Client Feature Friday: Becoming Lady Badass

Jezebel VonZephyr loves to shine a spotlight on womxn of every age and size. We live to connect with each client; and we pride ourselves on holding space for each of them so we can hear their stories and capture their 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 shine a spotlight on a client so they can share a part of their story.

Today we feature a new client who decided to do a session with us because she loved our body positive focus. We’re so excited that she came to our studio! 

Age: 37

Where are you from? The east coast – Massachusetts – but I relocated to Bothell about three years ago. 

What is your theme song? Oooh either “Look for the Good” by Jason Mraz or “A Life That’s Good” by the Nashville cast (though they keep mispronouncing “Goddess” as “Lord”… weird)

What are three words you’d use to describe yourself?  Adaptable, positive, stubborn. 

Is this your first Jezebel shoot? Yes!

Why did you decide to book a session with JVZ? I really love the all-inclusive, body positive atmosphere.

I also appreciated that JVZ would never photoshop/edit out “the bad stuff” – the natural body with all its bumps, rolls, scars, etc.

Too often, I think boudoir photos set an unrealistic image, too focused on “the perfect body”, and end up leaving women with a harsher outlook when they should in fact be celebrating their actual body & beauty. It’s hard to do that when you look in the mirror and it’s so much different than the pictures you’ve been worshipping thanks to edits – so I’m grateful to JVZ for keeping it real. 

How did you feel before your shoot? Nervous, self-conscious, thinking I should stick to my typical mom attire because what the hell am I doing wearing a vinyl corset?!? 

How was your session? What was your favorite part? The session itself was so much fun! We all laughed – a LOT. Sara is so good at getting you to relax and open up – and how can you NOT relax when you’ve got Tiffany doing your makeup and hair, too?

By the time I needed to don that first outfit, the nerves were pushed away. I got to enjoy the moment of being dressed and posed like I was some sort of Sexy Barbie.

I think the “mini reveals” during the session were my favorite part… putting on the outfits Sara chose, all the accessories, looking in the mirror as I step out and BAM! Who’s that seductress in the mirror?! Oh damn, it’s ME! And who knew I looked so good in purple?! 

What was your favorite look from your session? Why? Attire-wise: the lingerie with pearl overlay and white blouse. I felt classy, sophisticated, sexy – which is pretty outside my normal outlook yet seemed like an outfit I’d want to wear again. Hell, if I could’ve left the studio and strutted my way through downtown Snohomish, I think I would’ve; it felt empowering. I WANTED to show off. 

Decor-wise, the books. It was colorful, I laughed pretty much the entire time, and even got to read in small snippets thanks to posing (good thing I remembered my favorite chapter 😉)

How are you feeling since your session? I still think my chin has yet to come down – the confidence gained from just a few hours of fun… I went in with the mindset of “okay, you’re a mom but you can have a couple hours of fun” and left thinking “okay, Lady Badass, what shall we conquer next?!” 

That confidence hasn’t dwindled. Instead, it’s expanded to trying new things, exploring new areas (typing these responses from TAIWAN!!), and becoming better at making decisions!

Did you bring anything special with you to the studio? Why? A couple things, actually. My husbands hockey jersey was a fun set, if only to see his reaction. (Spoiler alert: it went exactly as imagined. 😆) 

I also brought my dragon boat paddle!! Dragon boating is a relatively new (2 years) adventure for me and quickly became my favorite hobby. As an introvert, it was with a bit of hesitation that I said “screw it, I’ll try it” and went by myself to a local practice.

Since then, I’ve had two race seasons and an international trip to Taiwan, meeting fabulous people and learning a whole new culture. So to have a badass photo session with my paddle?! Yes, please.

How was your reveal?  Shocking. I looked at those pictures and each one confirmed that I looked as good as I felt that day – and I love looking at them even weeks after!

And again, knowing that those pictures are what I actually look like – my waistline wasn’t sucked in, folds weren’t photoshopped out – it’s been nothing but encouraging.

Any advice for anyone thinking of booking a session with JVZ? Do it. That’s it. Just “do it”. 

Do you want to discover your own version of Lady Badass? Then it’s time to book your session with Jezebel! We’d love to help you find your most confident, badass self! What are you waiting for? Fall sessions are filling up fast. Your inner badass awaits!