Connecticut boudoir and pinup photography studio

September 1, 2017

Boudoir Doesn’t Mean Naked

A common question I get is whether or not clients have to get naked for their shoot. The answer is a resounding NO! You DO NOT have to get naked for your boudoir shoot. You don’t even have to wear lingerie. Boudoir is all about what makes YOU feel sexy. Some women feel sexiest in a bra and panties or a naughty teddy and others feel sexiest in an oversized sweater or a flannel shirt. If you feel sexy then you will LOOK sexy. I firmly believe that sexy is an attitude, not an outfit, a number on a scale or a size on a tag. Your boudoir shoot should be an experience that leaves you confident, excited and glowing and the only way it is going to do that is if you feel great! And you’ll feel best when you are wearing what you love! From plain cotton tanks with simple undies to bulky knit sweaters and knee-high socks, we can rock casual looks just as perfectly as sultry ones!

The gorgeous client above borrowed one of my favorite sweater and bra combinations from the studio closet! The New York & Co. sweater pairs perfectly with the Victoria’s Secret rhinestone strap bra! (The saleswoman in VS probably thought I had lost my mind when she asked if I needed help as I was walking around matching bras and panties to a sweater! Haha!) We chose purple because of the purple highlights in her hair and the way it makes her skin glow! The sweater also creates a peekaboo cleavage effect, which is sexy without being over the top.

This beauty brought some great casual wardrobe choices to her shoot, including this lightweight plaid shirt. The shirt is clipped in the back to keep it snug and to make sure it flatters her curves instead of hiding them! We can always get creative when getting boxier wardrobe items to fit and I swear by clothespins, small clamps, binder clips and even sometimes painters tape. We always make sure not to damage your clothes, especially when we are fitting valuable or sentimental items like sports jerseys, uniform pieces or dress shirts.

This client came in for a session immediately prior to her mastectomy surgery (her full session was featured on our blog HERE ). This ended up being one of our favorite outfits because it suited her so perfectly! A partially unzipped hoodie can be just as sexy as daring, plunging lingerie!

A cardigan sweater from our studio wardrobe paired with thigh-high striped socks was a perfect choice for this blonde bombshell! It also gave her session variety! And variety during your shoot means variety in your album!

One of our 2017 Brand Ambassadors, Katie, brought one of her husband’s favorite NFL jerseys and we sexed it up by clamping it directly behind her back to make sure it hugged her every curve. A big, loose, boxy jersey doesn’t flatter your shape so clamping it is the perfect solution for both sex appeal AND a super happy husband!

Another drop dead gorgeous client with a jersey, this time representing her beloved New York Yankees! Anything you bring can be sexy… it just all depends on how you use it!

When you are shopping for sweaters, look for stretchy collars or off-the-shoulder styles! This is a great pose for cleavage and the appearance of ultra-long legs! It’s one of my very favorite sweater poses and you can do it with a button up cardigan or a regular wide-neck sweater!

Never underestimate the appeal of a plain white tank and cutoff shorts! You can do a million things with this one simple look!

I hope this helps illustrate that A) You don’t need to get naked for your boudoir photoshoot and B) That you don’t even have to wear lingerie! You can show as much or as little skin as you are comfortable with and you’ll look fabulous either way! Sexiness comes from inside, not out. Whether you want a plain cotton tank and panties, a girl-next-door pair of cutoffs and t-shirt, a textured knit sweater, a favorite jersey or a flannel and boots, you will rock it! Bring what you love, what you feel best in and the outfits that make you feel like YOU!

Ready for your own shoot? Have questions about wardrobe or about shooting with us? Email me at beth@losthighwayimaging.com or connect with me on social media! We also have a private VIP client group you are welcome to join with lots of ladies who have done shoots with us in the past or are planning for one in the future. Find us on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM and ask all the questions you’d like! We are here to help!

Lost Highway Imaging is Connecticut’s premiere boudoir photography studio, serving Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, Boston, and beyond for almost 10 years. Let our decade of experience help you see yourself in a whole new way! Our all-female staff will make sure you feel right at home and comfortable from the first moment. Boudoir photos are the perfect gift for your fiancé, husband, partner or JUST FOR YOU!

