Diary

Inspiration comes to me from everything I see and do, movies, magazines, books, other artists, nature, just all kinds of things. This head dress was custum made for me by one of my friend/bride's mom. The head piece sat in my studio on the shelf staring at me for months as I thought and re-thought of what I wanted for the background, what I wanted the special lady to wear, How I wanted her to pose, how I wanted her makeup, the color of her eyes and the lighting.The background is paper (I painted the edges) from my scrapbook room scotch taped to the foam core. I made a trip to Hobby Lobby for the velvet fabric, and the gloves I bought over a year ago in New Mexico. I met LIndsey this past summer when she came to the studio for a boudoir photoshoot and when she returned in October Glamour, Beauty, Boudoir, & Portrait Couture is what we ended up with.Makeup by Ashlee Bivens of Tulsa ashleebivins.com[caption id="attachment_523" align="aligncenter" width="1000"]

You. Are. Amazing. As. You. Are.!!! By looking at her you would say, "of course she would have portraits made, she is beautiful & thin. The truth is for years I have been asking to photograph this beautiful woman and she has always said, "I do not take good pictures and I have to loose weight first." She eats healthy, practices yoga, meditates, has a dear heart, loves life, draws, and IS SO MUCH MORE. Karen called the studio at just before her 57th birthday and said, AS I AM. Her fears and insecurities she faced and allowed me to capture the beauty I have always seen in her.I choke up as I write and look at the portraits of Karen and remember how hard of a decision it was for her. If you ever meet her she will tell you as she told me, "I have NEVER taken pictures that I have been so proud of." We created her a 20-page album with 25 images that SHE chose (wish I could share all of them). Thank you Karen for the blessing you have given me.LoveLoveLove.Lana at Voulez Vous Boudoir, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Nicole met me at the studio, we picked out two outfits, loaded up my equipment and furniture (props) and headed for the park! The lighting was beautiful - it was right before the sun went down, which gave us some wonderful natural light. I had a great time playing with lens flair and using other objects to create the illusion of lens flare and depth of field. What a wonderful early evening, warm and sunny... just perfect while sipping on champagne!

Meagan came to me wanting to capture some beautiful images as a wedding gift for her fiancé. She knew exactly what she wanted - an album and four sets...Va Va Voom! She said she wanted to photograph her body the way it is now...and come back again after she has her first baby. A little documentary! I was so excited to use the great Rococo bed for the first time in a bridal boudoir session. We started out with natural light and ended with incorporating some great studio lighting for a little fashion flair. She is a very beautiful, soft-spoken lady entering a new chapter in her life, and I got to be a part of it.Love, Love, Love,Lana

The big "C" word...it's scary. But I like to be an optimist, so I really think the big "C" word is CURE - not Cancer - and that's not scary at all!October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Everyone of us probably knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer - whether it's a family member, a friend (or even possibly a very personal encounter yourself.) And as much as we hear it, the truth is that early detection and screening are very important. The best chance for a cure IS early detection. I urge you to get involved, whether it's from participating in events, fundraisers, or seeking information to understand risk factors and learning more about screenings. Support breath health, breast screenings and awareness...your boobies are worth it!Love, Love, Love,LanaFor more information and additional resources:American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.orgSusan G. Komen Foundation - http://www.komen.org

I LOVE creating portraits and when Brittany came to see me she had her suitcase full of fun with her; lingerie, skirts, blouses, shoes, jewelry. Then she gave me a green light to just be creative and have fun. We spent the entire day playing with hair & makeup, posture techniques, wardrobe changes, background changes, food, champagne, and lots of laughter. It got really fun when we decided to put on her the old fireplace mantel, she didn't even blink an eye when I mentioned it to her (although, I think her eyebrow lifted a bit). I think the most fun we had was when we did the images for the collage portrait. Bow-tie, hat, corset, heels, music, action and when she hit the floor giggling she kicked her legs up and tossed her hat on the tip of her toes. "Does anyone remember the song by Joe Cocker "You Can Leave Your Hat On." These images are priceless!!!!!!Thank you Brittany for trusting me and allowing me to have fun and be creative. I look forward to seeing you again next year.LoveLoveLove.Lana

What an honor to be able to work with this beautiful young lady and Brian Demint, fashion photographer, this month in Kansas City. I was mesmerized this entire day. Thank you to you both. It has been an eye-opening experience for me. LoveLoveLove. Lana :)

It has been a long time since I had a full day of just having fun photographing for ME :) I was inspired by an empty loft across the street from my studio. My hair & make-up girls, Heather Valentine & Ashlee Bivens, were excited to play as well. I knew I wanted to photograph a red dress (my favorite color) and use all the beautiful natural light that bounced off the white walls and pillars. When I walked into the sun drenched loft I had to gasp and my eyes lit up like a light bulb & popped like june bugs as the corners of my mouth looked like Jim Carry in "Mask." The windows faced east & west with hard and soft light filtering through all day. The close-up image was the very last of the day. As we sat visiting I noticed how beautiful, relaxed and natural she looked as the light swept across her shoulders. I grabbed the large hand mirror and used it to bounce light back onto her face. Then we finished our champagne! We drank champagne, practiced posing, laughed, giggled, and got to know about each other's life. I had never met Jenn before this day and by the end of our afternoon I knew I had made a new friend. She is beautiful of course, has a remarkable personality, funny, and truly easy to get to know. Thank you Jenn for a wonderful time.[gallery columns="1" size="full" orderby="title"]

Voulez Vous' first "Dude-oir" session in our new studio space. Ryan was in Tulsa visiting over the holidays and made his way by Voulez Vous before heading back to Rhode Island. I warned him the studio wasn't ready. There was dust everywhere, the walls were not painted, the floors and windows weren't finished, and we had no bathroom. Nevermind all that...full steam ahead! We went through his wardrobe, cranked up the music, poured a glass of wine, and....strike a pose.