“It's Quite Amazing How A Photoshoot Really Can Change Your Life”...

Me on my bike! My boyfriend got me into years ago and now I adore it.

What is your name and age?

My name is Annie Gower and I am 32!

When did you come in for your Boudoir Shoot? What made you decide to book?

I came in September this year. I had been contemplating this for a while, sat quietly in the background on the Divine Divas VIP Group, then I saw that Divas were running a competition to win a Boudoir experience… With some friendly words and a little nudge from my husband, I entered!

Obviously, we have quite in depth phone calls with you before your experience! Do you feel that it was an important part of the photography experience? Do you feel it added to the experience?

I feel that the calls were a very important part of the experience. They allowed me to find out exactly what would happen on the day, what sort of outfits would work and they also helped calm my nerves a little. I really was crazy nervous!

I also feel that they added to the experience as I got to know the team before I came in, and they got to know me too. It really did help build that relationship between us before the day of the shoot.

Having a professional makeup artist work with you on the day, do you think this added to the experience, and what did it do for your confidence coming into the shoot ??

Yes, definitely! Especially as I am someone who rarely wears any make-up and I don't really have a clue about what I'm supposed to do with some of it! Knowing that someone with the expertise and knowledge was applying my make-up and doing my hair really did take a massive worry off of me. I walked in to the shoot so much more confident thanks to Shannon doing such an amazing job.

Tell us - what was the moment you saw your photos for the first time like?

It felt incredible, I almost felt like I had to pinch myself! I just kept thinking “that can’t really be me!”

You said that you booked this experience to help you feel sexy, did it do that?!

100% YES! I definitely feel sexier in my own skin. I have noticed that my confidence in myself has increased massively.

Why was feeling sexy important to you? Was it something you felt you had lost or something you just wanted to celebrate more?!

With my boyfriend!

Feeling sexy was important to me because its not something I ever really remember feeling; maybe I did a little bit when I was younger. I wanted to see myself the way that my husband sees me. He said such lovely things to me and I would just always shrug it off as a "you have to say that, you’re my husband."

Confidence is a big thing - in fact it is everything. How has this boudoir experience elevated who you are in different areas of your life - for example has this confidence affected your relationship or your career?

The boudoir experience has massively elevated my confidence! For an example, my go-to clothes are jeans and a jumper. During the phone calls I was given a challenge to buy an outfit that I wouldn't usually wear, which I did. It sat in the wardrobe for a while until my step-dad's birthday (which was after my shoot). And, guess what! I managed to leave the house wearing this outfit! Before my Divas experience, I would always get massive anxiety when trying to wear something new. I would leave the house, feel awful, and then change back to jeans and a jumper, which always made me feel so deflated; it made me feel like I wasn’t being myself. But not this time. I had none of that. This time I left the house feeling happy and good about myself.

If this experience helped you find part of you that you believe you had lost or maybe felt you had to hide away, which part of you do you believe you have been able to rediscover because of your boudoir experience with us?

It has made me rediscover a sexier me, in normal day to day life and in the bedroom!

What stood out for you about this experience?

The professionalism of the whole team stood out hugely. It made the experience less nerve-wrecking and so much fun.

How do you feel every time you look at your artwork now?

I feel fantastic when looking at myself in my artwork! It gives me a lot of motivation and a positive start for the day ahead.

So many people have said that this is the best money that they have ever spent on themselves - we know we are not cheap, but some times we just need to know that we are worth spoiling outs selves - do you believe that what you received was valuable and thinking about it now and all that this will give you for so many years - do you believe that this was money well spent?

I definitely believe it was money well spent. I have never really spent money on myself and, when I do, I always feel guilty. I berate myself thinking ‘that could have been spent on this or that”, but I feel no guilt whatsoever about this purchase! I love it!

What would you say to anyone considering a Divine Divas experience? Especially to anyone who is struggling with nerves…

If anyone here was like me, just sitting in the background hoping to pluck up the courage, you need to just go for it. I'd struggle with leaving the house somedays. As I mentioned, I was always getting anxiety; feeling like I needed to get changed and just, really, not liking myself at all. My husband always tried to support me and was so understanding but I couldn’t see it. My album turned up yesterday and the photos are just as fantastic as I remember them.

Everyone at Divine Divas was amazing. Thank you all so much for helping me get that confidence to be able to walk out the door without feeling panic and fear. This experience really has boosted me, it's quite amazing how a photoshoot really can change your life.