Confidence is Beautiful

LGBT+ Represenation in Boudoir

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Having a boudoir blog is the best, especially when my clients permit me to use their photos. One of my favorite clients is Ms. X. This was her second time shooting with us, and just like her first set, these photos came out I C O N I C.

Just like her first set, we repped the LGBT+ community. I love that Ms. X is unapologetic about who she is and what she's about. Her set moves me because she owns that. Representation Matters. I am so happy that she proudly reps. I am honored that she allows me to capture that.

Here is an interview that we had discussing her second set with us. My favorite answer is the last question.

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Boudoir Client Experience:


Q: This was your second time shooting with Wonderland Boudoir. How did you feel going through your second session with us?

A: I absolutely loved it! Korin makes shooting easy and you feel comfortable to be yourself in your own skin!


Q: What did you learn from the last session that helped you with this one?

A: Not having fear in front of the camera, and taking direction when getting in certain shots.


Q: What was your favorite part about getting ready for your second session?

A: Choosing the setting and theme of the shoot.

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Q: How was shooting outside for you? Would you suggest that for other women wanting a boudoir session?

A: I believe shooting outside gives a different feel in natural light. I enjoyed it. We definitely got the shot!


Q: How was shooting outside for you? Would you suggest that for other women wanting a boudoir session?

A: I believe shooting outside gives a different feel in natural light. I enjoyed it. We definitely got the shot!


Q: What is something that you learned about yourself after your second session?

A: How much I grew from the first, mentally and physically.

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Q: What are some suggestions that you would give other women considering a boudoir session for the first or second time?

A: Own it, don't worry about other people's opinions. It's about you, for you. Own your confidence and remain authentic.


Q: For your third session what would your ultimate goal be?

A: I would take more photos outside, maybe go for some riskier photos.


Q: Please add any final thoughts you might have.

A: I think boudoir is about owning and defining how you feel. There is beauty in knowing yourself and not being afraid to expose yourself on a different level sexually.

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5 Important Life Lessons from Call Me Daddy Interview with Mia Khalifa

This was the first Call Her Daddy podcast I have ever watched. I had heard about Call Her Daddy a lot last year due to the two original hosts having a very public falling out. Honestly, I couldn't tell you any details about the ordeal... just that podcast in the Hip-Hop arena I listen to (Joe Budden) was even talking about them.

I decided to listen to this podcast because Alex was interviewing Mia Khalifa. Admittedly, I didn't know too much about Ms. Khalifa before listening to her on Call Her Daddy but the LITTLE of her story I did know was very intriguing. If I'm going to be TOTALLY honest, I didn't listen to any previous podcast Mia was on because she was often being interviewed by men. I just wasn't interested in the male perspective of who she was. However, seeing her sit down with another woman, Alex in this case, intrigued me to listen to her. Boy was I blown away.

Let me just get this out of the way. Alex is an excellent interviewer. The dynamic between her and Mia could be felt instantly. It was like listening to two best friends who hadn't seen each other in years catching up over a girls' night in. The interview was fun, honest, raw, and inspirational.

As a new listener, I like that Alex calls the listeners “Daddy Gang” (not followers or fans… she’s likable and not pretentious). I also respected how she set up the interview. She really wanted to get to know Mia on a personal level. The night before the interview they met up to discuss what Mia would be comfortable talking about. To me, this is an important way to establish trust, especially with a young woman who has been through so much in such a short period of (still) her young adult life.

I really appreciated how authentically raw Mia decided to be. It’s important for us to express our truths. It’s interviews like these that will help at least one young girl out as she navigates this world and her self-identity.

This interview made Mia 4 dimensional. She is a young woman that people should, and can, look up to.

Here are the 5 most important lessons I found in the Call Me Daddy interview with Mia Khalifa:

1.) Don't look for validation through men (or anyone for that matter)

If you have been following me on the blog for a while, then you know that I think it’s very important for women to know that they can never seek validation through men.

Other people cannot validate who you are as a person. Only you can do that. This is something that needs to be instilled in every girl. These girls turn into women. Every single day we need to instill these types of values into our daughter, nieces, granddaughter, grandnieces, godchildren. They must not make the mistake of looking for their value through people who don’t even know their own.

