Stripped Down, Built Up: The Truth About Boudoir

Jenna Adaway- The Boudoir Specialist

Let’s get one thing straight: boudoir photography isn’t about sex.

It’s not about looking “hot” for someone else. It’s not about how much skin you show or how perfectly you pose. And it’s definitely not about fitting into society’s mold of what beauty should look like.

So, what is it about?

It’s about healing. It’s about confidence. It’s about coming home to yourself.

People often ask me, “If it's not about sex, why do you have to be in lingerie for it?” And here’s the truth: you don’t have to. But here’s why so many women choose to.

The more skin you show, the more vulnerable you are—and the more powerful the experience becomes. If I can help you see how stunning, strong, and radiant your body is when it’s mostly exposed, then it becomes a hell of a lot easier to love yourself fully when you’re clothed and walking through everyday life. That’s the real magic.

Boudoir photography isn’t just about sexy pictures. It’s about unlearning every lie that horrible ex made you believe. It’s about realizing that perfection doesn’t exist—and never did. Every body is different. Every story is different. So who gets to decide what’s “normal” or “beautiful”? You do. This is your body. Your truth. Your reality and you have every right to rewrite what that reality looks like.

During a session, it’s not just clothes being stripped away. It’s shame. Guilt. Negative self-talk. And outdated ideas of what beauty is “supposed” to be. We’re clearing out all the mental clutter that’s been holding you back, and making space for something better: self-love, self-respect, and a whole new way of seeing yourself.

You are beautiful. Not just because of how you look—but because of who you are.

And here's something I’ve learned from working with so many incredible women: you're not alone in this. More often than not, the women who walk through my doors carry deep scars—emotional, mental, and sometimes physical—from past abuse. Whether from a toxic relationship or a complete stranger, trauma has a way of rewriting the story we tell ourselves about our worth.

But boudoir photography flips the script.

Doing this isn’t just about stepping into a cute outfit. It’s about stepping into your power. It's about looking at yourself and finally saying, "That chapter doesn’t get to define me anymore." It’s about taking your body back. Taking your mind back. Taking your life back. It’s about telling the person from your past—the one who made you feel small, unworthy, broken—to fuck all the way off.

This is your turn. Your moment. Your permission to take up space. To feel confident. To feel beautiful. To be in full control of your thoughts, your voice, and your confidence again. Because you were never the problem. And you were always enough.

Not long ago, I had a client who told me she loved looking at the photos I’d taken—she admired how confident the women looked, how free they seemed—but she didn’t think that kind of healing was possible for her. She thought those women were different. That confidence was something they got to feel—not her. But here’s the thing—she showed up for herself by showing up to her appointment. She’s done three shoots with me. And she has plans for more. Her confidence has soared through the trauma, through the shame, through every ounce of horrible self-image she carried in with her that first day.

She’s back.And her self-esteem is stronger than ever. That is what this boudoir photography is about.

So no, boudoir isn’t what most people think it is. It’s so much more!