When people think of Dawn Derbyshire Photography, their mind immediately goes to the radiant, light-filled wedding photos I’ve built my brand on.
I’m famous for confetti tossing, champagne popping animated GIFs of my couples, emotional and authentic stories of my photography adventures in my Instagram captions, and my signature move: Lightening-fast turnaround time. Seriously…I’m quick.
But I also offer boudoir photography!
And I really, really love it.
It all started years ago with my first ‘legit’ wedding client, who asked if it was something I did. I had heard of the concept of boudoir photos, and taken a few pictures of brides on the morning of their wedding at my other job, but never dabbled in it myself. I figured I’d give it a shot.
This client was the perfect person for my first boudoir shoot. She trusted me every step of the way, and without her giving me a chance, I don’t think I ever would have been brave enough to photograph a boudoir shoot…heck, to start my own business!
I’m currently creating a new boudoir offering for 2021, and thought this would be the perfect time to share more about what boudoir actually is (much more than a sexy, male-gaze bedroom session…) and how my Dawn Derbyshire Photography flair (booze, Lizzo blasting from the speakers, and the *dopest* robes you’ll ever see) will have you in awe of yourself.
When you book a boudoir session with me,
here is what you won’t feel:
Like you’re shooting porn.
This is such a popular misconception about boudoir! My photoshoots with boudoir clients are not x rated or explicit. Outside of cursing like a sailor, my shit is pretty PG-13, so this doesn’t mean stripping down and baring all, it’s about feeling good in the skin you’re in. I actually joke that my boudoir photos are ones you can show mom!
But hey…You want to get naked? GET NAKED! It’s your photoshoot!
Like your age, gender, skin, or body isn’t worthy.
Boudoir isn’t a specific age, weight, outfit, or gender. Boudoir is for anyone at any stage in life; not just soon-to-be brides. Sure, if you have a partner they also get a little joy from it, but you should be in love with them too!
Here’s a fun fact: About half of my boudoir clients are already married or single.
I think it’s hard for people, especially women, to see themselves as truly sexy. To see yourself through the eyes of someone else (me!) who thinks you’re freaking awesome (ME!) and is there to hype you up (…ALSO ME!) and help you finally see that you’re a total fox!
Heck, I just had a mother of one of my brides reach out, and it was super exciting! I love making people feel good about themselves, not just so they can show it off to their spouse/partner, but so they can show themselves.
I recently got to photograph Pittsburgh Wedding Planner and friend, Melissa Crawford of Devoted to You Events. Her caption is everything.
…And yes, boudoir photos are also a killer ‘morning of the wedding’ or anniversary gift. I totally have a photo of a groom reacting to a boudoir book that is absolutely hilarious! I even had a bride text her groom a photo before they walked down the aisle. Legend!
Like your wardrobe isn’t ‘hot’ enough.
The biggest thing that sets me apart from most boudoir photographers is my Client Wardrobe:
It’s extra…like me!
I really worked to have a range of sizes, from small to 2x/3x (and I’m working on sourcing some more plus sized pieces!) because I want to make sure that every client who digs into my closet–which is washed and sanitized after each shoot!–can find something they love.
I’m very proud of the very over the top pieces in my collection, like big ruffle robes, pearl studded robes and tops, and handmade lace items. Every client, regardless of which boudoir package they book, will feel like they’ve walked into Cher Horowitz’s infamous closet in Clueless.
There’s a million combos at your fingertips, and they can have the most amazing time playing dress up!
If the drama of a bright pink frilly robe isn’t your thing, that’s fine too! Many clients opt for overalls with no shirt, or long johns, or yoga pants and a sports bra! I’m a firm believer that the sexiest thing you can wear is what you feel comfortable and like yourself in.
Clients often come to me feeling weird about outfits they bring that make them feel sexy and confident. Leave those feelings at home! If it makes you feel fantastic, I’m here for it and we’re going to photograph it. End of story.
Like you need a specific reason to book a boudoir shoot.
Boudoir is a true ‘treat yourself’ experience. It builds confidence, it’s an eye opener, and honestly? It’s self care! 2020 was not very kind to anyone, and if you need a pick me up to kickoff 2021 on the right note, call me.
Here’s what you will feel.
Beautiful.
When you arrive for your shoot, you’re whisked away from any insecurities and into my private hair and makeup room where Bri Matisse will glam you up. I hand you a White Claw, and then help piece together your wardrobe.
When it’s time to shoot, I crank up the volume to Missy Elliot, or Lizzo, or whatever songs get you in the zone. Then…I’m literally yelling about how amazing you look, rolling around on the floor with you to get ‘the shot,’ and really focusing on not just getting great photos, but making it fun as hell to be photographed strutting in your underwear!
