Boudoir Studios New York Presents: Secrets Of Session Day Revealed Part I:
by Francesca Flansburg
Working with Asif
WOnder what it’s really like to have your boudoir photos taken at BSNY? This week, teresa and francesca share their unique experiences working with their photographer, asif.
teresa:
“I walked out of the dressing room in my first outfit at my session and I felt like I was vibrating with giddy excitement. I had gotten that private moment to check out my hair and makeup while I changed and I was feeling pampered and pretty. My choice of music was already playing and there was a conversation flowing from my time in the hair and makeup chair. I forgot for a second that I have no idea what to do in front of a camera, so when Asif said we’d start with me sitting on the couch, “right there,” pointing at a pillow that was positioned for me to lean against, I had a nervous moment. That moment passed quickly when I sat down and heard the rest of Asif’s pose coaching…where to look, where to put my hand, when to point my toe, even how to breathe. He got into the poses so I could see and copy them. My only responsibility was to be present, and honestly that was completely foreign to me. I’m always thinking and planning something- in my home and at work, for my family and myself.”
“My session was time to turn that off and allow being myself to take the full stage. All the planning and homework done before that moment made it possible. I trusted that Asif knew how I wanted my photos to look and was going to get us the shots we needed. The posing style and boundaries for how revealing I wanted to be were clear. I was confident that I was in good hands and could enjoy this moment now. Time moved quickly and even though the poses didn’t feel completely natural, they were comfortable and creative. I can still hear Asif say, “Come on!” and show me the back of his camera for the first time. That’s me?! I was able to see a couple more previews as we went along. Going back to the dressing room in between outfits and seeing myself in the mirror gave me the opportunity to appreciate how proud I was of myself for showing up and investing in me.”
“The moments in front of the camera made me feel strong. A lot of that strength was in my legs because I brought some very high heels and the rest came from being encouraged by my photographer throughout something that was completely out of my element that I was doing well. My last outfit had thigh high stockings with the little clips that are so cute, but so difficult to put on. I allowed myself only a brief struggle and panic before admitting defeat and asking for help. Asif was able to help my wardrobe malfunction and get me back to posing quickly before I started to stress. You’ve heard the team at BSNY say you’re not taking this journey alone, and they mean it. Your photographer has your back from start to finish. When my session was over, I was overwhelmingly grateful for the day I just had. I felt like I could take on anything and do it well. My boudoir session was the ultimate ‘me time,’ and the practice of getting out of my head to be present in my body is one that I’ve continued since that day. I own my beauty when I allow myself to sink fully into the moment I’m experiencing and that’s where the magic happens. I sat in my car outside the studio before heading home and couldn’t believe how worth it this boudoir session was - and I hadn’t even seen my images yet!”
francesca:
“That first moment standing in front of Asif in a bralette and thong panties was nerve wracking…I had anticipated feeling this uncomfortable, knowing that I was not truly at peace in my body - especially around other people. And when I get nervous, I sweat - yucckkkkk! I brought a small towel with me so that I could dab the sweat off of me in between shots. So, standing there in my shy bubble, holding my towel, I thought, ‘Great…I’m going to be the most stiff and cowardly client Asif has ever had.’ I’m sure he sensed my initial discomfort (and in hindsight, I know he’s experienced this same situation with many other clients). To begin, he had me sit on the sofa with a blanket on my lap, partially covering up my lower half. Before jumping into it, we had a brief chat. He explained the process of getting into poses and how to get the right facial expressions. He showed me how to breathe, and in the process, taking a few deep breaths together helped soothe my nervous system. By the time he started taking pictures, I was thoroughly calm. He knew exactly how to get me out of my worried mind and into the process of experiencing myself as a beautiful woman in front of the camera.”
“By the time it was time to change into my second outfit, I had forgotten all about that towel. Now in my vintage Vicky’s Secret bodysuit and matching silk robe, we moved into the other room and started chatting once again. But this time, we were talking about books we’ve read, life experiences we’ve had, and dreams for the future. Gone were my worries of what my body looked like or how I was ‘performing’ as a client. And when I say gone, I mean GONE. From the get-go, Asif explained that the directions for getting into poses would be very specific and mechanical. There’s nothing sexy about it, which is funny because the final images are sexy as H-E-L-L. To get me into the precise position for that perfect shot, Asif knew that I needed to arch my back a bit more, point my right knee to the left, tilt my chin up a smidge, part my lips and gently breathe out…and “Perfect! Don’t move an inch…stay right there…just a moment more…and relax.” Periodically throughout the shoot, he showed me images from the back of his camera, and you can’t get any better, more empirical, encouragement than that. I knew, without a doubt, that I was going to be ecstatic about my final results - even if the only photos I liked were the few images I had already seen (of course that was not the case, and I literally loved them all).”
“In my opinion, it takes incredible talent to lead someone through this process in a way that takes care of their emotional needs and delivers the gorgeous final images that reflect their desired expression. Asif checked all of those boxes for me. On session day, he knew exactly how to help me shed the shy bubble and shine through as my authentic self. Those seemingly off-topic conversations added depth to the experience, for me. It intensified the feeling that I was showing up and being photographed as me… my interests, my experiences, my future dreams, my beauty. Me. For my last ‘outfit,’ I chose to wear a pair of black lace boy shorts and a book (because I love to read- I bet you figured that part out). In the final images, the book was opened and spread out covering my breasts. Let me tell you, a different woman walked out of the dressing room in those boy shorts, holding that book. She was not only comfortable and proud, but she was having a blast. It felt amazing being able to bounce out of the changing area after having sheepishly walked out a few hours earlier holding a towel (like Linus holding his security blanket?). That’s transformation. Thank you, Asif. From the bottom of my [then shattered, now healing and open] heart.