Pittsburgh Boudoir Photography that empowers YOU to love yourself!

July 18, 2019

No Way to Put a Value On It

We can’t see it – we just can’t. We’re blinded by the challenges life throws as us, jaded by the negative experiences that seem to take over our thoughts, led to believe that there’s only one type of woman that is deemed beautiful by society. Sometimes someone has to show us the beauty that we all carry. That’s my job. One of the things I love the most. The beauty that we have isn’t just on the outside. It’s all the freaking crap you’ve been through and the fact that you are still here – STANDING TALL! Think of all the struggles you’ve overcome and the battles you’ve faced … you are a f*^king warrior!!

Don’t wait one more minute. Live that beautiful life of yours. Celebrate your beauty! Dance. Smile. Find that joy within! You deserve nothing but good!

I’ll leave the rest of the blog in her words as she shares with you about her session!

1) Why did you decide to invest in a boudoir photo shoot? I’ve been part of the VIP page for a while now after a friend invited me after I saw and adored her pictures. Day after day I saw these amazing women posting beautiful pictures and gushing about the experience and knew it was time for me to get in.

2) How did you feel about yourself before your photo shoot? Honestly beautiful but a bit insecure just because of the uncertainty of what the session would hold

boudoir photography pittsburgh woman in fishnet bodysuit on studio sofa

3) How did you feel about yourself after your photo shoot? Amazing!!!! I couldn’t believe I did it and we’ll Maura of course just makes your feel like the most incredible person in the world.

4) Describe your session in 3 words? All about ME

5) What was your favorite part of the boudoir photo shoot? Giving in to Maura and letting her pick an outfit I normally wouldn’t but turned out to be perfect

6) What value do you think a boudoir session brings to your life and the community of women you support? There is no way to put a value on it. There is nothing more valuable than feeling priceless

7) What would you say to other women who are considering a boudoir photo shoot? Do it! No seriously just do it!

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July 11, 2019

Contagious Energy

The second time around is even more fabulous than the first! But, I do love that clients feed off the energy I give them at every single session. Don’t for one minute think I will just stand there and tell you what to do….nope! I’ll guide you every step of the way, pose you from head to toe, run all around to get my photos, and holler at you about how amazing you are! I’m going to break through all those thoughts in your head and just release your inhibitions!

Here’s more what she had to say about her second session!

1) Why did you decide to invest in a boudoir photo shoot? I absolutely loved my first session with Maura and I couldn’t wait to do it again!

2) How did you feel about yourself before your photo shoot? I felt good about myself. I was way more relaxed going into this the second time around. I knew from my past experience that this shoot would be so much fun! I love being around Maura and her energy is contagious.

3) How did you feel about yourself after your photo shoot? Incredible! It’s such an awesome reminder of the true beauty & power that we as females all have inside.

4) Describe your session in 3 words? fun, exciting & amazing!

5) What was your favorite part of the boudoir photo shoot? EVERYTHING! From the beginning to end, it’s such an awesome experience. Maura provides you with so much helpful information before your session. Then, the day of your session you get to meet the fabulous Maura and be pampered by her hair and makeup artist. She will having you giggling and having so much fun during the session. I just love how she talks out loud and she is so encouraging and positive. Lastly, when you meet for your viewing appointment, you will be blown away by what you see. It’s just incredible!

6) What value do you think a boudoir session brings to your life and the community of women you support? I truly believe that there is so much value in these sessions. They help so many women regardless of what is going on in their to really see their true beauty and the amazing person they are.

7) What would you say to other women who are considering a boudoir photo shoot? Don’t think about it for another second- just do it! Do it for yourself! You will never regret it!

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July 8, 2019

The Mirror

Another one of the studio changes I made for 2019 was a complete refresh of the bedroom…that includes this luxurious mirror! I am completely obsessed with how it looks in photographs!

I saw this mirror over two years ago and debated on buying it – it certainly wasn’t inexpensive! I loved the look of it but needed to think about the investment….then I just decided to dive head first and I’m so happy I did.

Believe it or not, this magnificent best is very lightweight so I always tell clients to be careful when they put their hands on it.

Accented with the blue tufted chair I got a few years ago, a few new plants, and a gold table – it’s complete perfection.

Also, new is a painting on the wall (you can see the reflection in the mirror) and new pillows! Oh and lets not forget the velvet curtains that just tie the entire room together!

I love refreshing things and keeping everything updated. And, well, your girl loves to shop so this always gives me a reason to be looking. Finding these unique pieces are what keeps me going – I mean, who doesn’t love to find truly terrific things to pose with women!

I just adore this job so much – I’m so thankful to all the women who trust me to give them this experience that I have a hard time putting into words how much these women mean to me. I have had some tough conversations, loving insights and heartfelt talks with lots of women. We’re all struggling with something. We all want love. We all want to be accepted. And, we all want to be seen and heard – let me assure you that I SEE YOU and I HEAR YOU. None of my clients will ever walk anything alone – I will be their cheerleader and champion until I have no voice left.

Here are some photos with the new mirror…plus a few extras!

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May 30, 2019

Raw & Real, Stripping Down the Masks

Over 16 months ago, I had this idea. An idea to take off all the makeup and see our raw and real selves. One of my boudoir clients so graciously was a guinea pig for that idea and as I thought more and more about it, I knew I needed to do something bigger.

