Imagine you had the power to channel your inner goddess and eternalize her in a stunning Boudoir photo. What if this transformative experience could help you see yourself in a whole new light, empowering you to feel confident, sexy and powerful in your own skin? That's the allure that Boudoir photography offers, and our guest Dijana Szewczyk is has a magical talent in. With her camera, she's not just capturing a beautiful image but also a profound transformation of self-love and body positivity. No matter your age, body type, or insecurities, Dijana's mission is to make you feel seen, vibrant, and beautiful.
Join us as we explore Dijana's incredible story and the empowering world of Boudoir photography.
Connect with Dijana on all of her platforms:
Feeling inspired by the episode? Please share the love by passing it on to a soul sister and leave us a 5 star review. Thank you for joining us on your journey in creating the life your future self is proud of. We are so grateful for your support.
Follow us on Instagram @manifestationandmimosas and our TikTok for more fun and inspirational content.
Sending you love and goddess vibes.
Cheers,
Nicole & Sophia
Imagine you had the power to channel your inner goddess and eternalize her in a stunning Boudoir photo. What if this transformative experience could help you see yourself in a whole new light, empowering you to feel confident, sexy and powerful in your own skin? That's the allure that Boudoir photography offers, and our guest Dijana Szewczyk is has a magical talent in. With her camera, she's not just capturing a beautiful image but also a profound transformation of self-love and body positivity. No matter your age, body type, or insecurities, Dijana's mission is to make you feel seen, vibrant, and beautiful.
Join us as we explore Dijana's incredible story and the empowering world of Boudoir photography.
Connect with Dijana on all of her platforms:
Feeling inspired by the episode? Please share the love by passing it on to a soul sister and leave us a 5 star review. Thank you for joining us on your journey in creating the life your future self is proud of. We are so grateful for your support.
Follow us on Instagram @manifestationandmimosas and our TikTok for more fun and inspirational content.
Sending you love and goddess vibes.
Cheers,
Nicole & Sophia
Welcome to the show we like, totally fan girled on big time. This amazing soul sister Her name is Deanna says Wic. Yeah, hopefully I did your last name right, deanna. She is so fabulous and we had such an amazing time, and it was the first interview in the studio for the season.
Speaker 1:Right, which is exciting because we did a couple of those last year but we haven't really we've been more connecting on zoom. Yeah, so it's fun to have her here. Yes, she's amazing. We totally fan girled and she is a luxury, empowerment and big to our photographer. Yes, she's been doing that since 2017. She is amazing, like.
Speaker 2:I can't even get over it.
Speaker 1:I can't get over it.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, and obviously you know her origin story. She's originally from Croatia and like 2012 was like I'm moving to America and just did it, which is fucking rad. And then starts photography in 2017 and grows it from like zero to half a mil with an ear boom. Like she is so legit. I like I haven't been that nervous to talk to someone in so long, but like you said we were totally fan girling and it was incredible.
Speaker 1:Yes, and she also is a bit of a marketing type expert as well as soon as she came over.
Speaker 1:You all didn't get to see this part because it happened before, but you know, we were standing in the kitchen having our you know champagne and getting some snacks, like we do with our peeps when we interview them here. But she was asking us all these amazing questions, and I, and had ideas about how we could market ourselves and it was so amazing and refreshing. Yes, you know, to have a woman not like hiding her secrets and like you know, what do they, what do they call it Gatekeeping, gatekeeping, gatekeeping and she was just like, oh, this is how you do it and you should do this, and what if we did this together? And like she had?
Speaker 2:she was just, she wasn't like I have all these ideas that could really help you guys, but you'll have to pay for it. Exactly, she was like you are growing. I want to empower you. That's like really. Her vibe is like empowering women and she was all about it.
Speaker 1:Oh my God, I loved it. Yes, and she prides herself on making women feel seen and powerful and sexy in their own skin and sexy in their own view?
Speaker 2:Yes, she had mentioned a couple of times. It's not sexy in like the eyes of another, not the eyes of your partner, the eyes of someone you're trying to attract. It's in your own view to look at yourself and go like hot damn.
Speaker 1:I've got it.
Speaker 2:I have got it. Yes, right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2:I loved every minute of her.
Speaker 1:Me too.
Speaker 2:Like it was incredible.
Speaker 1:It was incredible, and so if you've ever been thinking about doing a Boudoir photo shoot, yeah, even if you haven't been thinking about it, you're going to get so excited for it after this episode. She also gave us some tips on how to like, pose and look, you know, really gorgeous and sexy on the fly, and then, after we wrapped the episode, we went downstairs and we probably will release a little video before the episode. Yeah, but she walked us through some posing and taking selfies.
Speaker 1:And we ended up with, like my personal opinion, like some, like real photographer level as professional shit.
Speaker 2:Honestly, in like in five seconds, she was like do this, sit here, move that way, boom, boom, boom. And then was like quick, quick, quick. How do you like this? And I was like, is that me? Yeah, it's incredible. Yes, On a cell phone.
Speaker 1:Yes, so we loved that and there's so much value in this episode. So, yeah, check it out. We're super excited for you to listen. You're going to love it. The energy is high, absolutely.
Speaker 3:Welcome, Deanna, to the podcast.
Speaker 1:Thank you, thank you. We are so excited you're here. We have been following you for over a year, yeah, and I think I harassed you over a year ago and was like will you come on the podcast, Because I saw your posts on TikTok and you are a Boudoir photographer, and a fabulous one at that.
Speaker 1:Thank you, I love your stuff, and so we started following you. I harassed you a little bit. We finally got you here in the Goddess Fives studio. You are the first interview of the season in the studio. Yay, we're excited. You're here because you're fabulous and you have a business and you empower women with these beautiful photo shoots, and so we have so many questions for you. But before we ask our questions, we like you to start by telling us a little bit about your backstory and your journey to becoming a Boudoir photographer.
Speaker 3:Okay, so I've been doing this now for, I want to say, seven years and it started very, very silly. So my husband and I were like 2016,. We were on vacation. We were like, oh man, I wish we had a camera to take some photos of this beautiful scenery. So we came back, we got the camera and it was supposed to be my husband's hobby and you know he's a boy. So he gave up after two days, of course, and I was like look at this camera, I can do this.
Speaker 3:So, like, I literally took like a couple photos of my dinner and one of my friends was going on a hike with another. Like you know, friends were photographers, so I'm like, I'm going to get along. So there was, like I want to say, like 15 of us most of them were, like you know, professional photographers, amateur photographers just playing around with their cameras, and I took photos just for funsies, because I literally got camera like a week before and I came home and they were all posting the photos in that like little chat we had and this is not me trying to be like who I'm better than anybody, but I was looking at my photos and photos of these people who've been doing this for years, and my photos were like equally good, if not like better than theirs and I'm like huh, like I like this.
