Is a boudoir photoshoot ok for religious women?
I’ve been shooting boudoir full-time for the past 7+ years and I sometimes I get questions like this:
I’m a Christian woman, is boudoir ok for me to do?
I’m an Orthodox Jewish woman, but I want to do a boudoir photoshoot just for my husband. Can you help me out feeling comfortable and maintaining my privacy?
Someone in my church congregation found out that I did a boudoir photoshoot and now she’s bad-mouthing me. I thought it was fun and empowering at the time, but now I’m wondering if I did something that I shouldn’t have.
My husband is a youth pastor and he loves his job. I want to do a boudoir photoshoot as a gift for him, but I’m wondering if you think that’s inappropriate.
I posted my boudoir photos online (because I was super proud of them!) and someone commented that taking boudoir photos is a sin.
I absolutely understand why women have questions about faith and boudoir. I know why someone might wonder how a boudoir photoshoot fits into a religious lifestyle.
I’ve had many religious clients come to the Chicago Boudoir Photography studio over the years (including a rabbi, a pastor, a couple of pastor’s wives, several Orthodox Jewish women, several Mormon (LDS) women and more. Yes, they were all nervous about the boudoir photoshoot experience before they came in. In the end, all of these women also had a fabulous time and loved the experience and the finished product.
I’ve thought deeply about the conflicts between boudoir and religion and the connections between boudoir and spirituality.
My short answer to all questions relating to boudoir and religion is this:
I believe that a boudoir photoshoot can be 100% compatible with religion and a religious lifestyle.
I myself was raised in a conservative, religious home. I understand why a boudoir photoshoot may feel scary or wrong if you come from a religious background, but I would love to show you how it can also be beautiful and empowering.
If you are thinking about doing a boudoir photoshoot and you have questions of any kind, I would LOVE to chat with you (contact info below).
If you’re nervous about a boudoir photoshoot, I want to tell you a couple of things:
Everything at the Chicago Boudoir Photography studio is 100% private. We will never share your images without your permission.
Our 100% female staff will be with you every step of the way.
How much skin you show is up to you - you don’t have to bare it all! I have done lots of fun shoots where the women choose to be more covered.
If you want to dig a little deeper on the topic of boudoir and faith, here are some more of my thoughts.
I believe that boudoir photography lies at the intersection of women, bodies, sexuality and art.
The topics of bodies, women, sexuality and art can be a bit fraught in religious contexts. There are some examples in religious texts and teachings implying that art is bad, that bodies are bad, that women are bad or that that sexuality is bad.
But I believe each of these things can also be beautiful and good.
I would like to examine these 4 questions from a religious perspective, because the answers to these questions will help us to understand if boudoir photography is good or bad.
Are bodies good or bad?
Is sexuality good or bad?
Is art good or bad?
Are women good or bad?
Are bodies good or bad?
In some religious contexts, the body is seen as the opposite of spirituality and causes us to sin and therefore become separated from God.
But I believe that the body can also be good and help us come closer to God. I believe that the body allows us to experience joy during our mortal journey. I believe that each body is unique and is a reflection of a loving Creator. I believe that while we can use our bodies for evil (example: murdering someone), we can also choose to use our bodies to honor and serve God.
Genesis 1:27 "God created man in his own image, male and female"
1 Corinthians 1:9 "Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit"
Is sexuality good or bad?
In some religious contexts, sex is viewed as dirty and bad. There is the idea that sexuality is carnal and therefore distances us from God.
And while I agree that sexuality can be used for evil (example: rape), I also believe that our sexuality is a God-given power that allows us to create and be like our Creator. Sexuality allows us to create emotional ties, to express love and to create children. Our sexuality can be a powerful force for joy and goodness. I believe that all women deserve to have access to their sexuality without shame.
Genesis 2:24 "A man must leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."
Proverbs 5:18 "May you rejoice in your wife and may you ever be intoxicated with her love."
Is art good or bad?
In some religious traditions, art is seen as a form of idolatry. Art is seen as vain and takes us away from worshipping God. There have even been periods of history in which religious art was burned because it was seen as evil.
I believe some art can be bad (example: pornography), but I also believe that there is a place for art to elevate and exalt. I believe that art can bring us closer to our Creator. I believe that art can be beautiful and good.
Isaiah 64:8 - "O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand."
Philippians 4:8 - "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and beautiful—honor such things."
Are women good or bad?
Some religious texts and traditions show women as being bad or as needing to be ruled over by men. For example, Eve is often depicted as evil and the root of sin.
But I believe that women are not inherently good or bad - they are human. And humans can be good or bad. I choose to celebrate the good in women.
Are you religious? Have any of these thoughts resonated with you? Do you totally disagree with me? I would love to hear what you think!