This past week, I was a bundle of nerves. My job is good, my relationship is good... everything was…read moregood. So why the nerves? I pride myself in being a strong, independent woman however as a larger woman I've always had body issues and this week I had decided to step out of my comfort zone and get some pictures taken to show myself that I still have some sex appeal. I live in St. Louis, so after only a 20-minute drive, I found myself sitting outside of Bellisimo Photography Studio with 3 outfits, my personal foundation, and a desire to embrace a little body confidence. You first walk into an office with beautiful pictures of women of all sizes and colors. These photos are inspirational, and I'm starting to get a little excited to pose like some of those photos. Jay is amazing! A master promoter of women, she put me at ease right away. She did my makeup, threw some curls in my hair, and then I was off to the dressing room. I will say that I brought no jewelry to this because I didn't want to detract, but I kind of wish I had brought a couple of pieces and asked Jay what she thought. Because I only had moisturizer on my face and Jay didn't know how I usually wear my makeup, I was looking forward to her view. The makeup was perfect for an evening out (or a photo shot obviously) and I got so many compliments on my hair afterward that I may start putting a few curls in it. (Those curls actually made me feel a little more (dare I say it) sexy.) The studio itself is gorgeous. The building looks very commercial, but when you walk into this studio, you "see" part of the "glorious" Opera House this building once was. There are 3 photo nooks in the room. Two contain couches and one a huge beautiful bed with satin sheets. They move things around every so often (so I was told), so you could technically go back every once in a while to get more pictures done. I showed her my outfits, and we were ready to go. The dressing room has a ton of robes that can be used. There was one that had a lot of ruffles that I really wanted to wear over a black gown that I brought, and I did. The session was easy. Jay walked you through every pose and sultry look. As the session continued, I realized that I was truly enjoying myself, was less self-concious and beautiful, and felt like I was so powerfully woman. It's hard to explain, but I felt unstoppable. After it was over, I'll admit I was sad. I was feeling so amazing. I suppose I enjoyed the pampering and assurance that I was killing it. I got dressed and went out to talk to the art director, Ashley. She was excited to see my photos and to discuss all my options and put them in my own collection book. I've since been back to order my photos. I walked in thinking...I bet we can only find one photo I approve. But while I didn't embrace all 60 photos that were taken of me. After some time, we were able to narrow it down to one of the packages they offer. They sent the prices of their packages before I went in to order (which I liked because they were very transparent (much like one of the outfits I wore. Hahaha), and while I told myself to get one specific collection, I settled on one with a few more pictures. Now let me rant a little... we all have cameras that we carry around with us. Sometimes, we manage to take a photo that is epic. Sometimes. Very seldom. Photo taking isn't easy. Especially in this field where pictures never lie. You see it all in these photos, but only a pro can create a work of art out of you, even with so many flaws screaming to be seen through the lens. Jay is that kind of pro. I will be posting some pictures of their studio nope...not of me... but when you see me next, you'll see me standing taller with an air of sensuality and power. Thanks Bellisimo!!

Today, I had the most wonderful experience of a Boudoir Photo Session! I had attended an event 2…read moremonths ago and the ladies of Bellissimo had a vendor presence to which I signed up out of curiosity. I came up with an outfit that was sexy chic, at least to me, and arrived at 4p. The ladies were ready for me upon arrival and super friendly and welcoming. This being my first time with this type of photography, they put me at ease. The studio area had about 8 or 9 stations, but tons of props and design throughout. The session included photos at all the stations which was fantastic. I try to follow directions very well and the photographer was pleasant and patient. She took alot of angles. At the end, scheduled follow-up appointment to view the results and make orders. Can't wait to see them!

Ordered on 1-9-20. Was told it would take about 3 weeks to get my sons senior year pictures. Still…read morehave not received any pictures. Left them numerous emails and voice messages. Last time I heard from them was on March 19th 2020. Said my pictures were at there Studio in Swansea Illinois. Was told by the owner he would mail out on Friday the 20th of March. Still no pictures as of yet. This is the new info I received on Sunday. Delivered 04/06/2020 - 1:45 P.M. FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, IL, US Past Event Out for Delivery 04/06/2020 - 8:37 A.M. Belleville, IL, United States Past Event Shipped 04/03/2020 - 5:15 P.M. Santa Cruz, CA, United States Past Event Label Created 04/03/2020 - 4:58 P.M. United States They never said the pictures were shipping out of California. POS Company!!!!!

don't use this photography studio. She will take your money and you will never see your pictures…read more Read the reviews before you hire her

Alecia was wonderful, and the photoshoot experience was sooooo much fun. She knew exactly how to…read moredirect the shots based on what I told her I was looking for, and I wish I could have purchased every photo! She is so accepting and open, she made the experience even more than I imagined and pushed me to see the beauty in myself. I got to also enjoy getting my makeup and hair done and felt like a MODEL all day long--the whole experience was nothing less than absolutely fabulous!

