Crimson, Bridal Boudoir Photos, Oakland

Crimson, a black woman’s boudoir session in Oakland

Oakland is a diverse city, and boudoir photography should be as well. However, when I searched Boudoir Photos in google images, out of the first 300 images, 5 showed black women, 2 of those were photographed in a way that their skin looked white. On Pinterest I had a similar experience. So I’ve set out to photograph the beauty of diverse & underrepresented women.

As a boudoir photographer I work with women from all different walks of life. They all have one thing in common, and that is being uniquely beautiful. Each woman has her own strengths, fears, ‘flaws’ and best features. But the industry is so fixated on showing just one thing. The blonde-bombshell-Victoria-Secret body type, as I like to call it.

For this photoshoot my focus was to create images that feature a strong black woman. The flavor is wild, authentic, and natural.

I worked with some awesome Bay Area vendors for this Boudoir shoot!

I got in touch with Ashely, from Ash+OAK to create a flower dreamcatcher, I asked her to create something as unique as every woman, and to use reds. Red symbolizes strength and confidence, and it is a super sexy color. She included local wild flowers, bold reds, and moss and sticks into the design of the dreamcatcher and the bouquet.

When I discovered Pave I knew I wanted to include their jewelry in my work. They focus on creating pieces that are inspired by nature, and use conflict free and fair trade diamonds and gemstones, as well as recycled materials. Their craftsmanship is as awesome as their business practices. So they were the perfect fit for this boudoir shoot.

I hope these images inspire you to reach out to me.  I want to help you discover your own strength, beauty, and best features, no matter what skin color or body type you are rocking.

If you have any questions about this shoot, my photography, or how a boudoir session works, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

“I was really excited to work with Ella. While I don’t mean to perpetuate sexism, but I find that women know how to photograph women better than men. I knew we were going to get something special, but I was astounded at how well the shoot turned out. I’ve never felt so feminine and these photos are helping build my confidence.” – Cami

Vendor Links

Photographer: Ella Sophie
Florist: Ashely, Ash+OAK www.ashandoakfloral.co
Jewelry: Pavé  www.pavefinejewelry.com
Location: Ella Sophie’s Studio – Grand Lake, Oakland CA

These photos were also published by the fantastic Catalyst Wedding Co! You can check out their article by clicking here.

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