Katrinka's Secret: A Secret No More
Studio Spotlight: Christina Mallet (aka Katrinka)



It all makes sense now, looking back. Christina Mallet had a successful business shooting the round, elegant bellies of pregnant women when a woman with strong, flat abs booked a session with her. This client wanted her non-pregnant body captured in a similarly sensual, artistic way -- wearing sexy underwear instead of maternity wear. She wanted to look hot and classy at the same time...without the maternal vibe.

Well, this sounded cool. Christina gave her client a glass of wine, cranked up some Billie Holiday tunes, and the two had a blast capturing a variety of moods and subtle states of undress. During the shoot, there was a lot laughter. The pictures that emerged captured the complexity of the woman: sophisticated, smart, sensual and breathtaking. It was all that Mallet had hoped for, and more

“Capturing just how beautiful and sensual women are, as they are, is my goal,” she said. “My camera is a mirror for them, and they see themselves as they never have before. Many of my clients are plus-sized women, women undergoing a transformative body or life change, cancer survivors, women with spouses abroad or in the military, brides-to-be, and empowered women.”

Quite suddenly, Christina’s boudoir business was booming thanks to word-of-mouth referrals. In order to capitalize on the buzz and give the business an independent identity, she named it “Katrinka’s Secret,” using the name of her naughty, mischievous childhood alter-ego. She built a website to show off some of her work, and even more business poured in.

Many of Christina’s clients tell her they find the sessions liberating.

"I never even considered having boudoir photos done until I saw Christina's work,” said Darcey Howard. “Christina Mallet (a.k.a. Katrinka’s brain) possesses the rare talent of being able to help women see and feel what is so great about how they look and also to capture that moment on film. She is a truly talented person who just happens to wield a camera."

Christina’s studio is perfectly suited to the work. It is located in a century-old former boarding house in Seattle. The shooting space has giant windows, high ceilings and hardwood floors, which lend an ethereal mood to her pictures. The settings are spare, making use of natural light and the beauty of the female form.


 “I always ask them what they don’t like about their body, what they love about their body, and what their partner loves about their body,” Christina said. “I think it’s wonderful to show them their bodies from a different perspective.”

Christina has training in studio work and is accustomed to using strobes, but has found in this work that simple is better – which is also what she tells her clients when they ask if they should have their hair and makeup done. The answer is no.

“I don’t want them to get their hair done because I sometimes mess their hair up…the point is to look natural. And that’s where the beauty is.”

DISCLAIMER : The views expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent the views of photographik or any member of the photographik organization.