When most people think of boudoir, they think of lingerie and a bedroom. And, technically, that is where it originated. But it’s evolving. 

For me, boudoir is about intimate portraiture that captures a woman’s beauty. 

An experience. One that takes a moment in time and documents it, showcasing her beauty and life.

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After the passing of my mom this Summer, I have had a longing for the outdoors and some creative freedom and expression in my work. It feels therapeutic and “right” for me right now and, for some reason, makes me feel closer to her and others who are gone from my life when I am surrounded by nature.

I must say, having the opportunity to shoot in various places of where I grew up all around Sonoma County, has sure made the memories flow!

Bittersweet memories that I have welcomed as they flow my way.

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And that’s in addition to the laughter and connection between woman and nature that also occurs at these sessions! Funny stories, mishaps, and interruptions make for interesting sessions that are oh-so-memorable! 

Definitely one of those ”stand out” experiences you remember decades from now.

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After shooting a couple different totally unique sessions with women who brought their ideas to me, I decided to reach out for some amazing women who were willing to do an outdoor boudoir shoot with me, in our beautiful Sonoma County. 

Women who are brave enough to step outside their comfort zone (and their pants!) in the great outdoors and shoot something fun, different, adventurous, powerful, and beautiful! 

I have a few more outdoor sessions coming up, but I wanted to share some of the awesome shots of these beautiful women that were recently photographed, along with some funny stories from my outdoor sessions that couldn’t help but happen when you end up shooting this style of photography, outdoors in nature!

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If you wonder why we call them outdoor adventures, keep reading! 

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Here are some pretty funny stories from outdoor sessions I’ve had. And yes -in case you’re wondering, they’re all true!

There was the shoot at the creek that had the dead animals… We now call that spot the Pet Cemetery. It wasn’t just a wild animal we came upon, but we also found a little dog wrapped up in a brown paper bag. It really threw us off because it looked like human hair and I thought it was a severed head for a moment! I called Animal Control and reported the animals death, as it looked like it was someones loved pet. That was a sad moment.

There was the “fishing” shoot where I had Mrs. S in the lake with a fishing pole in panties and a crop top. Were heard homeless people fighting in the park nearby and people kept walking along the trail above, asking, “catch anything good yet?!” “gettin’ any bites down there!?”, not able to see us very well, but knew we were there. They asked multiple times, and every time we laughed harder and harder! 

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Then there was the shoot with fire. This was recent too! While shooting at one of my favorite redwood spots, we started to smell smoke, then we heard sirens, and the Cal-Fire planes started to fly over. They were flying low and the smoke started to get visible in the trees. While it was perfect for photos it was getting sketchy and we had to take off. We were on a road with only one way out and I didn’t want us to get trapped.

The fire was put out quickly, but not before putting a little damper in the shoots locations, but no worries! We ended up in a random field where the lighting was epic and the setting was beautiful.

Then there was the shoot planned at a local family-owned winery, shooting with Mrs. G’s spotless old Bel-Air! It just happened to be the same day the vineyard workers came to work in the fields, stirring up dust all over her freshly washed Bel-Air and minimizing our privacy level, unexpectedly.

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Part of the adventure is having to pivot your plan when things are beyond your control. Pull a rabbit out of your hat, so to speak, and come up with something unplanned.

Because even if you have a plan, things like weather, privacy, traffic, and wild animals, cause you to have to modify that plan… which, kind of makes it no longer a plan at all, really.

These experiences have helped me grow in my photography, and in my personal life. They are ‘feel good’ adventures for myself and the women in front of my lens who share it with me.

Embrace the adventure!