Artistic Nude VS Erotism

If we had won a dollar every time we explained the difference between artistic nude and erotism, we will be rich by now!

The education around nudity is very important to us and there is so much to talk about, so it would be really easy to go off on a tangent. We will try to only talk about today's topic, but we think it is important to understand why so many people are confused about those two types of photography, and how it can impact their decision to do a boudoir shoot.

Nudity is your friend

We are in 2021 but yet there is still a lot of misunderstanding around the naked body. For a lot of people nudity = sex = shame. From a very young age (depending the culture and country we grew up in) we were forced to cover up all the time and see our nude body only when it was time to clean ourselves, and later on, a leading way to sexuality. So we did not learn to undress for other purpose than bathing and sex.

But nudity is NATURAL, we are born naked. We also forget that our skin is a vessel which protects everything that keep us strong and alive: our bones, muscles, nerves, and organs… There is nothing sexual and shameful about that.

Unfortunately this belief is a big problem in our society as it creates a lot of misinformation, fear, and unnecessary pressure.

Why is it related to boudoir?

To do a Boudoir shoot you have to show some skin (otherwise it is a classic portrait session), or if you want to, be fully naked. Because of this specificity, some people oversexualize it. Also since boudoir was mostly shot by men a few years ago, people got used to see pictures of women in sexual poses, which did not help.

For someone who never had a boudoir shoot done before, and who recently decided to take back their sensuality and femininity, this wrong idea of boudoir might be too intimidating or scary, and might make them change their mind about trying this experience thinking it is not for them.

Which will be too bad as boudoir is such an empowering adventure!

So what is the difference between artistic nude and erotism?

By now we are sure you can probably answer it yourself… SEXUALITY IS THE DIFFERENCE. Not the location, not the artistic perspective, or the model, but sex!

• Artistic nudes are tasteful images of naked body. Period.

  The fact it involves nudity does not make it sexual!

• Erotism (and p🍑rn) are all about sexual acts, from touching genitals to the grand finale, with everything in between.

via GIPHY

Yes, it is that simple :)

Set yourself free, get naked!

We praise nudity to all of our client. We believe everyone need to have a beautiful picture taken of themselves fully naked, to learn to see their body in a difference perspective, and see how beautiful they are. Doesn't matter their age or body type.

Being naked gives you a powerful feeling of freedom.

Here is a little homework for you: whenever you can, and have some time by yourself, take off your clothes. All of them. You can be at home, or in nature is even better. If you are not ready for full nudity, then start topless. We promise you, it will feels good.

LOOKING TO FEEL BETTER IN YOUR OWN SKIN BUT NOT QUITE READY FOR BOUDOIR? SIGN UP BELOW TO GET OUR “WHAT TO EXPECT FOR YOUR BOUDOIR SHOOT” PDF! ⬇️

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You deserve to love your body (again)

We all have body insecurities. Yes, even that person in the corner that you think is perfect, they very likely doesn't like something about their body. Those can become bigger and bigger everyday and can really impact your life on a daily basis. But it doesn’t have to be. If there is one person can hit the brakes on those, it is you.

In order to develop body-acceptance and give yourself a break, there are a few things to consider and myths to debunk:

No, You don’t have to “LOVE” your body all the time (and it’s really hard to anyway)

With movements like body-positivity being spread around and sometime, used as a marketing tool, it is very easy to believe that if you don’t love your body every single day, then you’re “failing” at it. To be honest, we believe that it is impossible to love your body constantly, because we, as human and especially as women, are not feeling the same constantly.

We work in cycles, are guided by hormones & emotions and Those fluctuate on the daily, as they should. So you’re gonna have good days, and not-so-good days, and it is absolutely normal.

Instead of beating yourself up, spiralling and thinking that you’re just an ugly duckling during the not-so-good days, aknowledge them, remind yourself they will pass, try to stick to a healthy routine and give yourself a break.

Your body changes all the time.

On top of having our moods changing from one day to the other, our bodies can change on an hourly basis. Take our tummies for example, usually a soft spot for many people: you can wake up with a fairly flat belly and boom, 2 hours later, it’s doing its things and you’re bloated. Your body is always working and we need to stop being hard on it for doing so.

Instead of focusing on just the way your body looks, focus on nourishing it and giving it what it needs. By just doing that, you will slowly start to appreciate it more and more, and your vision will change on the positive.

Enjoy those pleasantly surprised looks in the mirror you will experience soon enough! 😉

You don’t have imperfections, you have a map of memories.

When you really think about it, isn’t your body a keepsake of everything you have been in life?

Scars, stretch marks, and other various changes, they are here to witness what you have been through.

• Stretchmarks prove the ability your body has to adapt to a new you.

• Scars are here to remind you that you can heal. You’ve done it before, you will do it again.

• Wrinkles are a testimonial to how much you've laughed, cried, smiled. How much you’ve been LI-VING. This should be celebrated, not criticized and shamed.

Work on detaching from the media’s beauty standards.

