I know, it sounds like the beginning of a wild story.
But for me, it’s just another Tuesday.
My job is literally seeing women at their most vulnerable — sometimes in lingerie, sometimes in nothing at all. I’ve seen goosebumps, shaky hands, nervous laughter, and the deep breath that comes right before they let themselves be seen.
And in all those moments, I’ve learned something no magazine, beauty trend, or influencer could ever teach me:
We are all so much more alike than we think.
The First Ten Minutes Tell Me Everything
It doesn’t matter if a woman is a CEO, a stay-at-home mom, a bride-to-be, or retired — the first few minutes in my studio are almost always the same.
Her hands hover over her stomach.
Her eyes dart to the mirror, checking angles.
She cracks a joke to hide the nerves.
And then comes the list — sometimes out loud, sometimes just written all over her body language:
“I wish I could lose ten pounds.”
“I’m not sexy.”
“I hope you can hide my arms.”
Different women. Same story.
The World Trains Us to Compete — But We’re Playing the Same Game
It’s wild to me how many of these insecurities are planted, not chosen.
From the time we’re little girls, we’re told to be smaller, softer, prettier… but not too much of any of those things.
And somewhere in there, we learn to compare.
Her body. Her hair. Her skin. Her smile.
Like someone else’s beauty somehow cancels out our own.
But standing here, camera in hand, I see the truth:
We’ve all been fed the same lies — just in different packaging.
What This Has Taught Me
Photographing so many women has changed me in ways I didn’t expect.
It’s made me softer as a mom — I think about the things I say in front of my kids and how they’ll shape the way they see themselves.
It’s made me more fearless as a photographer — I don’t chase “perfect,” I chase real.
It’s made me more human — I’ve had to look at my own insecurities and ask where they came from, and if they even belong to me.
And the truth?
A lot of them didn’t.
They belonged to a world that profits off women feeling “not enough.”
The Moment That Changes Everything
There’s a moment in almost every session where she forgets to hide.
It might be a laugh that makes her throw her head back, or a glance at the mirror where she finally sees what I see.
That’s the good stuff.
That’s the real reason I do this.
Because in that moment, she stops comparing herself to every other woman.
She’s just… her.
And it’s magnetic.
Here’s My Challenge to You
If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll book “someday” — when you lose the weight, when you feel sexier, when you’re more confident — I want you to ask yourself this:
Whose rules are you following?
And what would happen if you broke them?
Because the women I’ve photographed?
They didn’t wait until they were “ready.”
They just showed up… and left changed.
Your Bonus Challenge — Start Living It Now
I don’t want you to just read this and move on with your day — I want you to start living like the main character now.
Compliment another woman today. Mean it. Watch how it feels to lift someone up instead of comparing yourself to her.
Wear the outfit you’ve been avoiding. You know the one — the dress that makes you feel like a million bucks but you worry people will judge. Wear it anyway.
Do one thing this week purely for you. Not for your kids, not for your partner, not for work — just because it makes you feel good.
These little acts are where the shift begins.
And when you’re ready to take it all the way?
That’s where I come in.
[Click here to book your boudoir session] — your story deserves to be seen.
XO,
Cam Bryant - Bella Dea Boudoir