Shannon shares her story about how she left her full-time editor/writer job to pursue her dream of being a boudoir/contemporary glamour portrait photographer. She talks about the personalized, fun, and empowering experience she and her team provide.  “One of the best parts of my job is developing a long-lasting friendship with many of the women I’ve worked with.  What job allows you to have such a connection?  I love what I do,” stated Shannon!

When and how did you first get started in photography and how did it become your career?

In 2013, my husband purchased me the Nikon D2300 (entry-level DSLR) camera so I could take photos of our boys. After owning the camera for a week, I decided to challenge myself and learn how to shoot manual, just for the fun of it.

At the time, our boys were young and didn’t want to sit still for too long, and I couldn’t think through my manual settings that fast to capture anything decent, so I asked a friend if I could practice taking photos on her older children. She said yes, and it was a lot of fun!

So, I decided for the rest of 2013 I would challenge myself to shoot a different genre of photography each month—one month I shot a maternity session, the next a family session, then a couple’s “engagement style” session, and so on.  This was an excellent opportunity for me to learn my camera and the technical side of photography.

When and why did you choose boudoir and contemporary glamour portrait photography?

In January 2014, I decided to try shooting a boudoir session. I had a friend who was willing to be my model—she came over to my house on a dark and rainy January day. At the time, I had my camera and one reflector to bounce natural light back onto her. That’s it! And I fell IN LOVE with boudoir that day.

I loved how I could use the shadows of the dark day to conceal what we wanted to conceal while using the natural light to reveal what we wished to reveal. Boudoir had made my heart sing, and I just knew I had to shoot more of this genre.  There is something genuinely magical when a woman comes into the studio and feels safe. A woman who feels safe feels empowered. And a woman who feels empowered feels confident. And that’s how you capture “sexy” photos of a woman.

From May 2014 until May 2017, I shot two Sunday sessions a month while working full-time Monday-Friday as a technical editor/writer. In that first year of shooting boudoir, I established an amazing professional hair/makeup team, Nath Kreider and Ashley Becker, both of whom are still with me to this day, as well as hired my assistant, Alisha Newcomer.

So, you were working a full-time job and shooting photo sessions two Sunday’s a month?

Yes! In June 2017,  I started thinking about the possibility of going part-time with my technical editor/writer job so I could add weekday sessions to my schedule. I was stressing about making the right decision, so I prayed about it and asked for guidance on what I should do.

The very next day I was informed by my full-time boss that my position was being eliminated-I took that as a very clear sign I should go full-time with shooting! Unfortunately, Alisha’s schedule did not allow her to go full time with me, so we had to part ways, and I brought on my current assistant, Dianna Fromm.

I now shoot six sessions a month, with session days being Wednesdays and Fridays. On average, I’m booked solid for sessions six months in advance.

Where is your studio located and what is it like?

My beautiful studio is at 32 West Pomfret Street, located in the downtown historical section of Carlisle. After shooting in my home for three years, I’m beyond excited to now call this space mine–I opened the Studio September 1, 2017.

The entire third floor of the 1860’s-era house is the Studio. The hardwood floors are original to the building. I have a coffee/tea/hot chocolate bar for clients, a dedicated hair/makeup station, a changing area, and lots of soft light filtering through the windows in this great space to shoot amazing portraits. 

What are boudoir and contemporary glamour portrait photography?  How do they differ from other types of photo shoots? What do you love about this type of photography?

For me, boudoir and contemporary glamour portrait photography are the same, except for contemporary glamour you’re clothed the entire session, and with boudoir, you (most likely) will wear lingerie of some sort.

Some of the posing/shots I do in boudoir I wouldn’t do in a contemporary glamour portrait session, e.g., a tush-focused shot in an evening gown, but besides that, it’s the same.

Boudoir and contemporary glamour is a way to empower women. Many clients come to me who have gotten out of a bad relationship and want to celebrate their freedom; or, they lost weight and want to see themselves as others now see them; or, they’ve been “Mommy” for so long, and they want to reconnect with themselves again.

Boudoir and contemporary glamour portrait photography are different than other genres because the focus is on one woman in front of my lens. She isn’t competing with anyone else—think how crazy a family session can be, especially if you have young children, or maybe the boyfriend/husband doesn’t want to do photos and is being grumpy. Or during a wedding—she may be the bride and the focus of the day, but there is a lot of things going on that day, and she can feel overwhelmed! 

