Category Archives: Boudoir

The Perfect Accessory…

Coco Chanel and Jackie Kennedy (two brilliant icons of style) know that a classic accessory can be paired with anything – or nothing! – and never goes out of style…

“A woman needs ropes and ropes of pearls.” -Coco Chanel

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Spotlight on: Laura Corn & Valentine’s Giveaways

My five-year blog anniversary is today, and we’re celebrating with playful pics, saucy tips, and hot giveaways! Just in time for Valentine’s Day…

I recently had the total pleasure of doing a photo shoot for Laura Corn, sex expert, radio personality and author of nine best-selling books on sex, love and intimacy. We were shooting for her latest venture, her new mobile app, 101 Nights – launching soon. I took this opportunity to interview her on her books, her best tips for feeling & getting sexy, and how she got interested in writing about sex in the first place…

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What do you do?
I’m an author of nine best-selling books, and I help couples achieve deeper intimacy through the use of what I call ‘Secret Sealed Seductions.’ My book 101 Nights of Great Sex is loved by over one million couples around the world! I get tickled when I think about Gwenyth Paltrow and Britney Spears being fans.

What made you write your first book on sex?
I was lousy in bed. I wrote my first sex book because I hated sex. I couldn’t have an orgasm with a man! I couldn’t afford therapy so I went to the library & read (and studied) every sex book on the shelves for two years. I taught myself how to orgasm in the library (well maybe not right in the library) and then said, ‘Wow! I know a lot of stuff. I think I’ll write a book.’christa_meola_photographer_new_york_boudoir_nude_33christa_meola_photographer_new_york_nude_boudoir_0011

What’s the central idea of your book, 101 Nights of Great Sex, and how is it different?
My books are unique because they are not books you read, they are books you do. There are 101 Secret Sealed Seductions in the book. Every page is sealed! There are 50 Secret Seductions written for his eyes only and 50 Secret Seductions written for her eyes only. There is also one very special seduction shared by both partners.

Here’s how you play:

Once a week, (or whenever you want to add a little spice to your relationship) you and your lover each pick a sealed page and tear it from the book. There’s no turning back now – and no peeking at your partner’s seduction.  Just follow your secret instructions, and sometime during the week you’ll each be getting an erotic surprise. Talk about anticipation – you’ll both be on the edge of your seats.

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Tell us a favorite inspirational story of someone who’s been helped using your book’s philosophy.
101 Nights of Great Sex has saved a lot of marriages. Its best stated by New York Times best-selling author Dr. Lisaa Rankin, “As an OB/GYN and blogger, 101 Nights is one of my most frequently recommended books. I prescribe it to patients suffering from decreased libido, recommend it to mentoring clients seeking more pleasure, and blog about it as a way to explore the true desires of your authentic self. Plus, (don’t tell my mother!) my own copy of 101 Nights is well loved, tattered, and torn up. My husband thanks you!”

Has anything changed over the years in regards to what people struggle with sex-wise?
For the most part, a low sex drive is really a low desire for the same old thing. Aside from any medical issues someone might have, the sense of excitement, surprise, and butterflies comes from trying new things. There have been so many surveys done on what keeps a long-term relationship exciting, and scientists have discovered that exploration and surprise thrill our sexuality.

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You also have a new app now too right?
Yes, in addition to my books, I’m proud to say that 101 Nights the App is about to be released. This is a mobile App on Apple and Android, which will put the power of my book in the pockets of millions, through their phones.

What inspired you to create the 101 Nights app?
Your beautiful photography, Christa Meola! So seductive! I thought, ‘Damn I need to create a mobile app with your images and my seductions.’ Haha! Which we did! Yay.

Plus, as the world around me grew in technology, it seemed only natural that the ideas and techniques in my book would be a perfect fit for a mobile app. I had map apps on my phone, weather apps on my phone… why not my seduction app? 101 Nights is the world’s most seductive app for couples.

Tap. Tease. Seduce.

It’s a full seduction toolkit, that fits discreetly in the palm of your hand.

It’s really an exciting product.

Thank you Christa!

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What’re your best tips on re-igniting romance with a long-time partner?
Someone has to make a change. When romance and sex stop, its usually because both partners stop nurturing the relationship. Someone has to step up to the plate and get the playdates rolling. That’s why my interactive books are so helpful

How can you best treat your partner to a sexy evening?
Plan it, be intentional, and by all means, build up anticipation. Tell your partner, early in the week that you have a planned a sexy surprise for the two of you for Saturday Night. Keep your sweetie in the dark. Don’t give too much away but drop hints all week long. Every hint allows your partner to relax, and feel special. Your partner will enjoy allowing someone else doing all the work, and feeling truly treasured. Rarely do we get fun sexy surprises as adults.