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August 1, 2017

Pin Up Fashion- Guest Blog with Pinup Model Sadie Century

I’m so excited for this two part pinup fashion series, written by celebrated pinup model Sadie Century! Pinup fashion is its own animal… part sex appeal, part prim and proper. What makes pinups so recognizable, even all these years later? The silhouette! The hourglass pinup silhouette is an America icon! I’m thrilled to present this two part series, starting with a brief history of pinup girls and pinup fashion. Part II will cover modern pinup reproduction clothing, including where to shop! Lost Highway Imaging is proud to offer vintage-styled pinup photos in addition to our boudoir and glamour offerings! Pinup is actually what I fell in love with about photography 10 years ago when I first began shooting! And I used to sneak into my grandfather’s basement to hide out with his WWII pinup collection as a child! Without those pinups, I might not be where I am today, so pinup will always be something I hold close to my heart! Thank you, Sadie Century, for this eye-opening guest blog!

GOING FULL PINUP: A STEP-BY-DAINTY-STEP GUIDE

PART I: Historically Speaking.

We all recognize a pinup. The luscious girl next door, hamming it up on a seamless white background. She has bright cheeks and innocent eyes that belie a naughty situation. She’s sometimes flanked by a telling prop, or maybe a precocious pet.

Daydreaming about being that girl? In 2017, it seems a little far-fetched. Too antiquated, too strange, or out of our reach.

Not if you’re ready. 😉

But before I start recommending dress styles and pinup vendors, let’s talk a little history. It will help us appreciate pinup beyond aesthetics. Yes, it’s true. Fashion, like everything else, has a deeper meaning.

We tend to define pinup by the girls, well, pinned up on the walls of “Our Boys Overseas” during WWII, or the golden days of the 1950s. But pinups have been around since the late 1800s. Pinups often represented the contemporary feminine ideal—definitive pop culture in its influence, and in its accessibility to the masses. The affluent could keep their stuffy paintings, because pinup pictures were for every man. And they inspired every woman.

Now, pinup encompasses not just the cheesecake images of Elvgren. It’s an entire retro aesthetic. Once a fringe culture, it has strode brazenly into the mainstream in the last decade or so. And why? For one: because it was the first trend to be truly inclusive of all sizes, and it has become the de facto leader of the Body Positivity movement. For two: because now we all hate low-rise jeans!

What I mean by that is, fashion is a contrarian concept. So often, iconic fashions of certain eras have been a direct retaliation against the fashion trends that came directly before them. The flapper dresses of the 1920s? A giant middle finger to the hyper-constructed corsets and elaborate floor-length gowns of the Edwardian era. The thigh-skimming shift dress of the 1960s bucked the tight waist and modest hems of the 1950s—what was once deemed scandalous was now a matter of self-confidence. And our current affection for traditionally feminine silhouettes is a rejection of de-feminizing clothing and ultra-casual vibes that, let’s admit, we’ve all gotten sick of.

So fashion is a swinging pendulum, sure. But then, where did the classic pinup look come from? What fashion was it directly responding to? Well, visualize the 50s and early 60s silhouettes, and you might notice that regardless of shape, color, or style, whether it’s a dress, skirt, or trousers, they all shared the same thing: a pinched waist. The waist was considered sensual and inherently feminine, because it created the hourglass.

This actually goes beyond just being “old-fashioned.” From a historical standpoint, this return to an ultra-womanly shape hadn’t been seen since the early 1900s. The 1920s had the anti-establishment flappers that wanted nothing to do with corsets and elaborate hairdos; that why they had knee-length shifts and bobs. The 1930s were largely dictated the Depression, and the Second World War cast a pall over the 1940s. Fabrics were limited, embargoed because of the war; dresses were minimalist with simple, humble lines, purposefully utilitarian as women recast themselves in the workforce in the name of the Allies.

So in the 1950s, the world let out a collective sigh. The post-war boom of economic and societal reconstruction led to a reintroduction of fancy fabrics with beautiful patterns, and women’s fashion no longer had to stick to wartime minimalism. The woman reclaimed herself—her luxury, her shape, her spotlight.