The posing is empowering, sensual…life changing, really. If you’ve never liked how you looked in a photo because you have a double chin, and then I come along and show you how to pose correctly, so you don’t have a double chin (withoutPhotoshop), that’s life-changing.

What is a boudoir/contemporary glamour portrait session like?

So, the experience of one of my sessions begins with an initial consult, where I’ll go over the flow of the sessions, explain what’s included, what they can expect, and pricing/product. If they like what they hear, then we’ll select a session date.

In the weeks leading up to their session, we’ll do a wardrobe consult to ensure what she’s wearing works well for her. She’ll receive emails over the planning period to introduce her to my studio and my team and to just in general check in on her. I hold the clients’ hands throughout the entire experience—my goal is for the client to walk into the studio on session day knowing what to expect, what she is going to wear and to, in general, feel confident with me.

Then during the session, I direct the client with posing—top to bottom, start to finish. Clients don’t have to worry about coming to their session and trying to figure out what to do with their hands, should they smile, where should they look…I direct them on all of that.  My portfolio shows how I pose clients.

What is your favorite part about shooting boudoir/ contemporary glamour portrait photography?

The portrait reveal! This is when the client sees her images for the first time, where all of the love and time I’ve put into her session comes together, and we can see the final results. I don’t do sneak peeks—I want to be with my client the first time she sees her images. I want to be a part of the joy.

I also love knowing I’m a part of each client’s journey, that for a brief moment of time, our paths have crossed and that I, out of all of the photographers out there, have been given the honor to photograph her exactly how she is at this moment in time. To know these portraits will outlive me blows my mind.

Because of the intimate content, do you advertise differently?

I wouldn’t say I advertise differently, but I advertise consciously. I am aware of what image(s) I’m posting for my online and printed marketing, as well as to where I’m displaying these images. If there is a chance someone under the age of 18 could see the image, I will select a tame boudoir image or maybe go with a contemporary glamour image instead.

ALL images you see have written permission from the client saying I can use that image—the client signs a “Model Release,” which is the client granting the photographer permission to use the image publicly. I do my model releases slightly different than other photographers—I let clients decided image by image what I can share and what they want to keep private. Some clients permit me to use all of the images, while others ask me not to share a single one. It’s honestly up to the client and her comfort level.

How do you show your work to potential clients?

All through my social media and website galleries.

Are there any techniques you use to help people relax during the shoot?

I’ve always believed a well-prepared client is a relaxed client. By the time the client arrives at their session, I’ve helped them plan out their outfits; they’re educated on the flow of the day, what they can expect from me, they’ve received emails showing them images of my studio and learned about my team. We’ve established a friendship.

Because the clients arrive at their session feeling prepared, I think that sets the foundation of feeling calmer during the session. As the clients are getting their hair/makeup done, my team and I are usually just chit-chatting away with the client—we discuss everything from our jobs, to labor and delivery stories, to what they are doing after the session since they’re all dolled up. We laugh a lot, which again, helps the client feel safe and calmer.

If during the shooting portion of the session the client seems to be having trouble relaxing, my team and I will stop what we’re doing and have the client jump up and down with us, or burst out into song, or do a silly dance, whatever we can do to get the client to laugh. That’s usually enough to get the session on the right path.

Then during the shooting, the client is usually so focused on me directing her with posing she forgets her nerves, and before she knows it, the session is over.

Do you ever shoot couples?

I just added this to my services. I do shoot boudoir couples. It’s a lot of fun and not nearly as awkward as you’d think it would be.

What are the main reasons women want these shots done?

Women want to own portraits that they look fabulous in. They want images they can share with a lover or keep for themselves. They wish to see themselves as others see them. They want to identify with their body’s new shape—maybe after having babies or a weight loss. They want to feel empowered.

Notice I do not once mention they do these sessions because they want to be pretty. It’s not about looks. It’s about these women feeling like they are being seen and feeling like they matter.

Why do you recommend that women consider boudoir/contemporary glamour portrait photography?

It’s so much fun! A day of pampering! A day of laughs!

Boudoir/contemporary glamour portrait photography is for women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and beliefs. I’ve photographed women from size 2 to size 26, from the age of 21 to 73, from straight to gay. What I do is for all women, especially women who think they are not photogenic. Many women tell me during their initial phone consult they hate having their photo taken—I love showing them that they can look amazing in photographs. This genre really is for all women.

Social Media Links:

Website: ShannonHemauerPhotography.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shannonhemauerphotography/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShannonHemauer

Contact me today to schedule your phone consult!

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