Valentine's Day Contest!!!

We are excited to announce our first 

Valentine’s Day FREE Boudoir Photo Shoot Giveaway! 

The winner will receive a free photo shoot, hair & makeup, plus an album with 10 images! The contest is open to anyone who would like to enter (19 years of age and older), whether you have a special someone as your Valentine this year or if it is just for yourself!

To enter the contest: 
Please email your story of why you would love a free session along with a photo of yourself to
 pinkkiss@live.ca with the subject line 

“2013 VALENTINE’S DAY BOUDOIR CONTEST”.

If you are a finalist then your story, first name (or initial), and images that you submit will be posted on our blog. Feel free to nominate a deserving friend just please have their permission first and send us their contact info so that we can confirm.

Contest is open to all those19 years of age or older.

Photo shoot to take place at our studio and 

must be booked within 1 month of contest closing. 

We will be accepting entries until February 12th and the winner will be announced on Valentine’s Day!

PINK KISS Pin-Up May 2012

It started with a simple nomination, and our charity PINK KISS Pin-Ups was born! The idea behind PKPU is that confidence and self-esteem comes from within each and every person. But it is often masked by insecurities falsely instilled in us by society, the media and even those close to us. We are often taught that loving yourself and thinking that you are beautiful is a sign of vanity or egocentrism. To me, that could not be farther from the truth. Self-esteem and confidence gives us strength; strength to fight a battle, deal with life's stresses, and sometimes just get up in the morning and face another day.

So, our first nomination for a special lady came in. This is what was written:

"I would like to nominate Krista Taylor for reaching out to me during a very dark time (Christmas 2010) & doing something so completely selfless to surprise me just when I needed it most... She is STUNNING inside & out!!!". A month of voting came to pass and Krista was crowned our first PINK KISS Pin-Up!

Krista made the trek up to Barrie from downtown Toronto to visit us in our studio just this past Friday. She arrived excited but a little bit nervous. Off came her street clothes and on went her boudoir clothes and the off the shutter went. We spent over an hour together laughing and sharing life events. Our session finished up and Krista was on her way.

The next few days were filled with messages going back and forth. Mine to her filled with pics from our session. Hers to me with messages like this:

"I knew I was going to have fun but I didn't know I would find a new friend in someone I was friends with so long ago. AND I definitely didn't expect her to turn me back into the strongest version of myself with a camera and a set of pearls!! Thank you both for making today happen for me!!! xoxo"

Krista has been kind enough to share some of the pics from her session with all of us, and one last message

"Not in a million years would I have signed up to do this and now I want every woman I know to have the experience!! I am SHOCKED that I LOVED the whole experience!! I was willing to promote you because I had so much fun feeling like a model during the shoot ... it never even occurred to me that I would love any pics of me just as am right now! You Rock Sista and I'll tell everyone I know!!"

Do you have goosebumps?

Stay tuned for more pics from our June PINK KISS Pin-Up session.  And don't forget this to share this opportunity with any woman that you feel would love the opportunity to feel great about herself!

Keep that Bucket Full!

I was shooting at one of our PINK KISS parties and had called the next girl to tell her that it was her turn in front of the cam. Now, to be honest, I am really used to ladies being about as nervous as if they were about to have a root canal, but this particular lady was not nervous. She was PUMPED!!! The first thing she said to me was that she was really excited about her makeup. As a self-described tomboy, she had gone out and had her make-up expertly done and was accessorised with frilly panties and a beautiful smile. She told me about how she was really looking forward to this experience, with the pictures only being a by-product. She went on to tell me about her struggle with post-partum and her disappointment when she looked in the mirror. She spoke about not wanting to have her picture taken with her beautiful little girls, about frustration at being at her personal heaviest ever and her worry about others judging her. Her eyes welled with tears....and we nipped that in the bud before we went and wrecked that professional make-up job!

Away we went posing, snapping pics and laughing the time away. Forgotten for a few minutes was the judgements and worries. Instead the room was filled with sexiness and relaxation of being able to release the beautiful woman who is locked away in most of us.

We finished our session with lots of hugs and excitement.

The next day I received an email from her:

"I just wanted to shoot you a wee line to tell you thank you...i left [the party] feeling better about myself than I have in a very long time...I think when we chatted, I told you about my bout of postpartum after [her baby] was born...when you feel gross and fat and just so not yourself, it's a huge downer...thank you for making me feel beautiful and sexy again XO you have no idea how grateful I am XO"
So, do you have goose bumps? It's incredible how so many of us feel the same about ourselves, but feel alone and un supported. I worked really hard on getting her pictures to her as soon as I could..... This is an excerpt from an email I received today:

"enjoy your day, my beautiful friend...and thank you again for making me realize that I AM beautiful XO"

And that, as they say, is what it's all about! Having the opportunity to have a bit of a crush on yourself! Don't look at yourself for all of the things that you want to change. Look in the mirror and really SEE all of the things that make you beautiful and say "DAMN!!!! I ROCK!!!!"

Happy Canada Day everyone! Have fun and be safe.

Those who can do. Those who can't judge.

