Not sure how much our SD clients know about some of what we do in the education world of photography, but every year Kimberlee and I do at least a few speaking engagements, quite a few workshops, and head to the biggest Wedding and Portrait Photography Convention in the world, WPPI. There we spoke at a fun event called Photographers Ignite and sold our newest Lighting DVD that we created so that other boudoir photographers can learn how we light and photograph our clients. We just got home last week and I wanted to share a fun video we made of our adventure!

If anything was going to add spark to a marriage it would be these photos! Wow. Apparently wet hair really takes an image to SUPER sexy fast! Kimberlee photographed this beautiful young lady and she wanted to get her hair wet for her last shots, which I think was a really great idea.  In fact when we moved into this fab studio we found a shower of all things…. which really got our minds churning. Hmmmm…. if any studio could shoot a shower set while still keeping it beautiful/classy it would be us right?!  Here is the only dilemma, as of now the hot water heater isn’t working and we may possibly be using the shower for storage,  so I’m thinking we will continue to just wet your hair unless we get enough of you asking for the shower set and then we just might have to invest in that heater. Leave your requests below… we aim to please around here :) – So are you daring enough to do this look below when you come in? – M

Whew! We made it home and are back at it. It goes with out saying that Crystal and Deena did a fantastic job of keeping the place running smoothly, as usual. Thanks Ladies! We had such a great trip in Paris. Reminder: We were in Paris, France for almost a month teaching two boudoir photography workshops and enjoying our favorite city in between. Obviously a few stressful moments thanks to a major natural disaster but in hindsight it could have been worse. About half of our attendees couldn’t make it out but luckily they will be joining us for our June boudoir workshop here in our studio in San Diego.

Now for the goodies. Paris was even more beautiful than we left it last time. I swear the morning light is even pinker and the nights and even more enchanting. I’ll never forget the night we slowly walked along the Seine taking in the lights of Notre Dame, the bridges overs the river, Il de la cite, and then the Louvre with the Eiffel sparkling in the distance. No one really even spoke, there really was nothing to say. “It’s so beautiful,” wouldn’t have even come close to doing it justice. Maybe Kimberlee took some photos she will share in future, but as usual, for me when I am in a location that is just too pretty for words, I can’t even pick up my camera, I just want to soak it all in. Which of course I inevitably regret later and then feel like I can’t really call myself a true blue photographer if I am not always wanting to pick up my camera. Oops.

The Paris Boudoir Workshop (year two of us doing this fun project!) was a real treat for us. Just sharing and chatting for hours about our passion, showing the attendees how we pose and light our clients, how we make them feel comfortable, always puts us right into our element. We hope to have a lot more to share in the future, there is always so much to do when we get home. So for now I leave you with a few teasers….

One of our gorgeous model LoArna and the dress my mother and I made.

Still one of our fave hotspots, the Palace of Versailles

Our view from the first apartment that we rented in the Tour de Eiffel district.

Planning to share more soon!- Marissa

So 3 years ago I started San Diego’s premier boudoir photography studio, THE BOUDOIR DIVAS. I had serious fantasies about what it would become someday but I never imagined it would happen so quickly.  At that time Kimberlee (yes we met on Craigslist) was mine and Weston’s fabulous assistant, taking on more and more responsibility everyday. Before we new it she was shooting boudoir, helping with the business model and marketing, and helping me train new photographers that came through the door. Those “new” photographers are now pros and also play a serious role here, Crystal and Deena, you two rock! Anyway, the studio, then Woman Captured, was receiving countless emails from photographers wondering how we photographed and handled our boudoir clients. It was then that Kimberlee and I gave up our social life for a few months and wrote “The Boudoir Divas Bad-Ass Training Guide.” The book had rave reviews and Kimberlee and I launched the educational portion of our business where we held workshops and traveled around speaking to other photogs.

In this time-frame Kimberlee was hugely considering opening her own boudoir studio in the South to be closer to her family. So about a year ago she left the nest and started to prepare for her boudoir studio. A few things happened during that time, her parents moved back to So Cal, and she and I realized that we were waaaaay more effective when we were sitting side by side and working together. So we revisited the idea of her becoming a partner (actual co-owner) here in the San Diego boudoir studio and we soon realized that this was the plan both of us were most excited to pursue.

So, here she is, sitting across the desk from me in “OUR” office. Yay! We are ready to take on the world together! I have a feeling with the studio filled with 5 unstoppable women now, things will only get more exciting from here. Welcome home bitner (our nickname for business partner)!

Here is a video with us talking about our plans… note that the webisodes we talk about are more for the education of photographers and will be on www.thedivasblog.com You are welcome to check that blog our if you are curious.

So that’s what new here! Check back to learn see more fun changes at the studio! :) Marissa