My first session with XOXO Alice was in 2018; it was purchased as a wedding gift for my husband. I…read morehad lost 100 pounds over the course of our relationship and was super nervous to have boudoir photos done because of how embarrassed I was by the loose skin that I had all over my body. I imagined options for outfits and poses would be very limited, and I would spend the whole time nervous as heck and hating myself. The super detailed instructions to prepare for the session were the first thing to set my mind at ease. I was glad to know I only had to personally bring SOME of the outfits I wanted to wear but that there was a full wardrobe of varying sizes waiting for me. I was greeted on the morning of the shoot by one of her kitty cats, which immediately made me feel more at ease. The conversation held between myself, Alecia, and the make-up artist that morning to determine the kind of photos we wanted to shoot was eye-opening and very information, though I felt like a shy newbie not having the answer on-hand when I showed up. Alecia used creative methods to get me the best shots possible and made me feel more at ease throughout the course of the day by cracking jokes to make me laugh and just have general conversation about shared interests (specifically pet birds). By the end of the day, I had come to love how my body was portrayed in a way I never knew was possible. The directions she gave throughout the shoot were kind and specific so that she got the exact bodily post and expression that she needed. My husband could not have been happier with the photos, and I will always cherish the self-esteem boost I left with. The second shoot I had was vastly different than my first. It took place in early 2022 while I was still scared witless about catching COVID-19. She had a process in place requiring each client to take a rapid test in their car prior to the session to confirm a negative result. This made me feel much safer considering she was the first person  outside my family and close friends that I would spend a day around maskless since the pandemic began.  Some relevant background information includes something that developed over the course of time since the initial photoshoot: this included the onset of chronic (nearly constant) pain in my neck, shoulders, and upper and lower back that is greatly flared by too much motion of my joints that were weakened by illness and major surgery recovery. I was nervous as all get-out to reach out to Alecia to see if I could request a session (via one of her model-calls on her Facebook page) thinking that I would be too hard to work with due to my physical limitations. Remembering how much I had to move or bend during the first session, I thought it would be impossible to have a similar experience again. My weak and painful body had driven me to hatred and depression because my body had all but given up on me. I had also put on a teensy bit of weight due to my inability to exercise. Alecia assured me that she could work with me to show me that my body wasn't to be hated and was confident that she could use feedback given by myself during the session to ensure she didn't cause an excess of pain. She ended up discussing my changing life situation while makeup and hair were being handled. Not only did she make me feel like a "normal" person regardless of my illnesses and pain, she made sure I knew that she saw me as no less of a woman or model. She did a lot of moving and shifting to accommodate my decreased abilities of motion and took my inability to stand for long periods of count all into ability when choosing the outfits and poses. We even made a sort of silly game out of taking water breaks since I am required to drink far more water than most people; she was sure to take a water break whenever I did and made sure I ate when I needed to. I was so shocked by the resulting images and felt like she helped me along the first step of accepting my new disability by taking myself for how I am and not just hating my own existence. I know this may seem like a little much to come out of a boudoir photography session, but she has a magical way of seeing everyone she photographs the way they need to be and deserve to be seen. I am already saving up for my next photo shoot! The first one was for my significant other, but all additional ones are purely for me!

Something Bleu did the photography for our son and daughter-in-law's wedding. There was a huge…read moresnowstorm that weekend and several businesses closed and roads were covered in snow. Meg was amazing! She battled the snow and captured stunning photos and cherished memories despite the challenges. We were all very impressed by her presence and involvement and best of all the photos. Simply BEAUTIFUL!

Really great service and photo! All of the pictures turned out amazing and the photographer was…read morejust incredibl! Very experienced in her field and adaptable to change and new ideas.

We found Dipro on Yelp and we liked his portfolio, so we reached out and talked to him, and…read moreultimately booked him for our wedding reception. He did a great job! He showed up on time and was helpful getting us to think about which shots we wanted to get before the craziness started. He was very responsive and his price was affordable. At the end, we wanted to get a bunch of photos with specific people, and he was a great sport when we grabbed him and asked for certain photos on the spot. We were really pleased with the shots he got and would definitely recommend him!

Dipro shot a first birthday party for us. He arrived early and was polite and professional. We…read moreneeded him to stay a little longer than we'd arranged and he was able to accommodate us. His turnaround was amazingly quick and the photos are phenomenal. We are incredibly pleased with his work and would not hesitate to hire him again.