One of the best ways to start appreciating your body is to listen to what YOU want to do and not what society says you SHOULD do. Wear whatever you want, change your hairstyle, get tattoos, get physically stronger, shave, not shave, put makeup on and so on. If you feel like walking around naked for the hell of it, then so be it.

Decisions about your body and appearance are yours and only yours to make. Re-read that, write it down, staple it somewhere!

You will be much happier the minute you start making decisions about yourself for yourself. So go, dye your hair blue, wear that dress you love, stop shaving your armpits if it makes YOU happy.

By the way, A boudoir shoot is a great way to say “screw it, my body is pretty awesome”. 😉

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We opened a business abroad

Bonjour vous!

We are Fanny & Juliette, boudoir photographers located in Toronto, and the founders of Scandaleuse Photography. Today we want to tell you a story… our story.

*Warning: the video below is meant to inspire you the same way we got inspired by other amazing people, who are doing everything in their power to create the life they want. At the end of that video, you might wanna start achieving your next dream :)

It all started in 2009

This year changed both of our lives. It is the year when we met each other for the first time, and we had no idea back then, we will ended up doing all the wonderful things we have done.

Juliette and I met in photography school in Paris and haven't really left each other ever since. From France to Toronto, with London in between, we have been created our own big adventures, and we have no regrets!

Today we are not going to tell you what happened in France (all the details are here) or in London (you can read about that here). We want to focus on that huge, yet natural, step we took back in 2015 (and all the mindset behind) :

Opening a business in a different country, and in a different language!

As you can tell, we love challenges :)

Was it a scary decision to open a business, and on top of that as best friends? Of course it was, but it was also something we both wanted to do for a very long time. So when we felt it was the best moment to do it (we wanted to make sure we could stay in Canada before opening Scandaleuse), and were both financially and mentally ready, we did not think twice! This happened 6 years ago and it has been such a beautiful adventure so far.

Listen to that little voice within you

A lot of people told us how lucky we were with everything that has happened since we met in that school. But the truth is, it had nothing to do with luck!

We both made it happen by taking actions towards what we wanted. We listened to that little voice inside our heads that said “you want to do it, then do it!”, and decided to not let fear or people stop us:

- “You will never make it as a photographer".

- “Going to live to London is too dangerous!". You should stay in France.”

- “Are you sure you want to open a business with your best friend? It will destroy your friendship!”

And so on…

If we had listened to those comments, mostly coming from our loved ones (they were just trying to protect us because they believed it was too risky and we would probably failed), we would not be here today writing those words to you.

It's very easy to let external factors discourage you from achieving whatever you want to achieve. This is why it is important to focus on you, and do everything you can to build the life you want.

We know how scary it can be to go after what you want even if it is something you are craving for. But you have all the abilities, passion, and strength to do it!

if it is not done yet, go watch that video on top of the page. We hope you are gonna get inspired by it, and start working on your next dream. We would also love to hear about a time you decided to do something just for you, even if it was very scary. Feel free to share your story with us by replying to this email.

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Why your photos shouldn't be edited

In the photography industry, editing has always been a major part of the final images. We make the skin looking perfect, make sure everything symmetrical, we adjust bodies… Even to the niche that boudoir is, many photographers play by those rules. We personally don't. We don't believe people should be edited on photos and here is why…

Reason #1: because it’s not you.

One of the many reasons why you may be in front of a lens would be to get comfortable with your image. If said image is altered, what’s the point of even doing it? You may look back on those photos and say “I look great" but you will always have this after thought of “but that’s not really me". If anything, it may end up making you sad that you are not version.

Keeping your images editing and filters free will teach you to appreciate your appearance the way it really is.

And what does that lead to? Self-confidence, yay!

Reason #2: because those perfect bodies don't exist.

We say it, we read it: perfect bodies don't exist. But yet, some days, it is easy to forget, especially on social media with all of those accounts saying “look at me, I'm just like you, an everyday person!” but yet every single photo is perfect looking.

Real bodies come in all shapes in sizes. They come with rolls, with scars, cellulite, wrinkles & stretch marks.

We have been taught for way too long that all of these are flaws while they are just normal. It's about time they become the norm and are showed more often.

Reason #3: because the more we show reality on our end, the more the media will pick up on it and do the same.

We can say every negative thing about social media, there is one positive angle: they are what we make them. Meaning it is also in our power to turn them into something positive. Many companies (the smart ones!) have changed the approach regarding marketing to their customers thanks to what has been trending online such has body-positivity. Of course, that also came with sneaky companies pretending to be a certain way when they're not, but that has been happening since the beginning of time.

There is a true craving for authenticity for every single market, and it is a beautiful thing (most of the time).

So, what do we personally do as photographers?

Our editing policy is simple:

1) we pose you accordingly in flattering poses, for your body.

2) we remove anything that is temporary, such as blemishes, bruises, scratches and so on, with a very mild skin smoothing edit to remove any shininess. Anything that isn’t part of you every day.

We used to be a bit more “open” to editing, especially while doing certain poses that could make body parts bigger for example. But we have never executed this, because we never felt the need to and our models never asked anyway!