I reached out to the women on my email newsletter and let them signup for raw and real sessions. Knowing this may be a challenge for some, I encouraged them to step out of their comfort zone and move into a place of love and acceptance for that unique beauty they possess. The ladies that were quick enough to jump into the limited spots I opened were some past boudoir clients, friends that I’ve known since I was a child, and some women that have followed me for years and wanted this opportunity. Whoever they were, I knew that we would come together as a remarkable group of women and celebrate each person as they bravely stepped forward in front of my camera.

The stage was set with champagne, fruit, cheese, dance music, a big fan, tons of laughs…and a crazy photographer who hoots and hollers at you telling you how beautiful and fantastic you are. I can see it in you. I need you to believe it’s there.

We, as women, hide. We hide our faces with makeup. We hide our bodies with clothes. We do things we don’t want to do and say things we don’t believe to hide our feelings from others. We get disconnected with ourselves and we pull away from knowing who we are deep down inside. I asked each of these women to come fresh faced, no makeup, so that I could capture their essence. An essence I see in every woman but something they struggle to see in themselves.

This self love journey we’re on is hard and it takes a lot of work. You cannot sit back, say you want to change the way you feel about yourself, and expect your life to be different. You have to face the things you run away from, you need to lean into those difficult emotions, you must get in touch with your soul, you need to define your beauty – all of that takes effort.

The silver lining is that all you need is yourself. YOU need to love you the most. YOU need to give yourself confidence. You don’t need approval or validation from anyone else – you have it all within you. You just have to find it. The love you have for yourself isn’t temporary. It’s the lasting love that you need in your life every single day. No one can give it to you but you.

Do you let people see the real You?

Do you let them see the dark side, not just the fun side?
Do you change yourself or your viewpoints to be accepted by others?

Do you fear letting yourself be seen for who you are?

Do you know what your heart & soul desire?

Do you feel like you can’t share your whole self with your friends?

Do you feel like you are pretending all the time?

Do you force yourself to be someone you know you are not?

You build a mask to protect yourself from being seen, hoping that it keeps you safe and will continue to provide you with the love and affection from others. But what about the love and affection from yourself?

You cannot fully love yourself if you are hiding – your unique self must be allowed to shine. When you hide or change yourself, you stifle down your true self and are putting your essence in a container. Seal the lid on that container tight, don’t want to risk any of it getting out. When do you that, you are telling yourself you aren’t good enough as you are. This is not the message I want you to send yourself. How would you feel if someone was telling you that you weren’t enough every single day?

Stop being what other people expect you to be. Strip off the mask and claim the power of yourself! She’s there, desperately wanting validation from you! Recognize her, support her, accept her and love her.

Your heart is in your hands. What are you going to do with it?

Here’s a video of the session!

Thank you to these amazing women for trusting me. I love them dearly and applaud them for being raw and real!

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May 2, 2019

Totally For Me

This woman is one of my favorite women to photograph! I love having her in front of my camera, but more importantly in my life!! I’ll leave this post to her:

(PS – This is one of my FAVORITE photos I have ever taken!)

1) Why did you decide to invest in a boudoir photo shoot? I’ve had a personal shoot and one group shoot in the past, so it was a no-brainer to do this again. At this time in my life, I was coming from a pretty dark place: I lost my dad earlier in the year and was grasping to solidify my identity and affirm my personal value in the absence of this person I loved fiercely who had made such an indelible impact; it was daunting. I had done a lot of soul searching and had been hung up trying to determine my legacy, my place, my tribe. What I really needed then was a day of self-indulgence and self-love, which I knew a shoot with Maura would deliver. I just wanted some levity and to refill my cup, metaphorically speaking.

2) How did you feel about yourself before your photo shoot? Honestly, not terrible. I was/still am struggling with accepting some noticeable weight gain, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from being a part of Maura’s tribe, it’s that I’m (we’re! – all of us!) beautiful no matter what. Beauty comes from believing that and carrying myself with integrity and pride. I don’t always get it right, but I know it’s really just that simple when I get down to it. I embraced the day and decided I would be fearless and own it.

3) How did you feel about yourself after your photo shoot? Like a rockstar! I mean, Maura has that effect on everyone, but this was a particularly uplifting day. She let me have some creative license, she directed me, she hooted and hollered. It was really a dream come true. But, to be fair, that’s how it always is. Plus, I got to wear a killer pair of turquoise heels with vintage skulls I owned but have never worn and my husband’s old band tee in homage to him. I can’t quite put the day into words! I got to tap into many, many aspects of my persona in an authentic way.

4) Describe your session in 3 words? Empowering, frenetic, creative

5) What was your favorite part of the boudoir photo shoot? I really wanted a glitter bum, which I had seen on Insta, and she let me totally demolish her bathroom floor while I attempted to shellac myself in glitter. I know this was a special exception because I am a return client who was passionate about trying this out, but she totally ran with it. The final result, despite my failures to achieve what I wanted to as my own makeup artist, were quite stunning. (Maura Note: I can’t show you these photos because, well, nipple! Your nipples, your business)

6) What would you say to other women who are considering a boudoir photo shoot? I’ve said it before, what are you waiting for? When I first did a shoot, it was for my 10-year-anniversary, but the final product and result were really all for me, much to my surprise. This shoot was totally for me, and I was reminded that even when I can’t see the beauty in my own body, it’s still there! Her eyes (and her periodic screams) say it all.

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No Way to Put a Value On It

Contagious Energy

The Mirror

Raw & Real, Stripping Down the Masks

Your heart is in your hands. What are you going to do with it?

Totally For Me

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