Tap, tap, tap....Is this thing on?
I'm up on my soapbox today because I've got a bit of a burr under my skin.
The burr is the sad fact of how judgemental people are.  My personal focus is always to accept a person's opinions and actions, regardless of how much they may differ from my own.  It takes many different types of people to make the world go round.  Think of how boring it would be if we were all the same!
Although, I do wish more people shared that single opinion.
I have always attracted a lot of judgement.  I'm not sure why, but many people feel very comfortable with evaluating and critiquing me.  Many times these opinions are voiced directly at me, which always makes me shake my head and say "huh?!" Sometimes the worst part is that these conversations leave me in the lurch deciding whether I should apologise or say thank you (please note my sense of humour and class in my standard decision).
Since the beginning of PINK KISS, I have faced much criticism.  I have had friends stop talking to me and delete me as a friend on facebook.  I face sneers and constant judgement, usually from neighbours and others who I used to be close to.  To be honest, it really doesn't bother me.  I feel that anyone who is my true friend and understood about the real purpose of wanting to provide this service to other people would accept both PINK KISS and me.  Even my own mother and father embrace this venture, understanding how much it fills my "bucket" and the boosts the self-esteem and confidence of my clients.

I do, however, draw the line at the criticism of my clients from those around them.  Our society, and women in particular, face judgement everywhere: in viewing media, in the workplace, in social situations and from ourselves.  To make matters worse, if we do begin to feel positive about ourselves and work on our "confidence-fitness", critique comes much easier for people. 
I don't accept this.  Don't judge these people. 
Each and everyone has been tentative about booking the appointment, freaked out over how to prepare for the session, and  have been nervous as hell before stepping in front of my camera.  They have waited full of anxiety to see their images and once they have, they searched for every possible flaw to find reason to not love the images.
But THEY have done it!!!!!  THEY have had the strength and courage to do it!!!!  THEY have reason to be proud and want to share the results with everyone!!!!
If someone you know feels good enough to want to share their PINK KISS pics with all of us don't judge them.
Instead, give these people some props, a pat on the back or maybe even a compliment.

A Big Announcement!!!

As you may already know, PINK KISS is really about encouraging women's confidence and self-esteem.  From start to finish, an experience with us is all things fun. Whether we are joking around about bedroom antics that may, or may not, happen in all of our bedrooms or trying our hardest not make our clients laugh in the middle of a "sexy vixen" pose, there really is just a good feeling that comes from a PINK KISS evening. 

No tension.  All fun!

This positive feeling continues after the party too.  So many of our clients go on to send us emails about how happy they are that they "took the plunge" and had their pics done. 
Feeling beautiful is not about vanity.  It's about us women in this crazy society allowing ourselves to love and accept ourselves.  If you have peeked at our pics, the sexy poses are really just the surface.  The spirit of our PINK KISS ladies shines through in each portrait.  It is my goal to help women everywhere to accept and love themselves.  I truly feel that sometimes having that little boost of feeling good about yourself can help you get through hardship and struggles.

With that said, I would like to announce our new monthly give-a-way:
 The PINK KISS Pin-Up!!!!

Throughout the month of May,and each month afterwards, we will be asking for nominations of a lady who you think could really benefit from time with us.  Tell us the reasons that makes this lady so special to you and why you think she would benefit from this experience.  Post your nominations on our charity page on facebook https://www.facebook.com/PinkKissPinUp and encourage others to do the same. 
Our PINK KISS Pin-Up of the month will be decided by the number of "likes" under their story at midnight on the last day of the month.
The special lady will receive a full boudoir photography session with us, including full professionally done hair and make up.....all for free.
Pretty exciting, isn't it?!?!?!
So get nominating! (Or get yourself nominated!!!) Let's all fill up our "buckets" and pay it forward. 

Beautiful People

So, let me tell you a little about me.

On the surface I have probably come across as a very confident person.  I have a distinct style, wacky sense of humour and a really firm stance on things that I like and those that I don't.  I am not shy.  I can walk up to anyone and start a conversation.  Oh, and I'm usually dressed in some crazy stilettos!
All of elements of a confident woman, right?
Well, maybe.
On the other hand, until recently I have never really actually FELT confident. Without actually FEELING confident on the inside, I was left instead feeling really insecure.  Maybe the reason that I have some of my other overt attributes that I have was to protect my poor insecure self.  If I appeared confident the judging and rudeness from others wouldn't hurt.
But, as I approach my 40's, I didn't want to feel like this anymore.  So that got me thinking about why I didn't feel good about myself on the inside.  The answer: because I was leaving my opinion of myself and my opportunity for confidence in the hands of others....
...and there always will be people who try to bring you down and leave your confidence in ruins. 

Want to know a secret? 
There is not a single person in the whole entire world that owns that right.  It is with your gifting to them that they acquire the opportunity to play with your confidence.
Once I realised this secret, my level of confidence changed. 
People may continue to judge me, but I don't really give a flying hoot!
My liking myself and confidence is like fitness, something that doesn't just happen.  I have to stay dedicated and work on it everyday.  But, also like fitness, the results are worth it every minute of everyday!

As the lyrics in our website song state "Don't let them bring you down.  Your beauty is inside of you."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2oRqyn7ToQ

Pay it Forward

Recently, I had the opportunity to reach out to a very special lady that I met way back in my high school days. 
Here is a message that I received from her, after I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph her:

After 15 + years of bad relationship choices my self esteem lay in ruins. Add to that the death of my beautiful baby boy... I didn't feel I had much "beauty" staring me back in the mirror... And while I still have some work to do on rebuilding my self esteem, my Pink Kiss session had me saying "is that really me"? I have never EVER felt more beautiful!! EVERY woman should do this for herself!! I know many woman do these photos for their spouses... But truly you need to consider the value this experience can bring to you as a woman... Putting it as Pink Kiss founder & owner does "Seeing yourself not for what you want to change but only for how beautiful you are"

"Pay it forward" is so much a part of PINK KISS.  It is my absolute pleasure to help women see themselves for the beautiful people that they truly are.  I love nothing more than to capture the spirit in the eyes of my clients, and to give these ladies photographs that can look at each morning and think "Wow, I really truly rock!!!!" as they start their day!