Are you from out of town and have you been considering having boudoir photographs done, but you're worried about all of the hassle involved with traveling on top of your boudoir session prep? No need to fret! At Haute-View Boudoir we are here for you every step of the process for your sexy photoshoot in beautiful Chattanooga, Tn. You can enjoy a little "me time" and have a getaway while getting your modern glamour shots.

In our little city of Chattanooga, Tn, we have a lower cost of living than many of the big cities surrounding our area: Atlanta, Knoxville, Nashville, and Birmingham....and all within a short 2 hour drive. This is definitely a bonus for you! Why, you ask? Because when you book a luxury boudoir experience with Haute-View Boudoir, you'll be getting an entire boudoir photography session, your heirloom artwork, and a boutique hotel getaway for the same price as a big city boudoir experience.

Chattanooga has some beautiful, boutique hotels and several excellent Southside area restaurants, all within walking distance of our Southside Chattanooga boudoir studio.  We've had so many clients traveling in for "me time" getaways, we offer a FREE boutique hotel stay as one of our many bonus options. 

So what are you waiting for? We can't wait to hear about all your Boudoir Photography ideas.  Contact us today to book your boudoir experience of pampering and beauty! ​

As a boudoir photographer, I am there to guide you through the most flattering posing and lighting for all my boudoir shoots. I use my camera to show you a different side of yourself, you didn't know existed. My goal is for my clients to walk out of their boudoir session with a new-found confidence and perspective of their beauty.
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If you have been on the fence about booking boudoir photos, or have a special life event or wedding coming up, please feel free to reach out through email (brittany@lifewithaviewstudio.com) or social media with any questions. We would love to help you feel like the superstar you are! Remember, boudoir is about self-love, confidence in your own skin, and feeling empowered. It has nothing to do with size or any other label that society has coined. Your Boudoir shoot is meant to be empowering, free of judgment, and social norms or assumptions.

​Hey beautiful mamas! As your pregnancy progresses and you are getting closer to your sweet, little bundle’s arrival you may be considering maternity photography sessions to capture and document this very special time in your life.  Whether it is your first baby, or your fourth- every pregnancy is different and unique, just like your new baby will be.  
You may have seen some of the gorgeous maternity sessions that have been done in the past. Often they are outside in a beautiful setting and while I LOVE doing those, this session is going to be a little different.
            I am offering my Goddess Maternity Package!  It is an in studio maternity session.  The package is AMAZING because you will not only have incredible photos to highlight your bump, but you will be pampered, feel super beautiful, and relaxed.  Each Goddess Maternity Session includes:

• Glam squad: Hair and makeup done by a professional!
• Sophisticatedly styled: You will have access to our client closet and be able to pick out fantastic outfits to fit your particular style. We have sizes ranging from XS through 2X, but that being said our maternity gowns are stretchy and can accommodate a variety of sizes!
• Set design: NEW feature, set design to create the maternity session of your dreams!

So, why should you do this instead of an outside shoot?  Pregnancy is NOT easy.  Wouldn’t it be more enjoyable to have your dream session in an air conditioned studio?  Additionally, it is sooo much easier to change outfits in the studio than on location.  Let’s not forget about the access to a clean, private bathroom.  Also, you are free to take breaks, as well as get hydrated or have a snack.  
Please contact me if you have further questions.  I cannot wait to create beautiful images of all you mamas to be.  

​Recently when perusing the news I saw that the singer Halsey is releasing a new album at the end of August.  The cover of her upcoming album reveals a very pregnant Halsey in a Renaissance type painting.  She is wearing a golden crown, holding an infant and one breast is exposed.  She explores the connection between women’s bodies being both a part of their sexuality, as well as the vessel which often carries, births, and provides for a child.  Halsey says, “ This cover image celebrates pregnant and postpartum bodies as something beautiful, to be admired. We have a long way to go with eradicating the social stigma around bodies & breastfeeding. I hope this can be a step in the right direction!"  
I started thinking about women’s sexuality and how often while pregnant or during postpartum women and society do not view mother’s as still being sexual beings.  Additionally, media tends to want postpartum mothers to hide the messiness of having a baby. 
            Even though it was several years ago, I still remember the image of Kate Middleton leaving the hospital after the birth of Prince George.  She has a blowout, full makeup, and is wearing a cute blue polka dot dress and high heels!  Yes she is royalty, but to this day I was so astonished that this postpartum woman was expected to look perfect and hide what her body had just experienced. 
            I often hear women not wanting to do boudoir photography during their pregnancy because they are becoming mothers.  That the sexy side of themselves needs to go on a temporary hiatus until after the baby is born, or until after the baby weight is lost.  
No, no, no , no…and no.  
Becoming a mother does not take away the sexual side of a woman.  I don’t care if you have physically had a child, or adopted…mothers are sexy.
  Maternity boudoir photography celebrates a woman’s sexuality and journey to motherhood going hand in hand.  And if you know anything about me, I’m all about embracing your imperfections, scars, the cellulite that you may be worrying about, the sleep deprivation that you may think has taken up residence underneath your eyes.  Don’t wait a year or two until you think you have finally reclaimed your sexuality or your confidence.  Celebrate that your body carried a child, birthed it and has recovered.  That a human depends on you to be cared for each day. That in itself is an incredible feat.  You are beautiful whether you are in your twenties, pregnant, in the midst of post-partum, past that stage in your life…or never want to experience motherhood.  Boudoir is for every woman because every woman deserves to feel confident and beautiful. 