Speaker 3:Not only do I like, like how it was making me happy and how it's connected to people, but like I was like I can make a business out of it. So it just kind of exploded from that. Like that was a photograph in you know few models and in a couple of months, like I was just playing around and working with a lot of women who were it was more from me. The same way, how we talked a little bit earlier as well is, my goal is not to kind of. It's not necessarily about Boudoir, it's. There are so many women who feel really insecure in their bodies, who feel uncomfortable. We just been in photos and I'm one of them, 100% one of them. So my goal was, from beginning, like hey, let me make you feel beautiful, like you know, have this beautiful dress and you're in a nature and you just have a really good photo of yourself that you love. And that was my thing. Like it was never about like nudity or seduction or trying to make men see you, and it's not like about being provocative. It's about so many of us, especially as we like turn 30 or we have kids or we like move on from certain areas and areas of our lives and we become so drained by life and you see the photo of yourself, yourself, or you, you know, just you in the middle of the night and like what the hell? You know, what am I doing here? And by doing these photo shoots from day one for me was more about I want to make these women and myself, you know, with that as well feel good about themselves. You know, have a one part of me, you know, have a one part of your life where you know, yes, I'm frumpy and I'm tired and I'm a mom and I'm exhausted, and what is this life? And then you look at this for you, like you know what I still got? It Like wow, wow, boom, you know, check me out.
Speaker 3:So it kind of started with like being more women and being more dressed. It was more about combining the nature, because I love hiking, combining nature and getting women in nature, like just being in the beautiful dresses. And then they somehow started taking the clothes off how about, let's try if your dress is falling off of your shoulder, you know? And it just like transitioned to more Boudoir, because it seems that people, really women, really love that. They love the feeling like they're sensual beings and they love feeling like they're more, just more than just being moms, yeah, and I'm just kind of transitioned like that. So I've been doing Boudoir fully for the last like five years. It's been like my full time business and it doesn't really feel like business. It's just I just get to hang out with people and make them feel good and we have a lot of, like you know, cheeky little jokes and so it's really silly for me to talk about is a as my business, because I know it is. I'm legit.
Speaker 3:But like, but at the same time, I could just like meeting new people and having fun with them and and giving them the experience that they can't get anywhere else, and yeah, that's kind of my little journey.
Speaker 1:I love how you fell into it. So when you were like a little girl, did you have any dreams like, or you were artistic, creative, or is this totally out of nowhere?
Speaker 3:I was always. So I come from a very different culture. Like, so it's not like. Here in America you have a very it's a very different standard of living. So I come from a very different background. So even in those that environment, I was always trying to make like. I was always trying to have businesses, by the way, like I have.
Speaker 3:I remember being like eight and making frames out of rocks and selling them to my aunt bought them, by the way, thank you, auntie but like, but. Yeah, I was always more artistic and I was more drawn to. I always felt like it was this is such a silly way to say it, but like. I had this like little mantra in my head of saying like this is not my life, I was made for different. Like it was not a lot more or that was not happy, was just like, like it was like this is not my life. And in when I came to America and I cut even like, in that point it was like, hey, this is yeah, I'm living, I'm in America, yeah you know, but then I fell into this business and it just feels like me.
Speaker 3:It feels like this is what I was meant to do. It feels like home, it feels very comfortable and it feels like I was just. This is a lot that I was meant to be having. So, even like when people tell me like and give me which I really appreciate in a compliment about my work and stuff, I'm like. This is just so normal to me, like it was what I was supposed to be doing from day one. It never was challenging. It never felt like Like stressful. It's just like I take photos and you love them. What?
Speaker 2:a gift to be like. This is exactly who I am, and it I'm warm, supposed to be yeah, it feels very Peaceful to me.
Speaker 3:I just feels very much like I was meant to do this and and like the fact that people actually love it. Yeah, I was never like it was never supposed to be, like, hey, let me do this as a business. It was just like I'm gonna take photos. You like them? Yeah, you know. Yeah, just a transition into this like business now and I Like are you sure? Like you want to give me money? Okay, but it's been very, it's been a very beautiful like Feeling coming into this and feeling like I, I belong, yeah.
Speaker 1:I love that beautiful and I'm really curious about like the editing process too, because your photos are so beautiful, so you do these beautiful photo shoots in different rooms.
Speaker 2:We'll talk about your studio because I love how you have different themes.
Speaker 1:We love a good theme. Always I mean look at us but yeah. Yes, and so you have all these like themed rooms you you like. How do you get? First of all, how do you get women to portray like the essence of who they are? Like how do they choose what they want? For the shoot or are you going? Hey, I suggest this that. Yeah, that's the process.
Speaker 3:So one thing that I really try to do is like when somebody inquires through my website and they're like, hey, I'm going through this, this journey, I'm getting married, or I'm getting divorced, or you know I'm ready for this.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they send me this like inquiry and then I get them on a phone call and that's Purposefully for that reason that you just asked me about like. So it's not necessarily about like selling them my services, but I want to see are we a good match? Yes, number one I'm very Isamnipian, I'm very vocal and loud and Some would say, obnoxious. You know we love it. Yeah, but, like you know, I'm very Bossy and I honestly love that about myself and clients love that about me. But it's very important that when somebody hires me there, there's fun really well to that. So not only like when we have in this phone call like they're interviewing me, but I'm also interviewing them. I'm like are we a good match? Because if I will and it's something that tell them if I will see you naked they're half naked like 10 minutes after you walk into my studio Then you need to be comfortable with me.
Speaker 3:You need to understand that when I talk to you in a certain way, it's because I see value in it and I hope you're gonna see value in it as well.
Speaker 3:Yeah so we have this phone calls. People usually tell me their story and what I expect, like you know, I asked them the questions about. You know what's their insecurities, what is there things that they really love about themselves? Have they ever done a session before? If they have any triggers, you know the colors they love, the vibe they love like. So it's not necessarily about like hey, you want Boudoir photos. Yeah, you know, it's like. This is a story of view. So how do you see yourself, how do you want to see yourself, and is there a certain thing that you see in my portfolio that made you believe, like, this is me.
Speaker 3:Yeah and like. So when we have these little conversations like I get to learn more about the woman I Learn about, like hey, I feel like we're really good match. Here's where I think that I could offer to you, here's how we can make it happen. Or I can be like you know what I? I Don't necessarily think that I'm the right photographer for you, or I can be. This sounds like it's a little bit more. No, you know, because they're clients, want a very different spectrums of sensuality. Like there's a I want to feel feminine, soft and lovely and I want to just feel good in my skin.
Speaker 3:Versus like hey, I'm having only fans account and I need stuff you know and I don't shoot that, by the way I don't go to that spectrum, but like when there are people who come to me and they're like I'm really looking forward to something towards more erotica or more like sexual stuff, yeah this is something that I'm like. This is not what I'm doing. Yeah you know, we have very naughty photos. They're very, you know, provocative in its own nature, but they're also artistic and they're also more, you know, shot from a female gaze yes, made for woman by woman.
Speaker 3:It's not like we're trying to attract a man or be very like, you know, not a bit disrespectful, but like. There's a very different way how you photograph when you're trying to attract a man when you're trying to prove A man that you are a sexual being in very different way.
Speaker 3:How to photograph woman, even when she's naked, in a way that's gonna make her just feel beautiful as a sensual being. Yes, so those are the conversations we have Before they even consider booking me. Like it's more about like, hey, here's how I see you. And that's when they tell me, hey, this is what I want to do, this is how we can make it happen, I tell them I can make it happen. Here are the dates and we just Basically explore what does that woman need from the session? Whether it's like to regain her confidence, whether it's because she's already very confident and loving her body and she just wants to capture that. Yeah, maybe some clients are into their like fitness. They want to showcase their muscles. You know there's a lot of different Variables that go into how the session works.
