Getting Personal | San Jose Campbell Bay Area Boudoir Photographer

It’s been a while since I have posted a personal post and what better time than the start of the New Year and with some changes heading my way?

We had a crazy busy, yet wonderful Chrsitmas. My mother flew in Christmas Eve and surprised the boys Christmas morning… or maybe they surprised her, either way it wasn’t exactly as we planned but it was still fantastic. Here’s my two little guys and our last minute Christmas card that I wasn’t going to do but heard complaints that I just *had* to send one because a few people look forward to my cooky cards each year. Hahaha

together

Yup, these are my two crazy kids that keep my life insanely wonderful.

This is my youngest cutie, Odin and I on Christmas eve when we went driving around and looking at Christmas lights. My selfies rarely turn out. Haha. Confession:  For being a photographer by trade I am ashamed to admit that after putting so much pressure on myself to make every family image perfect, I stopped using and bringing my “good” camera altogether. It was very liberating at first but now I rarely take anything more than cel phone shots of my kids and I usually forget to do even that. For example, daddy and Asa were with us and walking hand in hand in front and I didn’t even think about taking that shot until it was too late. Maybe I need to make a resolutions to take nice pictures at least once a month. Sigh.

Odin and me2013

2013 was a great year. Business has been steadily growing and I am starting to see a return of past clients. How awesome is that!? When I decided to only shoot women and mainly boudoir, I never imagined that I would see return clients, I mean the majority of the women I work with tell me that this is a once in a lifetime event and that’s one of the reasons they are okay with spending so much. It is the best compliment to have them come back again because they loved the experience and how it made them feel! I have also seen an increase in personal referrals. There is one amazing family that I adore who have all been in. Three sisters, cousins, friend and their mother! 🙂 So far 2014 is shaping up to be a good year too, despite my ringing in the new year cleaning up puke from my oldest child and consoling a terrified doggie who was shaking so violently from the fireworks in our neighborhood, I already have bookings through April!

So here is the biggest news… if you have read my About page, you’ll know I have severe Rheumatoid Arthritis. My hands are the worst and I have long said that as long as I can hold my camera I will be fine! Well a couple weeks ago I felt pain in my left hand, a left hand long crippled with fusions and artificial joints. I had been waiting until I had pain before scheduling surgery even though it was clear years ago that something wasn’t right with the joints they put in in 2005. Well that time has come and on Jan 22nd I will be having more reconstructive hand surgery. I have no idea what will go down but again, and as I told the doctor, “as long as I can hold my camera, I don’t care what you have to do!” 🙂

This is what he has to work with:

Hand x-ray 2013

The funny thing is that I really don’t have much pain and haven’t until whatever happened a couple weeks ago to trigger a strange pain and ache. The bad news here is that I won’t be shooting for 8 weeks. Aaaahhh!!! This means that I am now booking for April and May. With Feb and March now out of the picture(end of March sessions are now fully booked) I imagine April and May months will book up fast with the bridal season approaching. Point being, don’t wait too long to contact me since those inquiring in Feb & March will be first in line to fill up April and May.

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Now I have a question that I hope you all will give me some feedback on… via comments right here on the blog.

 I am thinking about offering a makeup class, taught by yours truly. This would teach basic tips and tricks that I have learned over the years geared around eye makeup.  The class would include an eye palette, brushes and possibly liner and eye primer in your class fee. I want a class that includes everything so that you could literally go home and do what we learned in class without having to go out and do more shopping. However this will bring the class cost to $100-$125. It would be  a 2 hour class and include refreshments and some fun giveaways.

Any interest?

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Coming soon, favorite images of 2013!

Happy New Year everyone! May it be exciting, sexy and self confidence. 🙂

Sexy Photos San Jose Boudoir Photographer

Tushy Tuesday | Redwood City Boudoir Photography

Welcome to another installment of Tushy Tuesday.

Today we have a sweet and sexy image of the lovely Miss L. It reminds me of a lazy warm summer Sunday morning. However, today I am cold and even have my cozy blanket wrapped around my legs. I’m not complaining but I kind of want to hand her a warm flannel sheet. Hahaha.