She touches on toxic manipulated relationships and the fact that she got into them because she didn’t think highly of herself. She thought these relationships were the best that she deserved and would overextend herself and overdeliver just to keep this person happy.

One of the things that helped her start growing and understanding how detrimental her behavior was, when she realized in her most toxic relationship that she was living and thinking, not for her best interest, but the interest of other people. She was pleasing people not worthy of her, instead of taking care of herself.

When she realized she was wearing a self-given handcuff, she released herself from those shackles. She learned how she was being used and how she was allowing these people to tell her what she was worth, not the other way around.

Alex brings it home when she says, "the way that you feel about yourself directly impacts the partner that you chose." The girl took them to church with that one.

2.) Body Image - Connect with your Authentic Inner Beauty First

A woman should do whatever she wants to do with her body. However, I do suggest that people not undergo cosmetic surgery if they’re doing it to please other people. If you are doing it for you and it’s only for you, go for it. But if you’re doing it so people can find you attractive, then take some time to reconsider.

What happens is, if you’re not happy with yourself before the surgery? You’ll get temporary happiness, then go back to finding “something else wrong” with you. Generally, there is nothing physically wrong. It's just the perception of what you think society finds attractive.

In Mia’s case, she thought it was her breast that was making her feel low and self-conscience about herself. It wasn’t.

Even after the 60lbs weight loss and the breast implants and breast lift… she still saw that chubby girl. Because she didn’t deal with the core of her issue she couldn’t connect with her authentic inner beauty because all she could do is still see and feel that chubby girl that game to America in 2001.

Because she couldn’t see that, she was clinging on to men that didn’t deserve her because she didn’t think she deserved the attention.

3.) Therapy Needs to be Normalized

Going to Therapy has really allowed her to better love and understand herself. She, literally, sings the word therapy. “We need to normalize asking people if they are in therapy” she states to Alex.

I am so happy this country is starting to accept the amazing benefits of therapy. Mia started going to therapy around the age of 23 and she claims that it changed her life. She suggests that you should try many different therapists.

She compares it to dating, finding a trainer, or finding the right dermatologist. You’re not going to connect with the first one.

She states that therapy has helped her deal with the overall theme of shame for her. How shame has impacted her life. She believes this may be the number one issue for several people.

4.) Friendships are Important

Mia speaks so beautifully about her friendship with a woman named Rachel Ray (not the chef of the woman that Jay-Z (allegedly) cheated with). This is an important relationship to her because it’s the first time she felt unconditional love. She felt protected by having this person in her life. Rachel helped Mia rebuild her trust in others. Their friendship helped Mia understand that she was the type of relationship she needed to experience because it’s connections like these that help us understand who deserves to be in your life and who doesn’t.

Our friends see things in us that we don’t see in ourselves. Alex touches on this when they speak about the blowback Malala Yousafzai received after replying to Mia Khalifa calling her "bestie". Mia started getting imposter syndrome because she couldn’t understand how such an iconic leader like Malala could follower her.

But Alex drives a VERY important point home that really touches Mia, "she saw something in you. She followed you. She followed you for a reason".

5.) Mindset Change is Essential to Changing Your Life

Overall, changing her mindset by understanding her worth helped her leave toxic relationships.

Not only with these men but with herself. She started becoming unafraid to tell her story. She got out of the mindset of “people just won’t understand.” She advises women to take that step. She acknowledged that it’s scary, but she wants women to take that step and begin speaking with people about their stories.

I implore everyone to watch the full interview here. Let me know in the comments what you think.








What is Sexiness Really About?

What is Sexiness Really About?

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Sexiness is all about your personality, being genuine, confident, and being a good person.

One of the most naturally sexy people I know is Ms. A. This outdoor boudoir photoshoot was extremely important for Ms. A and me to create together.

We took a situation that was bad and made it work. The truth is, I booked a makeup artist for this shoot. The makeup artist was supposed to arrive at 5:30AM... and he did, but he left because I overslept. I didn't wake up until 6AM. While Ms. A stayed around, he did not. Personally, I don't blame him.

