Client Feature Friday: Reveling in Her New Relationship with Her Body

Jezebel VonZephyr works with all kinds of women, from the suburbs of Seattle to all over the Pacific Northwest and beyond. We love connecting with each client, hearing her stories and capturing her unique spirit. We believe that every session is special in its own way, and we want to share that magic with the world. On Fridays we feature one of our clients and share a little about her.

Today we shine our spotlight on a client who’s had not one but two Soul2Soul sessions! Clients who seek out this particular session are looking to do some deep inner reflection and grow and boy oh boy, have we seen the growth in this beauty! She wanted to have a better relationship with herself and her body and through her sessions, she’s been able to forge a fierce and loving friendship with herself. But don’t just take our word–let’s hear from this fearless and bold Belle!

Age: 27

Where are you from? Right now I live in Aberdeen Washington, but I have lived in many different places throughout Washington State my whole life.

What is your theme song? Well I am a singer of opera, jazz, and choral music so I know hundreds if not a thousand songs, so naturally, I can’t think of anything. Maybe Ella Fitzgerald’s rendition of “Blue Skies”.

What are three words you’d use to describe yourself?  Creative, learner, loving.

Is this your first Jezebel shoot? If not, how many have you had? I have done two Soul 2 Soul boudoir shoots with the Jezebel team. The first was in 2018 and the second was this past October (2021). The team also shot my engagement photos and my wedding photos in 2019. They have really been along the path with me during all the big changes that I have gone through the last several years.

Why did you decide to book a session with JVZ? I have gone through a roller coaster of different situations throughout my life. As I got in a serious relationship with my now husband, I realized that I was really struggling and didn’t recognize myself anymore. I was so tired and barely functioning in my body.

There has always been chronic pain and strange health issues going on, but I was in such a state of survival that I couldn’t grasp how far things had progressed. My depression, anxiety, and stress was so overwhelming that I had to turn to medication which I had always avoided.

When our relationship grew stronger, I realized that I really didn’t want to live as a blob of a person anymore, so I started to set goals. One of those goals was to do a boudoir shoot after getting engaged, which I wasn’t anticipating but did end up happening soon after I made that decision.

So I had made the decision in general but what led me to Jezebel specifically was a dear friend Dia, who was a Brand Ambassador, and just had a stunning shoot. I was so impressed by Sara’s work and Dia’s raving reviews. I loved the diversity shown throughout the Jezebel business and the focus on body positivity and “looking through the lens of love” as they say, to accept where my body is–changes, flaws, physical limitations and all.

My first shoot really helped me return to myself but I didn’t fully sink into the process and feel the full benefits of this amazing team until my second shoot. The love and support has been amazing and I couldn’t dream up a better team or community!

How did you feel before your shoot? My first shoot was nerve-wracking. I knew there was no judgment and that they would meet me where I was, but it still felt foreign and I got in my head for a while.

I had just picked out my wedding dress with my mom and decided at the last minute to bring it along to my shoot. Because of how they like to flow through their sets in the studio, we ended up taking photos in my wedding dress first. I love how those pictures came out, but not going to lie, I didn’t feel like myself at first during my shoot. Who was this girl in a beaded wedding gown laying on fluffy white bedding?

I brought lots of props to my shoot, so we quickly moved on to working with items that felt more like my dorky self, mainly my books, but I was still caught up in my head. Tiffany especially did an amazing job of picking up on my hesitation and helping me relax into the experience. By the time I was done with that first shoot, I felt like myself again, relaxed, and confident.

However, I knew that I had gotten in my way and didn’t get everything out of the experience that I could have. It stayed in the back of my mind until I had the opportunity to come in again for a shoot totally focused around my spooky passions and I was ready to fully embrace my body.

When the witchy seasonal set was available and I just so happened to have the time and funds, I was SO excited to come, and that’s when the real fun began!

How was your session? What was your favorite part? My October session was amazing. Every outfit that Sara picked out of the stuff I brought with the client closet was killer and felt like each aspect of me. The autumnal colors, the mix of soft and comfy with edge and sass. The focus was on how I have changed and grown plus my love of books, Halloween, crafting (especially cross stitch) and puzzles. It was so fun and silly, so me, and such a blast that it went by quickly.