There are a lot of amazing boudoir photographers out there, and a really big difference between us is the vibe we bring to a shoot, and the experience we give our clients. While sexy photos are the outcome, my overall goal for my sessions is that they are a fun, empowering escape.
Leave your hang ups at the bottom of my studio stairs and get ready to try on some fun outfits, get pampered a little, and laugh a lot. That signature Dawn Derbyshire experience will always be there, even if you’re wearing less clothing!
‘In Awe.’
That’s a direct quote folks. I’m always shocked at how my clients gush over how great they feel they look in the photos, because to me, the photos look exactly like they do to me when they walk in.
The loudest example of this–and it totally blows me away–is that my clients feel so awesome after seeing their photos…that they post them on Instagram! Go girl.
Empowered.
My favorite moment of a boudoir session is when my client walks out. It sounds crazy, but that is the moment where 95% of my clients go ‘I actually feel really amazing/excited/confident right now!’ and it totally radiates from them.
Before clients even see a single photo, and after they’ve changed back into their regular clothing, a different person is walking out of my studio door, and I’ve noticed this is really apparent with clients who are mothers. The session is a few hours of their life that is 100% about them, and making them feel beautiful. They always leave the studio feeling like the true bombshell that they!
And it’s not just empowering for you. It’s empowering for me as well. Having a job that is able to give a woman that sense of confidence in a world full of relentless, unrealistic, expectations is something I will never tire of.
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- Sam & Dan
"Not sure how to give this review because I can not really put into words how amazing Dawn is as a person and a professional photographer. If you are looking for a talented photographer who will make your experience with pictures fun and stress free, Dawn is your photographer. From the moment I found her Instagram page and fell IN LOVE with her skills I have NEVER regretted my decision to book with Dawn. Also, listen to all of her suggestions, DO the engagement shoot, DO the sunset pictures, DO EVERYTHING. She goes above and beyond to make your day as magical as you dreamed it would be. She pays attention to what really matters to her clients! I like to call her my photography unicorn because she seriously one of a kind and is VERY good at what she does. If you don't book her, you will regret it! Side note: I just got married last weekend, have only seen my preview pictures (which I got that night and the NEXT morning) and waiting for the rest. I'm writing this review now because that is just how OBSESSED with her I am."
"I like to call her my photography unicorn"
- Christine & Andrei
"Dawn is incredible!!! She is truly one of a kind – I’ve never seen a vendor go above and beyond for clients like she does! Not only is she insanely talented, but she is incredibly meticulous, extremely responsive and cares about every detail just as much as you do! Weddings can be complicated, especially when it comes to family, but her detailed questionnaire about anything and everything she needs to know put me completely at ease. And if that wasn’t enough, she has an incredible guide that helps you shape your day, answer every question you could ever think of (and ones that you didn’t even know you had or should have!) – all just to make sure your day turns out beautifully. She captured the most incredible shots, worked so fast, and was so fun to hang out with throughout the day! I could never have imagined working with someone so wonderful for our big day – she truly is the best & if you have the chance to work with her, don’t even think twice. Book her immediately!!"
"I’ve never seen a vendor go above and beyond for clients like she does! "
- Samantha & Ryan
"There are not enough positive adjectives to describe our exceptional experience with Dawn Derbyshire. From the initial consultation, engagement photos, wedding pictures, a COVID postponement in between – she made the process enjoyable and easy. She made taking pictures fun and not awkward, often cracking jokes between each shot. She took the time to know us as a couple and what was important for us on our special day. We had periodic check-ins to discuss the process for our wedding day and what to expect, one less stress we had to worry about on our wedding day. Let me just tell you the photos were all AMAZING! We cannot thank her enough for her talented work, we look forward to using her in future endeavors. We highly recommend Dawn; this is one decision you will not regret!"
"She took the time to know us as a couple"
- Paige and John
"Dawn was truly the all star of our entire wedding day. From the time we booked her (over 2 years ago) to the wedding, she was SO communicative, beyond organized, and helpful. She brings such a positive energy while still getting. it. done. She made us feel so comfortable during our engagement session, that by the time we took wedding photos, they felt seamless. Let me also mention her work is PERFECTION. I could not love our engagement and wedding photos more if I tried. I would recommend Dawn 1000x over and if you have already booked her, consider yourself the luckiest!!!"
"Dawn was truly the all star of our entire wedding day."
