“Many of you might think I was a strong woman with a lot of courage to get in front of Irina’s camera.

Nope!!!

I needed courage so I PUSHED MYSELF OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE in every direction you can imagine. Women receive messages of negativity when we try to empower ourselves as individuals and live up to our true beauty potential.

In addition, I was the LEAST likely candidate for boudoir pictures because I didn’t have anyone to give them to.

I DECIDED I would defeat that socially constructed restraint and show the world my sassy pants. Like so many women, I was focused on the things I thought would bring me joy. I WAS STUCK in a pattern of pleasing others. The idea that I was going to do something that HIGHLIGHTED MY INDIVIDUALITY, made me polish my unique qualities until they were glowing!

For example, what is your BEST FEATURE? That plump behind?!? Guess What?!? When you know that bodacious booty is about to make its debut, you’ll go to the gym and you’ll do those squats and give that elliptical a whirl.

It’s true! I whitened my teeth, I had my nails done, and I pampered myself with a new hair color down at the beauty parlor. I MADE TIME for all of it, and I noticed that so much of it BECAME A HABIT because I liked what I saw.

As the date of my session approached, I received SO MANY COMPLIMENTS because my joy was pouring out onto others.

The FIRST SESSION was as amazing as the journey.

I’ve never seen my MAKEUP done SO BEAUTIFULLY, and Irina made sure she really listened when I talked about my visions for my little PHOTOGENIC SUGARPLUMS. She encouraged me to BRING MY OWN PROPS; things that were special to me. I chose a COFFEE MUG my dad gave me that had a bee on it, and I asked if I would be able to incorporate the fact that I was in COLLEGE so she told me her thoughts on using an oversized CARDIGAN and my GLASSES. What?!? I never wear my glasses…but they looked so cute in the pictures!

I have “PROBLEM AREAS” because I’ve had three children, and I had been so concerned about saggy skin and stretch marks. Each and every pose is a very INTENTIONAL PLACEMENT OF ACCESSORIES, HANDS, or a SHIFT to the left or right to ensure that the BEST FEATURES of Irina’s models are highlighted.

To be honest, I just wanted her to keep snapping photos!

Yes, I did say “first session” in the previous paragraph because I COULDN’T WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN!

Just before the SECOND PHOTOSHOOT with Irina, I met someone to love forever and ever. I have to think that the daily habits of taking care of myself helped me have THE CONFIDENCE TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT MAN, instead of being chosen by a man. He happened to come with a REALLY COOL CAR, and I knew immediately what MY NEXT PROP would be.

SESSION NUMBER TWO was full of so much LAUGHTER because I was on the BEACH in front of people, but I was now a SEASONED VETERAN IN FRONT OF IRINA’S CAMERA. I also had a stock photo of a woman throwing a flag in the air and I asked Irina to replicate that picture. She nailed it! Poor Cristy somehow got roped into becoming a prop expert as well as the HMUA and it was at least 100 degrees. It seems that not many people were bothered by the fact that I wasn’t fully dressed on the beach and we overcame the heat by taking some of the best pictures IN. THE. WATER. Who knew? They are SEXY and SASSY and FULL OF LIFE!