I have worked for Adoralee since the beginning of May 2014, it was an eye opening experience for me. I had worked as a registered veterinary technician for over 10 years and had no experience with anything photography related. To say that I was “green” employee is an understatement.

Lacy couldn’t have made me feel more at ease and comfortable with the entire situation. Being a plus size woman is difficult nowadays, especially with what society considers beautiful or sexy. I am a confident, sexy woman and I believe each and every woman is beautiful no matter what size or shape. However, this didn’t stop me from being nervous about my session.

The staff from our Norman and Tulsa studios took a retreat to Branson, Missouri. Our busy season was coming up and this trip was our opportunity to bond, relax and get a little insight into each team member’s job and responsibility. Our goal is to be supportive and helpful to our clients, but that begins with us being supportive and helpful to each other.

At this retreat we were told that we would all get a chance to photograph the model, the first night that we arrived in Branson those of us without any photography experience got a lesson on how to coach a client. How can we coach a client to be sensual and trust us if we aren’t in touch with our own sensuality? So, we all proceeded to get on the floor and practice the poses and movements we would be coaching our clients through.

All of the sudden Lacy looked at me and exclaimed, “Oh my gosh girl, get it! I have got to shoot you, I am going to photograph you on Thursday. I am so excited!” I was excited as well, I had been waiting for this moment. I wanted people to see the beautiful person I see when I look in the mirror every day. I then started to mentally prepare for the upcoming session.

Thursday morning was there before you could blink. Our model was going to be at the condo at 7 a.m. and Lacy informed me she was going to shoot my session on the screened in porch in the early morning light as the model was getting hair and makeup done. This required me to get up at 5:45 … in the morning. I am so far from a morning person but even that didn’t matter because I was getting MY pictures taken. I came downstairs and geared up for the day ahead.

I got my hair curled and teased by Drea, our amazing makeup and hair stylist. She had me curled and ready for makeup in no time! Shelby, another photographer who primarily works at our Tulsa studio with me was elected to “fix my face.” She did a good job following Lacy’s “vision” for me. The inspiration was that I had just woken up and had gone downstairs to make coffee for my lover, while waiting I would wander out to the porch and longingly look into the distance thinking of my sleeping lover. This required messy hair, smudged eye shadow and eyeliner. A neutral colored lip with a slight pink blush spread across my cheeks.

Once this was done I headed out to the porch, Lacy made sure I was comfortable. If there was something I couldn’t or didn’t want to do, I wouldn’t have to. It was all about making sure that I was alright, I have of course heard what she was telling me before. It was what all the staff at Adoralee told our clients, this was a safe place and trusting your photographer was our main priority. She instructed me on numerous different poses all while telling me what to visualize helping me create the look of longing and wanton need for my lover. The biggest and best thing was the continual words encouragement. Phrases such as, “Yes! Gorgeous! Get it! Damn girl, so sexy.” This of course put a huge smile on my face as it would put on anyone’s face. The more I heard these words of affirmation the more relaxed and the more “into” the photo shoot I got.

We finished and I got dressed, feeling pretty darn good about the effort and face I had given. Lacy and I walked into the kitchen. Lacy showed Ashley, another one of our photographers, a couple pictures of myself. There was gasping and excitement abound! I felt proud and happy with the outcome. I felt even better, knowing that my body doesn’t fit what is traditionally thought of as sexy or beautiful.

This is all to say, it doesn’t matter how tall, how big or how small each of you are… you ARE beautiful, every single one of you. Lacy Hammack and all of the staff at Adoralee Boudoir Photography studio, including myself are here to put to paper the beautiful person we see. We will support and respect you and what you’re doing. Let us help you gain the confidence that you’re seeking, or simply let us help you to show the world how beautiful you know that you are.

Call us today and book an appointment, I promise you won’t regret it!

Lots of love to ya’ll,

Candace Colvard

Oklahoma Boudoir Photographer - Plus Size Boudoir