The pinched waist made its comeback; this, along with a wider hemline from excess fabric in swing skirt, gave the impression of an exaggerated hourglass figure. Accessories got more elaborate, and a little more flirtatious.

And today, 70ish years later, we still freaking love it.

What makes the 1950s and early 60s silhouettes so timeless? They were, after all, just decades. There were sartorial trends before them, and plenty that followed, all influential themselves.

But I think the insistence on femininity—that is, the appreciation for the female body—is key to pinup’s immortal appeal. As I said earlier, pinup culture today is driven by size inclusion. And it’s that embrace of all female forms as inherently beautiful that makes a retro wardrobe so singularly fantastic. You could have the measurements of an XXS or 5X; it doesn’t matter—that hourglass silhouette looks amazing on you. And it should, because you are amazing. You really are.

Pinup culture is about strong women who own and define their femininity for themselves. My next post will explore some brands available to the modern pinup. But for now, let me say: every woman, whether she’s 16 or 60, deserves to feel as beautiful as she is. It’s the reason you should dress to suit your happiness, and it’s the reason you’re considering a photoshoot: to celebrate your life, your femininity, your unique and only you-ness.

So celebrate yourself. <3

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February 3, 2017

AIBP Award Announcement

I’m so very thrilled, honored and humbled to announce that I was recognized as the AIBP Ambassador of Excellence. The Association of International Boudoir Photographers is the most prestigious boudoir-specific organization in the world and has members from all over the globe. To say that I’m honored is an understatement and I’m deeply touched to have received this incredible award and be recognized alongside some of the most respected, established names in the intimate portraiture industry. I love my career, my colleagues and the joy, confidence and empowerment I’m able to help women discover. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me on this journey, and tremendous congratulations to my fellow award-winning photographers as well!

The Ambassador of Excellence award is the highest honor bestowed by AIBP and is only awarded once every 2 years. I’m shocked and deeply touched to have been the recipient.

You can read the article here: AIBP Year In Review Award Recipients

Lost Highway Imaging is Connecticut’s premiere Boudoir Photography Studio. Our studio focuses on empowering women through beautiful, unique, intimate portraits. We serve all of New England as well as New York and often have clients fly in from other states. If you need help making travel arrangements, please be in touch and we’ll be happy to help. Our studio is only minutes from 2 of the largest casinos in the world and Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are right around the corner. Ready to talk about your own Lost Highway Experience? Get in touch beth@losthighwayimaging.com

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January 10, 2017

Warrior Women – A Personal Project

The conversation always goes like this:

Random person: “So, what do you do for work?”

Me: “I’m a photographer?”

Them: “Cool. What are your hobbies?”

Me: “Ummmm… photography!”

Them: “But you said that was your job…”

Me: “Yeah, it is… but… well… it’s my job AND my hobby!”

Cue the confusion and perplexed looks. Yes, photography is my job! It’s also my main hobby and my passion too! When I need to recharge or I need a break, I almost always turn to my camera. I love my personal projects because they are usually born or of something I’m truly passionate about. They vary every year and change according to my mood, the skills I’m currently working on, the wardrobe I have on hand, or anything else that strikes me on a whim. Most recently, I was struggling for ways to show people the way I see women… as strong, beautiful, confident, brilliant, powerful creatures worthy of tremendous reverence and respect. I love the balance of femininity versus the warrior spirit present in all of us! And, in that moment, my Warrior Project was born.

Over the summer, I spent my free time transforming women into strong, badass warriors and then photographed them in my own back yard. While there were a few shoots done elsewhere, almost all of them were shot right in my own pond. Sourcing the wardrobe, props and accessories was so much fun and putting together each look was something I agonized over for weeks. I asked women from all walks of life to participate, some I knew well and some I met for the first time when they arrived at my front door. I poured my heart and soul into this project and every single woman who joined me poured hers in as well. I was so thrilled with the results of every shoot because I not only loved the concept and images, I loved the people in them.

I was proud when F-Stoppers, a very well known photography publication, picked up the series to showcase in an article, too! You can read it here if you’d like: The Warrior Within

I want to say a very deep, heartfelt “Thank You” to every woman who participated in this project alongside me. I am deeply grateful to and for every single one of you. Thank you. It means the world to me that you trust me the way you do. I love you all.

