How this queen found power in the storm…Literally!
Melissa didn’t come to SmokeShow as a newbie. She had her first session with us at the very beginning of our studio’s boudoir journey!
But this time was different. “This time I was in my mid-50s,” she said. “More pronounced wrinkles, gained weight, lost muscle tone, grey hair… all the fun that comes with aging.” But when she saw one of our posts featuring a woman in her 60s owning the hell out of her shoot, Melissa knew: “This woman rocked it. I thought to myself, if a woman in her 60’s can do it, so can I.”
The only person’s opinion that matters is your own!
She told us that she was a little apprehensive, wondering if she made the right decision and almost canceled. Not because she wasn’t strong, but because self-doubt had crept in her ear and someone close to her fed the fears. Her friend had said, “Man, you’re brave. I would never do a boudoir shoot until I lose at least 50 pounds.” Coming from someone who Melissa describes as fitting the ideal stereotype of women, she said she felt crushed and the self-doubt swelled over her. Now, most of us know that comments like this from friends usually aren’t meant to cut deep but sometimes, they do. And this is exactly why SmokeShow exists: to help you see the strength, beauty, and power within yourself. So the next time that grouchy little confidence-snatching goblin in your head starts running her mouth, or co-signing someone else’s thoughts, you’ll know she’s full of it and you’ll shut her down fast.
We are so proud of her for what she did next though! Before she let the experience completely unravel, she decided to call guy friend who she knew would be blunt with her. His response? “You’re really going to compare yourself to a woman 25-30 years younger who has zero confidence in her own body? What’s wrong with you? You are stunning and amazing. Everything you’ve been through has turned you in to the warrior/goddess that you are. You need to do it!”
This was just the encouragement she needed and decided: “the only person’s opinion that matters is my own”. Just like that, she showed up, pastry rolls (her words, not ours!), battle scars, wrinkles and all, ready to prove something to herself.
Mountain storms, Lingerie, & Rainbows… Let’s go!!
This wasn’t just a shoot. This was a scene. Imagine hair and makeup done, killer lingerie, and then… nature decided to throw in some drama.
Melissa chose a Wyoming mountain location for her session and the day started beautifully. “My makeup and hair were perfect, I had stunning lingerie, and nothing was going to hold me back,” she said. But nature had other plans.
“As we were driving into the mountains, it started to rain. Then came the rainbow-beautiful, right? Then the rain picked up, as did the wind, finally lightning and thunder made their appearance. . I thought Kayla was going to call it off. I thought she was going to say, nope were done, not doing this. However, she said nope, we’re going to finish this. I loved this!” This shoot wasn’t going down that easy!
Safety Note: We will never risk serious harm and Melissa’s husband was the MVP. He was keeping an eye on the storm and lightning the entire time to make sure it didn’t come too close.
And just a little behind-the-scenes truth, from a spider-monkey-in-a-tree-to-get-the-shot type of photographer: I had never really been in the mountains like that. Huge drop-offs? Thunderstorms? Slippery rocks? I was clenching (and I’ll let you guess what all was tensed 😅). But since her first session, Melissa has become a good friend, and I was so grateful she and her husband knew the area like the back of their hands. Knowing they were confident and experienced out there made all the difference! Because while I’ll do almost anything to get the shot, I also really enjoy staying alive.
Okay, back to the session!
So there we were- posing in the rain, wind whipping, nature doing it’s most… and Melissa? Thriving.
She met it with fire. She pushed past the nerves, embraced every element, and let her presence speak louder than the storm.
She told us, “I was still concerned because time had not been kind to my body. But then I remembered that all of the things I thought were flaws were the things that made me the woman I am today. I was determined to rock this session.”
And she did. Hard.
“I knew in my heart and head that I was beautiful and needed to prove to myself that I was still a strong and stunning woman.”
Then, like a damn plot twist…the moment…two men drove by.
Melissa said this, or someone she knew seeing her, was her greatest fear.
“They slowed down and the passenger about fell out of the window turning around to see what was happening.“
Her reaction? “I was mortified and proud at the same time.”
Thankfully, we came prepared. To keep her warm, add some drama, and give her just a touch of mystery in the wild, we’d packed our couture robes and let’s just say, they delivered.
With the fear becoming reality, we could visibly see her let go of it! Any hesitation melted away. Melissa was locked in, fearless and fully in her element. Now, when we talk about that moment, we both can’t help but giggle. She was out there giving “editorial queen in a thunderstorm” while casually surviving a real-life nightmare-turned-power-move.
“I felt like the most beautiful woman on the planet.”
Walking away from her session, Melissa was just glowing! “I felt empowered and like I could conquer anything.”
But the real test? Seeing the photos. She let us know, “I was scared.”
And then she looked…“I thought I’d notice every flaw. But when I looked, I didn’t see flaws. I saw a woman giving her all, not afraid of judgment. It was very liberating.”
Now, when she looks in the mirror, she sees the real story. “Instead of flaws, I see battle scars and imperfections that have made me who I am. I’m damn proud of that woman. I’m a beautiful warrior who’s been through tough times but came out stronger-and more in love with herself than ever before.”
“Screw society. Believe in yourself.”
We asked if she gifted any of her images and his reaction? He loved it! “He said I was stunning in both sweatpants and lingerie, with or without makeup. His comment made me feel like a queen.”
Now, when she looks through her photos, it’s not just pride—it’s joy.
“Whenever I’m feeling bad about myself, I pull out my boudoir book and look at the images reminding myself what courage it took for me to take photos in lingerie, out in public, where anyone could drive by, and see me, judge me, etc. The best part is I just laugh to myself and say, “Yes, Queen, you did this and knocked it out of the park!””
Her advice to women still waiting on the “right time”?
“My advice to any woman hesitant about doing a boudoir shoot with Kayla is just do it. I know you’re afraid that your body isn’t perfect, you have grey hair, too many wrinkles, your butt isn’t perfect, you’re too fat, etc. What you need to realize is that we are way harder on ourselves than other people are on us. Other’s tell us we’re beautiful or stunning, etc. But, we refuse to believe them always having self doubt, nitpicking everything we see in the mirror. We, as women, need to stop putting so much pressure on ourselves to fit society’s image of beauty. Screw society, believe in yourself and not the airbrushed image you see in magazines.
Kayla will show you exactly the beauty that other’s see in you, and you need to see in yourself. She is an amazing photographer and friend who makes sure everything is done to perfection!! One couldn’t ask for a better photographer, friend, or cheerleader. She is all this and more wrapped up in one package.”
Melissa, you didn’t just show up. You owned every single second.
Storms, stares, fears and all, you climbed that mountain, as you are, and reminded us all what a real queen looks like. We’ll be counting the days until we can help you celebrate your 60s too!
Ready to stop waiting and start celebrating?
The only “right time” is when you decide you’re done playing small.
