"When I decided to do my first boudoir shoot, Gloss came highly recommended to me. What I didn’t know back then, thinking I would only ever do one shoot, was this journey I was about to begin."
At the time, I was coming out of a really hard season in my life. After going through trauma at the end of 2016, I had lost so much of myself. I didn’t feel good enough anymore, and I knew I needed to find my spark again. When I finally felt ready to do something empowering and just for me, I decided a boudoir shoot was going to happen.
When it all started...
In 2019, the day after my 33rd birthday, I walked into the Gloss studio for my very first shoot. I was nervous, but also so excited for the experience. From the moment I stepped into the studio, I felt welcomed. I still remember sitting in the makeup chair telling the artist to make me look like a bombshell while chatting with her and Marcee.
Even though this was one of the only shoots Marcee hasn’t personally photographed me for, her presence alone makes anyone feel instantly at ease. I shot with Amber that day and completely fell in love with the experience. Waiting for the photos was the hardest part, but when I got them back, I couldn’t believe I was looking at myself. It was the most empowered I had felt in such a long time.
A few months later, Gloss put out a model call. I applied, got chosen, and that was the first time I stepped in front of Marcee’s camera. This time, I wasn’t nervous. I was excited, ready to pose, and ready to create something beautiful. To this day, that second shoot is still one of my favourites and holds some of my all-time favourite images of myself. I think that second shoot is what truly hooked me on this boudoir journey.
This Journey
What started as a birthday gift to myself became a tradition. Since 2019, I’ve done a shoot for my birthday every year. But honestly, my journey with Gloss has become so much more than once a year. Since that first shoot, I’ve now been back 17 times. Seventeen shoots. And while boudoir is definitely an investment, it is hands down one of the best investments I have ever made in myself.
Why do I keep going back to Gloss? Simply put, because they are the best. Every time I walk into the studio, it feels like coming home. It feels like spending the day with girlfriends. It’s a feeling that is hard to explain unless you’ve experienced it for yourself. I truly couldn’t imagine going on this journey with anyone else as often as I have. Every single time I step into that studio, I am blown away by my images, and sometimes I still can’t believe that woman in the photos is me. I got my spark back, and Gloss has played a massive role in that.
Looking back from my first shoot in 2019 to now my 17th shoot in 2026, this one being extra special because, hello 40, and seeing the growth in my confidence and the way my spark has come back means everything to me. I’ve also had the chance to shoot with two other incredible women at their studios, and I treasure those images as well. But Gloss has my heartstrings. There is just something so special about walking back into that studio, sometimes even multiple times a year.
I really do feel like each shoot gets better and better
I remember a couple of years ago being in my happy place in Palm Springs when Kelly sent me my images. I was floating in the pool looking at them when tears started pouring down my face. I couldn’t believe that was me. Over the years, I had gained a lot of weight. I still showed up and rocked my shoots every time, but I had finally been able to lose some of the trauma weight and was starting to feel so much more like myself again.
Those photos mean so much to me, and I’m incredibly proud of them. But one thing I always want people to remember is that your weight does not define you or make you any less. You do not need to lose weight before your shoot. You are worthy exactly as you are.
Out of all my shoots, I think number 17 might be the most special to me personally. It was easily the most emotional shoot to date. There were tears, so many laughs, and such a deep sense of gratitude as I looked at how far I’ve come. I am so proud of the woman I am and the woman I’ve become on this journey.
One of the best decisions I ever made was booking that first shoot and walking into the Gloss studio in 2019. Taking that leap changed something in me. I’m not saying you need to do 17 shoots, because yes, that is a lot, but for me it has become part of my therapy. It has been such an important part of my self-love and self-confidence journey.
I’ve told the Gloss ladies this before, but they truly are a dream team. They’ve become some of my favourite women to talk to and visit. Marcee is not just your photographer. She is your cheerleader, your guide, your hair fixer when needed, and someone who takes the time to really connect with you. It honestly feels like therapy in itself.
Kelsey, the glam expert, has worked her magic on me so many times and I’ve been obsessed with every single look she has done. And Gloss boss Kelly is such a special person too. Behind the scenes, she does it all. She’s fixed my hair, worked the wind machine, tossed fabric into the air to make it float perfectly, and helped bring the whole vision to life. The three of them together are pure magic.
From the moment you walk into the studio, you feel safe, supported, and in the best possible hands. You can feel how much they love what they do, and that energy is everything. I truly can’t imagine having done 17 shoots without Gloss, and I know I’ll keep coming back for years to come, even when I’m old and grey.
Xoxo Erin
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