​Hello Ladies!
I am so thrilled that you have decided to book a boudoir session with me.  I know that you are going to feel and look beautiful, as well as have a fabulous time! I can’t wait to photograph you! While I know you will have a fantastic time and be so happy with the photographs, I often find after booking a session that for some women the panic may set it.  
You may be asking yourself: 
What do I wear?  
What if lingerie isn’t my thing?  
Do I need to get a bikini wax?  
Should I color my hair right before?  
What if I feel awkward in the poses?  
Because women often have these questions and many, many more- I decided to put together an official boudoir prep guide for all your boudoir photography session questions!  If I am missing something or if your question has not been answered, please feel free to reach out.  I want your boudoir session to be the BEST experience for you.  
Keep in mind that not all of the prep items are required, but remember, you are putting time and money into these pictures so make sure you do your best to cover all the basics. 
Beauty Questions:

• To Wax or Not, that is the question: Often clients wonder if they should wax before a session, if you decide to wax, please make sure this is done ASAP (not the day before your session) to reduce redness/swelling before your photo shoot.  This applies especially if you have sensitive skin.
• Should I get a Manicure/Pedicure? If manicures/pedicures are your thing, go for it! But something to keep in mind is that solid colors photograph best.  A mani/pedi is not required, but please make sure your nails are neat/clean and free of chipped polish. 
• Moisturize that Body: There is no such thing as too much body moisturizer.  Moisturize like CRAZY, but don’t moisturize with SPF on the morning of your shoot. 
• Coloring your hair: If you color treat your hair, then make sure your hair is up to par for your photo session! I recommend maybe getting your hair done 1-2 weeks before the photo shoot, especially your roots!
• Eyelashes and Brows: Get an eyelash fill if you wear extensions.  Make sure you tweeze your eyebrows for any stray hairs.

Outfits:

• Try it on: Please make sure you try on ALL your outfit pieces (between 5-6 looks) before your session (I cannot stress this enough).  You should feel comfortable and beautiful in every single piece.  Do not purchase or decide to wear an outfit that does not give you a positive vibe.  This will wreck your experience if you don’t feel your best!  Loose lingerie or lingerie that is too tight does not lend to making your feel or looking as sexy as you can. The perfect-fitting outfit will highlight your curves and not add detriment to them by creating creases in skin or hanging off you, especially once you get into some more involved poses.

 

• Pick flattering pieces: You might feel pressured (thanks internet) to pick lingerie that is trendy, doesn’t show off your best features, or just doesn’t match your personality… the result of this is going to be you not feeling comfortable or sexy.  You want to highlight your best features and your personality.  Remember that this boudoir session is COMPLETELY ABOUT YOU. 
• Pick a variety of pieces: I would not recommend picking the same lingerie with small variations.  By picking a variety of outfit styles you will have a diverse collection of images and the most images to select from the session.
• Embrace a little Color:  Often clients feel they need to bring all black lingerie.  Don’t get me wrong, black lingerie is gorgeous, but don’t shy away from color.  It often gives a pop of energy and personality. 
• Grab a pair of high heels:  Something you may not know…high heels force a posture that will shine in boudoir photography.  They also help create interesting shots with a focus on the shoes.  Black heels are a must, but don’t be afraid to add a little color too!  Oh, and if you don’t have a ton of heels…don’t forget that the studio closet carries heels in sizes 6-12.  Feel free to shop our closet!
• New/Barely used is best:  Shopping for this experience is half the fun!  Stepping into something new is going to help you feel fresh and sexy. Not to mention that you are preserving this look forever in a keepsake that you are going to look at each year, decade, etc.  You want to make sure your boudoir experience is tied to new outfits, not one that looks worn. 
• Push Up Bras: Even if you aren’t a fan of push up bras (I get it, not always comfy), they are a necessity in this case.  Push up bras add visual power to almost every pose and will have your chest looking it’s best.
• Bring Extra Bras/Panties: Having a variety of simple and complex bras/panties will offer the most flexibility.  I recommend at least a black and nude set.  They can be paired together or with any other outfit to bring in small changes.
• Feel Free to Stray from Lingerie:  Yes, lingerie and boudoir go together like spaghetti and meatballs. But lingerie isn’t your only option.  Simple outfits such as a button-down shirt, robe, oversized sweater with panties can be JUST as powerful as lingerie.  Find a piece with sentimental value, maybe your significant over’s sweater or jacket.  Or a piece that you could see yourself wearing outside of your boudoir session, it may remind you of this incredible experience. 
• Get out the Wrinkles: You want to avoid wrinkles for your outfits.  Steam your outfits and bring your clothing to the shoot on hangers.  Cover them with bags to help them stay picture perfect.
• Cut off those tags: Clothing tags may be easily missed on shoot day.  I am usually watching for clothing tags during the shoot, but if it slips through, there are situations where I cannot edit the tags out.  
• Trust Yourself: Find items that you feel naturally drawn to. A boudoir session is all about YOU. Be honest with what you want. You will feel twice as good on the shoot day when you honestly like your outfit. You want to let your personality shine here, so being honest with what you like is the best first step in that process. 

