
With a flash of curly hair and a stunningly warm smile, it’s not hard to see that working with Jessica is a dream. Her most recent shoot with WMNKND was actually her ninth boudoir shoot! I sat down with her to chat about her experiences with boudoir, her perspective, and what advice she has for anyone considering a Day of Empowerment with us.
Hey, Jessica! Thanks for taking a moment to chat with me. I wanted to start by asking you about why you chose to do a boudoir session your first time? Your subsequent experiences? Why did you choose WMNKND?
My first boudoir shoot was in 2017. I was about a year out of an emotionally abusive relationship where I had given up so much of myself and I was actively seeking ways to both feel like me again and shut up the memory of his voice telling me I’d be pretty if I just lost weight or similar. That shoot was from a Groupon with a national chain and knowing what I know now, it was far from perfect, but what it did do was act as the catalyst for a bit of an addiction to boudoir shoots. I had a few pictures from that shoot that I loved, but there were still so many that I didn’t like or that I picked apart my appearance the way my ex would’ve. It took a while of sitting with that, but I was following a number of boudoir photographers on Instagram who made their shoots look like such an empowering experience that I felt like I needed to try again – but this time I wanted to handpick one of those photographers I was following because the sticking point for that first shoot for me was feeling like the photographer didn’t really listen to me.


What were your expectations of boudoir when booking your first experience as well as this one? Were your expectations met?
In late 2019, I flew to Austin to do a shoot with a photographer who posted a ton of client reaction videos and they were always these women who were amazed and disbelieving that it was them in the photos, these tear-filled life-changing “aha moments” that made it look like seeing the pictures cured all of their body image issues. And so I had the [unrealistic] expectation that I would have the same experience. Fast forward to receiving the proofs and while there were a few photos I adored, there was also me, bursting into tears because I wasn’t magically “cured.” But I sat with those feelings and I kept coming back to the fact that the shoot itself had been night and day from the first one. The hair and makeup, the photographer listening and making me comfortable, the FUN, and the hype session. I had felt like I was beautiful and that I could do anything leaving that studio. Where I started doing shoots thinking the photos were the end goal, it really was the shoot experience that felt like the part that was helping me reconnect with *me.*
Now it’s 2024 and my shoot with WMNKND this summer was my ninth boudoir shoot (not counting 7 virtual ones during the lockdowns of the pandemic). The biggest difference nine shoots in is that in addition to ensuring that the vibe and shoot experience looks like it’s going to be what I’m looking for, now I actively seek out photographers who focus on making you look like YOU as opposed to looking “sultry” for the male gaze — if part of the wonder of these photos is learning to like what you see, it makes sense for those photos to actually look like you instead of photoshopped to the point of being unrecognizable. Yes, edit out a pimple or a bruise, but my skin isn’t perfectly smooth and that’s okay. Because I’m a human being and that’s just how my skin sits over my tissue and muscles.



That’s such a great distinction between photography styles. I’m curious to learn more about your personal experience working with our team here at WMNKND.
I’ve followed Mik on Instagram since I saw the photos that she took on Stephanie Chinn’s first retreat trip and I loved that her philosophy for her shoots seemed to align with what I was looking for. From the moment I walked in and met Mik and Kelsey, I felt comfortable and welcome, with the laughter starting immediately. We talked outfits and confirmed the vibe I was aiming for with my hair and makeup and got going. Sometimes sensual, sometimes silly, sometimes cozy, all of me was allowed to be present. With so much experience with shoots, I’d say the thing that made this shoot different was that Mik has you put together a Pinterest board of both images and hair/makeup looks that you love, which actually was really helpful because it can be hard to describe what you’re envisioning in a way that it’s truly clear to someone else. And then the fact that you get a massage while she does a quick edit and pulls together your proofs was definitely something I haven’t seen done before. Admittedly, the fact that she calls the photoshoots “Days of Empowerment” made me a little skeptical that it was going to feel forced or gimmicky, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that wasn’t the case at all. I felt supported and hyped — there’s a behind the scenes clip where you Mik tells me to look sensual (so I did), and you can hear Kelsey go “ooo-kaaaaay” and I remember when it happened and it was just so fun and empowering, to steal Mik’s word.

I love that we were able to live up to the expectations of empowerment! Lastly, do you have any advice for others considering their own boudoir session?
The thing that I have come to realize about my love for boudoir shoots is that it is one of very few spaces in our society where a woman is not only encouraged to accept a compliment rather than just brushing it off, but to actually revel in our embodiment and feel good about ourselves too. You really can believe you’re beautiful and powerful without it immediately making you vain or narcissistic and I adore that boudoir shoots are not only a space for that knowledge but that the photos capture it. I would recommend doing this to literally everyone, and you don’t need a “reason” beyond you think it sounds fun or you want to see yourself how others do. Take the risk, it’s worth it!


