Thursday, September 2, 2010 Posted in News, Workshops
Wow… we have the greatest job in the world. Not only do we have wonderful clients (over 400 boudoir shoots per year w/ women who come to see us from all over the country)… and not only do we work with the most AMAZING women (fabulous staff, Crystal, Deena, Ashley, & newest addition Danielle!)… but on top of all of this, we ALSO have the opportunity to travel and meet some bad-ass photographers from around the WORLD.
Most recently, we’ve had the chance to lead a speaking program with WPPI’s Road Trip 2010, in Irvine last week, and in Dallas TX yesterday! We met SO many new friends, and we just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who came to hear us speak. It is truly an honor to be able to share with all of you about boudoir… something we are so incredibly passionate about. Way back in 2007 when we launched our “Bringing Boudoir Back” campaign, it took a long time for photography organizations to realize that boudoir really WAS about to make a comeback! A handful of forward-thinking photography organizations did agree to let us come and share our vision for what boudoir could become, and in the past 3.5 years, we’ve seen boudoir just EXPLODE as more and more people in the industry are starting to see the potential that is in this niche. We are so excited about where things have come, and we just can’t WAIT to see where this is going to go next!
To all of you who believed in us (and who believed in boudoir) way back in 2006-07… THANK YOU. Seriously, thank you for listening to these couple of crazy gals who believed that boudoir would become the next big thing. Thank you for coming to our workshops, thank you for purchasing our books, thank you for traveling to hear us blab on and on about this topic that we are so passionate about. I know, I know… this is starting to sound like a lame ‘acceptance speech’ at the Emmy’s or something. Whatever. We just want you to know that we wouldn’t be where we are today without all of you who have supported us and helped us and believed in us along the way. And… you never know… maybe someday we’ll also have the chance to lead a platform presentation at WPPI Vegas (fingers crossed!) ;) Thanks again, WPPI, for inviting us on the Road Trip. We had an amazing time, and we’re honored to be counted among so many industry leaders who have done so much for others.
Here are a few photos from our presentation at the Irvine stop on the Road Trip…
In this first shot, we are showing where the business started out (in Marissa’s TINY one-car garage!) A lot of people don’t know this, but Marissa actually came up with the business plan for the Boudoir Divas WAAAAY back in 2001, right after she graduated from high school!
This next image shows our Mission Statement on the screen. This is something that is INCREDIBLY important to us. We encourage all of you to sit down and write out your own mission statement – something that is personal and unique to you and your business – something that reminds you WHY you do what you do.
Thanks to everyone who came to hear us speak! PS… to those of you at the Irvine show… we realize that we had to cut out the ‘MARKETING’ portion of our presentation (that’s what happens when Becker talks too long and we start 20 minutes late!) ;) just kidding Becker, you know we love you! Ok, but to those of you who were at that show – we WILL be sending you that marketing section. Actually, maybe we’ll send it to EVERYONE on our mailing list! If you’re not on that list, CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP RIGHT NOW!
One more thing (as if this blog post wasn’t long enough already)… we are THINKING about possibly recording our speaking presentation and having it available for download for FREE on our website. A lot of people have heard us give this presentation this year, but as 2010 is coming to a close, we already have new plans for a NEW speaking program all about BOUDOIR LIGHTING (just in case we get invited to speak in Vegas)… ;) … So anyway, if you’d be interested in having our 2010 speaking program available to view for free, leave a comment below. If there’s enough demand, we’ll make it happen! Thanks everyone!
