PREPARING FOR YOUR DANS MA PEAU SESSION | questions answered

documenting the journey of our bodies, self-love and acceptance.

 

I have always been drawn to the human form, its complete balance of vulnerability and strength, the way it tells a story; every little crease, wrinkle, stretch-mark, scar and freckle have something profound and beautiful to share. How each and every person I have ever drawn, painted, coiffed and/or made-up or photographed is different, completely unique and yet all somehow so similar. It’s a grounding and truly humbling experience to be able to freeze in time for someone their body - their face and hands and the way their shoulders fall, so that they might look back on themselves one day and not see their imperfections but rather a WORK OF ART.

This is what we are after all. Every single one of us is a miraculous creation of God and science, love and perseverance, beauty and romance; unique and incomparable and yet ever so familiar it reminds us how we are all human beings just borrowing our time on this earth.

I have photographed many women over the years in boudoir settings, and have always felt a deep connection to each and every one of these sessions. And the words so many of you have shared with me after receiving your galleries has always reminded me as to why I wanted to continue doing this for people.

For a long time I have dreamt of putting together an event where women (or men) could come to celebrate themselves, to honor the phase of life they are in, to give them the space they deserve to truly see themselves through a romantic lens of strength and beauty. To immortalize a moment in their lives that they will want to recall years from now, or share with their loved ones one day. I am so excited to see this dream finally take form, and to be able to document this journey of self-love and acceptance for each one of you brings me so much joy.

And I am so thrilled that you have decided to share this experience with me.

 

Prepare your | DANS MA PEAU SessioN

If you are reading this document it is because you have taken the plunge, you chose to have me capture you in a way that is super close to my heart, and I can't thank you enough for trusting me to do this for you! Below I have answered a few common questions my clients often ask.

1. THE RESERVATION

The date is locked in my schedule upon receipt of the signed contract as well as the non-refundable deposit. I will contact you a few days before the date in question to talk about our food and beverage choices, confirm our wardrobe and makeup palette and hairstyle choice, and discuss any other concerns you may have.

 

2. THe Location

For my Dans ma Peau Sessions, I almost always use my at home studio, but am open to other locations so long as it’s been scouted out ahead of time and has a beautiful natural light that will allow me to create the images you are looking forward to.

3. ARRIVAL TIME

Timing for our sessions is very important, especially when we are working on daylight (sunset) because it is limited. All of my Dans ma Peau sessions are shot at the hour of my choosing, based on the available natural light at that time of the year. This will also vary as we can not determine whether we will get a sunny or cloudy day, so your images will always be unique to you and our experience together.

We will use the first 30-40 minutes to look through our wardrobe and decide what you will want to wear, or not wear! sip on some wine or snack on some cheese and fruit, and just relax. If you have chosen the Timeless or Heirloom full experience, we will then do the ‘mise en beauté’ before we begin the session. If you have chosen the Classic you should arrive with your hair and makeup ready for our session.

We will be actually taking photos for approximately one hour.

4. What To Wear?

As you may have noticed, the wardrobe in these sessions is minimal to say the least. It’s not the clothing that takes center stage here, it’s YOU. Your skin, your curves, your hair; all of your perfect imperfections. That being said, I do encourage you to bring with you some of your favorite items of lingerie, night wear, a loose t-shirt or soft sweater that we can use more as ‘props’ if you will. Because we are shooting in a minimal space with a white wall and soft light, and because I edit many of the images you will receive in Black in White, your palette choice is open to your personal taste. I love neutrals and black/grey tones but please don’t be afraid of a red lip and skivvies. ;)

If you have chosen the Timeless or Heirloom, you will also receive one set of lingerie that we will use during the shoot that you will take home with you. This will be discussed ahead of time so I know what style and size to get.

Again, you won’t need to bring much but here are some things to consider when planning your wardrobe;

  • SIMPLICITY - both colors and neutrals will work here, but I prefer to avoid too many colors or bold patterns for these sessions as simplicity is really the key

  • MOVEMENT & TEXTURE - find a flowy skirt or dress, a shawl that you can play with, a braided woven blanket.

  • DETAILS - jewelry, embroidered sweaters, hats, TEXTURE! all good stuff..

5. WHEN AND HOW WILL WE RECEIVE OUR PHOTOS?

In the days following your session, a small preview will be sent to you by email or posted on my Facebook/Instagram pages. Please follow along, your support means so much! You can find me on Facebook here and on Instagram here and here. The rest of the images will be ready about 2-3 weeks later and be sent in an online gallery (unless otherwise specified). You will be able to download your images, and will then create a favorites folder of images you would like for me to use to create your Dans ma Peau Book (if included in the collection you chose).
 

6. WILL OUR PHOTOS BE RETOUCHED?

All of the high resolution photos you are given are ready for printing. They are retouched to adjust the exposure, contrast, sharpness and hues. Little pimples, a little scar? No problem, tell me your concerns andI will be happy to lightly retouch them if you would like me to.

WEB files are optimized for sending by email or sharing on various social networks, these files are not dedicated to printing so please always verify your file size before printing. If you are looking to print any of these images in an extremely large format, let me know because this may require a higher resolution.

 

7. WHAT IF I WANT TO SHARE THEM ON Social Media or my Blog?

Please do! A personal publication on the Internet is authorized, provided that the name of Jennifer Marcuson, Photographer and my website is clearly associated with it and the images are not altered in any way, as stated in our written agreement. A link to my website www.jennifermarcuson.com in the caption for your shared image is the best gift you can give me, as word of mouth is the most effective advertising out there. We photographers get 90% of our new clients from referrals by other clients so you sharing my work is so very appreciated! Thank you <3

Please don't hesitate to contact me with any other concerns or questions. I can't wait for our session!