Four women bare all about their boudoir sessions with Christina Mallet, photographer and owner of Katrinka’s Secret.
Tracey was in a relationship with a new guy and wanted to give him an unforgettable gift.
A petite, vivacious blonde, she was nearing 50 and in the best shape she’d been in for a while. “It was now or never,” she said, contemplating the various states of undress involved in a boudoir shoot.
When she arrived at the Pioneer Square studio, she brought her sexiest lingerie, Harley Davidson leather chaps, rhinestone belt and heaps of bold, black jewelry from her boyfriend.
“It was like playing big-girl dress up,” Tracey said. “I loved the session! Christina’s studio was exactly what I’d hoped for with her props, music, champagne and all of the stuff I’d brought. In my favorite picture, I’m standing barefoot against a brick wall, hand on hip, my motorcycle gear layered over black lingerie. Christina perfectly captured me as one tough-looking biker babe!”
Despite her on-camera chutzpah, Tracey had some serious pre-session jitters. “I had never done anything like this before and had no idea what to expect. I even brought a girlfriend with me, because I didn't want to get into a sketchy situation."
“But I felt an instant connection to Christina. I knew the photos would be totally classy. And when I got them, what a boost to my self-esteem! I’ll look at the poster-size picture in my bedroom when I'm 60, 70, and 80 and say to myself, ‘Damn, I was hot!’”
Rachel, recently married, scheduled a shoot because her husband had hinted he’d like sexy pictures of her.
Before arriving for her appointment, she was incredibly nervous. “I was worried about getting a sexy expression on my face,” she said,“and I felt self-conscious and a little intimidated. I figured Christina had seen a million hot women.”
The fears faded fast, though, once Rachel realized she had to just let it go. “I tried to imagine I was a hot supermodel – a secret dream of mine. And Christina helped so much. She’s very professional and easy to be with. Her attitude and energy are great, and we laughed a lot. It ended up being so fun.”
Both Rachel and her husband loved the images.
“If I had to pick my favorite, it would be one where I’m in the stairway against a wall wearing a white tank top and lacy underwear. Christina splashed water on me and started working that camera like you wouldn’t believe. When my husband saw the series, he said, ‘Wow, you're so sexy.’"
Leonie looked at the Katrinka Secret’s website a gazillion times (or thereabout) before finally scheduling a session.
“I am very self conscious,” said the young woman with an urban, alternative edge. “Going to the shoot was hard. But I knew if I did boudoir photography, I might see myself in a different light. Find myself more appealing.”
After arriving at the studio, Christina reassured Leonie that lots of women are uncomfortable at first. Once the session started, she’d relax. “And I did!” Leonie said. “I felt alive! Christina helped by smothering me with compliments, ultimately making this experience perfect.”
Leonie’s pin-up girl look, created with penciled lids and bold lips, by makeup artist Lauren, meshed just right with the studio’s historic feel. She and her boyfriend loved her photos. “He makes me feel beautiful and I wanted to take photos for him because I knew that he would appreciate it.”
Kathryn hired Christina more as a gift to herself than for her man.
“I saw Katrinka’s Secret featured in Daily Candy,” she said. “I was getting older and curvier. I wanted to embrace my body, to empower myself as a wife, mom of two kids and 45-year-old woman. The pictures in Daily Candy were so enticing, I thought, ‘I can do that!’”
For her, boudoir photography was “liberating and fun,” she said. “Christina acted like my walking around near naked was completely normal. I don’t wear a lot of lingerie, so putting on sexy, pretty things and realizing my body, exactly as it is, is beautiful – well, how amazing is that?”
Though Kathryn was motivated to do boudoir photography for her own enjoyment, her husband loved her pictures as well. “He thinks they’re totally hot,” she said. “I showed my pictures to my friends, too, and they are jealous and wish they had the guts to do it. Everyone wants to know who the great photographer is.”
”I tell them, ‘Do it!’” said Kathryn. “Christina is a professional artist with a knack for putting you at ease. Best of all, she gives you a gift that can’t be replicated. To me, that makes boudoir photography worth everything.”