It might seem silly but I think my favorite part for this shoot was as Tiffany was doing my hair and makeup and Sara was rummaging through my things making up outfits. I have come to view these women as dear friends and it was nice to catch up, tell them about some of the big changes I have gone through lately, talk about the pieces I brought in, and start to plan out what the shoot would look like. They are so genuine and caring, that time is really well spent getting to know where you are coming from in that particular moment so they can best serve you through your session.

What was your favorite look from your session? Why? I really loved all of my looks for my October shoot, but I think I especially love how the pictures of my orange teddy nightgown turned out where I was surrounded by a bunch of colorful embroidery yarn. They look so bubbly and happy with those fun splashes of color. All of the choices for layering and combining pieces into looks was so well done though, I really can’t say which was my favorite!

However- I can’t go without mentioning the extra special look from my first shoot in 2018. I ended up being the trial run for what Jezebel now calls the Hawt Mess add-on. We played in paint and worked with a blacklight for some neon and glow in the dark magic. It was so fun! Plus the photos turned out pretty stellar.

How are you feeling since your session? I have really been feeling more in tune with myself lately. Ready to start taking important steps that I was hesitating over before and more willing to acknowledge and listen to my body when something is going on. My sessions helped a lot with this, but utilizing the resources that are provided and worked through for the Soul 2 Soul set up and then furthering that work during the pandemic when they tried out a reduced experience of their brand ambassador program really helped me see, accept, and overcome some of the hurdles set up between my mind and my body.

From personal baggage and trauma, to family and societal expectations and unasked for remarks, and everything beyond and in between, the Jezebel team is about so much more than just taking your money, getting your clothes off, and taking photos. They do an amazing job of meeting you where you are, asking what you want to accomplish, accommodating your needs and insecurities, and encouraging you to look at the sum of all of your parts.

No imperfections can take away from how amazing you are as a whole woman.

Whenever I think about my shoots and the team, I get a big smile on my face, feel my heart fill up, remember that I am a badass, and look forward to what part of my journey Jezebel will be there for me during next.

Did you bring anything special with you to the studio? Why? Like I mentioned before, I brought so many props and items to my shoots! For my first shoot it was my wedding dress, books and music sheets, paint, my (then) fiance’s flannel shirt, and lots of my favorite accessories.

For my recent shoot I brought more books, cross stitching yarn and floss, pumpkins, a puzzle, a spine candle, and again lots of fun accessories! Bringing these items from home really helped me tune into different parts of myself and show off my passions and what makes my personality unique.

These items helped me shine through my pictures and make them feel like me, not a model version of me. They make me love my photos even more, since the photos show me interacting with and enjoying the things I love while looking fierce and feeling amazing. I highly recommend bringing your favorite things with you!

How was your reveal? The reveal process was quite different this time around compared to over 3 years ago. I really loved the slideshow that was put together of all of my photos. The music picked from some of my favorite artists that I listed before my shoot perfectly reflected the joy and mood of each set of photos. I was pretty much speechless as I just soaked it all in, reliving the moments when those photos were actually taken. I couldn’t have been happier with how everything turned out!

Any advice for anyone thinking of booking a session with JVZ? Speaking from experience, overthinking every detail isn’t going to help you! The team does an amazing job of taking care of the little things before, during, and after your shoot so you can just feel yourself and shine.

Overthinking takes you out of your body and shoves yourself into the tiniest corners of your mind and will make you seek out the tiny imperfections that might show in your photos instead of seeing the beautiful and powerful woman that they showcase. Plus, it might stop you from even getting in the door!

I really recommend just taking the plunge, not over-shopping as they have so much that you can utilize in-studio, and just pampering yourself and relaxing up until it is time so that you can be your own glorious self.

Are you ready to return to your body and begin a better relationship with yourself? Let Jezebel VonZephyr help! All of our sessions empower women to see themselves in a new light and through our lens of unconditional love. And if you’re really looking to level up your self-love game, the Soul2Soul session is just what you need! We’re booking sessions for the winter and the spring so make it a 2022 goal to step into our studio and allow your next chapter to begin!