Seeing edited images constantly feed everyone's body insecurities. If it feeds yours, remind yourself that you have the power to change this outcome. Everytime you share a photo of you that's not touched up, you are inspiring someone else to feel comfortable the way they are. Pretty neat, right?

Looking to feel better in your own skin but not quite ready for boudoir? Sign up below to get our “what to expect for your boudoir shoot” PDF! ⬇️

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How to contact a boudoir photographer when you are a man

While boudoir photography attracts mostly women, men are not out of the picture (pun intended)! Boudoir has in fact many benefits for the gentlemen, especially when it comes to body-image.

Let's cut through the chase: we are two women, we have been open since 2015 and have always welcome men. However, many inquiries were not done as well as they should have been and we have to be careful. So we are going to be straight-forward and let you in on some tips to make your experience happen!

If you are a gentleman who is serious about doing a shoot but feels a bit uncomfortable to ask, this is for you!

1) If you find us online, go through our website.

It could sound simple, but many people don’t peruse the website before hitting “contact us”. We state very clearly our values, vision, and session information on our male boudoir page and our FAQ.

Make sure you review it before reaching out, we may not match what you are looking for.

2) Introduce yourself.

Another simple advice, yet it makes a huge difference. Some people don’t even say their names upon emailing. It can be considered a red flag on our end, so please spend the extra couple of minutes to tell us who you are, just like you would if you were meeting someone in person.

3) Be honest.

This is actually the main issue we have when we get inquiries from men: they aren't telling us what they are looking for. It is a-okay if you are looking for erotic, while we don't offer it, we are not here to judge and we are actually looking for a trustworthy colleague to refer you to!

In order to avoid many email back and forths and waste your time, please tell us straight up what you are looking for. 😉

4) Our inquiry system is by email first, Zoom meeting second.

Every new inquiry takes place by email. In our first response, you will receive all of the information you need as well as a request form for an Zoom meeting. We’re gonna be honest, some inquiries started well, then the potential client tried to dodge a simple online meeting. This is a huge red flag for us.

We always meet all of our potential clients online before booking anything, no exception.

5) If the style you want is not ours, don't insist or try to disguise it into something else.

(We mentioned this was going to be a no B-S post!)
Here is a classic scenario we face multiple time: man emails with a vague inquiry, we ask for details, we finally get that he is looking for erotic, we say we don't offer it, he tries to tone it down hoping it would fly. Spoiler alert: it won’t and now everyone is uncomfortable.

Once again, it is okay to want something different. If we don't offer it, it doesn’t mean it is bad or shameful, it just means it is not our jam.

We hope those pointers were helpful if you are considering to contact us for a session. We would be more than happy to make your vision come to life and have you join our team of male Scandals! Feel free to contact us if you have any questions!

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You are who you surround yourself with

Wilferd Arlan Peterson once said: “Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it.”

As some of you know, Juliette and I have been friends for almost 12 years. If we have stuck around each other for so long it is because we bring the best out of each other. We share the same values, have a lot of things in common, but we also have different personalities… We complete each other.

Of course we are not saying our relationship is perfect, all pink and glittery, it does happen we argue from time to time. But none of us is dramatic, and we are both open to each other feelings. This is, in our opinion, the best type of relationship you can have with someone.

Relationships aren't easy

Healthy relationships are a lot of work and commitment.

When you care about people in your life, you need to make time for them, be there for the best but also the worst, put your ego on the side, express your feeling and improve your communication, while putting down boundaries for yourself.

It is for sure not an easy process, but once you find the right people for you, they are worth the effort!

Energies are contagious

Does it ever happen to you that you are having a great time, feeling super happy and joyful, until you start talking to someone or just notice that person, and suddenly you feel down and sad? It feels like out of the blue that happiness was stolen from you. Energies are contagious and some people, sometimes intentionally, can drain you emotionally.

That is why it's very important to surround yourself with people who bring only positivity in your life.

You can choose to keep or let go of relationships

They say who we surround ourselves with, we become… And they are right. Your life is too important to through away the opportunity to become your best self and to have the life you deserve, because you make the mistake to spend time with people who are not good for you.

Fortunately you can make the decision to sort out your relationships and choose who you want to spend quality time with! It can be a heart breaking process, but at the end of the day it is needed.

Both Juliette and I, had to make that difficult choice at some point. The last painful one I can share with you happened in 2018. Juliette and I went to a workshop about femininity and the speaker said something I will always remember (she made us do this following exercise):

“Close your eyes. Think about all the aspects of your life and all of the things you have accomplished so far. How do feel about each of them?”

During that exercise, I thought about how much I am happy with Scandaleuse, how much I love my life in Canada and all my amazing friends. I thought about my family, that I miss them but how so supportive they are. Then I thought about my relationship with my partner of that time, and suddenly all I could feel was sadness, anxiety, and anger. I knew at that moment it was the end! This is when I took the decision to stop that long term relationship I was in. He wasn't a bad person, and I was really in love with him but something wasn’t working anymore and love wasn't enough to fix it. So I had to take the hardest decision of my life but I don’t regret it.

