Hey Beautiful,
I have something exciting to share with you, and even though I’ve been a photographer for more than two decades, moments like this still give me butterflies! Couture Boudoir® was featured on the cover of Looker Magazine, and making this even more special, the beautiful woman gracing the cover is my good friend Heather!
@coutureboudoir
Having my photography featured in a magazine is always an incredible honor, but landing the cover? That’s a whole different level of excitement. There’s something pretty surreal about seeing an image you created staring back at you from the front of a magazine. Even after all these years, I still get that same little rush of excitement I felt when my work was first published.
Of course, this particular cover means a little more to me because of the personal connection. Getting to photograph someone I know and adore, creating something beautiful together, and then seeing that image chosen for a magazine cover is one of those experiences that reminds me exactly why I fell in love with photography in the first place.
A Looker Magazine Cover Worth Celebrating
When I think about everything that goes into creating a beautiful boudoir photograph, it’s easy to forget that the finished image is only one small part of the experience. There’s the preparation, the anticipation, the laughter, the creative decisions, and all those little moments in between that nobody else gets to see.
Then, every once in a while, one of those photographs finds its way into the world in a way you never quite expected.
For me, having my work selected for the cover of Looker Magazine was one of those moments. As a photographer, you pour so much of yourself into your work. You think about the lighting, the composition, the posing, and the tiniest details that can transform a pretty photograph into something truly captivating.
However, the technical side of photography is only part of what makes an image special. The woman in front of my camera brings something that no amount of lighting equipment or fancy lenses could ever create on its own. Her personality, her energy, her expressions, and the way she carries herself are what make a photograph come alive.
That’s one of the reasons I love this cover so much. It represents everything I enjoy about creating beautiful, feminine, editorial-inspired portraits.
Privacy Matters: At Couture Boudoir®, your privacy is always a priority. No client images are ever published, shared, or used for promotional purposes without the client’s prior written consent. Your images are yours, and you always have the final say in whether they are shared.
Photographing My Beautiful Friend Heather
One of the sweetest parts of this Looker Magazine feature is that my good friend Heather is the cover model. I’ve always believed there’s something wonderful about photographing women you already have a personal connection with, especially when you get to create something artistic together.
When I’m photographing a friend, there’s often an extra level of comfort and familiarity. We can laugh, experiment with different ideas, and enjoy the creative process without taking ourselves too seriously. Believe me, as glamorous as a finished boudoir photograph might look, there can be plenty of funny moments happening behind the scenes!
Sometimes I’m demonstrating a pose that probably looks completely ridiculous until you see how beautifully it translates through the camera. Other times, we’re adjusting a tiny detail, moving a hand an inch, changing the angle of a shoulder, or waiting for that perfect expression.
Those seemingly insignificant adjustments can make an enormous difference.
And seriously, how fun is it to be able to say your friend is a magazine cover girl?
Why Boudoir Photography Is So Much More Than Pretty Pictures
Whenever I share an exciting photography milestone, I find myself thinking about the bigger reason I do what I do.
Yes, I absolutely love creating beautiful photographs. I love gorgeous lighting, flattering poses, elegant styling, and images that look like they belong in the pages of a fashion magazine. After more than two decades behind the camera, that creative excitement hasn’t gone away.
However, what keeps me passionate about boudoir photography is the experience women have when they see themselves through my lens.
Over the years, I’ve photographed women of so many different ages, shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Some come to me to celebrate a milestone birthday, an anniversary, or a wedding. Others have experienced significant life changes and want to reconnect with themselves. And plenty of women book a boudoir session simply because they’ve always wanted to do it.
There doesn’t have to be some grand occasion or life-changing reason.
What I hear from women all the time is that they don’t necessarily see themselves the way other people see them. They notice the things they wish were different, the little imperfections, or the ways their bodies have changed over the years.
Meanwhile, I’m looking at the same woman and seeing beautiful features, incredible expressions, and all the things that make her uniquely herself.
One of my favorite moments during a boudoir session is showing a woman a photograph on the back of my camera and watching her expression change. She might laugh in disbelief, ask if that’s really her, or immediately want to see another one.
Those reactions never get old.
While a magazine cover is a wonderful professional honor, helping a woman recognize her own beauty is the kind of reward I get to experience again and again.
You Don’t Have to Be a Model to Look Like One
Here’s something I wish every woman knew before booking a boudoir photography session. You do not need modeling experience, a particular body type, or the ability to strike a pose like you’ve spent the last ten years walking a runway.
In fact, most of the women I photograph have never done anything like this before.
I can’t tell you how many times a woman has arrived telling me she’s awkward in photographs, doesn’t know what to do with her hands, or is convinced she’s not photogenic. My response is usually some variation of, “Perfect, that’s what I’m here for!”
