A steamy shower session with Sierra

What interested you about having boudoir taken? 

I had always considered boudoir before, but when I saw the option for a shower scene I knew right then and there that I had to do it. Water is my element and I feel sexy and alive whenever I am around it; I also loved the feeling of looking in from the outside, is it a shower scene or is it a windowpane in a rainstorm? I loved it all because it had all of those elements- perhaps you could say, voyeurism at its finest?

How does your favorite photo from your session make you feel?

Feminine, Fierce, Fiery, as well as Sexy, Strong and Sassy, mixed in with just a little bit of soft and sensual.  My favorite is the color photo of the ruffle with hands on my ass and my back showing. 

What would you say to a woman who doesn't think she is beautiful enough to be photographed?

Each and every woman holds the power to feel the beauty within themselves if they will just embrace it. The right photographer will work with you to make you feel comfortable in your own skin, to love the feeling of freedom, and help you embrace that you are beautiful just as you are.

What are your reflections on “beauty” in our culture?

This is a tough one (and also a long one because I have a lot of opinions about this!!!) Truly, I think "beauty" should be different for us all. Just as we all have different culinary tastes, we should (and often do) see beauty as something different for and in each person. But "beauty culture," tells us that we need perfect flawless and made-up skin (hello filters), perfect skinny, toned, tanned, and hairless bodies (also filters and surgery for this). This "flawed-perfect beauty" is what is continuously pushed on us with magazines and social media.  I am glad to see that more and more people are saying "NO!"  to all of that, feeling free to embrace their imperfections and showing every side of themselves. Does this mean that I no longer struggle with beauty culture as well? No, I can see (and must admit) that I am a little bit influenced by it. But I really do what I can to live my best life every day without restrictions; daily I do what I can to be there in the moment. I believe wholeheartedly in living a life of balance. I try to exercise and eat right daily, yet I do enjoy a good glass of wine (and cheese and crackers) along with indulging in some of my favorite foods several times a month (or a week, lol). I also do what makes me feel good (i.e. wearing makeup or not, dressing to please me and not others, etc). Honestly, I have considered surgery or augmentation for the future- but I am not sure  I will do it because of the invasiveness and recovery time. For the most part, I am happy with who I am, and what I look like now. I try to love myself, exactly as I am in each and every moment and try to never wish a moment away.  

What are your hopes for the next generation of women? What advice would you give to them?

My hope for the next generation of women is that they will not fall prey and try to be what the world wants them to be, but that they will instead love themselves as they are, and as they are meant to be. I  hope that they find balance in living in the moment and loving themselves along the way. I hope they know that mistakes are a part of growing up. I know so many women in my generation who spend tons of energy on feeling that we missed an opportunity and that life isn’t going quite the way that we thought it would go. I guess what I really want to say- take the chances that come your way, but do it in a way that allows you to live, grow, love, and look back realizing that life is all about learning along the way.

What would you tell your 16-year-old self if you could meet her now?

I loved myself at 16, and thinking about it, wow those were some fun years!!! :)  I don't think I would do anything differently. Maybe I would say to "take more chances," or "don't do something just because you know it will make someone else happy at the time" and I probably would also say, "no matter what, make sure you make yourself happy too!" However,  if I changed anything in my past then I wouldn't be the person I am today and truthfully although I am still a work in progress, nothing in life is ever perfect. I do love myself today and that still includes the 16-year-old self who is within me now.

What do you love most about being a woman?

I love that I get to be whomever I feel like being that day. I love my fierce and friendly side, and my sweet, sexy and sassy side. I wear what makes me feel good, and I love that there are so many clothing styles to showcase all of what makes me feel good and what makes me feel like me. I love vintage and thrift shops and vary my clothes from sweet and feminine, to sexy and sassy, to sporty and strong. I love to wear my mind on my shirt (sayings make me happy) and I have a huge selection of shoes from fun heels to wedges, boots, sneakers, and more. I mean pair a good pair of shoes together with some fun accessories and then put it all together into a cute outfit that really does make me happy and happy girls just shine from within! Truly, I don't care what others think of what I am wearing, as long as I love it because it gives me confidence and then I feel good, which results in having a day where I feel amazing.  As a woman, I also love that I can love myself and when I do that, I am also able to help others feel that they are lovely and loved as well.