From Somatica to Boudoir Photography: My Unconventional Journey

“Um, I have to tell you something. I’m in my 50s and somewhat … curvy. Are you sure you want to have me in your boudoir photography portfolio?”

When Rose spoke to me on the phone, she was definitely pushing herself out of her comfort zone. But then, she had been doing that for a while. She described herself as a professional and a mother of 3 grown kids who had been through a divorce a couple of years ago. She was on a journey to love and accept her body, and felt she was ready to reclaim her sexuality and power by saying YES to new and challenging experiences.

I reassured Rose, “Heck yeah! You’re exactly who I want in my portfolio” . She signed up for a shoot. But as the day of the shoot approached, anxieties and fears reared up in her head:

I don’t look good in pictures usually — what if this is more of the same? Do I have to do something I’m not comfortable with? OMG — I don’t have anything to wear!!!

Even with all of that, she showed up for her shoot, nervous and brave, with a suitcase full of beautiful outfits. We took it from there.

My Adventure with Somatica

I first encountered Somatica as a client in 2014, working on my own sex and relationship challenges. Working with Celeste (one of…