 Headshot sessions are short, but they deserve a blog feature too. We pack a lot of energy and fun into the 15-30 minutes it takes to get great headshots! I always give clients the choice of several backdrops, plus an outdoor setting if it’s not raining, so that they get some nice variety to…
 One of the most wonderful things about a Sweet Amaranth adventure session is that since we have a full day, we get a chance to take photos in really amazing locations around the Pacific Northwest. For Ms. G’s adventure session, we headed out to Lake Cushman, a gorgeous lake in the Olympic Mountains that…
I was delighted to have Hannah Schnabel join me for a portrait session for Representation Matters.me, my body positive and diverse stock photo site. Hannah is the mind behind plus-size clothing line Belle Ampleur. Hannah Schnabel has over a decade of experience designing clothing for stage and film. She’s designed and built everything from corsets, to a…
Ms. C came in before Christmas and did a body positive boudoir session as a surprise for her hubby. And when I say surprise, I mean complete surprise: All he knew was that his Christmas present this year was going to be really special. From the planning to the session to scheduling the reveal, we…
Here’s an ever-evolving list of boudoir and portrait session ideas to spark your inspiration. Some are serious, some are silly. Use them as a launching point for your imagination! See an idea you love that seems more appropriate for portraits (that you wish you could do for boudoir) or for boudoir (that you wish you…
A woman in one of the plus-size groups on Facebook made a really good point the other day: We rarely see women with double chins represented in images. Many, many women have double chins. It’s a completely normal thing. But we hide them in photos. We stretch out our necks, raise our chins, tilt our…
I am so pleased to present images of my first transgender Siren, Ms. S! I’m honored to offer a safe, fun, accepting space where folks whose bodies are outside the mainstream can stretch their wings and showcase their beauty. We started outside to take advantage of some beautiful spring weather: We dubbed this “the Elrond…
It’s garden season again! Finally! By which I mean, the highs are still in the low 50s, but it’s not raining *all* day every day. Since we’re up on a ridge, we’re a little behind the lowlands. The roses are just starting to leaf out, and I saw the first cherry blossoms just beginning to…
Recently, I talked a little bit about the risks of movement in a larger body. In Ms. H’s hula dance portraits, you can see that the reward for her taking that risk is a beautiful, skilled, graceful performance. Through her Instagram, Danielle Bex also demonstrates daily how joyful movement can be.
We’ve only lived in the Pacific Northwest for a couple of years, so there’s still a LOT that’s new and shiny. I like to just go out and wander whenever I can, even in the winter, because there’s always something amazing to find. I don’t think we’ve ever gotten back from a day trip and…
As people who inhabit larger bodies, when we move those bodies, we take risks. We risk being stared at, made fun of or catcalled. Since often, no one has ever taught us to appreciate those bodies and the way they move, we risk trying to move them in ways that are unwise or not a good…
Ms. L and I met earlier year, and in our two sessions together — four or five months apart — she’s just blossomed in the most amazing way. One of the best things about plus-size boudoir photography is that blossoming. Almost everyone is nervous when they come in, especially women on the larger end of plus…
Not long ago I had the pleasure of showing my mom and her significant other, T, around Seattle on their four-day visit from North Carolina. Neither of them had been to the Pacific Northwest before, so I got to play tour guide and show them all the beautiful places we’ve discovered in the last year….
Let’s be honest. There are few things in the world more fun than playing dress-up, and boudoir sessions are ALL ABOUT dressing up. And the best part of dressing up is rummaging through tulle and rhinestones and velvet to find the perfect accessories. Here are five more props and accessories available at the Sweet Amaranth studio…
When she knocked on my door, she was exhausted. I mean, don’t get me wrong. Ms. S is a beautiful woman, and would be beautiful no matter how tired she happened to be. But this bone-deep need for a rest and a reset is familiar to me. I remember how it felt in my own…
I need a pair of shoes. Two pairs, to be exact. Two pairs of comfortable, reasonably attractive dress flats that I can walk around the city in. Since I have narrow feet with sharp heels and high arches, this seems to be a tall order. While trying on yet another pair with sharp top edges that were…
(This post was originally published at Sweet Amaranth in 2015.) After the lavender festival, we were fairly wiped out. All we wanted was a cold drink, some good food and a breeze. Luckily, the pretty little town of Port Townsend wasn’t far away. Our route from the Lavender Festival in Sequim to dinner in Port Townsend,…
I’m a little ashamed to admit that I don’t know the first thing about Doctor Who. I only know that the TARDIS is a time machine/spacecraft/command center/vehicle of mystery because I looked it up. Siren L here has no such issues. In fact, she turned up for her Who-themed shoot in a corset of the…
Would you call your best friend ugly? Would you tell her she looks terrible in every outfit she owns? Would you feel guilty every time your friend took the day off, or chose to eat dessert, or got sick? Of course not. So why would you do that to your body, on which you depend…
Body-positive boudoir and portrait sessions are tons of fun. There’s the laughter, the silliness, the looking and feeling like the most gorgeous thing to hit this planet — it’s a pretty amazing experience. But what happens afterward? Yeah, everyone knows about digital photos — they’re great for sharing on Facebook and making physical prints from….