Speaker 3:So my my studio does have. I have I don't even know God like 20, 30 sets. I have everything. And Also the sessions come with hair makeup and they come with wardrobe oh wow and with props and with everything. So basically what I tell my clients, especially when they're nervous, they're like I don't know what to show up, I don't know what to think about, like what should I do? I'm like you show up, like so many women show up in their PJs because we started 9 am. They come in their PJs, in their slippers, with their, like you know, morning coffee, yeah, and that's it. And I and they use my whole wardrobe, my studio, you know everything, and they just show up and they're themselves and we kind of style them and create everything for them Because it helps you. Like, if you're anxious about, like you know, what do I buy, and is it not gonna look okay?
Speaker 2:Yeah, what if?
Speaker 3:I don't even care about wearing high heels like then you don't, because this is about to you and what makes you feel Seen and beautiful and excited like, and if you're like shopping, then don't shop.
Speaker 2:Yeah, do you do the hair and makeup.
Speaker 3:No, I have a professional stylist. I have several. I have my main girl, mariam. So I have, I have my main girl and she does a beautiful job. So all my but I have few girls because I'm trying to kind of also open up my business to other Women who are like trying to like get their name out there. So I try to hire people that I haven't worked before so they can like start getting, you know, just accustomed to the, to everything that's going on as well. So I have licensed professional makeup artists on site and she does the hair makeup for like an hour and a half.
Speaker 3:Yeah and then from that point on, like we just kind of go to the wardrobe options and we start photographing, so the session itself is a car like four or five hours altogether. Oh, wow, and we also have a Moses. We have a lot of, a lot of awesome, but it's just.
Speaker 3:It's the whole idea of the session for me is it's the experience you know the photos are a great Product of your experience, something to look at and be excited for, yeah, but the experience itself is what's gonna make you love yourself, because you gonna. As you're in my studio, you get to. You know we talk about your insecurities to talk about the things you love we talk about. You know you scars and the light that you went through.
Speaker 3:And then when you move, when you pose, the way how we talk, the way how I teach you to, you know, have a facial expressions, yeah, how you hold your hair, the way how you move your chin, yeah, all those little things like that are obviously good for photos. They also kind of help you become this more like confident, vibrant person, you know so. So many of my clients tell me that, like after their session, like they just Wake up the next day, like just feeling so powerful, wow, because you you I don't even know how to explain it just does a beautiful thing to yourself, a steam, when you Spend like, let's say, like, three hours moving in a very sensual, feminine, soft way, or powerful, like because somebody people might want you know poses as well. So it helps you see yourself that it's not just photo, because when you see your images and you see images of other women and social media. You're like that could never be me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, or.
Speaker 3:I don't look like that. Yeah, it's so easy for her, you know. But when you actually get to be in that position and you see yourself moving that way and you and you feel how Easy it is to fall into the pattern or just feeling powerful and beautiful and sensual, and then you see the photos as a product.
Speaker 3:Yeah that's like wow. So for us, just you know they're great but that all day we spent together and you know just very, very feminine vibe and and feeling and excitement and you know Just the company that like we, an energy we have in a studio, it's what I feel get the clients feeling good about themselves, even more than the actual result at the end.
Speaker 2:I'm just gonna say like, personally, a boob, our session is something I have always wanted to do. Yeah and I feel like I missed my window. Why? Because I was young and hot like 25 and I'm not that anymore, and but it's like something I've always wanted to do, like the idea of Celebrating myself and my body for like three hours sounds Incredible like I'm gonna do it I.
Speaker 2:This part of my question is like it seems like that's, that's how you get women to come out of their shell, a little bit, like I really feel like, well, that's something you do when you're already hot.
Speaker 3:But you know that's and that's 100% right, how most of my clients. But they just like have the same feeling as you for years and I'm not now or like I'm gonna lose it. Wait, I know it.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, I'll do it when I'm hot again. Exactly never happen, and you?
Speaker 3:kind of miss the opportunity. By the way, you are hot. Oh yeah, how you move, the way how you pose, so I was looking at your downstairs in a kitchen and the way how you hold on to, so I know that's give me more.
Speaker 2:Keep it coming.
Speaker 3:Professional standpoint. Like you have a really beautiful feminine, soft Vavavum vibe around you, like you know. So the fact that you you See yourself as a miss in your window is a shame, because I feel like obviously I don't know how you looked, but doesn't matter how you look when you're 25, because I bet when you were 25 you would also insecure and you were stressed and you were sucking in your belly Yep, so like even if, even if I approached you when you were 25, you would be like no, not me.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so that that itself is a reason enough for us, as we're aging and as our bodies are changing, to recognize In your own head you will never be good enough. Yes, and that's what we're trying to change. Because, like, the whole point is over. The I mean not the whole point, but, for me personally, the whole point of the session to be done when you are not feeling your best is to show you that you might not feel like you're at your perfect, yeah, right now. Yeah, but you are and you can be essential and beautiful and you know, like just even naughty, if you want to. I do want to. But, like the whole reason of us waiting for that perfect body, you're missing the point of the whole session and and the whole experience, which is to show you that, doesn't matter what you're going through in your current life, doesn't matter how your physical appearance is like, you are still worthy of being photographed, you're still worthy of being feeling beautiful. And it's not about attracting men, it's not about showing like, having social media content Like it or some people it is. But for me, when I do my own selfies, or when I hire other photographers or when I work with my friends and and clients. It's all about like, hey, recognize that it's okay to have, like you know, big belly and arms that are not as small as you want them, or if your hair is like very, very thin, or you just are too tired, or you work all the time like those are not the reasons why not to do a session. Those are the reasons to do session because your life is already so overwhelming and you already feel like you're Falling behind and you're just like the energy is dropping and you feel like what, why me? Like I don't even. You know, you know, you know you don't have a reason. We have no man or you have no, no, you know Opportunity to do it like this is why you do do it, because that will help you see yourself in a new light. That's gonna help you move in a different light. That's gonna help you buy a bikini.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so many of my clients Don't wear bikinis because I call have the belly. So what? Like you have belly, but you also have curves and you have boobies and have booty and you're a beautiful, sensual woman and even if none of those things relate to you, the fact that you go to Target and you say this beautiful, vibrant pink, yeah, you know, bikini and you like, there's absolutely no reason for me to have a bikini. I guess what I wanted.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and the the Boudoir session in my, if I was to, you know, say that's what it does for you. It makes you see yourself as worthy of splurging, of enjoying yourself or of being Sensual, of wearing things that's gonna make you feel good, even if it's for not partner, if it's not, or you know, or again, social media, even if, like, there's parts of your body that you feel really like Uncertain about, yeah, it should not change your work, it should not change the value that you possess as a person and how that session can make you really get back into the scene yourself that way amazing, yes, and I love how your photos aren't over edited and I assume you leave it up to the client, right?
Speaker 1:So, like you know, I saw this one today, or this one have these beautiful breasts and you know she had her stretch marks there and I'm sure she's like. You know, these are your, they're your. Your scars right like your scars of womanhood and childbirth and yeah, all of that. And so if a woman is like, hey, I love this, I want to leave it, you leave it. If she's like, take it out Are you do, you edit out or you not?
