oh hi there :)
My name is Coreen, or Reena, if you like.
I take photographs, I'm not a blogger, nor do I claim to be good at writing, but here I am! Blogging is something I never thought I would do, but I'm passionate about my photography and passionate about building my business, and if this helps, then I'm willing to give it a try...
Where to start? I have so much to say, but we have lots of time to get to know each other, right? I'll skip the details and just get to the most important stuff;
I am 38, a wife to the best human on the planet, Jeff, my *SBA, a mother to 2 gorgeous sons, Kashus Logan (5) and Atticus Parker (3). I love to garden, listen to music, work out, spend time with people that inspire me, smooch, drink coffee, cook good food, and travel when possible. I am a stay at home mother who just finished a Photography course at the local technical school, and I want to get back to work; to learn, to engage with people, to have fun, and to be a better photographer. I discovered I need a creative outlet to be a happier and more content version of myself, so I'm just gonna go for it :)
*SBA-sweet baby angel
On our wedding day, July 2016. He IS a tall drink, isn't he?
My main focus will be weddings, local and destination, and also boudoir. (but between you and me, I'll shoot anything, like anything) I'm totally a photog-whore, and I'm ok with it. I also love landscape and cityscape, food photography, and photos of the loves in my life; you'll see plenty over the course of this blog.
In 2015 when I started my course at SAIT, I specifically said to my friend and classmate Shannon, "I don't want to do boudoir" I was sure weddings and babies would be my main focus. A few months later, I was asked by a friend if I would shoot her friend (Miss D) in a boudoir setting. Funny how things work out...
I agreed, but I was exceptionally nervous about it. A few days later, I had a phone conversation with Miss D, and heard about her decision to have a double mastectomy after being tested for the BRCA1 gene. She made the only choice she knew she could, as she had watched her grandmother and mother battle breast cancer themselves.
I'm not afraid to admit that there were some tears spilled in that conversation, and I felt an overwhelming connection to her as a Woman, and a Mother, which is something I wasn't really expecting, but completely embraced.
The day of the shoot, we met, we had a drink, we chatted, and we took the time to get comfortable with each other. We talked the entire time, laughing and making jokes as she moved through different poses, changed outfits, and touched up her makeup. It was amazing to me, that a woman would trust another person, to take nude/semi nude photos of them, without ever having met them, for such an important and emotional reason-that level of trust was baffling to me, and I felt so honored to receive it.
Miss D, My first Boudoir Session
Shortly afterwards, I had another gal contact me through Facebook and ask for a bridal boudoir shoot. She was getting married on the same day as Jeff and I, so we had a lot of wedding things to chat about, and ended up having a really great time :) Again, Like Miss D, Miss I was fun and friendly and we were able to connect.
Miss I, Bridal Boudoir
Somewhere in there I ended up doing a Dudeoir shoot for one of our Best Friends in the world-what an experience! I hope to book more men for shoots like this; so please, contact me if you know of someone who would be up for it. This entire shoot was so much fun, for me, for him, and for his wife, as she was able to direct him through all the poses she wanted to see him in, to tease him and help him relax, and also, to remind him of why he was doing it: all for her :)
I'd say after these 3 experiences, I was hooked. I want to do boudoir all the time. Last fall, I rented a studio space and hired a make-up gal, then arranged a mini-marathon. It went really well; the girls were amazing to work with and I felt really inspired by their beauty. I knew I had to do another for Valentines Day.
In January, I rented an apartment DT for the weekend, got in touch with Lindsey, the make up master, bought a shit ton of prosecco, and we got to work; 5 gals over 2 days.
Now Lindsey and I are actually related by marriage, and had always gotten along. We hadn't spent too much time together over the last few years, but I knew she had great energy and was super friendly. What I didn't realize, was how well her and I would get along, and how the energy we created between us, would really set the mood for the sessions all weekend. I love you Lindsey! xo
From the moment our first client, Miss H, arrived on Saturday morning, to our last session on Sunday afternoon, Lindsey and I were BUZZING off the energy that we received from the girls. We couldn't help but notice how we are all so different and yet we were able to find a commonality and get along so well (especially in a potentially awkward situation)
We were both so excited to be working, together, with women, and helping women to feel frigging amazing and confident, capturing it, and having a laugh. #blessed
Here's the thing; When women can get together in an environment where they have no choice but to let their walls down and be vulnerable, they can also manifest this innate sense of sisterhood, even when they are strangers. Regardless of age, religion, background, or heritage, women can instill confidence, and be supportive, and share love, and just CONNECT. Its magical shit, and it doesn't happen often enough. In the last year I've met some really beautiful people (inside and out) and I just love feeling that connection, with women and men as well, it really is something to be talked about.
Most girls have their insecurities about something physical, whether its your chest or your nose, or your thighs or whatever. We all, can look in a mirror and see 50 things we don't like or wish we could change about our bodies. Every single girl that came into the apartment that weekend talked about the parts they didn't want to show off or which parts they wanted to conceal the most. Every girl came out in a piece of lingerie that they've had in their bedroom drawer for 2-8 years and never felt sexy enough to wear for their husbands.
Throughout the entire day, myself and Lindsey, looked at every girl and told her all the beautiful things we could see in them. It came from an authentic place, of wanting them to see themselves as we do, and all the beauty they had, inside and out. We wanted to build them up, to see them shine, and create more of that magic.
Every. Single. One, was so beautiful, in 1000 ways, and it broke my heart to hear what they hated about their bodies. But, as a girl, I totally get it. I used to hate so many things about my body when I was younger, but when I hit 30, then later when I became a mom, I loved my body in a whole new way.
Are there things I'd change? Heck yes!
Do I let it keep me up at night? Fuck no.
I love this body of mine-from my tree trunk legs to my linebacker shoulders-LOVE, all love.
By the end of each session, every single girl, had become much more comfortable (mimosas) and then started saying things like "I want to get a shot of my sweet ass" or "I want to show off my chest"
When I was dropping off their photos the following week, I was able to take a moment and discuss the whole experience for them, and they all said the same things;
They felt like a million bucks when they left
They had fun spending time with new ladies, talking shit and having a laugh
They felt sexier than they had in a long time (years, for some)
They were so happy with the way the photos came out, and especially the specific ones to capture their best attributes
They felt empowered and 'like their old selves'
They want to do it again, like now :)
Lindsey and I talked about it all weekend, that magic. That wonderful energy that women can bring to their life when they feel supported and part of a girl-tribe. Its so easy to get caught up in the day to day and to forget that we need to feel good about ourselves in order to share our love and light with others. We need to feel good to be good and to do good in this life. Being able to take a day for ourselves to get our nails done, maybe our make up, and maybe get a photo shoot done in a completely open and supportive environment, is priceless, and essential.
So, this is it; instead of focusing on all the things you don't like about your body, I want every women to name 5 things about their bodies that they LOVE. Then, find 5 more. Tell me your story, tell me your 10 things. Lets start focusing on loving all of ourselves so that we can share that love with our families and our friends. And tell your friends what you think is beautiful about them. I don't mean shit like "your cupcakes are amaze" I mean like "your shoulders are sick" and "I wish I had an ass like that" because you know, sometimes we forget. Sometimes we need to be reminded, by the people we are closest to, and sometimes by strangers.
So, just 5 things
then 5 more
Tell me, and when you've made the list, think about contacting me for a boudoir shoot, and I'll capture those 10 things, and maybe more...?
Reens xo
#justfivethings
#thenfivemore
Follow me on Facebook-Sadie willow photography
Instagram-Sadie Willow Photo