If you are on TikTok then I am going to bet you have heard about the book series by Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thornes & Roses, more commonly referred to as ACOTAR! One of my good friends, Alena, actually convinced me to buy the first book and I did back in November but it sat on my bookshelf for almost 2 months before I actually picked it up.
Although it took me a while to actually start the series, as soon as I did, I could not put it down! I have never really been a big reader and certainly not a 'romantacy' reader but I was so sucked into this world and quickly realized why the series is so popular. Halfway through the third book, A Court of Wings & Ruin, a thought popped into my head... A boudoir shoot but inspired by the visions that were created in my head as I was swallowed up by Prythian.
I immediately opened up my Pinterest app and typed in 'ACOTAR AESTHETIC' and started pinning all the things that resonated with me and reflected my own imagination. After about a week I needed to form some kind of structure and focus on 2-3 specific themes so that I could do them justice, not just for my own sake but also make any fans of this series excited and proud! *As you read, please be aware that MINOR SPOILERS to the plot may be hinted at throughout this blog so consider this your SPOILER WARNING!!
The 3 sets, or concepts I settled on were 'The Spring Court', 'Under The Mountain/The Court of Nightmares' & 'Starfall'. I know there are so many concepts I could have and may end up executing in the future but these three, in that order, felt right.
THE SPRING COURT 🎨
I think this set was probably the easiest although I didn't want it to be just flowers scattered all over. The inclusion of Feyre painting, the addition of the vanity, the candles are all call backs to her time at The Spring Court. The goal was showcasing who she was or rather how she and the members of The Spring Court perceived her; soft, fragile and oh so utterly 'human'.
I painted this canvas 2 days prior to the shoot and wanted it to resemble a mountain; a look into what was to come for our Feyre. I may have poorly executed that part since when I asked my husband after I finished painting it if it looked like anything and he said 'No.' 🤣 Oh well, it worked for me.
I also didn't want to start right with lingerie specifically and instead opted into this lovely blush, silk cowl neck dress. A killer Amazon find, if I do say so myself! And I could definitely picture Feyre wearing it during her time at The Spring Court.
The next portion of this set I wanted to emulate the transition from the end of the last book to the beginning of the second; She needed to be 'stripped down' and the posing more thought provoking and emotional. Our main character went through some shit and that part of her story needed to be represented in this shoot.
THE COURT OF NIGHTMARES 🗻
I am not gonna lie, I was MOST excited about this set. Chapters 54 & 55 in A Court of Mist & Fury... if you know, you know! ;) Allie, our lovely model, has been planning on reading the series for a while and I needed to explain to her what I was looking for with her posing without giving too much away. So I told her, 'Feyre has been through some shit. Not everyone necessarily likes her and she walks into that place owning it and puts on a damn show.' And of course, she absolutely NAILED IT!
STARFALL ✨ “To the people who look at the stars and wish."
This set was the one I definitely let my imagination run with and is probably the least accurate portrayal but, I am a boudoir photographer after all. 😉 The main things I wanted executed were that the backdrop represent the night sky and Velaris. I used a black satin sheet as the foundation and then draped deep blue satin and glitter fabrics in front. With the lighting set up this thing came to life even more beautifully than I could have imagined.
Of course, I also had to include the diamond cuffs... again, if you know, you know 😉
Being sucked into this series and then thinking of the concept of a boudoir shoot to help bring what I imagined in my head to real life has been such a fun process. I hope that my version and vision did this series justice. As a fan myself, I couldn't be more proud and excited, but I could also be biased... just a little. 😉
I want to give a huge thank you to Miss Allie, for being the most perfect Feyre and allowing my visions to come to life. Also to Miss Ashley for not only absolutely rocking Allie's hair & makeup but for also hanging out after to help me document the execution of this shoot with behind the scenes.
I cannot even begin to tell you all how fun this was for me and I hope this also serves as a reminder to all my clients in the future... don't be afraid to make your boudoir experience the one of your dreams! If you are a reader, gamer, baker, painter, etc. and want to incorporate your own passions and have them represented in your experience and final images, let me know! I will forever and always support and encourage you to be creative and have fun!! Because that is what this is all about; representing YOU and creating an experience that lasts the rest of your lifetime <3
To see more behind the scenes and images, check out my Instagram!
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