Pittsburgh Boudoir Photography that empowers YOU to love yourself!

October 29, 2015

Beauty In All Sizes – Plus Size Boudoir

Plus size boudoir photography Pittsburgh is a passion of mine! Regardless of your size, a boudoir photo shoot is something you can embrace and enjoy every step of the way. Follow the links below for additional information on my boudoir services for those in Pittsburgh (and Beaver County) areas.

• Boudoir Pricing & Package

• Boudoir photo session planning tips

• Collection of Photos from other boudoir sessions

• Get started with my boudoir session questionnaire!

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If you’ve read some of my other posts, you know that I used to be extremely overweight. I understand the plight of plus size women (gosh, I really hate that term) – I remember worrying about whether I could fit into the booth at a restaurant, could I squeeze my butt into those seats on roller coasters. Yes, those were real worries I had all those years ago.

Last week, a potential client completed the boudoir session questionnaire and asked if I had experience with plus size women. If you look thru my blog and prior shoots, you can see that I show women of all different sizes. That’s very important to me. I don’t hire models to showcase my boudoir work. The women you see on my site are real women, real clients who have graciously let me share their photos. Whenever I do a “model call” to test out studio changes, I am looking for women who want the boudoir experience. Never models.

You see, I truly feel that boudoir photo shoots are for every woman. I have to know how to work with all body types and I embrace my curvy ladies! Nothing should hold you back from having this amazing experience. It’s normal to be nervous but together we’ll work thru those nerves!

I love that this beautiful woman, along with all my curvy girls, embraced all she had and jumped head first into a boudoir photo shoot. I wish I had had her courage all those years ago – I wish I had had that “who gives a crap what other people think” attitude. I applaud her for that! She was so amazing to work with and trusted me throughout the boudoir process, and I love that women can trust me to do this for them. My heart is filled with joy.

Enjoy a few photos from her boudoir photo shoot.

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Love her smile!

Plus Size Boudoir Photography Pittsburgh is provided by Pittsburgh’s Premier Boudoir Photographer – Maura Chick of Pics By Chicks Photography. Details on boudoir package and pricing can be found here.

For more photography goodness, please follow us on social media:

Facebook, @Pics By Chicks Photography

Instagram, @picsbychicksphotography

Pinterest, @Pics By Chicks

Please note: All boudoir images shared on my website are done so with permission from my clients.

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October 28, 2015

Katie’s Senior Session

Senior Photos Pittsburgh by Pics By Chicks Photography servicing Pittsburgh, Beaver County, Butler County and Lawrence County. Presenting Katie’s senior session. For more information on our senior portraits, please follow the links below:

~Senior Photos Pricing & Package Information

~View a collection of photos from other senior sessions

~Begin the scheduling process by completing our senior questionnaire

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Katie’s senior session can be described in one word – PERFECTION!

I had such an amazing time during her session. Our connection started a year earlier when I photographed her brother’s senior session. We laughed the entire time and I love that I have an amazing connection with this family. I love sharing my joy and passion for this job with my clients.

Katie is a senior at Beaver Area High School. She’s an awesome young girl who has a wonderful life ahead of her. Soccer, cheering – seems like she’s involved in everything. I love her smile and the zest for life she seems to have. I have enjoyed every minute of work with her and her mother.

It was such a beautiful summer day for her senior photos – enjoy just a few photos from her shoot! It was so hard to pick the photos for the blog post. 🙂

I love her smile! Photos like this remind me of the fun we have during the photo shoot!

Wishing you the best of luck Katie as you begin a new journey! Can’t wait to see all that life holds for you!

Senior Photos Pittsburgh by Pics By Chicks Photography. For pricing information for senior photo shoots, please click here.

Want to get started with scheduling your senior photo shoot? Click here to complete our senior session questionnaire and we will contact you directly.

For more photography goodness, please follow us on social media:

Facebook, @Pics By Chicks Photography

Instagram, @picsbychicksphotography

Pinterest, @Pics By Chicks

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October 26, 2015

Boudoir Tips – The Power of Editing

In this boudoir tips blog post, I’m going to talk about the power of editing. Doing Boudoir Photography Pittsburgh, I MUST be well versed in my editing abilities in order to provide the best results for my client. Editing can fix things that posing and lighting cannot, and you’ll see in this blog post why I’ve spent a lot of time and money honing my editing skills. For details on my boudoir package (including pricing), please click here. If you wanted to see other boudoir photo shoot planning tips, please click here. Every two weeks I post a boudoir photo shoot tip that can help you in planning your dream session! Finally, to see a collection of my boudoir photos, please click here.

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Ah, editing. Something that can make or break a photo. Editing is unique to each photographer and every style is different. Some photographers even outsource their editing. I LOVE to edit photos. And, well, I love everything about being a boudoir photographer – from photographing the session to editing the photos to delivering the final product to you. I love to be able to watch the magic that happens right in front of my eyes and that includes my editing. All boudoir photos are retouched.