In the interim of trying to rework this shoot, we found an even better concept that lied within it. This is why I always say when things don't go your way something better is about to come. God's Plan is a real concept, and I felt that this series personified that. Instead of completely nixing the idea because the makeup artist left (and would not return my calls... I laugh now), Ms. A suggested that she do the whole story without any makeup.

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Why? She wanted to prove that women could be powerful, desirable, and beautiful without having to wear makeup. Ms. A had just recently given birth and she wanted to show that confident sexiness is created from within. Makeup should be used to enhance who we are, not veil it. Regardless if makeup is used or not, your natural sexiness and feminity will come through if you truly embrace and own your self-worth.

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Therein lies the beauty of working with secure and confident women. In each one of these pictures, you can clearly see that Ms. A is extremely comfortable with who she is. Makeup, men, social media... none of that defines who she is or what she does.

I wish I could sprinkle her confidence on everybody that I shoot with. The world would be better off with women who validate their own beauty. There is no need for anyone to cosign who you are when you truly love the woman that you created.

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Makeup is awesome... Don't get me wrong... but you shouldn't have to feel, as a woman, that you HAVE to wear makeup to be accepted. Makeup is a tool designed to enhance the beauty that is already there.

Be who you are.

You are built to be incredible.

Anyone who tells you differently

can go fuck themselves.

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Major shoutouts to Ms. A. She merc'd this session! She got up at 5 a.m. on December 31st in cold as fuck weather to play around in lingerie before anyone in Downtown Dallas woke up. I always work with the best people either on the 31st of December or January 1st because that's how I want my year to start. Ms. A through the session showed me that 2018 was going to be about breaking the mold and challenging the status quo. Ms. A showed me through her ideas, action, spirit, and her work ethic, that in order to break out one must be different. Everyone needs an Alina in their life. Thank you woman!

Love,

Korin

If you want to create your own magical boudoir photography session please fill out the form below. We would love to have you!

5 Tips to Increase Confidence in 2021

5 Tips to Increase Confidence in 2021

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One of my favorite things about having a boudoir blog is being able to share additional photos from the portfolio and providing a more in-depth look and understanding of the photoshoots and some of the behind-the-scenes.

If there is only one rule in boudoir you must follow its portraying confidence. No one does it better than Jill.

If you have ever shot with me, there is a good chance that Jill was there as she is my friend and main hairstylist for Wonderland Boudoir. Jill is a master in all things hair. I mean that. She's actual a professor in hair at a local accredited school in Dallas. On top of being a full-time educator, she also runs her own hairstyling business. If that wasn't enough she also has her wig line where she creates customer wigs for her clients. I honestly don't know how she has the time.

Jill breathes so much life in me. She has one of the best attitudes I have met. She makes everyone feel comfortable as soon as she meets them. When she's available to shoot with me she always takes her time to make sure the client feels comfortable. She wants to know about your entire life story, and she also mentally preps you for the shoot.

I have done several boudoir sessions with Jill. She allows me to experiment and try new looks. Because Jill can do hair and makeup and already knows what to expect from my shooting style, all I have to do is concentrate on creating beautiful art.

Due to Jill's confidence and dedication to create outstanding images, I can create some of the best images. Today I want to provide 5 steps on how to become confident.

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1.) STOP CARING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK

Okay, if you leave with NOTHING else today this needs to be it. I get it. This Is SuCh A cLiChe. While that may be true, that doesn't erase the fact that you have to STOP GIVING A FUCK about what people may or may not thinking about you. Let me leave you with a God to honest truth. No one is thinking about you as much as you're thinking about yourself. The main person judging your existence is you. Too often do we project our insecurities onto other people. This sometimes leads to creating a false narrative.

One of the best books I have read about building self-confidence is the Subtle Art of Not Giving a fuck by Mark Manson. This book provides an authentic account of how much better your life becomes when you stop focusing on the things or people who don't matter.

Don’t wake up 30 years from now upset you didn’t live the life you wanted due to baseless fears. Even if they are legitimate, you owe it to yourself to try. For you. You are reason enough.