xoxo, Kimberlee
Erin Michelle - HECK YES I am interested!!! For free?! You guys are amazing =) And I am SO psyched about your lighting info coming out. This is the one thing I need to strengthen and who better to learn it from than you? ;)September 2, 2010 - 6:35 pm
Brenda - Would LOVE that!!! Please make it available. I have been following you gals for almost 2 years. I feel like a total groupie. ;-)September 2, 2010 - 7:48 pm
Kare - Yes, please - would love to see it!!September 2, 2010 - 8:59 pm
People are always telling us that we need to talk more about our personal lives here on the blog, so that we can let our blog readers ‘in’ on our lives a bit more. So, dear blog readers, here’s where we’re at this week: we are feeling just a little stressed. MOST of the time, Marissa and I are ‘on-top-of-the-world-girls’… where we can tackle anything and everything that comes our way. We usually LOVE big ideas and big decisions. We usually THRIVE off of craziness and a million cool projects happening all at once. But this week, friends, we have to admit that we’ve been feeling the stress of having a million cool projects in the works. Don’t get me wrong here – we absolutely love our job, we love teaching photographers, we love traveling and speaking and leading workshops and creating websites and making clients feel beautiful and running a busy, high-volume studio. We love it all. But there are days when it all sort of catches up to you, and all you want to do is get away from it all. This week has been a little stressful for us, and we’re both feeling the weight of some big decisions that we have to make. Marissa sent me a text message this morning that said: “Feeling super-overwhelmed… last night had a dream that you and I were being chased by a bull elephant. Symbolic maybe?” It made me laugh – but it also made me think that we need to find our own little ways of relieving stress. One of my favorite stress reliever is taking a bath… “There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won’t cure, but I don’t know many of them.” ~Sylvia Plath … And then I also love reading and journaling. This morning before work, I spent an hour on the beach, reading my Bible, sitting in silence, and just trying to calm my thoughts and heart before the day started. It was wonderful, and I definitely felt more relaxed and refreshed today. So the question that we want to pose to you all is this… what’s your favorite stress-reliever? We’d love to hear your thoughts! xoxo, Kimberlee (and Marissa)
Leann Neal - Sushi with my girlfriends takes all my stress away. I'm able to enjoy them and know that everything will be ok because I have them in my corner. A glass of wine helps too :-)August 26, 2010 - 6:35 pm
Jen Le - I have a few things that I do depending on how much time I can make or what the situation is. YOGA X from P9oX is AWESOME and really works! Another BIG help is music. Music is an instant soul soother. {See Rebecca St James "BREATHE" video for instance.} Talking to close friends as well as spending time alone to regroup [bath, reading a great un-putdownable book], or go have a super cute pedi done. :D I have a list of soul soothers. One more thing, and Im sure you're aleady fabulous at this, is, reorganizing and prioritizing. That prevents stress from getting heavy for me. Have a wonderful stress free week! :D Thanks for sharing!August 26, 2010 - 7:03 pm
Agi Magyar - Exercise (any kind!) + time w friends (who you most probably can't talk about work) + day off (yes! You ARE entitled of a couple of sick days a year!)
All the above combined or used individually: receipe for stress relief! :)August 26, 2010 - 8:43 pm
Jen Johnson - Savoring a glass of wine is good for the soul...and allowing yourself to say no!!!August 26, 2010 - 10:21 pm
Kylene Cleaver - 3 words "Hot Stone Massage" :-)August 27, 2010 - 7:50 am
Robin Owen - Exercise and wine but not together. :) Exercise if you have time, wine if you need a quick fix! At least you guys have each other. That is a blessing. I would be thrilled to find someone I got along with so perfectly in the industry. Two can accomplish so much more together.August 27, 2010 - 8:11 am
Diane Parker - I find a lot of times my stress comes from trying to take on everything all by myself....I have a problem asking for help. I am learning that people out there DO want to help, so maybe just asking for help from those you trust will help relieve some of the pressure you feel. :) Also, a nice long walk can clear your head so much.... take in the sunshine, the pretty sights...the fresh air....and you begin to see that you are living more in the moment...and the weight of all the stressors slowly lifts. I hope this helps you! :)August 27, 2010 - 8:52 am
Divas - SUCH great ideas, you guys! THANK YOU!!!!!August 27, 2010 - 9:33 am
Erin Michelle - Definitely a massage...especially when you have kids. Just the quietness of it all works wonders! I don't have enough money to get them done on a regular basis, so I usually make my hubby give them to me...it's almost as relaxing =)August 27, 2010 - 10:49 am
By Anita Larsen - I crank up the music, and sing / dance :) At my old place I used to light candles and soak in the tub with classical music and a great book.August 28, 2010 - 7:55 am
jliu - people watch. sit at a park or beach or restaurant watch people pass and just come up with funny stories about what people are thinking or where they are going. i can do this for hours! :) it takes my mind off what's going on in my life for a little bit.August 31, 2010 - 4:50 pm
AmyPunky Photography - Sushis with friends... a cup of tea + tons of magazines away from the computer and internet... shopping... a Starbucks coffee with friends... watching a good romantic comedy...September 1, 2010 - 3:16 am
Boudoir photographer Teresa Nora Trobbe posted this adorable photo on our Boudoir Divas Photographers FB Page. I thought it was so stinkin’ cute I just had to share. Thanks for the shout out as well Teresa! That was really sweet. Here is what she posted….”LOVE The Divas and workshop is sooo worth-it! I have been shooting boudoir for about 6 years and yet I learned so much…the timing could not have been better. Even Everest raises the Bra to the beautiful Divas!!”
