Charleston – Page 4 – Charleston's Premier Boudoir Photographer

In Her Own Words- Ms Coco

I’ve been thinking… you know I could tell you 1,000 reasons why you should do a boudoir photoshoot with mellBella Photography, but why not let our clients tell you about their experience instead. So, we’ll be sharing actual client images and what they had to say about their mellBella Experience. All clients that we share with you have given us permission, and we never share your images without permission. So, let’s start off this series with Ms Coco, and see what she has to say.

BEFORE Her mellBella Boudoir Session— “How to describe what I feel before this photoshoot? Scared, anxious, and excited! The ladies have been welcoming which has helped with the nerves. We’ll see how this goes! At the end of the day, it’s about feeling confident and beautiful in the body I have, and I know he will appreciate any gift that shows my confidence!”

AFTER Her Photoshoot— ” 🙂 If I could match the smiley to reflect these flase lashes I would. Never in my mind did I think I could handle being photographed, let alone in boudoir, but this was so much fun. I was also able to stay out of my own head with their directions. I owned my sexuality in this for sure!”

AFTER Her Photo Reveal— “This experience helped me develop a confidence in not just my sexuality as a woman but in being the subject of photography in general. It also showed me that taking a little risk may have big rewards. I’m a badass! :)”

black and white striped stockings boudoir

Now Offering Virtual Photoshoots

It’s official… we’re NOW offering Virtual Mini Sessions. All you need is your phone, a strong WIFI or Cell connection, an outfit, and a great attitude! A Virtual Photoshoot is a beautiful way to create one-of-a-kind fine art portraits AND practice social distancing. Each image is crafted to create a custom work of art. All images in this post were inspired and built from a mellBella Virtual Photo Session.

Our Virtual Art Package is $300 and includes:

30 min virtual session
Three 4×6 Torchon Fine Art Prints (including these three digital files)
30 min online photo reveal and ordering session

It’s so hard to convey digitally how these look in person as seen below. OMG they are gorgeous!!! They are printed on Torchon by Hahnemühle, which is a watercolor paper with a distinct textured surface. It’s one of the highest quality of fine art paper.

At your photo reveal appointment, you’ll have 10-15 portraits to review and pick your favorites. Additional products or fine art prints are available for purchase. Again, each of these images will be personally photographed and edited by Mell Bell (me!) Results will vary.

Click HERE to Book your virtual session NOW!

How To Prepare For Your Boudoir Session

Figuring out how to prepare for your boudoir session may seem overwhelming, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret:

At mellBella Photography, boudoir prep is EASY! All you have to do is take a deep breath and check out the following tips…

Determine Your Desired Look

Do you want your shoot to be full-on sexy or sort of sweet? Do you want to go Over the-top glamorous or more natural? Do you want to go nude, partially nude, wear lingerie, a favorite t-shirt, or pjs? Your desired look for the session will help us pick the best sets/lighting. details, wardrobe, and props for your photo shoot. And it’s totally fine if you don’t know. Just pick one outfit you like, and we’ll take it from there.

boudoir details in black and white by mellbella

Find a Specialist

Boudoir portraiture is a niche art form, so you must be very discerning when choosing a photographer. It’s crucial to do your research—browse their portfolios and read client testimonials. Since boudoir is such an intimate and vulnerable experience, it’s essential you find someone whom you trust and feel comfortable around. We’ve been boudoir photographers since 2010 and have photographed hundreds of clients, and we love giving our Bellas the best experience! But don’t just take our word for it… check out our reviews on Google and The Knot. We’re currently in the process of updating our website, but be sure to check out our Instagram and Facebook pages and stories to see what we’re up to now.

Wardrobe

Start by shopping your closet for the items you instinctively select when you want to feel (and look) your absolute best. Don’t stress over this. If you feel lost, just bring one bra/panty set, one bodysuit, and one wildcard (like something from our mellBella Closet or your birthday suit). Have fun with it! Be sure to check out our What to Wear section on our website. And if you still have questions, please contact us. We’ll help style you.