What is the most essential thing to feeling sexy on the inside?
Believe in yourself. And by all means don’t lose your sense of humor. Laughing and being joyful is sexy at it’s best.

What’s your favorite trick to feel sexy fast?
I put on red lipstick & sky-high heels!

What’s your #1 tip for fellow entrepreneurs who want to write a book?
You have to be passionate about your subject. Passion will carry you far. A book takes a long time to write and even a longer time to publish and market. So if you don’t have passion you won’t go the distance.

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Thank you Laura! And even more gratitude for gifting us with these hot giveaways!

—-VALENTINE’S GIVEAWAYS—-

Giveaway No. 1
A dozen copies of Laura’s best-selling book, 101 Nights of Great Sex

I have a dozen copies of Laura Corn’s best-selling book 101 Nights of Great Sex! Who wants one? Follow me on Instagram or Facebook, Comment, and Tag a friend to enter. Winners will be chosen at random on Vday, and you can comment as many times as you want with a different friend tagged in each comment. You and your friend tagged will both win a signed copy!

“This is not just another sex book. 101 Nights of Grrreat Sex uses ‘secret sealed seductions’ with special instructions for a love task or favor that each partner tears out and completes for one another. Sounds simple but the anticipation and mystery makes even the smallest gestures pretty thrilling.” – Gwenyth Paltrow

Giveaway No. 2
His & Her’s Seductions

If you’re short on time, but still want to give big-time thrills on Vday, we’ve got you covered.
This Rated R giveaway is available for you to instantly download now at the links below.

Warning: Wildly adult content.
For HIS eyes only: Honeylingus & For HER eyes only: The Velvet Tonguechrista_meola_Laura_corn_101_sexy_nights

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Lots of love,

Christa

Morning Light

There’s nothing like beautiful morning light streaming in through the windows…

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This little series was shot for Laura Corn, sex expert, radio personality, and author of nine bestselling books for her exciting new mobile app. We’ll post details on the blog when it launches.

Plenty more sensual moments from this photo shoot coming up!

Lots of love,

Christa

Morning Coffee

Morning is my favorite part of the day. Add coffee, and I’m in total bliss.

Miss R, a beautiful redhead, was the perfect subject for this Morning Coffee inspiration.

Recommended playlist “Coffee in Bed” by Squeeze.

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Here’s to lazy mornings with coffee in bed!

xoxo Christa

Valentine’s Day Boudoir Shoots!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND
NYC 

Your Boudoir Shoot is more than a photography session — it’s transformation and a full-tilt celebration of confidence, silliness, and everything that makes you feel gorgeous  — complete with professional makeup & hair styling, skillful art direction, music, laughter, revelry and sexiness at every turn…

Most of my clients are not models. They’re soccer moms, CEOs, curvy gals, cancer survivors…women who’ve “always wanted to” but thought they “never could.”
Even if you think you’re not photogenic, need to lose a few pounds, are nervous, and you live in a pair of sweatpants — we will uncover your inner vixen and you’ll absolutely love your photographs!

Valentine’s Boudoir Shoots!
NYC 

Saturday, February 2nd, 8am – 3pm
Only 7 spots available! 

Pre-session one-on-one consultation
One hour photography session with Christa
Professional Make-up and Hair Styling
Three wardrobe changes
Full artistic enhancements and retouching
Photo Album for his mobile device
CD of 15 of your favorite pictures!

Time slots are filled on a first come, first served basis. 

We’ll do your shoot on Saturday Feb 2nd, peek at your shiny new photographs during happy hour on Wednesday or Thursday, and you’ll unwrap your immortalized sexiness very soon after that… in plenty of time for Valentine’s Day!

Want a custom gift he’ll never expect?
You got it.

Want a jolt of irrepressible confidence and a lightning bolt of sensual prowess that will blow your hubby away or make your ex drool?
Done.

Want a series of photos you’ll happily show off — on your website, book jacket, facebook, or in that forthcoming Vogue profile?
Let’s do it.

Each shoot is a celebratory custom-designed experience, with memories that will last you a lifetime.
And the photos will last even longer.

Because honestly, many years from now, don’t you want your granddaughter to see what a hot mama you were back in the day?

(I figured.)

Reserve your spot now. Only 7 spots available.
Time slots filled on a first come, first served basis.

Or contact me to find out more…

I’m looking forward to your shoot!

xoxo, Christa

ps. I believe that if you’ve “always wanted to try this” — you should. And now is the time. Reserve your spot now…

Soccer Moms are Sexy! No. 2

Hope you all had a beautiful Thanksgiving. The new book is complete (wooot!), and I’m back after a blissful few weeks holiday.