Speaker 3:that, yeah, no, I'm so Passionate about this topic, yeah, yeah. So I'm gonna tell you about my first Boudoir session and the reason why I kind of start doing more, but less of that woman in nature and more in the naked woman, yeah, is I. I was pregnant. I was like too much pregnant with my first child, I and I was like this is it Like it's now or never, because I'm never gonna be this hot again, all this stuff that we tell ourselves. So I had a session. It was a great session.
Speaker 3:Again, nothing that's like this was life changing and but it was nice. And I received the photos like a month later, like she just sent me a gallery and like she's like there you go, and the photos were beautiful. But that was not me. I was, my skin was plastic-y, there was no belly, there was no imperfections. It just looked like a really beautiful photo of a lady, yeah, but I did not feel seen, I did not feel represented, I felt like this was something that I have, but it didn't resonate with me. So that was kind of like a really like you know, a point in my career where I decided that you know what I don't like and I was not bad experience at all, like it was great, but it was nothing special. And my goal was, like, from that point on, like I want to make women feel special with this experience. I want them to feel beautiful as they are. So what I usually do is, you know, clients come to have their session. I usually take a lot of photos way too many photos.
Speaker 3:So I take like, let's say, like 600 photos and from those 600, I narrow down to 200. And my goal is to show you clients a lot of like individual, unique images. So like out of those 200, which is going to have like very different poses, different you know the way how her face is looking, the way how her body is looking, so when she sees them she gets to choose for herself what she loves. And I show them those photos unedited, so they come to my studio.
Speaker 2:I have this giant.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because like that's the point, Like the point is not to show you if we're doing this for a reason, like it's a gift for somebody, or you need a specific like branding. Obviously branding you do not need your unedited, because you need this to pitch your vibe, your brand. But for Boudoir, if the whole purpose of your session is to make you feel beautiful about yourself, then I want you to see yourself as you are. I want you to see that just makeup, just the pose and a very well fitting, beautiful injury it's. You already have everything that it takes for you to feel beautiful. You do not need me to shape you and move you and, you know, fluff up your hair and slim you down for you to be beautiful.
Speaker 1:You already are.
Speaker 3:But that doesn't mean that, like you know, when client is looking at the photos and she selects her favorite hundred usually, or, like you know, favorite 20, and she said, you know what I really love how this looks, but I do not like my back rolls or I really wish my hair was fluffier, or do you see how, like, my tooth is a little bit yellow here. You know those things are like. Client comes to me and tells me hey, I love this as they are, but let's make this a little bit different 100%. So basically all my clients in their photos as they are, most of them actually gets the whole collection. So they get to skip them as they are, and their top, top favorites are just those soft things like I remove under eye circles.
Speaker 3:I remove the bruises. If there's any kitty scratches, you know, like under eye circles are usually a big one, nobody needs those. So like stuff like that I remove. But it's important to me that it's natural that it feels like it. It feels like them, that the way how I pose them, the way how they're being dressed, the way how they are moving, the way how their smile is looking. We do a lot of very inappropriate jokes because very.
Speaker 3:But, like you know, not only does it, like you know, kind of helps loosen the client up, but it gives them those like natural laugh because I don't want you like when I say like laugh and you're like you know, because I'm not trying to get you a cute photo that you can show to your grandma, like we're trying to get you your natural self popping out.
Speaker 3:So when we, you know, that's why I don't rush my sessions. I do not put a limit on the amount of outfits we do. I do not make like any. You gotta be here out by, like you know, one PM or we're done. Like no, like we're here for you If you need to take a break between their sets because you're nervous and you're shaking and you just like, yeah, want to be on your phone for five minutes because this is very overwhelming, hell yeah. So if you, if you need to just keep going very, very fast with the sessions you're not thinking about it and you're just like going, which happens, like you know, that's okay too. But, like you know, we joke, we laugh, we have a little bit of drinks not too much, like you know I you know, we do not want drunk clients.
Speaker 3:We want clients who are happy, but you know still present.
Speaker 3:So it's kind of it's all from the moment that I, that somebody reaches out to me or finds me on social media, to the day that they get their products or albums and stuff. It's all about giving you something that you're looking for. So I guide you to the whole experience. I help you, you know, make up your mind. So, for example, I have a lot of clients. When they're picking their favorites, they remove all the photos with their imperfections. Yeah, so you're going to have like 200 photos. You're going to remove every single one that shows your belly. And from my goal and my part in that, like choosing selection, is like it's not to tell you, hey, like you should really love your belly. It's like I can see you moving all of those photos. Is this because you do not like how your belly looks? Are you worried that I cannot edit it out?
Speaker 3:Or you know, and then usually clients say like, oh, I just do not like how this, like you know, skin is looking. You know, like if you want to keep a photo or two, I can edit that out, because people don't understand, like, how much I can edit if I wanted to, but it's not, you know.
Speaker 3:So my goal is, like again, through the whole experience, giving those clients, making them feel seen and making them feel heard, and making women feel like I'm not trying to sell to them, I'm not trying to force them, I'm not trying to tell them, oh, but like you should really love this, because everybody else loves this Right here, look at my studio, look at all these million sets, look at all these outfits, look at all these props. Like what makes you feel good, what?
Speaker 3:makes you excited, like do you want to fulfill your girly dreams and have, like you know, those like murder robes, those like I have it in all colors.
Speaker 2:That is my dream is to like no offense to Matt, but that he like dies mysteriously. And I answered the door in one of those rooms, like I want the cops to be like, wow, are you a suspect? And be like maybe I am now Sorry.
Speaker 3:Matt, yeah, but yeah. But, like you know, some clients really just want to feel beautiful or they want to feel just like girly and feminine and soft and artistic. Some come to me and they're like hey, you know what, I have this fall above my bed and I want to have a photo of me and I want it to be art. I don't want it to be seen that it's me, but I want to be naked me. And then we spend like an hour like just creating a lot of like kind of it. You have this like thing above your head.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like something that's like it's an art, it's a form of the body. It plays with lots of like light and shadow and just moodiness and drama to create the piece of art. So some sessions are more focused on art. Some sessions are focused more on a sexuality part of it. Sometimes it's just about having a beautiful photo of your face. I had a lot of hilarious like not in a bad way, like I had way more than usual clients over age 60 recently, really, and I never had them before. And I feel like you know, because I started showing more older women as well, and, yeah, they come to me and they're like. I had a woman that was like over 70 and she's like I'm going to live until I come at least 95. And I am still a very sexual being. So she wanted a very naughty session. I'm like, okay, she was a very naughty person.
Speaker 3:It was beautiful, she was full of life and she's incredible and I love her. But I have a lot of clients who are like in all phases of their lives and they want different things and I think, like it's just a beautiful thing, like even as you were saying about you feel like you missed your window. You might feel like that now, but imagine 10 years from now. I bet you're going to be like, oh man, if I did it then.
Speaker 1:Yeah, of course. Yeah, oh, my gosh. Okay. So can somebody choose multiple scenes from your studio for the shooter? Is it limited to like a certain amount?
Speaker 3:I limited kind of limited. So because there's so many, and up until like two years ago I would be like, hey, whatever you want, girl, and then we would spend like 10, I kid you not 10 hours shooting because they want to go to the beach and they want to go to the mountains and they want to do, and I do it all because I love it.
Speaker 2:I would be like I'm taking advantage we can just do one room and one shot and be done.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you said it, not me, but like it felt a lot. It felt like girls were more excited about doing everything instead of actually thinking hey, no, this is what I want. So now I limit and it's still not fully limited. So my whole studio is available, everything that's like that. It's not a specialty set Like, for example, shower set or bathtub set or going outdoors, or sometimes, like you know, people want to have secondary hair and makeup styling. So they have.