You need to know yourself first!

Letting go of someone is such a difficult step but 100% needed if you feel that relationship is bringing you down, whether it comes from a good friend, a lover or a family member. Here are a few steps to make this process easier:

• Visualize the life you want and find people who share the same values.

• Listen to your guts and identify how people around you make you feel.

• You feel something is wrong, try to understand why.

• Talk to the person about how you feel.

• Look for a solution but don't hesitate to check out if you feel like it.

When it comes to your feelings and happiness, you have the right to be selfish. It does not matter if the person is nice or depressed, if you are in love or staying because it is convenient, you cannot let fear, guilt, or compassion, dictate your needs.

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Your closet is full of boudoir treasures.

One of the common misconceptions about boudoir photography is the fact that you have to wear the classic lingerie set during your shoot. FALSE!

Well, if it is what you really want to wear of course you can. There are gorgeous set of lingerie that are perfect for boudoir. But you can also wear so many other pieces! Anything can be turned into a boudoir outfit, all you have to do is to show some skin. You can be creative, mix and match different pieces, wear clothes you bought once but never wear because they are too “extravagant”, too colourful, or too sexy.

You don't have to play by the rules

It is very common to focus on your femininity if you identify as a women, or focus on your masculinity if you identify as a men, which is totally fine if it is what you prefer. But those are not rules set in stones. Unfortunately, there are a lot of stigma around femininity and masculinity, so often people don't dare to explore this hidden side of their personality. Whatever you identify as, don't be afraid to play with both of your masculine and feminine side.

If you are a men, you could for example wear a dark colour robe with heels. Or maybe wear some makeup, such as eye shadow. For women, you could try wearing a leather jacket, your hair up, and take a masculine attitude.

There are plenty of creative ways to embrace both side, without choosing to be cliché about them. See photography as a game, an experience you will try only a few times in your life, so you might as well have fun. The pictures are for you, at the end of the day you treat yourself the way you want.

You don't have to choose only one persona

Contrary to popular belief, we all have different personalities coming out depending of our mood, life events, weather,… So why would you stick to only one persona during your shoot?

You don't have to choose between being cute, badass, or sexy, be all of them! It is the same idea style-wise. During your shoot you can absolutely go from a cosy vibe, to a sultry and mysterious one. And maybe finish your session with some artistic nudes. If you do a shoot with us, we will tell you to bring a big suitcase with you, full of different pieces :)

Rock your wardrobe

Here are a few examples of what to bring. You will see that most of the items listed below are pieces you can easily find in your closet:

Bodysuits:

Those are our favourite pieces. Why? Because they look fabulous on every type of bodies, and you can find in so many different cuts and styles. On top of that, if you feel a tad uncomfortable with your belly, it will help to show it without uncover it completely.

Jackets & coats:

Those are great pieces to rock different styles (femme fatale, rock,…). We usually suggest to go topless with them, or depending of the length of the coat, to go fully naked. It is perfect to create some sexiness without showing to much.

High panties:

You can combine a high waisted panty, with pantyhose, and a bra or sweater, to a create a “flash dance” outfit. Or even the high panty, with a blazer and some pearls, for a totally different style.

Dresses:

Dresses are really pretty in boudoir, especially if they are see-through to play with your silhouette, and flowy to add some movement. Not sensual enough? Grab the bottom of your dress to show some thighs, or put one of the straps down to be more playful…

Jeans & pants:

Those are always a must, especially for men. Wearing a jean or pants, and being topless is such a great look for everyone.

And so much more…

Everything in your closet can be used for boudoir: faux fur shawl or jacket, blouses, shorts, corsets, skirts,… It is not about the cloth itself, it is about how you use it, and with what other pieces you combine it.

Don't forget the accessories as well: heels, jewelry and props, are a great addition to your outfits. We had Scandals bringing their most colourful necklaces, highest pleasers, bottle of whisky or wine, cheese platters, fruits, their pets (how badass it is to have your dog posing next to you for a shot?), and other amazing accessories.

Doing a boudoir shoot is the opportunity to take time for yourself, have fun, and let your amazing, badass, and sensual-self out. It is by letting go (of pressure, expectations, and judgment) that you will be able to relax, do all the things you wanna do, and live life by your own rules 💪

Check out some outfits ideas below:

Why did we open a boudoir photography business?

Hi you!

We are Fanny and Juliette, two frenchies living in Toronto since 2013, and Scandaleuse Photography's mommies. Today we want to re-introduce ourselves in case you are new in our community or you want to know more about us.

A little bit of our personal life.

31 and 29 years old. Capricorn and Pisces. Both spiritual and vegetarian. When we are not shooting our badass scandals, you can find us climbing a pole or doing some drops (sounds weird, let us clarify: two of our favourite hobbies are pole dance and aerial silk 🎪).

