Summer Updates + 7 Boudoir Shoots in June!

June was an insanely busy month for me with 7 boudoir photo shoots! My schedule was packed full with planning, editing, ordering products, and general management. Things have slowed down a bit now and I am taking some time to make a plan for what’s next!

My schedule was actually a little bit too busy for my liking. I am not the kind of person who enjoys working nonstop. I love taking portraits but I need to make sure I also take time to work on creative projects. Here’s what I have planned for the rest of the summer:

  • I started July with a creative shoot. It was just what I needed to push myself into new territory. I hate getting stuck in a rut! I was inspired by Bunny Yeager’s Darkroom - a book I found in the basement of a bookstore in downtown Chicago. I wanted to work on something inspired by Bunny’s pin-up photography. I ended up with something a little bit modern, a little bit sculptural - complete with the pin-up vibes I was after. I can’t wait to share that session on my blog, so keep a look out for it!

  • I have also been combing through my work and selecting images to submit to the next round of competitions. My first time submitting, I just wanted to see where I stood. Now I am hooked! Competitions are amazing creative deadlines and I plan on submitting twice as many images this time around. I wrote a post about my first submissions a few months ago. This new deadline is July 31st.

  • I’m thinking about deleting all of my social media. It seems blasphemous to mention out loud, but it’s something I have thought about a lot. I have spent more hours than I care to mention trying to move the needle on social media. I compare myself to other photographers, my work starts to take on this kind of “sameness” and I worry about how quickly I am reaching success. That combined with the fact that I have learned very little, gained almost zero new clients, and have an overwhelming sense of anxiety about the whole thing makes me feel like it’s time to forge a different path to success. I’ll keep you posted!

Here are some of my favorite captures from last months boudoir sessions:

Stephanie Toland

Hi! I'm Stephie and I'm always on the move. Can you keep up?