Speaker 3:I have certain sets like 10 or 15 of them that are very hard to do, so like I need to have an assistant for it. It takes an extra two hours to do like just photograph that set. You know it's a huge production. Those sets are extra and there's some that we have to agree on prior to your session. So that's more like, hey, you know, I want to have this and this and this and this and that and I'm like that's cool, but that takes so much more longer for us. But for everyday sessions, for clients who just want to feel beautiful, my whole studio and it has like a lot Like it has. I mean, it's a house, so I have like six shooting spaces, three shooting bathrooms All bathrooms can be photographed in for showers, for bath or like just different lighting. There's a backyard set, there's a patio set, there's an outdoor shower, like a jungle set. There's everything there and those things are all available to clients Like, so usually we discuss all those options before while they're in a hair makeup.
Speaker 3:So they're sitting we just kind of talk about okay, here's what's your vision, what's your colors, what speaks to you? Yeah, but it's also okay for them, like when they go to the shooting area and they're like oh, I really love how this looks. Can we try that? Yes, because my goal is not to limit clients just because I'm trying to be like no, you get this and that's it. But it's more like I want you to focus on what really matters instead of being so aesthetic about doing everything that you forget why you actually came here. And then also, as the more sets you do, the less time in each set you have. So, instead of us spending like 15 minutes doing a specific set, because you love it, you're gonna spend five.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 3:I can't guarantee to give you like the most epic, amazing photos in five minutes, but in 15 I can.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:So it's just kind of giving clients a bit more guidance, but I still allow. I mean, again, the goal is to make women feel beautiful, so I'm not gonna make you be like no, actually, you see, this flower wall, this is only for my extra VIP. You are VIP, you came here, yeah. So I'm pretty flexible with everything that clients want, as long as they are really wanting it, and then I do it because it's like you might as well. If it's a we might as well, we won't do it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I pictured myself in that bathtub. I love the bathtub full of gold, glitter and champagne, and I love the pink neon you have. You have some neon stuff. I have a lot of pink. Yes, yes, that's what my picture for me, but you also do like some branding stuff, right, I saw on your website. I'm curious about that.
Speaker 3:So the way how I you know, I'm focused the most on a Boudoir because, most people find me through Boudoir, but the way how my brand is.
Speaker 3:From beginning it was celebrating women through all phases of their lives maternity, motherhood, mummies and babies, a lot of mummies and babies.
Speaker 3:But branding is something that I do often and most of my clients because what I tell them, when you book me for Boudoir session, you already get in your hair makeup.
Speaker 3:We might as well like just bring few outfits for your branding and our makeup artist can stop halfway through, like before your makeup gets, like very like wow, wow, womb, we'd give you some branding photos and then you go back to the chair and you continue being like naughty. So it kind of gives you more value for your money. But even for clients who only want branding, I do that and it's more modern stuff and it's more, like you know, just kind of relatable and fun, and I do corporate things as well. But I feel, as time is changing and the woman that I work with it's more focused on being more again like there's a different between, like you know, headshot and, like you know, you like your passport photo and branding image, which is for example, for you guys like I would learn, like you know what's your brand colors, what is your vision, what is your vibe, how do you want to be represented.
Speaker 3:And then, when you come to studio, I set up the space to give you a lot of you know more like almost like a movement photo, to give you a lot of content to share on your social media, to share on your website. You know you get some really cute things that showcase who you are as a brand, who you are as a person. So, like that way, do not feel do not feel like yeah, I got this photo and I see 20 other people having the same photo Like it really represents you and how you want your brand to be seen. You know anywhere that you post your images. So I love that. It's very the same vibe as it is with the Boudoir.
Speaker 3:So we still have that phone call. I still learn a lot about you, what your colors are, what your props you're going to bring. You know what I need to prepare for my end, because Masudia has very different colors, but you know if your brand is very, what color is pink? I have a lot of pink. I'm working in. What do I not have in a studio, let's say like if you have a very teal.
Speaker 3:Your brand is teal, right, I would have to, you know, come up with a different ways to kind of accommodate that because my studio is a lot of, like, you know, the jewel. Actually I can accommodate teal. I could do whatever I have it, I can do.
Speaker 1:Has there ever been a request that was like so crazy or so out there that you couldn't, and if you can't tell us, that's fine. But like, is anybody ever proposed something to you and you're like can't do it no way, or that's totally bizarre?
Speaker 3:Well, people want to bring animals and guns and they know to either.
Speaker 3:Yeah, but nothing that I was like unable to like perform, like the, the most intense one that I ever got and that took a lot. If you see, it was floating on the internet a couple years ago a pregnant woman that's like literally hanging in like a cloth, is almost like an aerial shot, and she's pregnant, like flopping all over. And there was a client that came to me. I'm like I have nothing for you. Not only is that not safe, yeah, but actually I'm gonna share for us, you can see. But I did it and it turned out amazing. Like you know, we had like a pretend. I had my assistant holding the the sheet. She said she laid in a sheet, but she had like stuff underneath, right, so I had to like water shop a lot of things, but we made it happen. I think that was the hardest Composite, interesting shoe that I did with not with having no equipment.
Speaker 3:Yeah because I had to really like work on it but Not really. And I feel that because people really know when they're coming to me what to expect I had because I do for a couple of are. There's a lot of people who come to me the very inappropriate Expectations, that I'm like nuts, like yeah, you know not, not, thank you, yeah, but other than that, like I'm pretty confident in everything that that I can offer and I'm very comfortable say no if this is not something that I think I'm good at, that I'm your, that I'm your person.
Speaker 3:One thing that was really Interesting when you asked about like you know, something that was like very much. So usually I tell my clients hey, if you love shopping, just bring, bring everything you have, it's absolutely fine. You know, we're just gonna go through your things, select what you like, what I like, and so don't stress about like you know, don't stress about like you know, your stuff. So yeah, that's the, that's the something that I tell all my clients and Couple. Years, more than couple years ago, there was a woman that came and she had an, a kid. You're not. We talked about it, so I'm not gossiping about her.
Speaker 2:She knows that I tell this story.
Speaker 3:She's my cautionary story. Okay, she knows I tell this to everybody. But like she showed up, she had a full car of stuff. Her husband came with the full car of stuff and her best friend came with the third car and she rented her own City chair something and it was intense. So like and I in that point I was in my little like 300 square feet studio, like there was no space for her stuff. Intense, so like she brought in, they brought in, and here is like all power on the floor right where I'm shooting. So that was like.
Speaker 3:I think that was like, if not only situation that I have found myself Unable to set the boundary on time, yeah, and unable to Get myself out of it without being like what is the word I don't want to say again inappropriate, because, like, I'm very like comfortable with my clients, I'm very like, no, we joke. Yeah, we're still like I have no place where I'm feeling like I can't tell you. I think I'm like Cindy, that's a lot. Yeah, I don't know what to do, it all of this. So, like you know, it was just that whole session took way longer because we just there was so much going on, but that also helped me set a boundary with the clients going forward, which was like, hey, when I say bring everything you want, that means like whatever fits in your car, but you know it's, it's been a beautiful like I.
