A Different Kind of Portrait Experience

I invited Bari into the studio to experience a Soul and Stories portrait session.  In the past, we have offered versions of this for our clients who were not ready for a boudoir session yet, but wanted beautiful and expressive imagery.

What our team found as we crafted this experience was enlightening. This experience was created for women who want to be seen honestly, not styled. Women who want images that feel like them, even if they’re not sure what that looks like yet.

As a side note, if you’ve ever felt unsure about where you fit in this world of portrait photography, you’re not alone. A lot of that hesitation comes from common misconceptions, which I talk more about in Boudoir Photography Myths Debunked.

The Masks We Carry

When we started talking through the concept of this session, one of the most meaningful takeaways came from the idea of the roles we naturally step into as women.

There is the version of you that knows how to show up to the world. The one that is polished, capable, and put together.  This is the mask that everyone sees from the bank teller to your boss at work.

Then there is the version your friends and family see. Usually, this version is a little softer, a little more relaxed, and a little more open.

Lastly, there’s the version that stays quiet. The one that holds everything you’ve been through, everything you’re processing, everything you don’t always put into words.  This is the version that usually only you and a very close few know. This session doesn’t ask you to choose between them. It makes space for all of them.

What Soul & Stories Feels Like

Listen as Bari shares what a Soul and Stories session feels like.

INSERT YOUTUBE LINK HERE

If you’ve ever wondered how something like this can feel so different from a traditional boudoir session, I share more about that perspective in Why Boudoir Photography Is a Form of Art.

The Shift That Happens 

Before the session with Bari, I asked her to think through a favorite outfit for work, for time with friends, and for time just with herself.  I asked her to bring a music playlist that she loved. Often music helps to shift us emotionally into the space we want to be in. 

Most people begin the session in clothing they would wear to work because that feels structured and safe. Then, as time passes, something softens, outfits change, and you start to feel more like yourself. Not the version you present, but the one you recognize. Eventually, there’s a quieter moment. One where you turn inward. Where the images become less about how you look and more about what you’re holding.

That’s the part you don’t plan for but it’s always the part that matters most.