The background to the story...

I first met Bryan Peterson in June 2010 when I attended his workshop in Edmonton, Alberta.  It was during that workshop, when he was telling me about an upcoming form shoot he had, that I decided I would like to do a boudoir/fine art nude/form shoot – and it would be ultra cool if Bryan (whom I like very much and who is an extraordinary photographer) would be the one to do it.  Fast forward to June 2011 and there I was in Bryan Peterson’s Chicago studio with my makeup on and not much else!

People have varying opinions on this type of shoot, but I felt really comfortable about my personal and professional reasons for wanting to do it:  I thought it would be a wonderful keepsake for me (I’m not getting any younger!); a beautiful and intimate anniversary gift for my husband; and the only way to truly know what it feels like to be on the other end of the lens.

Over the past year I have done shoots for women who wanted to capture a meaningful time in their lives.  The reasons women have for doing a shoot like this may vary greatly – whether it’s during pregnancy, after a significant weight loss, having a milestone birthday (which, let’s face it, aren't always by the decade!), after surviving an illness or accident, or just ‘cause they want to feel the freedom that is inherent in this experience – but, I can assure you, there is one constant theme: the woman’s desire to evidence her innate beauty.  

Photo by B. F. Peterson

This type of shoot, in my opinion, will only render truly beautiful results if the subject trusts the photographer.  I’ve spoken before of my belief in sharing a rapport with clients to ensure their images are portraits and not merely pictures, you can see it in the body language and without question in the eyes.  Some of the work I’ve been most proud of has come from shoots with women, and I’ve always been truly honoured and appreciative that they would allow me to post photos from our time together in my marketing – this is the ultimate display of trust and generosity (having the shoot is already a big deal for most of us, having the images out there for the world to see reaches a whole new level of courage!).  So, out of my sincere appreciation to clients past and future, I will be including photos from my shoot…it only seems fair!

And so, now that I’ve provided you the background to the story, I’d like you to join me for the upcoming few blogs where I will speak candidly about this experience, both as a woman and as a photographer. 

Stay tuned for Chapter 1 – The Personal Journey!

Life is good!

Lori