Speaker 3:There's really nothing that I can kind of look back on my business and be like I regret this. Yeah, I feel like a very naturally flew from, you know, from doing a lot of women in nature to women in branding, to mummies and babies, to more like naughty and sensual stuff and and I'm kind of almost like circling back to boot to branding a little bit more, because I Love Boudoir but I photograph over 200 people a year and like how many naked Buddhists can I see Before? Like you know, they're all blending Okay. So, like you know, I just kind of I love. I love because when I work with women, like I can really do so many different things and indoor, outdoor, you know, funny, silly, I'm just working with different brands really helps me like kind of hear what their vision is. So instead of trying to accommodate what I think it's gonna look the best, I have to follow what you want.
Speaker 3:Yeah and just kind of Marketing. There's so many beautiful things about, about being in this line of work where I am, and makes me feel really.
Speaker 2:Really good, that's great.
Speaker 1:I want to go back to. Okay, you're basically a self-taught photographer. Then, in, in the sense of like, you all of a sudden discovered that you had a gift and you taught yourself. How do you? Because I've seen some of your Videos where you're showing a client, like how to pose, and like when you show them or when you're doing the shoot, and it's amazing, like how did you learn this? And like what are some tips for women, like when they're doing their photos, like what's the core basic of like looking sexy girl. I.
Speaker 3:Faking, faking confidence because we don't feel it. So I am self-taught on everything I'm. I have issues, I don't know ADHD, but so the way, how, how I Do I, how I pose people is thinking what do I love about my own physical appearance. And what do I hate about my own physical appearance when somebody takes a photo of me? So if I say to my husband he took a photo and he's just like, doesn't click whatever, yes, god, they are the worst. But they think they're doing a really good job.
Speaker 1:Do you know my?
Speaker 2:head is cut off completely.
Speaker 3:And my husband is like he's like six to and I'm like five feet, so he always like shoots from like above and I look like a little midget. I'm like nothing wrong with that, dude, but can you like just?
Speaker 3:bring it down, yeah, just kneel down with the love man on their knees. Okay, I do so. It's just like I, the base, the basics for me, that I, when I was telling my clients is like Number one, keep your ankles together, sweet Jesus. So I always like the few things that. No, not like that. So like usually, like when you're posing, we always kind of spread our legs or we do like stuff like this.
Speaker 3:Yes like this looks really, really weird to me. So, but it's more along the lines of like we, we want your shoulders back, we want your neck forward, chin down. Sometimes when we laugh we tilt our head super, super fat back, so your body looks bigger than your head because I do always it's natural.
Speaker 3:So like when you're laughing in a camera, you're like, yeah, that looks better than Totally. So it's like I just give those little like tips, like before we start showing. I'm like, hey, here's how this is going to look. You're always going doing your Barbie feet. So I say these are Barbie feet, these are ballerina feet. We do Barbie feet. It looks flattering. We always have your ankles together, so you're not kind of always just curving your legs, you always have your shoulders back. And one thing for me that my photographer friends disagree is like if you're comfortable, it doesn't look good. Oh, so if you feel like, hey, I'm having fun, you don't look good, yeah, so we want your shoulders back. We want you like kind of just popping that booty, arching your back, getting the boobies out, like you know, just kind of showcasing that, that a confidence with the way how your body's you know, whether you're sitting or standing or talking to somebody, yeah, and then very big one is. Most of the people you know, including myself, we have like double chin.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 3:And we're just in a natural environment like that kind of showcase and that there's nothing wrong with that. But if we're trying to get the best angle right, Then I call it like a swan neck or a turtleneck. You kind of just get your chin out.
Speaker 2:It doesn't go all the way. So you feel, yeah, I was gonna say I'm just put my shoulders back.
Speaker 1:Okay yeah, the chin thing is tough for me.
Speaker 3:Yeah, just kind of. It doesn't have to go super hard. I just got a little bit of chin out immediately, like you know moves that Double neck and then a little bit of tilt of your head and just does such beautiful things for the way how you're presenting yourself. Yeah, what do you have in a conversation with somebody? Obviously that not now. Okay, I'm not.
Speaker 1:I'm trying.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, we were just singing this pillow behind my back is not helping, but like. So I feel like when I again, when I talk to my clients, I look at them and I look at them as a best friend. I'm not looking at them as as like yeah, yeah, you're good. It's like if my best friend had something in her teeth, I would tell her.
Speaker 3:My best friend was trying to pose for a photo and she looks like. I know that I know that my friend is gonna hate the way how her, you know, let's say like how her bra is sticking out of her shirt right. I'm gonna tell her. So you know it's kind of similar. I look at my client and I tell them, like I'm not what, this is a professional Looking so.
Speaker 3:I'm just gonna always observe every single little thing and I'm like fix your ring ring is crooked. Yeah, let's see when your teeth I want you to move that hair from your lip and I'm not like how you make up is is, you know, spilling tilt your head a little bit and pop those shoulders back and like so I just kind of tell them every single detail so you don't have to think about it. Yeah, but as I am even doing that, like, it kind of becomes second nature. So there was the end of the session. Every single client already knows yeah, you have to be like, you know, like and how you hold your hair.
Speaker 3:When you put your hand. Here's a advice whenever More silly, when you put your hand in your hair and you're trying to be cutesy, you always leave hair next to your face. So you do not do this. Yep, you do this. So, like I just again, it becomes very natural to me and it all stems from, like, my own insecurities. It's like what do I? If I had somebody to take my photos? What would I want them to see on me?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'd be offended if somebody says hey, diana, actually like get those shoulders back and can you please like tilt your chin forward, would I be, you know, angry that they like disrespecting me or be like yeah, thank you. And that's why you come to professional. Yeah, taking your own selfies, or if you claim, with your friend, it's nice to have a little bit of advice, yes, but it's very different because you're having fun. If you're having a professional and they'll tell you trust me, I got you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, then I'm expecting that they got me plus, I feel like I've and I have always said this and I do believe it's true I'm just naturally not photogenic Like I've. You know, if like, if it's casual or like candid photos, I'm always like why why is one eye closed, like I don't blink halfway? That's it right. I'll say like Like don't pull her back.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think it's also beautiful thing because, like all those candid photos, I think it's great to have the mix of those even unphotogenic photos, because it's a real life. Yeah, so, like you, you are in your moment, you're natural, you're just enjoying life and there's nothing wrong with having photos that are not, you know, so slightly acceptable as being perfect. Yeah or being great for your Instagram feed, but they're you yeah when you look at them you feel like, hey, this is me, even though you do not like how you're half eyes, you know.
Speaker 2:My eyes, always one bigger than another. Yes, me too. Yeah, it is what it is. I can tell you one thing, though there are the very few and far between photos of me that are, like, really cute.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're like.
Speaker 3:They're going your favorites folder and they're.
Speaker 2:They are what I say if the house is on fire.
Speaker 3:But see, that's what you do about the water session. Or that's what you do family sessions. Yeah especially as mom. So, my goodness, like you know, having a photos with your kids or even alone, where you just feel and feel and look beautiful, yeah, it just does such a beautiful things for you. Yeah, because you, you recognize that those selfies are cherished for memory of a moment. Those beautiful photos where you feel beautiful are the things that you're gonna proud of display on your wall.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah you know, and it just kind of gives you something.
