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Why I Chose to Empower Women Via Boudoir Photography

Writer's picture: Mikayla GrahamMikayla Graham

Updated: Mar 7, 2023

Hi! I'm Mik, your photographer (hopefully!) and personal hype girl. I didn't always want to shoot boudoir - I actually stuck to photographing fine art landscapes for several years before choosing to photograph people. However, if I could go back and change anything - I would choose to start working with physical clients a lot sooner than I did in the beginning.


Some people become doctors, teachers, or politicians, some throw themselves into the world of finance or sales, and some pursue a trade. These jobs are practical and have plenty of purpose and I am grateful for every individual who chooses any of the aforementioned career paths (and all of the incredible ones I didn't name). I'll be the first to admit boudoir photography isn't exactly practical. It is often misunderstood by some - especially now as more women pursue sex work (you're my girls and I love all of you!). But there's one thing I know from personal experience doing this work; it changes lives. Watching women come into their sessions nervous and on edge to leaving with a new found confidence will never get old.


I did my very first paid boudoir session two years ago and when I delivered my client's images the first thing I heard was "Oh my god! Who is SHE?" as we sat and scrolled through her photographs. Right then - in that moment - I knew boudoir was the career path for me. I love the weddings I photograph and the amazing families I meet, but there's just something so special about helping women and men embrace their true authentic self.


It's no secret that women, specifically, face a brutal and judgmental world. One filled with marketing towards being the "perfect woman." You know the ones - the magazines that scream at you in the aisles at Walmart about that new dieting trick or clothes that will "drive your partner crazy." Baring it all in front of the camera - literally - may seem like a way to highlight every self-perceived flaw flaw that women are taught to believe about themselves, but I'm here to tell you that my boudoir sessions have the completely opposite effect for my clients.


Boudoir sessions empower both women and men. They give each individual the space to step back from the marketing garbage and unleash their gorgeous curves and celebrate their bodies in a way they've never done before. I may not have a "practical" job that saves literal lives or helps you navigate your taxes (because let's face it - taxes are fucking rough sometimes), but just like I value those careers - there's value in what I do as a boudoir photographer. The proof? Every woman that has ever stepped foot in front of my camera walks away feeling more sure of herself and more beautiful than ever before. There isn't anything else I would rather be doing - and I hope each individual that wanders into my studio feels that energy with every photograph I take.


So this is me - Mik - and I am looking forward to empowering even more people in the future.


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