Something I’m a little ashamed to admit is that photography, as a skill and an art form, at times both highlights and reinforces the conventional standards of beauty that trap us within ourselves and keep us striving to look like the impossible beacons of perfection we see all around us in the media every day….
I don’t have a commercial studio space, actually. Most of my photography sessions are held at my home, Alcove House, in Renton, Washington. For many photographers, having a retail studio space is a major goal. For me, though, there are just so many advantages in using my home as my studio that I’ve never even…
If you’ve ever met me, it’s pretty easy to figure out that I’m seriously, seriously type A. I keep lists of my lists, and my calendar and Asana lists are a thing of beauty. I’m always the one who knows who-what-when-where-why and probably how. I’ve never scheduled a vacation down to the minute, but it’s…
Which of these situations sounds better? A. You rush into your boudoir session sweaty and stressed. That workout took longer than you expected, and then you need to return those library books before the fees started piling up. B. You stroll into your boudoir session happy and relaxed, a spring in your step and a…
Today it’s my pleasure to feature a guest post by Tiana Dodson, a coach and friend who writes about “being fat and winning at life by forgoing the old school belief that you have to be thin to live well and be well.” The images in this post are courtesy Sweet Amaranth. When was the last…
When you have some or all of your clothes off, it’s easy to feel a little vulnerable, and you might not expect to be touched by your boudoir photographer. What’s that about? Is it even necessary? Your boudoir photographer will need to touch you a little. It’s inevitable that a hair ends up out of…
Now that the long, wet winter is over, green is springing from the ground faster than I can keep up with it. A thousand baby maples decorate the back slope between the big maple and the redwood. The lilac bushes, big as trees, are in full flower. The rhododendrons and azaleas burst open in quick…
So you’ve reserved your plus-size boudoir session. The date is set. It’s happening. In a few weeks, you’re going to be in front of a camera. Now what? The easiest and best way to feel secure and ready for your session is…to prepare for it. No one likes homework, I know! But this is the…
Let’s be honest. There are few things in the world more fun than playing dress-up, and boudoir sessions are ALL ABOUT dressing up. And the best part of dressing up is rummaging through tulle and rhinestones and velvet to find the perfect accessories. Here are seven props and accessories available at the Sweet Amaranth studio…
Now that it’s colder, I’m looking for some nice fall and winter pieces. This is a new sweater from a brand called Curvy Lily. This is an unusual piece for me. I’m not a huge super-tight-sweater person and I’m not a ‘crop top/barely-comes-down-to-the-line-of-your-pants’ person, so I’m not sure how I feel about this one. It’s…
I get a lot of questions about retouching and skin, so today I thought I’d explain my philosophy on retouching — especially regarding skin — and how I arrived there. Modern portrait and boudoir photography incorporate a startling amount of body alteration. So much of what makes up the story of our bodies gets removed:…
It’s a rare day of winter sun here outside Seattle, and I’m puttering around my portrait studio here at Alcove House, drinking in the light pouring through the windows and capturing the small details that make up my surroundings. Vivid orange gerbera daisies that the Viking brought me while I had a cold earlier this…
This is the post in which I visit North Carolina and fall into a waterfall. Okay, it wasn’t a major accident, but since the entire town of Newland was out enjoying a rare sunny and 70-degree winter day just after Christmas at that particular mountain park, it was a wee bit embarrassing.
Hi, it’s Lindley. I’m here with yet another review for an item I bought on Zulily. This one is from a brand called Troo, T-R-O-O. And if you like their stuff, they’re on Zulily every week. So all you have to do is look for the burnout patterns and you’ll find them. I’m really liking…
Image description: A maroon square with a circular photo of a plus-size woman in lingerie inside a chat bubble. Text reads, “What do I wear to a boudoir session?” Lindley’s logo is at the right. End image description. One of the most frequent questions I hear about boudoir photography, especially for plus-size women and femmes,…
Today I’m reviewing three dresses from a line called Reborn Collection. I got these via Zulily, which is a daily deals site here in the U.S. All three dresses actually worked out pretty well, though they’re all very thin. This is the thickest-looking of the three. It’s sort of a marled fabric and it’s still…
Ms. O arrived for her plus-size boudoir session with confidence, beautiful outfits, and a smile — along with a stunning antique silk Japanese kimono.
“So I’ve been blessed to meet a wonderful gal and amazing photographer who took this collection of pix. Thank you Lindley!!” » Ms. C, Seattle With the holidays right around the corner, it’s wonderful to be able to slow down a little and both enjoy some self care and the anticipation of the season. Ms….
“Sorry, I don’t think she heard you,” said my husband to someone standing behind me. I turned from my observation about the price of cashews and California drought to the girl, twentysomething, chubby, ponytail who said, “I love your shoes!” “I know, right?” I said. “I have a pair in pink,” she said, “but I’ve…
This French braid is askew. It’s crooked. There are stray locks everywhere, the tension is all wrong, and the hair elastic is placed far too high. It is seriously the worst. It’s also the first French braid I’ve attempted in a long time, and only one of a few I’ve ever tried. Back in middle…
You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world…