The Night Before/Morning Of:

• Get a good night’s sleep before your shoot.

• Arrive with a clean, moisturized face.
• Plan to eat something light, but filling before your shoot. I will also have orange juice, water, mimosas, and light snacks available in the studio. 

 
If there is something I am forgetting, please reach out to me and let me know.  My goal is to make this process stress free for you so that you can have the special boudoir session that you deserve.  Can’t wait to see you, beautiful!  
 

Let’s face it, being in a pandemic for the last year has not really helped my socialization skills!  The last year, I swear I’ve become more of an introvert…but I’m super sick of it and with some aspects of the world returning to normal, I am looking forward to spending time with all my best friends.    
 Yes, I want to go out to dinner again inside.  I want to go out to the movies, get manicures/pedicures, and begin to travel again.  However, something that would be such a fun and unique girls day…boudoir! 
Here’s Why:

• The Makeover: Firstly, you get a complete makeover and have the opportunity to be totally glammed up!  How often does an opportunity like that present itself?  Your bestie gets to be by your side as the two of you morph into total supermodels! 
• Drinks included.  We are happy to provide a few beverages of choice during your session.  You and your bestie can kick back, relax and have a mimosa, or whatever floats your boat while you get your makeover and together you can create an incredible playlist of all your favorite songs!
• You will laugh and reconnect with each other:  Clients always worry they will feel embarrassed or silly doing boudoir.  You may laugh with each other at first, especially when I am doing the poses…but it is an opportunity to do something different and in a private setting at our downtown studio. Also, not to mention it is kind of fun to supportively laugh at each other!  
• Sexy Outfits/Sexy Poses/ While Looking like a Supermodel: When will you ever have another opportunity to be with your best friend and feel so totally beautiful and confident?  Let’s face it, having your best friend by your side- a person who supports and encourages you, is only going to heighten the boudoir experience! See last week’s article Positive Vibes with Positive People for tips on surrounding yourself with positive people. 
• Forever memory: The experience of doing boudoir together will be something you will never forget.  Not to mention you have the option of having an album so you can forever look back on the incredible experience. 

One of my best friends, who I have known forever, just had a baby.  The other day, we were taking a walk, and while she pushed her adorable infant in the stroller  she expressed her frustration with losing the post-partum weight.  She immediately began putting herself down and commenting on how awful she looked. On how her stomach would never go back to the way it was before.  That she felt fat and doughy.  She also felt stressed about the balance of dieting to losing the weight, but making sure she was eating enough to continue breast feeding.  I stopped her halfway through the conversation and told her how incredible she looks.  That to me, she looks absolutely better than before she had the baby!
​Whether you just had a baby, or not- why is it that as women we immediately go to the negative head space, and don’t congratulate ourselves on what we have DONE, instead of what we HAVE NOT?  All she could see was the changes she didn’t like, not that she had just carried a baby for nine months, given birth, and was nurturing this child while only getting four hours of sleep a night. 

Connection Between Stress and Our Self Reflection:
 I started thinking about how as women we have so much on our plates.  Managing the everyday balance between work, family, and  still taking time to nurture our own souls.  Stress and pressure can cause some warped reflections when we look in the mirror. The result of this is having a negative self-image, and only focusing on the things we don’t like about ourselves.  Even writing this, it is easy for me to be reflective, but if I’m honest…I completely focus on the negative parts of myself too.  
There is a lot to be said about having a tribe, a squad, a ride or die. No matter what you call it... these people can be special lights in our life when we are surrounded by nothing but our own darkness.
But not all of us are fortunate to have a person who builds us up when we feel small.  Often, relationships between women can be toxic, superficial, and even competitive.  I would guess that at some point we all have had a friend who puts us down to lessen their own insecurities.  This is absolutely the worst kind of relationship, and in order to be the best version of ourselves we need to take a step back and ask ourselves if our friendships are healthy.  So what can we do feel empowered and confident?
Ring in the Positivity:

• Surround ourselves with people who truly have our best interests at heart. One way to do this is to join the Haute View Boudoir's VIP Group.  It is a group of incredibly supportive, positive women who believe in empowering other women!!! It is fun and full of positive support!!!!
• Flush the negativity and drama down the toilet.
• Get rid of the friend who is me, me, me all the time.
• Unfollow “friends” on social media if they love to celebrate the negative.
• Find a friend who challenges you to be the best version of you.
• Take on new experiences.
• Consider booking a boudoir session with your bestie!  They can pump you up and offer words of encouragement about how beautiful and amazing you are!  Plus, it is an opportunity to relax and feel pampered while having fun!