San Jose Redwood City Sexy Photos

Have a wonderful week and Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 🙂

P.S. I am thankful for so many amazing clients who are willing to brave their insecurities, brush of that inner voice stating “when I lose 10 more lbs” and trust me behind the camera. I am also very thankful that so many allow me to show off their gorgeous images!

Sexy Photos San Jose Boudoir Photographer

Holiday Specials | San Jose Beauty & Boudoir Photographer

Beauty Mini Portrait Sessions

I have often been asked if I will do head shots. I haven’t done them in the past because of the amount of time and expenses that goes into such a short session. However I have teamed up with my amazing makeup Artist, Moni, and we have designated two days only for you ladies to do a mini portrait session. You can wear that favorite dress or gown, go casual, or keep it for business head shots. It’s completely up to you but now you have no more excuses to not have some stunning images taken!

Sessions are limited so call today to reserve your ideal time.

San Jose Bay Area Head Shots Portraits

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Holiday Package Specials

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Did you know that VIP members receive exclusive offers only available to those receiving the Coterie Newsletter? Our Holiday booking specials are available to our VIP Members only. That’s right, so SIGN UP today so you too can get in on the fabulous deals too!

Vacation Must Haves|San Jose Boudoir Photography

Boudoir Coterie Portrait photography

 You’re probably familiar with those women’s magazine features that show what’s inside of a certain celebrity’s purse, beach bag, etc. While I think those are fun to read, as a former PR girl (and a bit of a cynic), I’m always wondering how much (if not all) of that is product placement. Wouldn’t you like to really see what’s inside someone’s bag?

Well, I’m heading to Hawaii with my husband in a few weeks, and since that’s all I can think about right now, I thought I’d give you a little insight into what I’m packing.

I know I’m not a celebrity, but I am actually bringing all of these items on my trip, and no one is paying me to say so (but if anyone wants to I can tell you where to send a check). I might not be as interesting as Jennifer Lawrence or Miley Cyrus, but I scored some awesome deals on fun stuff for this trip, so I thought I’d share. Who doesn’t love to be a little bit voyeuristic? Here you go:

vacation favorites

1. No matter what I do, I can’t seem to resist buying new bathing suits for vacation. I bought two for my honeymoon this spring, but they were both lighter colors and already look dingy. This time, I decided to go for a darker more classic color. Most stores don’t have bathing suits now since it’s technically Fall, but I found this great navy blue Merona bikini online at Target (top & bottom). I really love this classic silhouette, which is sexy without being too skimpy. It’s a little more expensive than some other Target suits, but way less than what you’d pay elsewhere for something of similar quality–  and it looks expensive!

2. I pretty much don’t go anywhere without these at least one of these Mossimo Boyfriend Tees from Target. They’re comfy and cute, and go with pretty much anything. They’re great for vacation because you can keep them casual or dress them up with a fun statement necklace.

3. & 4. I like to keep my daytime makeup routine pretty simple on vacation, but mascara is a must-have, and this one from Cover Girl is my favorite. I’ve tried numerous samples of more expensive mascaras from Sephora, but I go back to this one every time. I also love MAC’s Viva Glam VI Lip Glass. I originally purchased this to touch up my lips for my wedding, but it has become a staple for me now. This gloss is a soft and pretty pink, which adds just the right amount of color for a neutral look.

5. I’ve been eyeing this J.Crew Whisper Gauze Beach Tunic since it came out early this summer, but I just couldn’t swallow the $72 price tag. You can only imagine how excited I was to score it for about $15 when they were offering an extra 40% off summer clearance. It’s extremely comfortable and actually offers pretty good coverage considering that it’s somewhat sheer. I can’t wait to wear this to the beach!

6. I initially bought these Nike sneakers at DSW to wear on my honeymoon. I figured I’d want something comfortable for all of that touring we’d be doing, but wanted something cuter and less bulky than my running shoes. Ha! We ended up not leaving our resort once during the trip, but they will be perfect for Hawaii. We’re already signed up for a food tour and a photography tour, so I’ll definitely be wearing these (because food touring is tough on the feet, right?).