- Lauren & Chris
"You deserve to have a photographer as amazing as Dawn. We can't stress enough how much we love her and would recommend her a million times over. Not only is she an amazing photographer that gave us thousands of unparalleled photos between our 2 shoots, she's an incredible person and every second you spend with her will be a delight. She made us feel so at ease, made us laugh, we made each other cry for sure—and honestly, she helped make our wedding the success it was. She's professional and dedicated, took charge when we needed it, wrangled our friends and took gorgeous, quality photos of everything we asked for and everything we forgot. Seriously, if you're looking for a wedding photographer, you could not pick a better one than Dawn."
"You deserve to have a photographer as amazing as Dawn.
- Julia & Matt
"We highly recommend Dawn Derbyshire for your wedding photography. She was definitely one of our best vendor decisions for our wedding day. We cannot speak highly enough of Dawn as both a photographer and as a person. We're so grateful that we found and hired Dawn to photograph one of the most important days of our lives. She truly exudes creativity, passion, and professionalism. From our first meeting to our engagement session and our wedding day--Dawn completely understood our vision and made us feel at ease. She was able to capture the genuine, candid moments of the day, the spirit of our relationship, and all of the little moments that elicit big emotions. We will truly cherish every detail shot, every portrait, and ever candid she took of our day. Dawn's expert planning, organization, and attention to detail ensured that we never felt rushed but kept things moving so that we were able to fully enjoy our wedding. We took her advice and enjoyed a moment away from everyone for sunset photos--I'm so glad that we did. She went above and beyond to make sure we had every possible shot we wanted and more."
"We will truly cherish every detail shot, every portrait, and every candid she took of our day"
- Kaitlin & Reggie
"I'm so happy we chose Dawn for our wedding photos! She is so easy work with, organized and incredibly talented. We decided to have an intimate wedding due to COVID. Even though it was such a small wedding, Dawn made us feel so special throughout the whole process. She took the time to meet with us virtually before our wedding to get to know us as a couple and listened to what our dream vision was for our wedding photos. I don’t usually like to have my picture taken, but I never felt so comfortable in front of a camera before. Dawn’s energy and outgoing personality helped calm my nerves. Our photos turned out beautifully and we couldn’t be happier! Dawn is incredibly talented and her work speaks for itself. I definitely recommend choosing Dawn as your photographer. She is so easy to work with and your photos will turn out beautiful. Thank you for making our wedding day so special Dawn!"
"Dawn made us feel so special throughout the whole process"
- Laura & Zach
"I can't begin to come up with enough amazing words to say about Dawn.. but I will say that I knew shortly after getting engaged there was something about her photography that really stands out. From the perfect details, to the genuine feeling you get from the couple she shoots. When we had our first meeting with her she emphasized wanting to be the right fit for us. Between her details, organization, "thinks of everything" questions, her incredible work, and her positivity; we knew she was the right choice! We did our engagement session and wedding with her and can't tell you how happy we are with the pictures that we will treasure forever. Dawn might be the hardest working woman I've ever met and my guests were shocked when she delivered a preview of our magical photos in 24 hours. If you are searching for a photographer who will shine a true light on your day, Dawn is IT!"
"Dawn might be the hardest working woman I've ever met"
- Kathryn & Tony
"As other reviews have said - Dawn is the absolute BEST !!! We had an absolute dream team of vendors and Dawn was the leader of the pack. Her photos are absolutely gorgeous but take a look at her website or Instagram and you already know that. What set her apart for us was her awesome personality. I will openly admit I am very "type A" and planning a wedding made me a little crazy. I sent her about a hundred messages asking for input on suit colors, day of timing, my makeup, etc. I'm sure other vendors would not have been nearly as patient as Dawn. We received our wedding photos last week and all I can say is wow. There have been endless compliments and multiple people have told me that they look straight from a bridal magazine. I am over the moon and will treasure these for many years to come"
"We had an absolute dream team of vendors and Dawn was the leader of the pack"
- Mallory & Andy
"Dawn is so absolutely amazing! She was recommended to us by a friend, and we are SO glad we booked her! Dawn is very accommodating and understanding. We told her that my fiancé didn’t like getting his picture taken. She posed us and snapped the pics efficiently and quickly. The photographs from both our engagement session and wedding are absolutely stunning. Dawn is very quick to respond and willing to help you with anything she can. She gave me recommendations for other vendors, provided feedback, gave advice and was a listening ear when we needed to vent. We got married in September 2020. Many of our plans changed due to COVID-19. Dawn was so empathetic and helpful throughout. I got ready with just my mom and Dawn in the room. Dawn was a stand in friend and bridesmaid to me. I will never forget those special moments. We have received nothing but compliments on how beautiful our pictures are and how fantastic Dawn is. She has a super fun personality, kind heart, and exquisite photography skills. We cannot say enough about the wonderful Dawn Derbyshire!"
"Dawn was a stand in friend and bridesmaid to me"