To put into practice all of the tips and techniques I covered in the first eight chapters of my new book, I thought it would be fun to pull everything together in a single shoot for the last chapter, a step-by-step illustrated guide on how I went from the first conversation with my subject to the final edited photos.

Karen is a 40 year old soccer mom with two kids and is a middle school teacher. She is a typical nonmodel subject who had no experience on a professional photo shoot, was not adept at posing, and was unsure how to move in front of the camera.

She was excited to do a shoot because she thought it would be a blast to let her inner sex goddess out, put on some sexy lingerie (which she did not even own at the time), get pampered, and escape reality for a while. She had never done anything like this before and said she was definitely nervous as the shoot date approached.

Karen mentioned that although she’s playful and silly most of the time, she wanted to show that she can be sexy and provocative, too. She said she felt like she has never really “oozed sexiness” overtly, and that she’d really love to capture the serious sexpot woman she knows is in there in addition to the playful girl.

Damn! I think she nailed it, no?

I included this outtake shot in my selects because not only does she look gorgeous, but it triggers memories of a fun shoot (this was the moment after I had just teased her for gripping the couch for dear life) and shows Karen’s sense of humor about herself. Her playfulness is a key part of her personality.

Karen wanted to use these pillows as props in a shot, and the makeup artist had the cheeky suggestion of placing the “V” between her legs. Saying “yes” to suggestions from people on set fosters the collaborative effort and invariably brings about something unexpected and awesome.

Writing The Art of Boudoir was an incredible journey – thank you for taking the ride with me!

Let’s end with a quote from Karen…

“I think strength in all forms is sexy. It helps us endure and carry on. A strong, confident woman is beautiful.”

Well said. What a perfect ending for the book- may it bring beauty and confidence your way.

Have a beautiful week!

xoxo Christa

ps. For those who have asked – YES! you can have the book delivered by Christmas! Make sure to choose the appropriate shipping method, and order now here.

Chic Brunette, No. 2

Picking up where we left off with Racy Blonde & Chic Brunette, No. 1

Mrs. C ditched the blonde wig and we rocked out the rest of her session together as brunettes. If you take a peek at the previous post mentioned above, you’ll see the same sets – the patterned couch, the bed, the balcony – but all with a different look, in terms of styling, pose, mood, and post. No matter what location I’m shooting in, I hustle my butt off to create variety and tell an interesting story.


That last shot is one of my favs- such a fun and sexy session!

Do you have any Q’s or tips on how to create variety? Share them in the comments! I enjoy hearing from you.

Thank you as always for stopping by and contributing!

Lots of love,

Christa

ps. want to see the inspiration for two of the above shots? Follow me on pinterest, check out my boards, and see if you can spot the shots.

Racy Blonde & Chic Brunette

On a recent client shoot, this gorgeous 40 yr old mom and I had a blast in New Orleans! This woman loves wigs and enjoys rocking the blonde as much as the brunette.

The pic above celebrates the naked and energetic vibe of New Orleans, with the Jazz image in the background and the subject’s blurred movement – standard mood for the French Quarter 🙂

For this first set, we were inspired by the 70’s and Michelle Pfieffer’s blonde/gold look in Scarface.


And then, she went brunette!

Classic, chic, and sexy brunette.

Adorned with Chanel, Christian Louboutin, and Agent Provocateur…

I highly recommend wigs as an easy, sexy and fun way to create variety in a session – and in your daily life!

Why decide if blondes or brunettes have more fun?…

Choose both!

Love,

Christa

Alison, No. 2

Hello and Happy Monday! It’s so great to be back to regular blogging – I’ve missed you guys! As you may know, I recently got a new book deal and have been working hard cranking out brand-new & seriously juicy training to make the Sept. 1st deadline. Tons of shoots are being lined up, my office walls are becoming plastered with a collage of book material, and I’m psyched to dive even deeper into how to photograph women. 

I’ll be sharing bits of this book writing journey with you, as well as posting pics from recent shoots – such as the beautiful and elegant Alison. We had a phenomenal shoot together and did such a wide variety of set-ups. If you missed Alison, No. 1 – you’ve got to check that out for some gorgeous nudes, booty shots, and lingerie focused boudoir.

For this set, we wanted to create slightly androgynous portraits with a fashion feel. Elegant yet strong. Beautiful and fun…


I challenged Alison to push way outside her comfort zone (can you believe she is actually quite shy?), and jump out into this luxury hotel hallway wearing nothing but a necklace, Jimmy Choos and a smile for this set of sepia-toned nudes…




Saucy, no?