We have been friends since 2009. Our strong friendship started near Paris, in photography school. What helped us bond? Probably our love for vino & cheese, and coffee & pastries (food, food, food… on n’est pas françaises pour rien!). Also the fact we are both bold and pretty stubborn was a big trigger for what we are about to tell you…

Throwback summer 2012: we were both in transition. Between being done with school, not knowing what to do next, and a big desire to get out of our home country. We had that idea to go live in London (England) but without really a moving date in mind. Early September, same year, I received a call from Juliette:

“I found cheap train tickets to London, departure in 2 weeks, what do you wanna do?”

I probably thought about it for 3 seconds, “let's do it!” I said. Suitcases packed, 2 weeks later we were in the train to London, nothing else ever felt so natural before that. It was meant to be!

Then, Scandaleuse was born!

Our time in London was a lot of fun (with a few struggles on the road, but those are part of any adventures), until it was time to change country again. Our choice: Canada 🍁.

Moving forward 2015, Toronto (if you want to know the details about London and our move to Canada, click here):

After spending 10 years working for other people (yes, we started working at a young age!) in divers field, we had that huge craving to open our own business rather than keep working for other people's dreams.

The only obstacle standing in our way (beside the fear of starting this big project 😱) was for me (Fanny) to get my permanent residence, which took me a while to get but eventually made it happen!

Remember when we shared about our love for food, well we took the decision to open our business over coffee and pastries (we also found the name over food… and most of our tons of ideas)!

via GIPHY

So why boudoir photography? Why going for such a small niche instead of the traditional portrait or wedding? Well for a few reasons:

• We were both fascinated by the woman body while being in photography school and we were kinda shooting boudoir already without knowing it was called boudoir (the story of boudoir photography is very interesting, check it out here).

• We are not traditional women to begin with, so choosing to do another type of photography just because it will be easier was not our jam. We like challenges, and on top of that we love to do what we are passionate about!

• But most importantly we wanted to change the face of boudoir photography that was (and unfortunately still is for most studios) not very inclusive. All we could see was those gorgeous and photoshopped professional models, standing on beds, in hotel rooms, in either very cute poses or sexual ones.

We were honestly tired to only see what we just described. Since nobody was making a change, we decided to shoot boudoir in our own way:

Making it accessible to every genders, body types, and ages!

We wanted to create an experience where people would be able to be 100% themselves, and where they could learn to like their body THE WAY IT IS. Then something magical happened… We realized that on top of creating beautiful images and spreading body love, we were also changing our scandals’ life. Because boudoir photography is not just about having beautiful pictures of yourself, it makes you feel like you can conquer the world and go after what you want in life. We are lucky to stay in touch with most of our clients, who share their life transformations. A few months after their shoot, we heard people quitting their job, leaving their relationship that was not working anymore…

When you take the decision to strip down in front of two strangers, nothing else can stop you from building the life you want 😄

Boudoir photography is a powerful experience that transforms you in a such amazing way, and makes you want to live your life fully. If you never try, we highly recommend it.

Even if Juliette and I made it happen with hard work, patience, and perseverance, we are so grateful to be able to follow our passion, and meet badass people with different style, and life story.

if you are not part of our community yet, FEEL FREE TO JOIN US ON OUR INSTAGRAM OR SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER TO GET NEWS & UPDATES!

All the "no’s" have simply been guiding me to bigger "Yes’s"

This post is a part of our series “If I Had Listened", in which we're reached out to strong-minded women we admire to tell us about a moment they chose to trust their gut and follow a different path despite other people's opinion.

If I had listened to all the "no’s" I wouldn’t have received all the "yes’s".

The amount of "no’s" that I have faced in my career have been endless, and have truly made me doubt my self worth and purpose.

But what I have grown to understand is that all the "no’s" have simply been guiding me to bigger "Yes’s".

My dance journey began at an older age than most, so for me I was always the underdog, always one step behind those of my peers. It used to frustrate me, because it seemed like no matter how hard I worked I wasn’t reaching the level of those around me. Little did I know this struggle was developing me & prepping me to receive all the blessings that lied ahead.

I began to build a humble foundation, understanding that nothing great would come easy, and that hard work, sacrifices and pain would make receiving the reward that much more valuable.

With time & continued dedication my training lead me to become a dance student at Ryerson University’s Dance program. Accepting my offer was an absolute dream come true. I was a small town girl moving to the big city to pursue her dance dreams. I felt like Jody Sawyer from "Centre Stage", the ballerina with the non stereotypical ballet body, and average ballet technique that Ryerson was taking a chance on, and funny enough that was exactly how my story unfolded.

I was in a program that was stripping everything beautiful about me away, and trying to squeeze me into a box that I would never fit into.

It was so damaging and so heartbreaking because I wanted nothing more than to meet their unrealistic and unattainable requirements so badly, but the truth was, I never would. The program beat me down, and stole my love for dance completely away from me. I was told that I would never be enough, that there was no place for me in the industry and that it was best if I looked at other career options. Ouufff, at the age of 19, those words were so damaging, because I admired and respected my teachers so much. My dreams of pursuing dance professionally, slowly seemed unattainable & unrealistic.

Now this was a defining moment for me, because I faced a crucial "No" at such an influential time in my life. I was young, impressionable, and easily influenced by my mentors, but something deep inside wasn’t allowing that "No" to define who I was.