7. These chino shorts were also another J.Crew summer clearance steal. I actually got them in navy blue, but that color is sold out now. I love this purple too, but really wanted something neutral since I already have a pair of hot pink shorts I bought this summer. I’m not normally a huge fan of shorts, but I feel like they’re a necessity on vacation. These are just the right length for me and also go with pretty much anything.

8. My husband and I took very few pictures on our honeymoon because we spent most of it at the beach, and I didn’t really feel safe bringing my “nice camera” there too much. I wasn’t going to let that happen again, so I set out to find an inexpensive waterproof camera . I was really happy when I found a brand-new Olympus Stylus Tough on eBay and ended up with the winning bid (which I made when there were 20 seconds left in the auction). Not only did I score a super fun camera, but I got it for $50 off of the retail price. While I’d still be sad to loose this camera, the price tag and durability make me feel a lot more comfortable bringing it with me everywhere on vacation.

These are just a few of the items I’ll be packing for Hawaii. It seems I’ll never learn to pack light. What are some of your vacation must haves?

Nicole

Fabulous Weekend Expo | San Francisco Bay Area Boudoir Photographer

The SF Ultimate Women’s Expo… what a ride!

This was my very first time having a booth at an expo and I can say that it is both a lot of work and SO much fun! I met lots of amazing women too. Thanks to all the ladies that stopped in to say hello and find out a little more about Boudoir Coterie. I also want to thank my fabulous hubby who put in so much time and effort and gave up his weekends to help build that booth frame. I’m crushing on him big time right now. 😉 I also want to thank my amazing team; Regina, Nicole and Kristina(2013 Signature Coterie Girl) and awesome friend, Devon for doing such a fabulous job working the booth and answering all the questions everyone had. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you all so THANK YOU!! ♥

San Francisco Bay Area Boudoir Photography

I will admit the girls and I had a few chuckles at those gals who stopped to look and then suddenly realized what we did– and then would giggle and blush. The other highlights were the dance off I had with the guy in the booth across the aisle, being told by multiple people that we had the nicest booth(Thank you!), pouncing on unsuspecting women as they walked by just to hand them a free pen and note pad. They would jump and then laugh… hey sometimes things get a little dull sitting in the booth so one must find a way to entertain themselves. Hahaha. But what surprised me most of all was when a young lady and her mother stopped by to say that they came to the expo to hear me speak. I never imagined that anyone would care that much to hear little ol’ me talk about myself, my life and living with a chronic illness. I had a few ladies approach me after I spoke, teary eyed and smiling. I felt so honored to have met them all and to have had that opportunity to tell a bit of my story. I did have a friend record it and I had full intention to upload and share but unfortunately I have no idea how to get it off the 3 inch dvd as it will not play on my computer alone nor while plugged into the handy cam. 🙁 But as soon as I can figure something out I will post it to share!

Here are some images of the booth, I will admit, we had much more fabric to hang but we ran out of time… I am also annoyed that the swag is uneven in these pictures but rest assured I fixed it at the expo. *snort*

San Jose Bay Area sexy photos

Dang we’re cute, eh? Hahahaha

Most common question asked: “Do you supply that guy for couple shoots?” Oh Leslie, your hubby was a hit! Hahaha

SF Ultimate Women's Expo Boudoir Coterie Booth2

SF Ultimate Women's Expo Boudoir Coterie Booth3

Again, thank you everyone and congratulations to Carlee for winning the mini Sheet Set session!

Sexy Photos San Jose Boudoir Photographer

Tushy Tuesday | San Jose Bay Area Boudoir Photography

Another week, another Tushy Tuesday!

This image may just have been her hubby’s very favorite. Hahaha.

I like that her tan line is still showing. 😉

San Jose Bay Area sexy photos

Now before carrying on with your day, for the sake of tushies everywhere, stand up and give that tush a little shake.

You know you wanna. 😉

Tushy shots are a popular request… for your own amazing photos contact us today! 408.460.1855 or bcoterie@sbcglobal.net

Sexy Photos San Jose Boudoir Photographer