But, here’s the thing. Every client is different. Some want things removed, others want them to remain. This is why it’s crucial to discuss with your photographer what you are looking for in the editing of photos. This is something I certainly talk at length with with my clients before and even during the photo shoot. I want you to love your photos so I’m going to respect whatever you request with editing. This includes blemishes, birth marks, moles, etc. The examples I show below are extreme cases and the photos were taken specifically so I could show examples of editing powers.

Here’s the truth:

1) Every boudoir photo is retouched. By hand. That’s right. I spend time on each and every photo that you see, there is no batch editing done because I treat ever photo as it’s own.

2) The goal is to get it right in the camera using the correct posing and light. This is why isn’t very important to find a photographer who has invested in their education and has experience working with all body types. Posing is a great solver to any problem areas *you think* exist, and great posing means less editing fixes.

3) At the end of the day, everyone needs a little Photoshop help. 🙂 While Photoshop is not a substitute to awesome lighting and posing, it gives the extra boost sometimes needed to photos. I’m NOT talking about making you into something you are not but sometimes Photoshop can help fix some things (see examples below).

I love being able to create some magic in the editing but remember it’s up to you on what is done and your photographer should respect that!

Here are some examples of editing from this pittsburgh boudoir photographer. 😉

First up – this beautiful woman wanted some photos to highlight her body but was very concerned about her stomach. I took one look at it and knew I could work some magic so that she would be happy and she was over the moon with the results!

Another lovely woman here who had just had a tummy tuck after significant weight loss. She wanted to show off the flat stomach she now had but was concerned about some of the stretch marks as well as a few skin folds that remained. She asked if these could be fixed and I knew I would be able to edit them for her. She was so pleased with the results!

(Note – All images shared with permission from my clients)

Sometimes editing can fix things that posing cannot. And, I love that I know a bunch of Photoshop tips and tricks to achieve results for my clients. Of course, there are some limits to what can be done (i.e. those pesky tan lines) but you should discuss with your photographer what you may be concerned with. What I don’t want you to do is let these little body concerns hold you back from doing a boudoir shoot! Take the leap – it’s a great experience!

For more information on our boudoir photography pittsburgh services for those in the Pittsburgh and surrounding areas, please click here.

Be sure to follow our blog for more boudoir photo shoot planning tips!

For more photography goodness, please follow us on social media:

Facebook, @Pics By Chicks Photography

Instagram, @picsbychicksphotography

Pinterest, @Pics By Chicks

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October 22, 2015

Another Transformation

Boudoir Photography Pittsburgh is provided by Pics By Chicks Photography. My job is the best job ever and I love meeting so many wonderful women from the Pittsburgh and Eastern OH region! My life has been so enriched by these amazing women! More information on our boudoir package – including pricing – can be found by clicking here. I also blog boudoir photo shoot planning tips, which you can see by clicking here. If you are considering a boudoir photo shoot, there is lots of information in my blog to help you plan for your session. For a collection of photos from other boudoir photo shoots, please click here.

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I always love transformations. If you’ve ready my blog, you know that the transformation experienced during these boudoir photo shoots goes well beyond the hair and makeup. Yes, that’s part of your pampering and prep for the photo shoot but I’ve seen so many amazing women come thru the door who are a little timid and shy. But, by the first 5 minutes of their shoot, they are walking around with some new confidence and new sense of themselves. Sometimes it’s hard to see your own beauty and I want to bring out your radiant self during the photo shoot. I love being able to see this transformation first hand – it’s something I have a hard time putting into words. I love this job and I have so much joy watching all this happen.

Women are beautiful and should be celebrated!

Potential clients always love to see before and afters, so here’s one for you. Beautiful before, beautiful after! 🙂

For more photography goodness, please follow us on social media:

Facebook, @Pics By Chicks Photography

Instagram, @picsbychicksphotography

Pinterest, @Pics By Chicks

Please note: All boudoir images shared on my website are done so with permission from my clients.

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October 21, 2015

Lauren & Kevin Engaged

Pittsburgh engagement photos provided by Pics By Chicks Photography, Pittsburgh wedding photographers. Our wedding package includes a complementary engagement session. Please follow the links below for details on our wedding service.

~Package and Pricing for wedding photography

~Wedding Planning Tips

~A selection of photos from other engagement sessions

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Lauren + Kevin = Perfection!

I’ve known Lauren for years and the thing that immediately struck me as I looked thru their engagement photos the first time was how genuinely happy and in love she is with Kevin! They live in South Side now and opted for a city shoot for their engagement session. I love city shoots – there are so many interesting places throughout the city. And, if I felt Kevin would have lasted longer, I probably could have taken photos for another hour or so! 😉

We started with a quick walk on their street and next to this cool wall. (Apparently, it’s only purpose is to hide an electric tower)

When I saw this brick with some weeds growing out of it, I knew I needed to use it for their photos. This is something others probably just walk past and ignore but the photographer in me jumped at the chance to use the wall! We will likely use the same wall for a few wedding photos.

We then walked to the Hot Metal Bridge. YES! I loved the bridge and all the cool architecture! Another great spot for a few wedding photos.