Prep Mind, Body, and Skin

Drink LOTS of water. Lower your salt intake and abstain from alcohol for a few days before your shoot to avoid water retention. Treat yourself to a mani/pedi, if you like. Bathe, shower, and moisturize. Enjoy a quiet evening and get a full night’s sleep before the day of your session. (Or at least try to!) It’s a good idea to do some stretches the day before as well.

Relax

Take a deep breath and relax. It’s completely normal to feel nervous before your shoot. We promise, it will be a fun, stress-free day that’s all about YOU. We’ll guide you through every step, and you won’t have to worry about what to do with your hands. Trust us, you’ll be coming back for more!

If you would like more information on booking a session with mellBella Photography for the best boudoir experience, CONTACT US.

Support Small Business Contest

Like many other small businesses, this time has been rough and scary … so we wanted to bring you something happy and make some lemonade out of these lemons.

So, welcome to our Support Small Business Contest! We’re teaming up with
Bits of Lace and Sipango Restaurant to bring you some awesome prizes.
Winners will be chosen on May 1st!

You can enter on Instagram or Facebook. Here’s how to enter….⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

1. Post a photo on your profile that we’ve taken or you OR a selfie ⠀⠀⠀
2. Follow and tag each of us
On Instagram,
@mellbella @bitsoflacefinelingerie @sipangochs
On Facebook,
mellBella Boudoir & Pinup Photography, Bits of Lace, and Sipango Restaurant
3. Be sure to include these hashtags on your post for your entry. #supportsmallbusiness and #socialdistancingissexy⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
***Note if your profile/posts are set to private, we won’t be able to see your entry. You may post up to two times a day which will give you 2 entries per day.

You could win one of these prizes…

1. A FREE session with us, including professional hair & makeup styling
2. A $50 gift card to Bits of Lace
3. A $50 gift card to Sipango Restaurant

And because we have the BEST clients ever, we have a special prized just for our previous Bellas who could win our gorgeous new product, the Legacy Box (pictured below), with 10 matted images from your last photo shoot with us.

One Image Wednesday- Comfy Tank

It’s time for another What To Wear Wednesday! So what’s good option that you can wear right now and/or for a photo shoot? Comfy tank tops, of course. (Bra optional). I’ve been living in comfy tank tops lately too. They’re convenient, inexpensive, and cool for those warm summers days. Plus, if you’re working from home and you’re not on a video conference, no one knows what you’re wearing anyways.

COVID-19

It’s a scary time to be a human. As we face the uncertain future of how great the effects of COVID-19 will be on our lives, the planet, and every aspect of it. We all feel helpless, overwhelmed, and scared. We are all affected by this pandemic… literally every single person.

My 2020 favorite quotes come from Frozen 2. Right after they had to leave the town, Olaf says, “We’re calling this ‘controlling what you can when things feel out of control.” Later on, when Anna is alone in the cave, she sings ‘The Next Right Thing’– ”

“So I’ll walk through this night
Stumbling blindly toward the light
And do the next right thing “

So, what can you control? What is the next right thing? What can you do?

Of course, there’s the standard practices recommend by the WHO and the CDC like washing your hands thoroughly/often AND practicing social distancing.

A fantastic local blogger, Holy City Sinner, recently posted a great blog full of ways to help. From donations, virtual tip jars, volunteering, to petitions, there is something for every one to help.

You could also try starting/joining your neighborhood pod.

Get to know and share contact info with your neighbors from the recommended distance, of course.
Create a Facebook Group or something similar to stay in communication.
Share needs and/or supplies. The only way we get through this is by looking out for each other.

Keep in touch with family and friends.

Check in frequently during the week, especially with grandparents and the front line workers like health care employees, grocery and gas station employees, sanitation staff, etc.
You can Text, Call, Video Chat, Email, etc. My personal favorite is sending images of babies, animals, or gifs.
Support local businesses.

Remember to take care of yourself physically and mentally.

Follow Changes Counseling Center on Facebook for some helpful tools for yourself and families.
Try to go outside at least once a day. Take a walk, ride your bike, stretch, read a book, just breathe, etc.
Try not to eat all those emergency cookies at one time.
Sometimes just surviving is all you need to do.

Hang in there everyone! Sending much love, prayers, healing vibes, peace, and hope to you. Do what you can.

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