Meet Alicia. She is the mother of two amazing little girls and works at an Illinois hospital as a phlebotomist, also known as the person who draws your blood. Recently, Alicia booked a personal photo shoot at the UNVEILED studio in Bloomington, Indiana as an act of self-care.
When Alicia arrived at the studio, she was still a bit unsure. Was a boudoir session worth it? Would this be as uplifting as people say? In a word, yes! After a great shoot, Alicia walked out of the studio with a renewed sense of self confidence—and, of course, some beautiful, empowering photos of herself!
For us at UNVEILED, every booking and every shoot is an honor because it means our clients have placed their trust in us. That’s a hard thing for most people to do, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly. For that reason, all client information, experiences, and communications are confidential by default. That means we never share images or details without expressed permission. But sometimes, clients want to use their stories to help spread the message that all women—no matter their size or shape—are unique, beautiful, and worthy of celebrating. Luckily for us, Alicia was excited to be featured in an interview about her experience at UNVEILED.
Unveiling Alicia
Have you ever had a boudoir session before? What made you decide to have one now?
I have never had a boudoir session done before. The reason I decided to take the leap and have these done was because of a friend. She knew the struggle of my past and that I had lost all faith in myself and my self-esteem. She knew this experience would be uplifting for me.
What was your biggest fear before hiring UNVEILED to photograph your boudoir session?
My biggest fear was that Samantha would look at me the way I saw myself in the mirror—a fat, ugly person who no one would think was beautiful. I know I didn’t think I was beautiful. I was very nervous about getting to the studio and meeting her, but when I walked in the door, I never felt more welcomed. Samantha genuinely said how excited she was to show me the beauty you could see in me in the photos she was going to take. Immediately, she made me feel as if I had known her for years.
Did you have concerns about spending the money on a photo shoot?
I think money is always a concern to most of us. It sure was for me. I am a single mother of two young girls, and I wasn’t sure this was something I would ever be able to afford. I was thinking exactly that when I emailed Samantha and asked her about the pricing and options. I was surprised when she emailed me back with tons of different options and packages, including a payment plan option for the product order. I immediately thought, “What? A payment plan?!” This was perfect for me. This one piece alone made it possible for me to work the photo shoot into my budget, so I could do something for myself.
Did your session impact you in a way you weren't expecting?
In the beginning, I really didn’t think that this shoot would impact me that much. I didn’t even know if I would like any of the photos. After the shoot, I went to lunch and then returned to view the edited pictures a few hours later. I was so nervous waiting for Samantha to pull them up on the screen. As I sat on the couch, a million thoughts went through my head: “Will I look fat? Will the photos be terrible?” My heart was racing. When the first picture appeared, I just sat there in silence with tears running down my face. I couldn’t believe the woman in those pictures was me. She was confident and beautiful and she was me.
I kept crying as we watched the photo slideshow. I realized the girl I saw in the mirror every morning—who I had thought was a fat, ugly person—was beautiful! I have never felt more comfortable in my own body as I did that day. I left the studio feeling happier than I have felt in years. I got to see the true beauty I thought I had lost.
If you were to recommend us to your best friend, what would you say?
I would tell them that you should do the photo shoot for YOU. As women, we usually play many roles in life… many of us as a mother or caregiver of some kind. Sometimes we forget that we are important, too. Booking a photo shoot like this gives you the chance to have a day just for you and to see the true beauty we sometimes forget to see in ourselves.
I booked my photo shoot as a gift for myself. It truly was a reminder that I am a beautiful woman, and no matter what you have been through in life, you should never lose sight of that.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
I was in a mentally abusive relationship for years where I was told I was fat and that no one would ever want me. Unfortunately, when you are told these things for so long you start to believe them. I left that relationship right around the time I had these pictures taken. This photo shoot helped bring back the self-esteem I had lost after many years being told things that I now know are not true. To any woman who has lost her self-esteem or doesn’t feel good enough anymore, know that you are worth it. These photo shoots are a great reminder that WE are all beautiful.