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2.) Be Unapologetically Yourself

Self-love is the greatest middle finger of all times. We live in a world that tries to constantly remind us that if we aren't wearing these clothes, have the best bodies, or if don’t have the latest bag then we are losing in life. While I'm all for new clothes or a hot new make-up or hairstyle, remember that those things don't define who you are. Those are a mask. You can buy as many designer sunglasses as your want, but that won't cover up any doubts of self-love you have for yourself. Material possessions don't define you.

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3.) It's okay to ask for help

This one was a personal hard one for me. For a long time (and at times, still is) one of the hardest things you can do. For me, it's because I don't want to be a burden to my family or friends. I also don't want to seem weak or look like I can't solve issues myself. But the fact is, at some point in life, we are all going to need help. You have to let go of your ego and pride to do that. Allowing yourself to show your vulnerabilities creates a deeper bond with the person you are sharing them with. Thus creating a stronger connection.

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4.) BLOCK IS YOUR FRIEND

Block people, accounts, phone numbers, social media sites, or anything that makes you question who you are or your self-confidence. I will be transparent here. There are several photographers that I muted on Instagram. Not because they aren't incredible and create some of the most gorgeous content I have ever seen. It's because I was spending way too much time comparing my progress with theirs. While I know that my journey and path are not the same as theirs, it still was painful to see them living this life of pure entrepreneurship travel, and everything people dream of. It hurt to block them, but my mental health and the goals I set for myself were way more important to me. Block is a true ally on the road to self-confidence. Yes, while I know not everything you see is what you really get on social. I still blocked them.

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5.) Your Past Does Not Define You

Listen, we are all an accumulation of our past decisions. One of the most counterproductive things we can do as we grow in our journey is constantly looking back and reveling in past mistakes. You need to permit grant yourself forgiveness for things that happened in the past. You need to move past embarrassing mistakes... or better yet, fully own them. Fact is, we are going to stumble often on this journey. No one is immune to that. Perfection is a pure myth. Allow yourself to write a new story and start a new life. Leverage the lessons you learned in the past to help forge a better future with you. Let your past be the catalyst for a beautiful life.

I hope you loved these awesome shots of the lovely Jill. If you want to schedule a session with me, fill out the form below, and let's take the next steps.

No Artist Tolerates Reality

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"No Artist Tolerates Reality"

My heart melted when I found this quote by Friedrich Nietzsche.

One side of the brain has been fighting the other side about what I should create and how it should be done and presented. I will be honest. I just want to create magical and fairytale shit. I need what I make to look fantastic. Something no one has ever seen before...

...but then the business side of my brain says, "Girl, just keep it simple. That's what the customers want".

So here I am, in a circle, about what I should create. At odds with only myself. I'm concerned about being too artistic in my work. As a photographer, you are often inundated with all these business rules about what you should and should not show on your Instagram page.

I want my work to speak to everyone, but I don't want it to look like everyones.

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As I'm writing this it brings me back to this beautiful boudoir session that I shot in Mexico that I never posted. Y'all, let me be VERY clear, there is a ton of work for the last year and a half that I haven't posted that will be showing up within the next 6 months. This blog is going to be busy AF.

I shot this gorgeous boudoir set the last time I was in Playa del Carmen. Playa del Carmen is one of my favorite places in the world to visit. It's located about 45 minutes south of Cancun.

Cancun is where American's go to parlay, and Playa del Carmen is where the Europeans and Canadians tend to party. Playa is not as commercial as Cancun and so much cheaper. One of my friends lived there for a while so another friend and I would take an annual trip to see her.

We haven't been back to Playa del Carmen since 2018 (which is when these were taken) but it reminds me of the last time I just got creative and worked with what I had.

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I came across this beautiful model from France on Instagram that happened to be in Playa del Carmen. We agreed to meet and turned out she was just as nice and she was beautiful. When I look at these photos of Stephanie I think about what it felt like in this moment. I was creating without boundaries.

The thoughts of what is right and what is wrong in the world of photography didn't enter my mind once. My only concern was creating some badass shit with a badass person.

