Meet Bex Williams

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bex Williams.

Hi Bex, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I found photography after I had my first son. I was going through a difficult season in life and photography presented a huge opportunity for me and my family. I liked the idea of being creative, capturing moments in time, and earning an income without being away from my children in a 9-5 all day. To be honest, when I started I knew absolutely nothing. I hadn’t taken so much as a high school photography class, but if there is one thing I’m good at, it’s learning. The pandemic had just hit, and I poured my quarantine time into learning. I took virtual classes from Sony, Nikon, Canon, and Adobe. I devoured hundreds of hours of YouTube videos from people like Chris Bray and Peter Mckinnon.

By the time we were allowed to go outside again, I was ready to test my education. I will forever be grateful to my first handful of clients because they allowed me to experiment, learn, and sometimes fail. Each session taught me something new and I loved the process.

After my first full year, I decided it was time to take photography seriously. You can’t build a photography business to replace a legitimate income if you’re not running your business legitimately. So I continued to learn. I researched and invested in liability insurance, a tax id, a letter of good standing with the state, mentoring, and more.

At the same time that I started taking my business more seriously, I had just had my second son. Extreme weight fluctuations from pregnancy had shaken my confidence and self-esteem. I was stuck in a mental limbo of comparing my 30 years old, mother of two body to my eighteen years old, ate gummy bears dipped in frosting as a light snack body. It wasn’t fair to me. The more I got into photography, the better I was able to recognize heavy retouching and photoshop on all of the ads, commercials, and Instagram posts I saw each day. And then one day, I discovered the boudoir. But it wasn’t my kind of boudoir. It was heavily photoshopped to the point that looking at the before and after pictures, I could have sworn those were two entirely different people. And I thought, “What the hell is empowering about that?!” It lit a spark in me to try showing women that they are beautiful, sexy, and powerful in exactly the body they are already in. I experimented on a handful of women of different shapes, sizes, and ethnicities, and instantly fell in love. Boudoir is what I was meant to do with photography. I was meant to show women they don’t have to lose any weight or be photoshopped into Kylie Jenner to be sexy. I found my ‘why.’

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Nothing worth having comes easily. It’s hard to break into a market that is inundated with competition. Everywhere I turned, there seemed to be two dozen other photographers who were charging half as much as me because they were working under the table and didn’t have to account for taxes and business expenses. But if there is one thing I will always pride myself on, it’s that I am the hardest worker in the room. I’m not afraid of busting my butt or a little (let’s be real it’s A LOT) of competition. I’m more than willing to wake up earlier, work harder, and stay up later to achieve my goals. I focus on authenticity, consistency, and continually improving myself. I don’t want clients that are price shopping and simply trying to find the cheapest option available. I want clients who value the art. I want clients who value the hard work I’ve put into my skills and business. I want clients who want a high-quality, top-notch experience. Boudoir is about luxury and being treated like a queen for a day. My days of turning and burning galleries are behind me. I want to fully invest my time and heart into each client and make their experience perfect.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Boudoir is now my primary focus. I won’t say I don’t ever dabble in other forms of photography because I certainly do, but boudoir is my passion. I am known for my bright, and bold use of colors. I love showing off what makes each woman unique whether it be her stunning red hair, freckles, or head-to-toe tattoos. I love incorporating my client’s personalities into our sessions and I always encourage them to bring their own props like a guitar or favorite band tee. I am so proud of my props that include my deluxe, six-foot-long angel wings, bondage set, expansive jewelry collection, and more. Something that sets me apart is that I do not photoshop. My website declares it loud and proud, “I will not be your digital plastic surgeon.” I do light retouching of today’s issues (think bruises, acne, sunburns, a hair out of place) but I will not alter your stomach, adjust your shin, or give you a digital boob job. I want to empower you, not show how you could look if you went under the knife. I focus on flattering poses, angles, and lighting for your body type, not body modification in post-production.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something surprising about me is that I was once a sign language interpreter! I worked in education for years and then for the video relay service. I have a degree in sign language interpretation.

Pricing:

• Boudoir Session Fee: $400 includes professional hair and makeup, 90 minutes of studio time, and three outfits from my client closet that you get to keep! Digital images and products sold separately.

Contact Info:

• Email: bexwilliamsphotography@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.bexwilliamsphotography.com/
• Instagram: @bexwilliamsphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/991241981630412