I remember the first time my best friend and I decided to hire a photographer, book a hotel room and do a lingerie shoot together. It was one of those things we’d been talking about for a while but hadn’t quite plucked up the courage to actually organise, and I can’t tell you how happy I am that we finally decided to go for it.
I remember going through a whirlwind of emotions in the weeks leading up to it: big bouts of excitement, then came the nerves, apprehension, stress about what to wear, whether I’ll like the images or think I look silly, doubts about whether or not I’ll have the confidence to feel sexy…
What I’ve realised is that no matter how many of these shoots I seem to do, those feelings don’t really go away. I’ve just learnt to embrace them as part of the journey. That’s what doing something that’s out of your comfort zone is all about, right?
My photoshoot with Layla Kosima
I recently booked a shoot with Layla Kosima who I found on Sensuali. I was completely taken by her work when I found her. Every shoot in her portfolio has so much character, there’s a story, it’s sexy but it’s also playful, it’s art. I’ve had the idea for this photoshoot in my head for a while, and I knew that she’d be the perfect person to help bring this idea to life.
I’ve been practising pole for almost 10 years, so every single comment that you can possibly think people could make about it, they’ve made. One of the reasons I love pole so much is because it’s incredibly versatile. It can be sporty, like gymnastics on a vertical bar instead of a horizontal one, or it can be super sensual and expressive. The art of pole dance is quite often misunderstood, so I asked myself, how can I help people understand what pole dance is about visually?
I wanted to show the contrast between sensuality and playfulness, not just in pole but for all aerial sports.
The black underwear and sexy moves represent the sensual side, whereas the circus theme and bright outfits represent the playful side. Both are valid, both are an art form. Both are incredibly fun and rewarding.
There’s something incredibly magical about receiving a google drive folder link via email with the title “FINAL EDITS”. The feeling of flicking through the photos feeling accomplished, knowing that you did something for yourself and you felt sexy af doing it is unmatched.
Layla made me feel like a superstar throughout, she gave me perfect pointers that helped me with my angles and facial expressions, she was patient with me when things took a little longer to get right.
You can check out some of the photos below!
Read: Meet erotic photographer & videographer: Layla Kosima.
My tips for hiring a sensual photographer
Sensual photography isn’t quite like ordinary photography, the trust you put into that person behind the camera is on another level. If you’ve been inspired to explore it, here are my top tips for finding the perfect sensual photographer for you:
- Do your research: find a photographer who’s style and ethos suits you. By searching “photographer” on Sensuali, you’ll find some incredible people to choose from.
- Have a good chat with them first, make sure you feel comfortable communicating with them and ultimately working with them.
- Remember that the nerves are normal, and it’s definitely worth it!
- Get yourself on pinterest and make a board of poses and images you like, that way you have something to refer to during the shoot and your photographer will have a better idea of what you’re looking for.
- Enjoy it!
Read: Erotic photography modelling: a love letter to yourself.
Tara Margulies
Tara is a social media content creator who specialises in empowering women to be the best versions of themselves. She speaks about taboo topics like sex, periods, feminism and choosing to be child free over on her Instagram @movewithtara.