We created in the jungles of Playacar and took shots in the ruins of the Mayans. We played on the beach. We just had fun. No rules. No ego. Just each in our element creating some of my favorite photos of all time.

When I look at this work I think about how I pushed every negative thought out of my own head. My inner child came back to me, and we laughed and played. We created with no limit. The world was a sandbox and we were making castles.

To me, this is the perfect mix of creating what the people want and what I want to create. People want THIS feeking that Stephanie exudes. She's expelling strength, sexy, fun, and confidence. When clients and people look at my work... this is what I want them to see. This is how I want them to feel. This is the state of mind I want to be in when I shoot them.

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I am a boudoir photographer based in Los Angeles, California. However, I did travel worldwide. If you want to book me, use the form below so we can connect and create beautiful photos. I'm all about going back to Playa to create more magic.

CONTACT ME FOR BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY IN LOS ANGELES

News Years 2021 Goals for Everyone

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2021 New Years Resolutions & Goals for the World

Be unwilling to quit during 2021.

Be unwilling to compromise on your goals.

Be unwilling to compromise on your integrity.

I ask all of you to use 2021 and stand against the belief of limitations. Focus on your intent of creating a better world with a purpose to help others. Your lack of imagination is your only limit.

Fight against negative thoughts. Remove negative people and situations from your life. Life is too precious to waste. Life is a fucking gift. Treat it as such. Your life is valuable. Your life has meaning.

Remember to follow your intuition. Even if others don't understand or agree. Not everything you go through is meant for understanding by everyone. You don't owe an explanation to anyone.

Have faith in yourself. Have faith in the collective. Have faith in your ability.

Happy New Year!

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Surviving Abuse and Loving Life | Dallas Boudoir

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Back in December I held a model call.  I host model calls because I shoot a lot of boudoir but not a lot of women want to show off their beautiful work.  Don't get me wrong.  I get it.  Many women want to keep their intimate sessions private and I totally respect that. While I get super bummed about that I do inherently understand.  

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Therefore, I decided to host my VERY FIRST model call in Dallas.  Boy was it a freakin' success!  I actually only did it on Facebook and I got a number of cool inquiries coming in.  Since I only had a limited number of women that could participate in the model call it was hard making a final selection.  However, I was able to pick a few ladies for this project and I couldn't have been happier.

One of those ladies was Shalena.  Since then I have fallen head over heels for this beautiful soul.  Shalena was picked for this model call because her reasoning really touched me. In her email for consideration she wrote: 

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"My reason is because behind every smile there is a deeper story to be told. And I am one of many survivors of mental, and sexual abuse. I've come a long way in my life. People always tell me that I have an amazing smile. But if I had a chance to tell my story, to encourage other girls/women like me, I would. It would be a privilege to be chosen. And to finally have supporters instead of users and abusers who take advantage of my beauty from within."

I have never been mentally abused but I have known people who have and I can tell you that it's very hard.  Even when said abuse stops, it's never really over for that person because they still have to live with the effects of that daily. 

Shalena is a strong woman with a beautiful personality.  She has a smile that can light up a room.  She is fun, friendly, and carries a sense of happiness that is totally infectious.  I couldn't be more happy to have shoot Shalena. 

Another thing that made Shalena stand out was her short hair.  Won't lie.  I have been LIVING to shot a woman with the same haircut and face shape as Shelana.  Short haircuts are so awesome and bold and not many women outside of Amber Rose have the balls to just rock a short cut.  Shalena knocked it out of the damn park! Lets just call Shalena's session a home run!

For the Model Call sessions I wanted to shoot it somewhere very cool so we opted for this awesome Airbnb that randomly populated days before our attended session.  The guy who owned the Airbnb was so incredibly gracious. He also turned out to be a furniture designer so the space looked extra cool.  

I love when I become closer with my clients.  They mean the absolute world to me.  Getting to know people on a deeper level for why they want to do a boudoir session has allowed me to dive deeper inside of myself to deliver the products they need.  

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Didn't she rock the hell outta her session?! I hope you guys enjoyed Shalena's session as much as I did!  Just in case you're wondering Jazzy did the makeup!

In the comment section below who are some other celebrities that can rock the bald cut?