Thank you for your continued encouragement and support. I’m excited to bring this project into 2017 this spring with even more warrior women. It’s become a project near and dear to my heart. Do you have a story you’d like to tell? If the warrior series has touched your heart the way it has touched mine, please get in touch! beth@losthighwayimaging.com

Our Connecticut boudoir studio is more than just boudoir and it’s more than just “pretty pictures.” It’s an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime. If you can dream it, we can do it! Lost Highway Imaging is owned and operated by Beth Claire and is located in Preston, CT.

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December 1, 2016

Fall Fashion With Allison

In true artist fashion, I’m a few weeks behind on this but here we are! Ringing in December with a flashback to October leaves and the beauty of Autumn in Connecticut. While I’m not really a cold weather girl, I do love the changing seasons and fall is one of the most beautiful here on our property! The maple trees explode with color and the vibrant oranges, reds and yellows reflect off the water in the pond so beautifully! Despite CRAZY fall allergies, I will always have the softest spot in my heart for the turn of the wheel that spins us into the colder months. I invited Allison over with her lovely pup, Fergus, to play in the leaves and capture the magic that surrounds us in these months. I knew she would bring along the perfect wardrobe and, after what felt like a million texts, we decided on a houndstooth dress (in honor of my grandmother who adored houndstooth) and a gorgeous red belted trench, along with kitten heels and, of course, a perfectly coordinated Fergus! He’s just the cutest Golden Retriever on earth and I think I spent more time snuggling him than shooting!

We photographed this set at my house, as opposed to the studio, and my kids hung out with Fergus while I styled Allison’s hair and makeup. I’d made a mood board for us to share before the shoot, so she knew how I envisioned her styling for this set. Mood and inspiration boards help keep my clients and I on the same page during the planning stages and ensure that we share a vision for the final images. All shoots with me, whether fashion, pinup, boudoir, personal branding or otherwise, include a consult to help plan looks, themes and styles. If you are considering a shoot of your own I encourage you to visit my Pinterest page for lots of ideas, from wardrobe suggestions and makeup looks, to poses and shoot concepts! We don’t copy images from Pinterest directly because I want your shoot to be uniquely yours, but seeing a mood board of 15-20 images gives me a feel for your overall style and desired vibe in just a few seconds and is much easier than trying to describe to me exactly what you envision your dream shoot to look like!

We, of course, wanted to capture a classic headshot in the fading autumn sunset light as well! The sunsets here are just beautiful and they cast the most flattering golden glow across the lawn. Allison’s red hair practically glittered in the sun and I wanted her headshot to feel as dreamy and fantasy-like as the moment really felt standing there in person. Her deep gold eye makeup really made her blue eyes pop in the amber light and the berry lip is not only trendy this year, but plays off her hair color so well! When she put her red trench on, the colors just exploded to life and we couldn’t help but to get a little playful and capture some fun expressions and some movement! Then I recruited my daughter to toss handfuls of leaves into the frame for some unusual, unique shots framing her with falling leaves!

Capturing those last fleeting rays of sun was a magical moment and there is absolutely no color grading or color editing on these shots. The golden glow is exactly how I photographed it as the sun set below the hill behind me. I love this magical little spot and I can’t wait to use it again next year and the leaves being to change color and fall from my favorite tree. Maybe next year I’ll hunt for some gorgeous fall-colored lingerie and shoot boudoir images in this spot at sunset!

Interested in a shoot of your very own? Always wondered what a boudoir, fashion, glamour or pinup photoshoot would be like? Looking for a truly unique gift idea or an incredible gift to yourself? Lost Highway Imaging in Preston, CT is here to help you plan every detail of your shoot to ensure you have the experience you always dreamed of! Connecticut photographer, Beth Claire, was a model long before she was a photographer and she’ll be able to walk you through every step of the process from wardrobe and styling, to posing and expressions. If you are seeking the premiere boudoir photography studio in New England, look no further! Email her now at beth@losthighwayimaging.com or call or text 860-608-4868