I knew that there was a place for me in this industry and if there wasn’t I needed to create a place, and that is exactly what I did.

I used all those “no’s” to drive me to so many successful “yes's”, one very important "yes" being my heels company Sensual Heeling Inc.

Many times I’ve been asked “how did you know you wanted to be a dancer/choreographer and found your own heels company Sensual Heeling?” and the answer is I didn’t know, I didn’t know that any of this was achievable, let alone successful. I think the most beautiful part of it all is that I just didn’t give up, even at my lowest of lows, I kept on striving to be the best version of myself, despite what that looked like to others.

Many laughed at me, judged me, and doubted that my talent wasn’t enough to turn my passion into a success story, but here I am still standing strong, inspiring so many women each and every single day through my heels company Sensual Heeling. It truly comes down to your own personal happiness. Dance makes me happy, despite all the "no’s" I’ve received and continue to receive, dance always brings me back to a place of joy. Just as much as it has brought me joy, it has also brought me heartache. But nothing worth fighting for comes easy, and I’d rather have moments of unhappiness building a career that continually brings me back to a place of pride & joy then a career that is just sufficient.

My biggest piece of advice is stop waiting for approval, stop allowing all the "no’s" to define you. We as humans wait and we yearn for the approval of others when in the big picture the only approval that matters, is your own. You need to ensure you are living life for yourself and no one else, because if you aren’t happy then what is the value in living?

Kaela is 100% right, it is very important to live your life by your own rules and to not be afraid to become unapologetically you!

And we have something just for you that will help you get there! We have put together 6 easy tips you can use now to better your life. All you have to do is click below to get them!

How to set yourself free with Michelle x SheDoesTheCity

This article is part of our collaboration with She Does The City & Womanizer, in which we help them feature fierce AF womxn in boudoir photo shoots.

We’re thrilled to have Michelle for our final boudoir feature of 2020, because her energy is frankly what the world needs more of. We’ve been following Michelle for awhile on Instagram and she’s someone who always lights us up and makes us smile, be it from her humour, her glowing confidence, or dance moves that pop off the screen. We’re big fans.

Tell us a little about yourself…

I’m a queer midlife mom championing for diversity, inclusion and equality.

Professionally I’m a communications geek, multi-disciplined educator, social activist and content creator. I’m also very passionate about womxn’s rights advocacy and can often be heard speaking on issues facing marginalized communities, radical self-acceptance and self-reinvention.

How did doing this photoshoot make you feel?

It was truly a liberating and empowering experience. Juliette and Fanny made me feel very comfortable and at home during this photoshoot. This was my first time ever being a model and they were professional, patient and kind every step of the way.

When it comes to feeling good in your own skin, what advice would you give to your younger self?

I would tell my younger self that you could be the juiciest, yummiest peach and there will still be someone who doesn’t like peaches. That doesn’t mean that you’re not a delicious peach. You’re perfect.

What always puts a smile on your face?

My daughter.

What turns you on?

Independent womxn who enjoy their own company and have a quiet confidence about them. Womxn who are authentically themselves, goal-oriented, love adventure and have a quirky sense of humour. Yummy.

What has become an important part of your self care routine during COVID?

Self-care? What’s that! I’m still trying to implement a self-care routine in my life but, I would say not dating is my biggest form of self-care right now.

Loving myself and my daughter is my number one priority at the moment.

What lesson or idea is currently helping you on your path?

When people show you who they are, believe them.

What small things help you get through winter? Or what are you planning this year to help you?

Conversations with loved ones, self-pleasure and comfort food.

How would you describe your sexuality?

I identify as a queer femme/lesbian. I am attracted to different genders, but with womxn is where I feel most at home.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Give zero fucks. It will set you free.

Hell yes, we love this last advice! Do not hesitate a minute to live your life by your own rules and don't be afraid to become unapologetically you.

And we have something just for you that will help you get there! We have put together 6 easy tips you can use now to better your life. All you have to do is click below to get them!

Has Covid thrown Self-Love out the window?

Initially published on Limitless By Scandaleuse

It is no secret that many of us have been struggling since early 2020. Us too, especially the last few weeks. The vision of 2021 we were just hoping for despite it being fairly unrealistic, just faded. Covid wasn't, after all, going to stop spreading on January 01, 2021, but we preferred to deny it for a sec!

From positivity to frustration.

Not gonna lie, we were pretty positive for a while. Then, that faded too.

We feel like we are stuck in Groundhog Day, repeating the same tasks every day, not having a reason to dress up anymore, being deprived of what makes us feel alive (what we would do to just sit down in a café and people-watch…) and so for so damn long. And we can tell we are not the only ones.

In an attempt to bring some sunshine back, even for a moment, we decided to create a little self-love challenge through our social media. The concept was simple: dance like nobody’s watching, on the same song. It was a way for us to give womxn a chance to bring self-love back on the table, let loose, feel good about themselves and get a break from the covid-related news. And it really did the trick if you actually decided to follow the lead! So we started talking about it, heard many “this is so great, I love this, this is exactly what I need” and then came the moment to actually start doing it.

