Hi, I'm Joel.
Hi, I'm Joel! Your Winston Salem Boudoir Photographer. I work with my wife, Shelby, when she's not busy wrangling our 4 kids. I am geeky, awkward, and for some reason I trip on flat surfaces. When I'm not behind the camera, I am usually working at my other job, playing with my kids, or binge watching Netflix. The rest of my time is dedicated to being a Boudoir Photographer. And you may be wondering how I ended up in this career. My wife, Shelby, is the one who first got me started into photography. One anniversary we played around and shot some boudoir of each other. Although my first attempt wasn't very good, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed photographing her in that way.
First attempt at Boudoir in 2017
I kept practicing on Shelby, and started to figure out how to really work the camera and get great photos. She showed her best friend, who really liked them and wanted me to do a session for her. It was during that shoot that I got addicted. When I showed her the back of the camera and she made a comment that she didn't realize that she looked that good, it made my heart sing. I became addicted to the way my photography made women feel about themselves. I decided this is what I wanted to do with my life.
Boudoir Practice with Shelby - The Early Days
Shelby was on board, and said she would even help with the behind the scenes stuff as long as I kept her away from the people part of the business haha. That didn't last long! We made a Facebook and Instagram page dedicated to boudoir, and decided to do free sessions for people until we were comfortable with charging. I had a lot to learn and I wanted to make sure I was in this for the long run. The more sessions I did, the more sure I was that this was what I wanted to do with my life.
Free sessions for practice.
Our name started to get out there, and in 2020 we finally decided it was time to start charging. We got our first paying client (who has turned into a life long friend!) and from there we got busy. It hasn't always been easy, juggling the business, a full time job, 4 kids and life in general. But we kept pushing. Shelby slowly started becoming more involved with helping me run social media and eventually managing clients. We got busier and busier, and finally, our studio dreams came true! No more shooting in our tiny bedroom!
Last Bedroom Session
Moving to our studio was a game changer. Although we were able to make magic in our room, we were also very limited with space and light. With the studio, we finally had the space to really push ourselves creatively, had more light, and were able to add more sets, props and lingerie. Shelby finally became comfortable enough to start second shooting with me, and together we make a power team.
2023 Sessions
Looking back on where we started is both humbling and inspiring. Shelby and I have both come so far not only with our photography, but with our own personal growth as well. We are forever grateful to the ones who helped us get started and to everyone who has trusted us over the years with such intimate moments. We can't wait to see where the next few years takes us in our Boudoir journey!
Want more info on booking your boudoir session? Fill out the form below!
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/BiondiCoBoudoir
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/biondicoboudoir
Ladies Only VIP Group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/374522123229011