Speaker 3:Even when I photograph families which is not very often, but I do I do, you know, for repeat clients sprinkled here and there, my focus is always a mom, because people always like oh, your kid is so cute, or husband is being, you know, having stuff in their pockets.
Speaker 3:I'm like, I'm just very bossy. I'm like get the stuff out of your pocket, remove your Apple watch. Your job here, husband, is to look at your wife, smile, caress her, pretend like she's your top of the world, please. And then kids are gonna be kids. Yeah, it's gonna run. Like you know, you do not take care of your kids, you do not look at your kids. I tell your kid what to do.
Speaker 3:You know, obviously I'm talking kinder and nicer, but like that's, that's a general vibe, is like my job is to pose your kid, my job is to pose the husband and my job is to focus on mom because there's so many photos. When photographer gives you gallery of a hundred words, like there there's a family session and your kids look cute. Yeah, your husband is smiling in the camera because husbands are always freaking photogenic. I have no idea, so annoying like, so easy for them, just like hand in a pocket and below because they have no worries.
Speaker 3:Yeah they dress everyone. They didn't book it. Yeah, they're not.
Speaker 2:Yep, yep, they showered and they showed up. Good for them and you about.
Speaker 3:You bought the clothes and you prepared it. You and you drove.
Speaker 2:You know make sure everyone's coordinating.
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah but, like you know, but nobody pays attention to mom, yeah, and and then mom is the one who bought the photos, who's stressed about everything, who take care of everything, who handle the kids, who was up at like 4 am, who everything. And then she gets out of those hundred photos. She gets two photos where she looks at the camera. Yeah, and that's so offensive to me, like you, very offensive to me. Come on, focus on that woman, because she is the one who did this, because she does not have a good photos with her kids. She can take photos of that with the kids, but that will not take photos of her with the kids, not good ones anyway.
Speaker 3:Right, how about you, as a photographer, focus on the person that needs it the most. Give her those beautiful images for her kids, give her those special, have her hug, her kid or tickle or snuggle or twirl or genuinely laugh while getting her chin down. Yes, you know, because we, especially as we age and our bodies are changing and our priorities are changing and you're just kind of losing that little bit of zest for life. Maybe I'm just tired, but you know like things are changing in your life and you stop prioritizing yourself.
Speaker 3:And then even those little splits of moments where you find energy to get the photos done, or family session done, or selfies, or put a nice dress on, and you're still not being represented in your own life, in your own camera role, and it's just nice to have somebody who's going to be like I got you, yes, you showed up, thank you very much. And now you do not have to think about anything because I will tell you. You know, we say according to what clients' desires are, but I will tell you how your makeup is going to look. I'm going to tell you where your hair is going to go. I'm going to give you examples of the earrings you're going to be wearing or you don't like earrings, that's okay, but you know, because you deserve to have somebody's attention fully on you for a day.
Speaker 2:Okay, it's another husband.
Speaker 3:And I feel like when people hear the word Boudoir they get so offended Cough cough, mother in law but people get very much offended by the idea behind it. But they don't really understand how, just how beautiful the journey is of having a woman who's very insecure, who comes to my studio like shaking and crying and being like I don't want to do this, like but I'm here because I paid, so I got to do it now, Right, you know, and they walk out of their feeling on top of the world, Like they just and you can kind of tell I have clients who like I don't know, it's just a beautiful thing of being part of the journey and seeing, like how the session itself changed the way they see themselves, they act, what they stand for, the way how they confront people in their lives, because they start seeing the worth in them.
Speaker 3:And it's not just about the physical appearance, but it is one of the aspects of our, I guess persona of ourselves that we always feel really bad about and we internalize that. So when you start seeing the value in yourself and beauty in yourself and you start recognizing like, hey, am I really allowing people to treat me this way? Like no honey? Yeah, it just gives you that. Like no honey.
Speaker 2:And if I didn't want to do it before?
Speaker 1:I certainly want to do it now. I'm not doing it, my.
Speaker 3:God it's, it's. I love it and I'm very much into the like powerful badass, you know empowered women who are kind of like sick of people of different gender. Yeah, tell them what to do, how to act, what's appropriate, how we should behave, and I'm like you know what, like you can be happily married and love your, your spouse, and still, you know, disagree with the way how we were brought up and and what made us who we are, and trying to change that, and I'm a very angry person sometimes, but anyway, I don't know if you're angry, you're like powerful and like passionate.
Speaker 2:I love it.
Speaker 1:I had a vision while you were talking about you should do like a, a workshop, and you could probably do like an online thing. That would just make you millions of like for women on how to pose and like confidence in the room, like teaching, you know, doing like a class like that where you take women through and like I would require me like put them in brown. Maybe you teach us and then we'll teach people, yeah.
Speaker 3:Even better.
Speaker 2:I love the idea.
Speaker 3:Like I feel that you know, photography makes me happy, but there is an aspect, now that I'm, I need a little bit different. So I do love the idea of more working with women in a different aspect as well. So, like again, it's all about empowering women through every part and photography is part of it, but it's not all of it.
Speaker 3:So you know, working with small businesses, getting their businesses to succeed, getting their brands to become as successful as my brand is, or something like that, but even just like talking to women about how to embrace their power, you know how to fake their power. You know stuff like that, like it's really appealing to me. But I also have a lot of imposter syndrome which is ridiculous yeah.
Speaker 3:Like it does make me feel like me, like you would listen to me, like I'm what am I? Yeah, but it takes a lot of that, like you know, almost like a fake confidence, even for me to present fake confidence.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 3:And I have small kids.
Speaker 2:Maybe, If you see so like effortless, effortlessly brilliant. I would really dare to say like you're so educated on it, you're so confident in what you're saying. I feel like your vibe is very like. You're already gorgeous. Let's celebrate that, yeah.
Speaker 3:Like 100%. I have never saw a woman that I did not see beauty in her.
Speaker 2:God, I love you.
Speaker 3:But do you agree Because? Like you guys yes, who's like your own size and you can be like, oh my God, you're amazing.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Then you look at yourself in the mirror and be like oh, I'm a whatever you would use Beast. Yes, why?
Speaker 3:Because we are our worst critics. And for me it's like and I'm not, no, no different I absolutely despise the way how my physical appearance is most of the days, but then I wake up and I'm like you know what?
Speaker 2:Yeah, like today, I'm sexy yeah.
Speaker 3:Today.
Speaker 2:Today I'm sexy yeah.
Speaker 1:If we could teach that, though. That's like the thing, like my thing is self love, loving myself, like it's the biggest challenge for me, and I feel like a little bit of the body dysmorphia thing throughout my life and it's fucking hard.
Speaker 2:We got to do the little masterclass and if it's a day like a day workshop.
Speaker 1:Go to your studio.
Speaker 2:I got. The wheels are turning again. We're going to do it.
Speaker 1:I love it. We'll bring the equipment Nice, so cool, okay, so sort of wrapping it up and tying some things in. In talking to our audience, our ladies who are, you know, we always say you know, create a life your future self will be proud of and that you love. Now, right, what is your tips? Let's say one of these women. They want to take that leap, they have a dream, they want to become a photographer, they want to do this thing, like, what tips do you have for women who are ready to just spread their wings? Yeah, a lot of them. Perfect, yeah.
