BABE #16: LINDSAY PULLEN, <BR>Owner @ Bad Girl Boudoir
Chelsea DuDeVoire
Warning: Semi-graphic/risqué photography. (#NSFW, if you will.)
Lindsay was one of the first babes to reach out to me after the launching of BWH when she saw the post about my roommate, Brittany, who she happened to know from college. The two of them photographed a few weddings together over the years as well. After chatting with Lindsay about her hustle, I fell absolutely in love with her story. Anyone who starts a business from scratch, as a happy accident, and by a leap of faith - is someone I want to get to know and learn from. I'm SO excited to feature a Boudoir photographer on Babes Who Hustle, and Lindsay is the perfect gal for the job. Her killer journey is what BWH is all about!
The Basics:
Hometown: Middleburg, FL Current location: Saint Augustine, FL Alma mater: University of North Florida Degree: BFA in Graphic Design Job: Owner, Bad Girl Boudoir
The Interests:
Babe you admire and why? All of my brave clients who find the courage to put aside their inhibitions and give boudoir photoshoots a try!
How do you spend your free time? Relaxing by the pool, taking naps with my pugs and binging on crime shows.
Go-to coffee order? Starbucks Mocha Light Frappuccino. I add whipped cream if I'm feeling naughty.
Favorite app? I recently jumped on the Snapchat bandwagon. Can't get enough of the ridiculous filters and face swapping!
Go-to adult beverage? I'm a Chardonnay kinda gal.
The Hustle:
Tell us about your hustle: I'm the owner of Bad Girl Boudoir, a photography studio in St. Augustine, Florida. As of 2016, we have photographed well over 700+ clients from around the world. We're best known for our before-and-after boudoir makeovers, as well as our posing and facial expression coaching.
I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit, so in 2015, I started a second business venture: a live photo entertainment company called SmileFish Photo Booth. We offer professional-quality photo booths and digital caricature portraits at weddings and events.
Where did you get your start in Boudoir? It kind of fell into my lap by accident. Back in 2010, a friend of mine asked me to take some sexy photos for her, to give to her new beau. I had never even heard of Boudoir back then; I mostly shot small weddings and family photos, but I knew I loved people and portraiture so I agreed to give it a shot! I pinned some black sheets on the walls of my apartment living room, found some old garage work lights, and took my first ever 'boudoir' shots. It was so much fun, and the photos didn't turn out half bad! After that, I was asked to photograph her friends, and then their friends, and it quickly snowballed. I began making more money there than at my day job, so six months later I decided to pursue it full-time. Fast forward six years, and I have a large commercial studio space, a fellow photographer, and two makeup artists working for me!
Previous work experience? I studied Graphic Design in college, and my previous work experience lies in advertising agencies and larger corporate companies. Having a background in design has been a huge advantage for me as a photographer. I still use my skills and knowledge in everything from website design and upkeep, to my client's album designs and photo retouching.
What's the most important lesson your job has taught you? Patience. Creating this type of photography with women that are complete strangers requires a certain level of patience and skill.
Hardest part about your job? Even though I love the freedom and flexibility, it does come with a price — a LOT of work. I’m my own boss; I'm it. If I don’t make it happen, there is no one else to do it, and I get back what I put in. So the hardest part of my job would in fact be the hustle - having to juggle all the parts and pieces that make it successful.
What's it like being a woman in your industry? It gives me an advantage. The majority of my clients feel immediately more comfortable because I'm also a woman!
Any funny/embarrassing work stories?! I always get a kick out of the unique props that clients bring in to personalize their shoots. We’ve seen everything from a samurai sword to a horse saddle. Believe it or not, though, these make for some of the best photos!
What motivates you everyday? The freedom. Self-employment is my biggest motivator. I love how I can create my own schedule and work as little or as much as I want from day-to-day. I think artists have a really hard time being held captive in an office building all day with what can be a repetitive, mundane schedule. It goes against our nature.
Any career advice for other women? Find your niche and constantly perfect it. Continue to learn as much as you can about your industry. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone from time to time - that is how you grow.