunch between sets and we get to connect over the power of boudoir. At the end of the day, my girls leave with a new sense of self love.All the hours spent doing everything but taking photos are spent so that I can give a woman the perspective she needs to take on life with confidence that shines. The experience of an entrepreneur can mean a lot of different things. For me, it means at the end of a long day of work I get to go home knowing I’ve given a woman a new perspective and forever changed the way she feels about herself.

“You often think you’re doing something for someone else, yet at the end of the day it’s you receiving the gift.”These were the words Laura shared with me after our session. Often times clients aren’t sure what to expect out of a shoot. Above all, it has to do with the energy we create together in the moment. Photos capture the radiant light that we embody in our present, and Laura is a great example of the magic good energy can create. She showed up with her light in full force with laughter and confidence. As a result, her charisma made for bold images that were both a gift to me as an artist, and an even greater gift to herself.Laura walked away with images that she felt captured her own strength and potential. I was successful in my mission to create the truest representation of my client to stand through time in stunning portraiture. This is what I aim to do with every client that walks into the Voulez Vous studio. I encourage shoots that allow women to celebrate the journey that led them to their boudoir session and the life they’ve built for themselves. Photography is a powerful window into the soul and I love being able to show others the way they shine in the world.Never underestimate the power of your light. We all shine in a way that nobody else can. I’ve learned my light shines brightest when I’m shining it on others through photography. You think you're doing it for someone else but from that, I receive the gift of authentic connection with the women I work with. Today I challenge you to own your light and allow other people to shine with you in the spirit you uniquely emanate.

I’ve never understood why women find it vain to have portraits hanging up of themselves.I shoot all styles of portrait work but boudoir is what I am most drawn to. In the 19 years I’ve been shooting boudoir, I’ve noticed a trend of women feeling ashamed to have these images on display in their homes. They are afraid others will see them as conceited. To that I say— you’re missing the point.Boudoir serves as an artistic tool for people to be inspired by the beauty of their natural form. It is fine art we create together to capture your most vibrant state. Sometimes it’s the idea of gifting the photos to a significant other that inspires the shoot, but remember boudoir is a gift to yourself first.I wanted Melissa to leave her boudoir shoot with a beautiful experience. She is a mother of six, grandmother of three, professional business owner, and a vivacious woman. The photos we took are a timeless representation of Melissa’s vibrant life. One day her children will be able to look back at these images and see the woman that raised them as someone they can relate to. They will see that Melissa sought out an artistic expression of self-love and will be inspired by her confidence.Portraits are a gift we leave behind to help our family understand the lives we lived before them. These images become what we cherish most and are the first on our list to save in a disaster. They tell our story. So hang up the images of yourself that make you feel empowered! Let them fill you with self-worth and motivate you to be your best self every day. Don’t worry, you’re not so vain.