Speaker 3:I think, like the most important one that I would give to everybody is like, stop waiting to be perfect. We are so afraid of people judging us, mocking us, you know, telling us that we're doing something wrong, that we, that we just forget to take, start making the steps and we wait for that perfect moment and perfect brand and perfect, you know, instagram name and all of those little things, and they make us feel inadequate constantly, and the reason why I read this somewhere but the reason why men are always kind of higher up on a ladder is because they don't have that in that feeling that they're inferior. They're just like I want this, I'm going to do this, you know, and so I think that would be my first. One is, like, if you have an idea and or like the simplest little things, like you want to become a photographer, start taking photos. Like, just start rambling, taking photos and start acting like you're a big deal. I remember like again.
Speaker 3:So I had that in 2016,. Like, I had that like one meetup with other photographers and I had these photos and after like a month, I was like I'm a photographer, I'm amazing, like, and that was not amazing, you know, but like, but I was better than I expected to be. And when I acted like I got this, people believe that I got this, and I mean I never. I never tried to like sell myself something that I'm not. But like, if you do have a talent or a vision, or even if you just have an idea, like just start acting on it little things you know, to start talking about it, start making up ideas, start, you know, posting on social media about it. Like talk to your friends. Like start getting you know the feedback from people who are there to support you. And if people are not supporting you, then find new people.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Because there was always going to be people for either. You know, I don't want to say haters, but like I don't see the vision because it's so much easier just to do your nine to five and you know, just like you know, do your regular thing and don't draw any attention to yourself, because it's so much easier just to do whatever you've been doing the whole time that they do not see the value in trying something else. So, like I feel like it's just like stop waiting for the perfect time, stop waiting for the perfect way how your body is working, stop waiting for the perfect environment. You can do whatever you want and if it doesn't work out, who cares? Yeah, seriously who cares?
Speaker 2:I love that.
Speaker 3:Like we're so like afraid of people's judgment, but like even if the worst case scenario is people gossip about you for a day and then they move on because you're not important but, you're also very important, so depends how you look at it. So you know, just stop worrying about outcome before you even start. I guess.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I love that. That's beautiful, and stop worrying about what your family's going to think. It's like family even in starting this podcast. We have family who don't listen at all. We have family who you know told us we have a coach we have family who like loves it right.
Speaker 3:So when you're worried about what everybody thinks, it's like so you get like so stuck in it because you're trying to impress people, but like you're not doing it for people and when you succeed, those people are all going to be like oh, I knew you can do it, I knew it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you're not going to be like that. Well, I'm like we're not doing it for them, or? Doing it for us, and the more we believe that, the more we're on that path. I think we're successful yeah.
Speaker 3:And you're going to attract people who believe in you and who like. Why do people listen to this podcast? Because they can relate to it. Yeah, they can relate to you, they can relate to me. They find the value in it. So you're not trying to impress people who already decided that you're not worthy. You're trying to find new people who are going to be part of your cult.
Speaker 3:You know, yeah, but like you know, there's always going to be a place where you feel like you're not worthy and you feel like this is not the right path. And it's okay to have self-doubt, but you're just like if not you, who then you?
Speaker 1:know who's going to do it then.
Speaker 3:So like the more you kind of stop yourself, like you're just, you're not hurting anybody but yourself, because it's still going to be in the back of your head. If I did it, then If, I did it then, yep. And like that's kind of the biggest thing that I even do for myself, because I have days where I'm like I'm just can I just not, like I love the idea. I've been in it for years before this.
Speaker 3:And I was like, if I could like, how about I just go back to dating and I'm like I'm not gonna, never mind, but like the simplicity of life. But then it's like, if I'm not doing this, like there's nothing else that makes me feel good, yeah, and now I'm the bread winner for my family. So if I have a day where I'm like I should just cancel all my clients and I need a you know break, then my family doesn't get to have meal, you know. So it's one of those things where, like, you just kind of have to recognize that whatever you contribute into society, to yourself, to your life, to your family, like it has value. And even if you're hard on yourself, or even if you feel like, okay, it's not working how I want it at the moment, it's still going to bring value down the road. So you just can't quit.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I feel like you're like the biggest celebrity that's been on the show.
Speaker 2:You're like a celebrity.
Speaker 1:You are Okay, we're so honored. Like you know, if we reach out to people, it's a long shot and you're one of the ones who are like, well, that'll never happen.
Speaker 2:Well, and we talked too big for a year Longer. What makes me celebrity?
Speaker 1:God, you're just your status, your charisma, your like, your compliments. Keep going.
Speaker 3:Yeah, your own photos, yes, your online presence Like you're.
Speaker 1:Yeah, beautiful, it's beautiful.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, you guys are really sweet.
Speaker 3:We love it. I was just thank you you see like for me it's like I see myself. You know, I recognize how I have a lot of clients who are intimidated by me who have literally hired me because they're like, because of that status. Yes, they see my following and they're like oh, you must be a big deal.
Speaker 1:And I'm like.
Speaker 3:And then they come to my studio and one of the things that I don't do when I'm doing a session is like I don't wear makeup. Yeah, I come very, almost like a very frumpy looking because I'm not there to compete with a client. I don't want clients coming up also being frumpy because before they hear, makeup is that and stuff, and they've seen me being this like gorgeous, you know persona, yeah so I'm just there, we're just hanging out. We just woke up. Here's coffee for you, coffee for me.
Speaker 3:So it's very much like kind of like a best friends hanging out vibe. But it's really funny to me from people like say things like oh my goodness, guys Like I was in Starbucks and I'm already in my coffee, and girls are like are you, are you that, diana? The photographer one.
Speaker 2:What the fuck Like.
Speaker 3:I love that they have several dozen people recognize me based on my name, on, you know, in a Portland area, and it terrifies me because I'm not made to be persona, like I'm very you know, you're behind the camera, I'm behind the camera, yeah, but it's kind of like really fun to meet people and I mean talk about my passion, my dream. I don't really get to talk about it anymore, because I talk about clients and.
Speaker 3:I work with clients and I work all that and I don't have to, like you know, advertise myself anymore, Anyway. So it's kind of fun to just be like, hey, this is what I do. And I must remind myself as well, not only just you, but remind myself why do I do this?
Speaker 2:And it's been nice. I am so honored that you're here. I know, you know.
Speaker 1:Like a dream come true. Oh, my goodness, for reals. Ok, so last question is really where can people find you? We're going to link everything in the episode notes, but if you want to just kind of run through your website and Instagram.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so all of my social media is my first name, last name, which is going to be linked because I will not say it, but it's diannasaswitcom, and it's the same with every single social media, and the best way to reach me is, honestly, through my website, because I do have employees and I do have people who are keeping track of all these messaging systems, but sometimes things get lost.
Speaker 3:So if you are trying to get more information about the session or collaboration or working with me, the best way is via my website and because I check those very often. But that's going to it. I do really enjoy meeting new people and having new clients and hearing people's stories and proving people wrong. I think that's my thing. I'm very combative, so if I can prove you wrong, if you come to me like oh no, I'm not for Jenik, I'm like ha ha, yeah, you said what?
Speaker 1:You're like watch this bitch?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I think it's really fun Like just coming in your people and learning about them and seeing how I can convince them that they're wrong. I love that.
Speaker 1:That's fabulous. You're amazing. I know You're so silly. Well, thank you so much.
Speaker 2:Cheers and thank you for joining us.
Speaker 1:We're so excited I know. All right, bye.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, thank you, thank you.