This is when over 70% of people backed out, for 2 main reasons :

“I'm just not feeling it anymore”
“I don't have the confidence".

And the truth is: we feel you.

Self-Love : out the window until things get better?

We've heard it so many time when the pandemic began: take this time to take care of yourself. Discover or reinvent, who you are. Spend quality time with yourself since we are stuck anyway. And many of us were good students! We learned new things and practices that have helped us so much and all of those kept our confidence up.

But how long can you do this for?

At some point, we need outside interactions. We need to go out. We’re tired of just being with ourselves. Hell, we don't even appreciate ourselves anymore as we have seen us way too much, so, yeah, self-love, bye bye.

Here is the thing thought: this is exactly when you should double down on self-love.

It is when you feel like giving it up that it is the most needed.

Take your time, there are no rules.

If you need a few days to pause and just become a couch potatoe with greasy hair, order take-out and just contemplate life, then do it. The idea here is not to put this damn pressure or guilt around self-care and self-love. Just slowly get back to it in your own time. No need to throw yourself into a yoga or meditation challenge and sign up for a zillion online classes, you can just start by doing something as simple as washing your hair (seriously, everything is always better after a shower, don’t you think?).

You will get the shy tingly feeling that feels so good once again.

You know, that feeling of glittery tummy? Then feed the crap out of it.

You're not alone feeling this way.

This challenge wasn’t a fail. Yes, we were hoping it would spread like wildfire and give a huge wave of positivity and self-love in our community and it just didn’t take. But at the end of the day, it gave us a chance to actually feel a lot less lonely. We are always encouraged to bottle up our feelings, to not make noise and be strong, because you know, thingscouldbeworselalala. But it doesn't stop anything from sucking. Which is kinda what we covered during our last live on Instagram, in case you are curious.

Saying it out loud can actually help move forward: so if you are reading this, take a moment to just say “F********CK THIS.” Release that tension, let it OUT.

We have something for you!

Since we still want to help you feel better, we have put together 6 easy tips you can use now to better your life. All you have to do is click below to get them!

The hidden benefits of boudoir photography

When boudoir photography is brought to the table, it comes with its load of assumptions. In people’s minds, it falls into at least one of the following: it has to be a pin-up style; it's superficial; it's made to arouse someone else and get attention ; it's for perfect bodies ; it’s sexually suggestive ; it’s just to learn to like your body, and so on.

None of those apply in reality. Boudoir photography is a tool to help you reconnect with your essence while challenging yourself. Reading this, maybe you are like “Yeah, ok ladies, thanks for the cookie-cutter bullshit instagram quote”, but bear with us, as we are explaining what we mean right now.

You get in touch with a part of you you've never seen.

We don't walk around naked, half naked, or in lingerie at home. Many of us strictly undress with a purpose (showering, intimacy…), but you don't just chill half naked. It's not what we are taught, it's not appropriate. We are taught modesty and even shame around nudity. So we are not really facing our most vulnerable state (aka being naked) very often.

And this makes us miss out on one of our best strength and feeling: comfort and freedom in our own skin.

Seriously, who doesn’t want to feel free?

A boudoir shoot is the opportunity to get comfortable with nudity. You technically have a “purpose” to justify this nudity in your brain, as the final goal is to get photos done. So you think about the final photos instead of putting pressure around what you look like naked. And before you know it, it is giving you a direct access to this feeling of freedom.

We see it at every single shoots with our clients: they all start with the outfits with the most layers, and by the end of the session, they're just walking around fully naked. The difference of energy in them is drastic: they reached that point of comfortability in their own skin that many people can't access.

It's a challenge, but it's an accessible one.

Comfort zones are not made to stay in forever, just like we are not made to stay the same forever. At some point, we all crave from new experiences to better ourselves and bring back some excitement in our lives. For some, this translates in radically changing their lives by booking a one-way ticket to the other side of the world for example. But you don’t need to do crazy big moves to sparks things up. Boudoir photography is one of the opportunities to challenge yourself positively, without having to make an insane commitment.

It's a “short” experience with a strong impact. And you can reap its benefits forever.

It is even stronger now that Covid has joined our lives for the past year. Our routines are severely impacted and extremely redundant for the majority of us. If there is a time to try something new, it is now.

You get a taste of femininity.

Femininity is a really strong energy we all have. Yet, it is often labeled as “weak” for no reason whatsoever. Femininity has nothing to do with wearing dresses and whatnot, or even with just being a woman since all human beings have a feminine side. It’s an attitude, an energy.

Feminine energy is the art of Being instead of DOing. You're not hustling. You're not trying to get anything done. You are just living in the moment, fully.

You are going into a warm bubble where you feel whole and at peace, two things we all can never get enough of. A boudoir shoot is an excuse to schedule this time to yourself, even for a couple of hours. No outside noise, no tasks to do but just let yourself go.

If you want to learn further, feminine energy goes hand in hand with sensuality, in which we talk about right here.

We can only wish for you to experience this sense of sensuality and femininity. It will unlock a lot more than you'd think in your wellbeing.

