Photographed in her beautiful home in Mill Valley, Paula and I spent an afternoon stripping down layers in her wardrobe and in our conversation. Sharing stories, compliments, and a lot of things in common between our lives. She’s a woman who’s been through hell and come out the other side more beautiful inside and out than ever.
On top of that she is so kind that she took the time to write about her experience with me. It’s when I read things like this that I remember what a gift boudoir photography is to the world.
“I am a former fetish model (OG, Baby! I’m among the first crop of alt girls on the Internet, hah!) and Heather and I had wanted to work together since I published my very first photo shoot, back in 2004.
It took us nearly 15 years, but we finally worked together this past February. Problem was, I hadn’t been in front of a camera in over a decade, and by then I had grown quite camera-shy and self-conscious, and never thought I’d never even WANT to be photographed again.
I had absolutely no idea what to do, how to pose, how to convey emotion… but Heather did. She was an amazing director, telling me how to pose, pointing me towards the light and making tiny adjustments until we had the perfect shot, all the while cracking jokes, making me laugh, and just overall being a lovely human being.
I went from feeling silly, awkward, and almost ashamed to feeling like a goddess, a warrior, and totally fearless in celebrating my body and its feminine magick. The whole thing was a really wonderful experience.
Heather did more than take pretty pictures of me that day; she helped me reconnect with my true self – the confident, sexy woman I had shamed into obscurity – and captured my essence.
She is an amazing director, a goddess of light (both her personality AND lighting skills!) and a master at posing. She guided me through what by now had been unfamiliar territory for years…. and this is how Paula Got Her Groove Back (but didn’t lose her ability to make crappy movie references).
Thanks, Heather! I love the pictures and how I feel every time I look at them.”
