Sara and Christina taught a VERY important class in Nashville with The Boudoir Class last fall on photographing BDSM and KINK themes that went beyond just cool poses with bondage props. The workshop covered everything from consent and safety, to the emotional nuances and importance of client prep and post care in BDSM/KINK scenarios. They covered power dynamics and of course cool poses with bondage props as one would expect. I am OBSESSED with the workshop location they selected for this class! We had cages to play in, a furry red room, and a glam bedroom complete with a mirrored vanity that gave us SO MANY different looks!

Though I already felt fairly comfortable on the topic, I still had MANY takeaways! I'm excited to have more resources under my belt to better serve my clients and provide an even more safe space for exploration and discovery. I loved the tools they provided us on consent that can be applied not only in the studio during a photoshoot but also in real life relationships.

RED, YELLOW, GREEN CONSENT CHECK IN

RED - The color “red” is used to indicate that the subject is uncomfortable with the situation and wants to stop.
YELLOW - The color “yellow” is used to indicate that the subject is uncomfortable and needs to pause and reassess. Adjustments may need to be made before continuing.
GREEN - The color “green” is used to indicate that everything is going great and we can continue.

I loved having this color system reference during my next photoshoot that week with my Boudiebassador, Rachel, to periodically check in to see how she was feeling in the set with the various props. It was really helpful to make sure she was still excited about the images we were creating.

“FRIES” ACROYM FOR GIVING CONSENT

“F IS FOR FREELY GIVEN” - Consent both in and out of the studio should ALWAYS be freely given. You should never EVER feel pressured to do something that you are not comfortable doing. I pride myself on letting the client take the lead in my studio in regards to what sets or style of images we create together.
“R IS FOR REVERSIBLE” - Your consent is ALWAYS reversible. Have you ever started something new and then realized as you get going that it’s just not for you? YOU ARE ALLOWED TO CHANGE YOUR MIND WHEN IT COMES TO CONSENT. Let me say that again - “YOU ARE ALLOWED TO CHANGE YOUR MIND.” If you decide to try something in my studio - like using bondage props or going nude - you can absolutely change your mind if you decide you aren’t comfortable. This experience is about YOU. You will never hurt my feelings or disappoint me if we need to change directions. No image is worth your discomfort.
“I IS FOR INFORMED” - It is important that when you agree to do something that you understand exactly what you are agreeing to. Ask questions for clarification and be specific if there is anything you are not comfortable with.
“E IS FOR ENTHUSIASTIC” - Have you heard the saying “if its not a hell yes - it’s a no?” I think about this a lot when making decisions in general but particularly in BDSM and KINK situations.
“S IS FOR SAFETY” - This is a BIG one! When dealing with BDSM/KINK and props that may restrict mobility, it is so important to make sure safety precautions are considered.

POWER DYNAMICS

I loved the posing demo portion of the workshop centered around power dynamics. There are many “roles” within BDSM and KINK and this break down of portraying Submission vs Dominance through imagery was super enlightening. We had the opportunity to work with the models, Keira and Cordova, after the demonstration to practice both dynamics. I am so excited to have clearer communication tools during session preparation to ask discovery questions to make sure I capture the side of you that YOU want to honor. Just maybe you are a “Switch” like me who wants to explore BOTH sides of the spectrum! We can do that, too!