Our Oct boudoir workshop is totally full but if you want more info on the next we will launch please visit www.boudoirshop.com for more info.
The speaking engagement in Irvine will take place at the Hyatt Regency (17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine, CA 92614). We will be speaking at 3:30pm.
The speaking engagement in Dallas is taking place at the Crowne Plaza Dallas (14315 Midway Rd, Addison, TX 75001).
We have been working on this baby every spare minute that we get. Boudoirinternational.com you will be the best boudoir photography website on the planet!!!! Or my name is Marissa C. Boucher! Ha.
We are thrilled about the idea of all of us pooling our resources and bringing boudoir to the masses rather than trying to push our individual studios. Then when millions upon millions of potential clients go to bou int, there will be plenty of love to go around. Yes, I know, I dream big. I can just imagine a boudoir international ad campaign and a boudoir article in the pages of Glamour Magazine already. I mean they are finally embracing celebrating “real beauty” which is the perfect lead-in for boudoir. Victoria’s Secret, watch out! Boudoir is taking over the market as the top grosser for women.
In fact we are already making only the first move on many big ad campaigns to come. Check it out… will hit the newstands in Nov… in BRIDES MAGAZINE! Yay! What do you think… still need to justify, center, and all that jazz, but we are digging it.
Email Ashley Sapp at info@theboudoirdivas.com to get more info and to see if you have got what it takes to be on the biggest and best elite list of boudoir photographers! Please include your website address as well as the city or cities you would like to be listed in.
Miss Stacy Clark, this out-of-this-world singer/songwriter asked us to not only photograph her earlier this year but also, gasp, lets us use her songs for our slideshows and marketing videos. Well now this beauty is officially a celebrity! Yay, she is itunes featured free download this week ! You deserve every bit of the recognition Stacy. Although we already knew you were a star inside and out. xoxo- Marissa and Kimberlee
Ole Vangsgaard - Well, free is always nice. But why not buy the album...I did. Thanks, divas for recommendig such great music :-)August 18, 2010 - 3:05 pm
That’s right, you guys – it’s FINALLY time for us to start posting some videos from Paris! :) Here’s one that shows our outdoor fashion shoot with our fab model LoArna… we absolutely LOVED shooting on the streets of Paris, and our workshop attendees also got some stellar images for their portfolios! We LOVE Paris! :)
Jen Le - Awesome!! Love the dress!! Great vid. :DAugust 12, 2010 - 5:41 pm
By Anita Larsen - Gorgeous video! Lo-Arna is one of the most fabulous models I have had the pleasure of working with.
Thank you Ladies for a most excellent workshop.August 13, 2010 - 5:45 am
Agi Magyar - Very French, very delicate, so beautiful... Love it!August 16, 2010 - 7:21 pm
Lori Foote - Love it. Amazing. So inspiring.August 17, 2010 - 9:10 pm
Joslyn.davis@gmail.com - SO SO SO gorgeous! You guys are amazing:)August 17, 2010 - 9:48 pm
Nikki McLeod - Ahhh the memories.... what beautiful images of a gorgeous girl. Sweet as anything. Loved the dress, another talent Marissa!August 18, 2010 - 9:30 am
We’re leaving tomorrow for San Francisco! Woo-hoo! We are thrilled & honored to be platform speakers at the PPC Expo! Click here for more details. If you’re planning on coming to our presentation (on Saturday)… check out these awesome prizes you could win!!!
We also have to give a huge SHOUT-OUT to our fabulous sponsor for this speaking program… BAY PHOTO! Be sure to stop by their booth at the expo & check out some of our favorite products (during our speaking program, we’ll be sharing our top 3 products that we offer our clients, all from Bay!)
Oh – AND – one last thing! Immediately after our speaking presentation on Saturday evening, there’s gonna be a fun PARTY! So be sure to stop by and say hello! We’d love to chat and hang out w/ all of you!
by Divas
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