We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Karice Coleman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Karice, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
It took some serious work! I didn’t always see myself as I do now. I’m an introvert and a domestic violence survivor, so there are things that happened to me that caused me to lose all of my self-worth. At one point, I had reached my lowest low and was in a very dark place. I wasn’t confident in my choices, my looks, I hated my body, my hair, didn’t think I was smart enough or deserving enough of a good life.
But one day I just decided that I wanted to feel better. I simply made it a point to put me first. I began meditating a lot – focusing on positive thoughts about myself and how I wanted my life to go. I did (and still do) a lot of mirror work, which consists of reciting positive affirmations out loud to myself while standing in front of a mirror. This was also around the time I decided to become a Boudoir Photographer. I realized that there are so many women in the world who felt a lack of confidence and self love, just like I did and I wanted to help them get it all back.
Believe it or not, helping them helped me. My job is to encourage my clients to love themselves and to see themselves as uniquely beautiful. Watching them pour into themselves is a beautiful thing and the confidence they gain empowers me to keep doing what I do. The empowerment is contagious!
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a Boudoir Photographer and owner of The Boudie Bar Boudoir Photography Studio in Atlanta, Georgia. My team and I provide intimate boudoir photography experiences to women from all walks of life. My photo sessions are designed to help women embark on a journey of sensual self love and self-acceptance.
My clients are not models. They are everyday women just like me, so there’s no modeling experience needed to work with me. A photo session in my studio includes a makeover, so my team will style your hair and makeup if you’d like them to. I also provide wardrobe, props, and full pose guidance. We try to make it as easy as possible to feel like a supermodel for the day so that these women can simply show up and enjoy themselves.
Regardless of where these women are in life, I am here to provide a safe, judgement-free space for them to embrace their sensuality and walk away with a bunch of gorgeous photos to commemorate the day. Boudoir photography has given me the opportunity provide them a whole new way to see themselves and that is something I am very passionate about.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
First and foremost, you have to be compassionate to be a Boudoir Photographer. I have photographed women from all walks of life. A lot of these women are currently going through something stressful or have gone through something stressful recently. These are women who have just finalized a divorce or may be trying to heal from abuse or trauma. They are typically looking for a way to reclaim their bodies, their sexuality and individuality. Because of this, these photo shoots can sometimes turn into therapy sessions and you have to be prepared for that. Some of these women are very fragile and saying the wrong things or reacting the wrong way to them venting can ruin the whole experience for them. You have to be understanding to the fact that many of them have never seen themselves in makeup or have had anyone compliment them in a very long time. So feeling beautiful is almost new to them. They may even cry when they see their photos or talk about their reason for doing a boudoir shoot in the first place. You have to know how to handle them with care.
Creativity is also very important. When it comes to boudoir photography, my clients are looking for me to plan everything out for them including the sets and wardrobe. Being creative enables me to create sets and themes that stand out and give my clients and exclusive photography experience that they can’t get anywhere else.
Last but not least, you have to able to provide top-notch customer service. I don’t care how beautiful your photos are or how expensive your camera is. If you don’t know how to treat your clients, your photography business will fail. My clients are pampered the minute they walk into my studio. They are going to see their name on my greeting board. I have their favorite snacks and beverages available for them. My team is always ready to do their hair and makeup. And when the shoot starts, I am coaching them through all of the poses. The whole experience involves keeping them comfortable. Good customer service also involves my processes as well. I made sure to have processes in place to carry my clients from booking to session date. My client’s journey through my systems and processes will also determine their experience with my business. And I made sure everything about how I’m running your business is professional and legit.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
When I am feeling overwhelmed, I see that as a sign that I need to take a step back and reevaluate how I am doing things. For me, it usually means I have bit off more than I could chew and it typically happens when I find myself working on my business constantly. When this happens, I take a day to do nothing but self care activities. I put my laptop away, I don’t answer any calls or emails and I just take time to really enjoy the day. I go to bed early and rest up. When I wake up in the morning, I take a look at everything going on and I compartmentalize. If it’s housework that’s overwhelming me, I get the kids or hubby to help with some things. If it’s work, I outsource a few tasks. It’s all about knowing when to take a break.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theboudiebar.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/theboudiebar
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theboudiebar
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karicedcoleman
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theboudiebar_atl
Image Credits
The Boudie Bar Boudoir Photography Studio, Makeup Artistry by Veronica Marie of Pretty Beat Beauty Bar , Hair Styling by Autumn Barnes of Autumn Barnes Beauty