As the owner and lead photographer of Couture Boudoir®, my job is to guide you through the entire experience. I help with wardrobe choices, expressions, body positioning, and all those little details that make such a difference in the finished photographs.
Professional hair and makeup are part of the experience, too, so you get to enjoy a little pampering before stepping in front of my camera.
Throughout your session, I’ll guide you through poses that flatter your body and feel natural to you. We might adjust your chin, turn your shoulders, reposition your legs, or change the way the light falls across your face.
Additionally, I want the experience to feel fun and comfortable. Nobody needs to arrive knowing how to be a supermodel, and I certainly don’t expect you to!
The same attention to detail that goes into creating editorial photographs and magazine-worthy images is what I bring to every woman I photograph.
Bringing a Little Magazine-Cover Magic to Your Boudoir Session
One of the things I love about my photography style is that it’s heavily influenced by fashion and editorial portraiture. I’ve always been drawn to photographs that feel sophisticated, sensual, and timeless rather than overly posed or trendy.
Think beautiful lighting, elegant styling, natural expressions, and images that could easily look at home in a luxury magazine.
That doesn’t mean every boudoir photograph needs to be dramatic or glamorous. Sometimes the most beautiful images are the simplest ones. A soft expression, a relaxed pose, or a quiet moment can be just as captivating as an elaborate editorial setup.
The goal is never to make every woman look the same. Instead, I want to create photographs that reflect her personality while showing her in a way she may never have seen herself before.
Some women love a bold, glamorous look with gorgeous lingerie and dramatic lighting. Others prefer something softer, more romantic, or understated. There’s no single definition of sexy, and that’s one of the things I find so wonderful about boudoir photography.
Whether you’re drawn to an elegant black-and-white portrait, a glamorous editorial image, or something a little more playful, we’ll create photographs that feel like you.
And who knows? You might discover that you have a little magazine cover girl hiding inside you, too.
Over 20 Years Behind the Camera, and Still Grateful
I’ve been incredibly fortunate throughout my photography career. My work has been recognized and featured in national media, and I’ve had opportunities that the younger version of me could only have dreamed about.
Yet, I never want to become so accustomed to those experiences that I forget what an honor they are.
Photography has taken me to beautiful places, introduced me to extraordinary people, and allowed me to build a career doing something I genuinely love. Through Couture Boudoir, I’ve also had the privilege of hearing women’s stories and being trusted to photograph them during meaningful chapters of their lives.
That trust means everything to me.
It’s easy to scroll through social media and see beautiful photographs without thinking about the relationships and experiences behind them. However, I know how much goes into each session, and I never take for granted the women who choose me to photograph them.
Some clients are completely comfortable sharing their photographs publicly, while others prefer to keep every image private. I respect both choices equally, and privacy has always been an important part of the Couture Boudoir experience.
Not every beautiful photograph needs an audience. Sometimes the most meaningful images are the ones created just for you.
Celebrating the Looker Magazine Cover and Every Woman in Front of My Camera
As I celebrate having Couture Boudoir featured on the cover of Looker Magazine, I keep coming back to one thought. Beautiful photography is about so much more than recognition, publications, or even the finished photographs themselves.
It’s about connection, creativity, and helping women feel wonderful about who they are.
I’m so grateful to Looker Magazine for featuring my photography, and I’m especially happy that I got to share this exciting moment with my beautiful friend Heather. Having her on the cover makes this accomplishment feel even more personal, and it’s a memory I’ll always treasure.
To every woman who has stepped in front of my camera over the years, thank you for trusting me, laughing with me, and allowing me to create something beautiful with you. You’re the reason I still love this work as much as I did when I first started.
And if you’ve been thinking about booking your own boudoir session but keep finding reasons to put it off, I hope this gives you a little inspiration.
You don’t need to lose ten pounds, wait for a birthday, or have a special someone to give the photographs to. You certainly don’t need to be a professional model or have your photograph published in a magazine.
You deserve beautiful photographs of yourself simply because you’re you.
If you’re curious about what a luxury boudoir photography experience in Charlotte, NC, could look like, I’d love to help you explore the possibilities. At Couture Boudoir, my experiences are designed to make you feel comfortable, celebrated, and beautifully photographed from beginning to end.
For now, I’m going to enjoy this little career milestone, celebrate my gorgeous friend Heather, and probably stare at that Looker Magazine cover a few more times. Because even after 20-plus years of doing what I love, some moments still make me feel like a kid on Christmas morning.
xo, Critsey
Privacy Matters: At Couture Boudoir®, your privacy is always a priority. No client images are ever published, shared, or used for promotional purposes without the client’s prior written consent. Your images are yours, and you always have the final say in whether they are shared.