When you look at boudoir photos on the internet, it’s easy to get discouraged at all the tight, toned, young bodies. To look at Pinterest, you’d think no one over 35 ever gets nekkid, or has photos taken unless they’re playing a supporting role to the young’uns or starring in an ad aimed at the retirement home demographic.
No older people looking amazing and sensual in boudoir sessions. No women — or people of any gender — over 40 or 50 or 60 or 70 glorifying the bodies that have carried them this far.
The constant undertow of “look younger, look younger, look younger” is so pervasive and so toxic. People over a certain age, especially women, simply aren’t represented in our media. They’re not cast in movies (certainly not in leading roles). They don’t star in TV shows. They don’t appear on magazine covers. They’re not held up as role models or beauty ideals. And the older you get, the more that pervasive cultural pressure washes away at you.
In my early 40s, I can still feel the pressure already. I can choose the regular moisturizer or I can choose the miracle cream that’s supposed to erase the itty bitty crow’s feet I wouldn’t even have noticed forming if ten different magazine ads hadn’t promised to fix these obviously awful features of my face.
I can choose to wear clothing that I love and that makes me happy, or I can choose to “dress my age.” I can choose to cherish my clients’ skin the way it exists in reality or I can choose to erase the lived experience from their bodies.
Well, I’m sorry, but that’s b.s.
I’ve referenced this quote before when I’ve talked about Photoshop and skin, but I love it so much I’m going to include it here again:
“Wrinkles mean you laughed, grey hair means you cared, and scars mean you lived.”
Getting back to the question at hand: I don’t care if you’re 44 or 64 or 94. Seriously. You are not “too old” for anything you want to do in your life.
You are not too old to cherish the skin that covers your body and bears witness to each year of the life that you have lived so far.
You are not too old to feel comfortable in your body, to feel gorgeous and loved and cherished and stunning.
You are not too old to feel the sensuality of fine fabrics and soft underpinnings, or of the firmness of corset boning, or of the texture of your skin against itself.
You are not too old to be beautiful.
You are not too old to be the center of attention.
You are not too old.
During Body Liberation Photos boudoir photo sessions at my studio outside Seattle, WA, we work together to honor and showcase the stories on your skin, rather than erasing or hiding them. Every part of your story (and body) is worthy.
Hi there! I'm Lindley. I create artwork that celebrates the unique beauty of bodies that fall outside conventional "beauty" standards at Body Liberation Photography. I'm also the creator of Body Liberation Stock and the Body Love Shop, a curated central resource for body-friendly artwork and products. Find all my work here at bodyliberationphotos.com.