This past week, my team got to sit down with one of our brand our Brand Ambassadors, Lisa to interview her about her journey with boudoir photography.
It turned out to be a pretty epic convo…
Lisa booked a boudoir shoot with the intention of healing herself yet came away with sooooo much more, which she shares so eloquently throughout her interview.
I’ve had the honor of guiding Lisa through two sessions thus far and she’s even planning on visiting Tulum for her third!
I’m so thrilled…
It’s been an honor to have Lisa as a source of support in our community as a Brand Ambassador.
She’s one of those kind humans who just radiates a contagious positivity and self-love… you’ll see what I mean 😉
Read on to get to know more about this incredible soul…
What led you to boudoir photography?
It started off with me wanting to take a risk on myself. I was at a pretty low point in life and was trying to figure out the best way to heal and jumpstart the path that I was on.
A friend of mine was a brand ambassador for another boudoir photographer in Minnesota and she ended up getting me out there for a session. So that was where my journey began… I was in awe of my photos, but I just felt like there was something missing.
What drew you to Lindsay in particular and how did you find her?
I found Lindsay on Instagram (@lindsaycarlisleboudoir), her page came up on my suggested pages to follow. I never thought I would do another shoot and then I saw her page and was instantly in awe. I mean her style… there was so much beauty in everything that I saw, and I loved how all of the poses were so unique. I noticed so much variety and not only that, but I noticed the way she utilizes many different things like lighting, the locations, the different outfits
Her work just captivated me.
What was it like to have your first session with Lindsay?
I’m not gonna lie, I was incredibly nervous. Because, you know, you’re meeting somebody for the first time. I had spoken to her over the phone because I filled out an application for one of her model calls and I was like, well… we’ll just see what happens.
But then when I walked into the studio, it was like immediate relief. I felt a sense of comfort knowing this is where I’m supposed to be and this is who I’m supposed to be with. Then throughout the session like she just validated that. I mean, she made me feel so comfortable.
How would you describe Lindsay?
Oh my gosh. There are so many words. The first that comes to mind is just… amazing.
I mean, Lindsay just gets it…
There are so many things about boudoir that I feel are commonly misconstrued. But after having conversations with her I know that she gets this is an art form and women are just beautiful in their every shape, color, and size.
She’s empathetic, she’s compassionate, she’s incredibly talented and she’s very welcoming and engaging with everyone that she meets.
How many sessions have you had so far and where did they take place?
My first session with Lindsay was in LA in the lofts in the Fashion District and my second was not too long ago in the desert.
What was the outdoor session like and how did it compare to your in-studio session in LA?
For the in-studio session in LA, I didn’t wear heels or shoes because I’m not a big heel person. So I don’t want to say that one was easier for me because it wasn’t… it was still challenging in it’s own way with the posing and everything.
But with the outdoor one, you have different elements like the weather, the sand, the gravel, and the rocks – Things you really take for granted when you’re wearing clothes!
I was sweating a ton and thinking, oh my gosh, I just had my hair and makeup done and now I’m gonna look like a hot mess. But no, she took care of that too and Kristina (our hair and makeup artist) was right there with me the whole time.
So both were very different and challenging in their own ways. The desert one I must say, I really got to see Lindsay utilize the sun at different hours of the day but also… that sunset was incredible.
So you mentioned each session had their unique challenges – Can you describe a bit more what makes the sessions challenging?
As Lindsay felt my level of comfort, she pushed more. And I was completely fine with it throughout the entire session.
So I think you just have to go in with a really open mind. And you have to remember she’s not there to in any way make you be uncomfortable. If she presents something and you can’t do it, she coaches you and modifies through it.
I think you have to stay focused on the end result. Because the whole time I was there, I had no idea how they were going to come out. But then when I saw my images, I was just blown away.
How often do you find yourself kind of looking back on your images?
I’m not gonna lie- on a daily basis. Because as a part of the brand ambassador program, I want to promote her work much as possible and help others see they can do this too.
When you look back at your images completely for yourself, how do you feel?
The very first thing I think is still, ‘is that really me?’ The longer I stare at them, I usually go to, ‘I still can’t believe that I did this.’ Once I kind of get past those things, I just appreciate the art that I’m actually looking at.
What made you decide to become a brand ambassador?
To be honest, I saw the announcement email go out and I was like well, I don’t really know if I could do this, but it never hurts to just try. And when I was selected, I was like, ‘wait, really?’ Because, it was completely out of my comfort zone.
This whole process has been a journey of healing myself and empowerment so I feel like it’s one of those other things where it’s helped me so much… why not promote something that’s helped me?
So that’s where I’m at right now and I’m excited because I feel like this is just the beginning for Lindsay. We also just got our swag sent to us and it was super adorable.
What does empowerment mean to you and how does that concept tie into your experience with Lindsay?
I think, for me, empowerment really isn’t something that you can teach someone. I feel like everybody has it in them and it’s a feeling that you’re either comfortable with or you’re not. I think that stems from being happy and comfortable on the inside with yourself.
With this process, I wasn’t comfortable with my inside and as I became more comfortable with who I was as an individual, it began to shine on the outside.
That’s where Lindsay came in, because I think she’s able to capture what others see that I don’t.
So the empowerment level with that is really hard for me to describe, but I feel like what she does do in that way is she gives women the ability to see what everybody else has always seen in them.
What would you say to someone who might be considering doing a session?
I mean, I have several friends who are considering doing one and the main answer for not wanting to is because they want to lose more weight or don’t look the way I want to. And that is such a big misconception. Because it’s similar to when people say, “Oh, I have to wait for the perfect time for this.” And there is no perfect time. I mean, you just have to really be vulnerable and allow yourself to take the risk. And most likely you’re going to have a positive result.
What would you say to someone whose considering becoming a brand ambassador?
Why not? You know… like why not? Why not do things for yourself? Why not be part of a community where everybody’s after the same thing. Where everybody’s all about empowering one another, supporting one another, and displaying their own unique beauty in a way that Lindsay’s able to capture for us.
Brand Ambassador applications are still open!
If you are interested in joining the program, click the link below to learn more. Once you’ve looked through the info, use the application at the bottom of the link to apply for the program and we will be in touch.
Xoxo,
Lindsay