Celebrating a breast cancer warrior at the Chicago Boudoir Photography Studio
Ms. E came to the Chicago Boudoir Photography studio to celebrate her journey as a breast cancer warrior. It was an honor to have her in the studio and to be with her as she captured this important time in her life through the empowering magic of a boudoir photoshoot experience.
People come to the Chicago Boudoir Photography studio for all kinds of reasons including:
Celebrate a birthday
Create a gift for their partner
Reclaim their identity after divorce
Celebrate a fitness journey
No particular reason at all!
It is always an honor and a please to capture women at my studio for any reason or for no reason at all.
But this boudoir photoshoot was special. Ms. E had come with a reason and a purpose.
I was so grateful that Ms. E chose me and my photo studio to capture this moment in her breast cancer journey. She came to the Chicago Boudoir Photography studio to remember her own strength, power and beauty in the midst of this cancer journey.
She’s currently sporting the bald look from her breast cancer chemotherapy. We took some photos showing her bald and beautiful!
We also create some images with her wearing a fantastic purple wig. Because if you’re going to wear a wig, why not go ALL OUT, am I right?
We started taking some simple boudoir photos that showcased Ms. E in all of her gorgeousness. She has some bruising and scarring on her upper chest from breast cancer treatments. She chose to not have that photoshopped out, because it is part of her and a reminder of her courage during this difficult time.
We also took some photos with Ms. E’s glasses on - her glasses are part of who she is and she looks great with them on!
Next, Ms. E wore the “dark angel” gray boudoir wings. These are 6.5 feet tall and hand-made with real ostrich feathers. I love the drama that these wings created for her boudoir photos!
We also took some dark & moody shots that captured her sultry side. I couldn’t choose between the color & the BW versions, so I’ve included them both!
We finished up the photoshoot with some images of Ms. E wearing a fabulous purple wig.
In her own words, here’s what Ms. E had to say about her photoshoot experience:
The moment I was diagnosed, my mind froze. Every possible scenario ran through my head: Side effects. Mortality. Family. Friends. Surgery. Doctors. Appointments. All of it flashed before my eyes.
I needed to find control. My life was spinning, and I didn’t feel like I had anything to ground me.
After I lost my hair, all of the positive feelings I had about my femininity dissipated. I felt awful in my own skin.
I didn’t want to accept my new body.
I turned to Liz at the Chicago Boudoir Photography studio to help me.
Before my appointment, I was very anxious. I had a lot of questions about the photoshoot and the process.
(Sidenote: I was happy to get a “no need to do my hair discount” — since I didn’t have any hair!)
When I showed up for my photoshoot appointment, I was so nervous. Even the question, “What brings you here today?” instantly brought me to tears.
The answer: Cancer. My femininity. My loss. I needed to find myself again.
The entire experience at the Chicago Boudoir Photography studio was empowering. My strength was renewed.
I kept my scar and bruise in my photos (I didn’t have them photoshopped out). Seeing my scar and bruise in beautiful, delicate photos brought me joy.
My bald head became a bit easier to accept. Seeing myself in gorgeous makeup looking like a woman again was profound.
Cancer is a very scary time in anyone’s life, but Liz made me feel beautiful again. This photoshoot made me feel like ME again.
After my last surgery and all my decorative tattoos are complete, I will be returning to the studio for another photoshoot - for sure!
My experience with Liz at the Chicago Boudoir Photography studio gave me the confidence to move forward. I’m already looking forward to seeing the transformation from this photo shoot until the next photoshoot. Thank you again!
Thank you so much for coming to the Chicago Boudoir Photography studio, Ms. E! I loved having you. Thank you for sharing your story and your journey with me. I am rooting for you every step of the way!