This list can go on forever. As you can imagine, there are tons of additional benefits connected with the simple act of doing a boudoir shoot. Some will hit you more than others.

If there is one thing you need to remember from this blog post, it is that a boudoir photoshoot is a way to make you experience feelings you don't usually get, despite needing them deeply.

If you are curious about gifting yourself this opportunity, you can check out our details right here:

In the meantime, you can also sign up for our newsletter to get exclusive content below:

Andrea's celebrating her new found confidence - Scandaleuse X She Does The City

Today we are sharing the interview of the beautiful Andrea who had a boudoir shoot with us this year to celebrate her 29th birthday. She is also part of the our Lockdown Special (clic here for all the details) as she recently opened her new candle business (we are so proud of her for taking this step 💛) and is offering a special deal.

This article is part of our collaboration with She Does The City & Womanizer, in which we help them feature fierce AF womxn in boudoir photo shoots.

Andrea grew up in a religious and conservative family. Sexuality wasn’t something that was openly discussed. She didn’t think she’d ever be in a place where she’d feel comfortable to do a boudoir photo shoot.

Like so many of us, it took time for Andrea to find her own path. To prevent caving to external pressures or getting influenced by all the “shoulds”, she’s had to stay vigilant with her vision, and trust her gut. At 29, she’s feeling comfortable with where she’s landed, and decided to book a photo shoot with Juliette and Fanny of Scandaleuse Photography to celebrate her newfound confidence. We want to celebrate her too. 

What was it that made you want to do a boudoir shoot with Scandaleuse? 

I’ve always wanted to do a boudoir shoot. As a girl who grew up in a conservative & religious family and culture, I thought it wouldn’t be possible. Most of the boudoir shoots I saw were celebrities or models; I had no access to a photographer who would do a boudoir shoot for me, let alone guide me on how to do it.

A few years later, I moved to one of the greatest cities in the world, matured more & met Fanny & Juliette of Scandaleuse Photography.

I used to be afraid of getting older; I thought any age after 25 was simply old. But I luckily outgrew that thinking. WhenI was planning my 29th birthday, I decided I wanted it to be special, since this will be my last year in my 20’s.

I thought, “I should just do that boudoir shoot that I’ve been wanting for so long!” I know reputable photographers & I am finally accepting/loving my body as it is. 

What was it like to get photographed by Juliette & Fanny? How did the experience make you feel? 

It was honestly the best experience I’ve had. I’ve worked with other great photographers but no experience came close with the one I had with Fanny & Juliette. With them, I was truly confident, and they guided me well. I genuinely felt their warmth & passion. It’s obvious that they do what they do because they love it. 

When it comes to feeling good in your own skin, what advice would you give to your younger self? 

Stop seeking approval from people who do not matter! Be authentically you, and the rest will just follow. I am different & that’s special. I am different from my friends & cousins, and that’s fine, because that means I have my own identity. Every time I tried to work on my creative side, I did not get 100% support from people I expected support from. I got hurt, and that’s okay. I just kept going. You are your #1 fan and supporter.

Be there for yourself. Be your own standard of happiness. Be your own standard of beauty. Be your own standard of success.

This does not come overnight, it took me years—and I am still learning this. 

What always puts a smile on your face? 

The good deeds that I get to witness every day. Big or small gestures make me happy.

What has become an important part of your self care routine during COVID? 

Having a rest day, to reflect, nourish my mind & just be me.

If we charge our phones from time to time, we should do that to ourselves as well.

Get that good 8-hour sleep, write in your journal, turn that phone off, put on your favourite movie, hydrate yourself, do that bubble bath, eat good food & so on. 

What lesson or idea is currently helping you on your path? 

Just do you. It will not be easy. There may be defeats, but you are not done. Continue what you are doing and don’t stop until you are at your own definition of success. I’m saying this as I am currently on my path of being an entrepreneur. I opened a small candle business in November and consider it my baby. 

What small things help you get through winter? Or what are you planning this year to help you? 

Time Management! I currently work a 9-6 job and own a small business as well. This is why journals & planners truly help me. I get to write down tasks I need to do for the day & also plan my rest days. Getting organized is the way.

How would you describe your sexuality? 

As someone who came from a conservative & religious family, sexuality and sex was a taboo topic. I never truly learned how to address sexual feelings or know my sexuality. I’ve learned more as I’ve matured. I believe sexuality & sex should be a natural topic—sex is a natural & wonderful thing! I believe it is a sacred exchange of energy. If you have someone who matches your energy, great, if not, that’s fine; just keep swimming. I am happy that I found someone who matches mine, who accepts & acknowledges my needs.  

Anything else you’d like to share? 

To anyone finding their purpose and/or passion, if you do not have the answer in front of you right now, it’s okay, some things take time. Enjoy the present. Live in the moment! Once you realize what it is/they are, your creative juices will just naturally flow.

To anyone who wants to do a bold move, do it!

As long as you are not hurting anyone intentionally and your intention is good, go for it! I hope everyone is safe & healthy during these uncertain times.

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