Alison’s shoot was such tremendous fun and a transformation for both of us. I’m so honored that she trusted me to guide her in this amazing & sensual journey.

And for those who’ve asked: oh heck yeah! I’m super excited about the new book and will fill you in on the details as we get a bit further along.

In the meantime, feel free to send me good writing juju, and I’ll be seeing you here on the blog…

xoxo, 

Christa

Alison, No. 1

I LOVE transformation! It’s such an integral part of what I do, and Alison’s shoot experience is a sublime example of that. Alison is a self-proclaimed tech geek, shy, modest, and feeling “caught in a girlish disposition and figure.” She wanted to call out the WOMAN inside – bold, sexy, and daring – with a dash of quirky throw in. 

We had a few planning consultations before the shoot and came up with a handful of hot, fun, daring and creative scenarios. Alison was super nervous before her shoot, but knew she wanted to go outside her comfort zone, so she committed fully. I was blown away by how much beauty and strength she brought in front of my camera.






I think this one is my fav. Sublime.


More pics from Alison’s session will be posted in a series over the next several days – they are all so unique and some of my favs to date!

lots of love and inspiration,

Christa

ps. I’m off to host my Fine Art Boudoir Retreat in Paris in a couple days, so stay tuned for all that beautifulness coming soon!

The creativeLIVE gals!

It’s been a whirlwind since my creativeLIVE workshop in February. So many exciting projects happening currently, but I want to share a few pics from the fabulous boudoir party I had with Kenna and Celeste of creativeLIVE!

We had such a phenomenal time – four girls (the cL girls, my make-up artist Rachel, and me) and one awesome guy – my assistant Mr. John Cornicello (love him!). Champagne was poured, heels were kicked up and gorgeous pics were captured!

Celeste is a powerhouse Producer with a super fun spirit. Her shoot was all about her spunky personality, those gorgeous curves, and her love of dancing, vintage clothes and shoes!

Here’s what Celeste wrote to me after seeing her pics…

I LOVE the pics! I wish I would have recorded Jason when he flipped through them with me. I don’t know how to describe how I felt watching him pause and gasp at all the different pictures! I can’t thank you enough! Jason says “Thank you VERY much” too.

Next up: Kenna…

You may recognize Kenna as the on-air host of creativeLIVE. She’s one of the most beautiful individuals on the inside and out that I’ve ever met. We focused on capturing her joyful spirit, elegant beauty, love of accessories from far away places, and those gorgeous golden eyes!

Here’s what Kenna had to say about the experience:

Christa not only gave me THE most amazing gift in portraits that I will treasure for the rest of my life, but she also gave me the gift of pushing myself well beyond my comfort zone. The shoot itself was a magical experience. I was giddy but also unsure of myself. By the end of the shoot I felt amazing inside and out because I had soaked up Christa’s smile, laughter, energy, creativity, beauty and confidence. I was blown away when I saw the resulting photos. My heart leaped. I couldn’t stop grinning and saying out loud “is that really me?” YES. That is me – those are my eyes, that is my smile and that is my spirit. Thank you Christa. When can we do it again?


So I’m afraid we’re going to have to stop there and not show the rest of the shoot because of privacy 🙂

That’s part of the job as Boudoir Photographer – most of my favorite images are only seen by one woman and her man. And I kinda like that. It’s what makes my work so sacred and fulfilling.

A huge THANK YOU to Celeste and Kenna for your trust during the shoot, for your generosity in letting me share these images and for being so much fun! I had such a blast and you’re both amazing women.

And an enormous THANK YOU to all of you who tuned in to watch me shoot and teach on creativeLIVE and for the ongoing outpouring of love. I’m truly grateful.

Lots of love and inspiration,

xoxo Christa

 

A Romp Around the Vineyard

A little sunshine from Italy for a rainy day…

This is what happens when I ask a model to RUN! towards me and she’s not wearing a bra… a total outtake but it cracks me up 🙂



This is kinda what I feel like doing today…

This set is No. 11 of 12 taken during my Workshop & Retreat in Italy this last summer. I’m planning on topping it with a Fine Art Nude & Boudoir Photography Retreat in PARIS this Spring! Already halfway sold out, you can grab your spot to romp around the City of Lights with me and get the details here.

Hope to meet you soon!

xoxo Christa

ps. You don’t have to go all the way to Paris to watch me shoot and take one of my workshops… Join me next weekend, Feb 10-12, for my FREE creativeLIVE Boudoir Workshop streaming LIVE online, worldwide. We are going to heat things up in creativeLIVE’s Seattle studio, with lots of sexiness and surprises in store (hee hee – it’s all very hush hush right now 🙂 So you’ll have to enroll now & tune in to catch all the fun!