Dream Boudoir Photography - Toronto Vancouver for Women surrealist portrait

Surrealist Portraiture — Why I do it

Dream Boudoir Photography - Toronto Vancouver for Women surrealist portrait

In art, there’s technique for creating an illusion of three-dimensions (depth and space) on a two-dimensional (flat) surface. This technique is called Perspective Art, for this is what makes a painting seem to have form, distance, and look “real.”

In Western art, the most common form of linear perspective was developed in the early 15th century. Using straight lines to plot the view, this system was used by the Renaissance artist Leon Battista Alberti and architect Filippo Brunelleschi. They are also credited with the “invention” of linear perspective. Alberti’s book “On Painting” published in 1435 has theoretical written in it. In art and architecture, we still use Alberti’s one-vanishing-point system.

When learning how to paint, perspective is possibly the most feared aspect. The mere idea of “perspective” makes many artists tremor. Though it is not the rules of perspective that are hard to learn but the consistent application to every bit of art that’s challenging and requires mastery. An accomplished artist will have the patience to check the perspective as the painting progresses, and to take the time to adjust it.

What we are talking about today is not the architectural linear perspective, but instead, perspective of the soul.

There are many ways to look at a photograph — they’re our mirrors, our inspiration, our nostalgia, our story.

Dream Boudoir Photography - Toronto Vancouver for Women surrealist portrait

When I create these powerful boudoir photos in my Mississauga studio or Vancouver studio, I am elevating women from looking at themselves from a “normal” view point to a “high” view point. Appreciating every curve: be it a smile or the body, celebrating every roll, every stretch mark, every scar, showing off the internal truth of your being is what I do best. Your story of love, life, struggle, and success.

Dream Boudoir Photography - Toronto Vancouver for Women surrealist portrait

But when I am creating these specific surrealist portraits, I’m creating your character and your story from imagination (rather than observation). Observation has its value, as you can see in the bulk of my photography mastery, but this surrealist portraiture gives imagination a next level push to serve one purpose: To suspend the linearity of time i.e. past, present, future — and merge it all together in one classic masterpiece.

The past is who you were, what you learned, what you loved, what you changed.

The future is who you will be, what you want to be, and your dreams.

The present is where you are now: ALL of your emotions, positive or negative, all of your struggles that you did or did not overcome, all of it.

Dream Boudoir Photography - Toronto Vancouver for Women surrealist portrait

The surrealist approach unites all of it in to a TIMELESS piece of handcrafted portraiture, printed on handmade archival Italian wall art to truly convey the rawness and the realness of this unrealistic art piece. We are bending space and time, showing the gamut of a lived woman’s experience, and telling stories of freedom regained, love acclaimed, battles lost and wars that are won, all one digital brush stroke at a time.

 

Dream Boudoir Photography - Toronto Vancouver for Women surrealist portrait

This artwork is not about dualities or body image or genres, it is only about creating a beautiful chaos with rough edges because that is what all women grow up to become. Some just polish it well, while others have learned to fly barefoot.

Dream Boudoir Photography - Toronto Vancouver for Women surrealist portrait

The process is simple and complicated. This art piece or series is usually a part of your Dream Boudoir or Portrait session. This session will require a video meeting after our initial consultation and booking. Together we will create an idea and bring it to life in my studio when you come for your session. We will discuss various ways you want to display these one of a kind custom art pieces to remind you of your essence every single day and for you to tell your story without words.

I invite you into this world of perspective with me where you will see the you in all your essence.


Almost Canceled and Glad she didn’t

 

This single mama of two babies started out very skeptical about her photoshoot and almost canceled.  She was so glad she didn’t because when she saw the images of herself she just couldn’t believe it.  She couldn’t have been happier to have kept her photoshoot.

 


 

 

She thought she felt Beautiful on her wedding day…

When we spoke during her consult, she knew somewhere there was a sensual side to her but she hadn’t seen it in a long time.  Then she comes in for her photoshoot and that inner se# kitten just takes over! She couldn’t have been more surprised and emotional to see a side of herself she hasn’t seen in years.  And to think, she thought she was beautiful on her wedding day, she never thought she would feel that way again.

 


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Boudoir and Prosthetic Glass Eye

🦋When we first started Lora’s boudoir shoot in Toronto studio, this beautiful mother and business owner was concerned how her prosthetic glass eye would impact the images.

Prosthetics or not, I think her beauty is completely wholesome and absolutely illuminating! When I asked her if I could share her images, she stopped for a second and shrugged and said: “Why not?! They’re beautiful and elegant!” And I agree 💯!

Her wardrobe selection included lace teddies, camo undies, plaid sets, and corsets along with our Dream Boudoir Photography signature angel wings!

What started as an idea to create an album to her husband for their 20th wedding anniversary gift, ended up with side-effects of self-love and boosted confidence.

Thank you, Dreamgirl, for your story and your radiant presence 🙏

SCROLL BELOW TO WATCH LORA’S VIDEO ABOUT HER SESSION EXPERIENCE!

Why be a Dreamgirl?

A Dreamgirl is:

A woman who has been hurt but is ready to fight back.

A woman who has found love and is ready to celebrate it.

A woman who has lost love and is ready to find it within herself, for herself.

A woman who is scared to look in the mirror but want to appreciate herself.

A mother.

A cop.

A lawyer.

A CEO.

A flight attendant.

A pilot.

A grandmother.

A student.

A teacher.

A self-made go-getter.

A woman who is only now beginging to understand who she is.

I know it’s hard to be your authentic self. Let me explain how I know this:

In the begining, all those years ago, when I started photography as a business and my focus shifted from art to the bank, the first piece to go out of the window was authenticity.

It was all about, if I said what xyz “successful” photographer is saying or did what xyz is doing or offered what xyz is doing, I will make it out there.

It was all about self-doubt and a lack of trust not just in myself but also in the audience I wanted to work with — that I have to adjust to what I *think* they want instead of me knowing that what I can offer from deep within is actually exactly what they *need.*

But last year, I decided to shut down all that noise. I introduced the confidence that I have always had with the academic side of things into my business and art. I stopped watching and listening to what others are all about and started focusing on what Alishba has to offer which is unique. And I quickly found out that it was my voice, relatability, passion, and deep understanding of what makes women powerful that is irreplacable and something no one can every copy or take away from me.

Someone recently brought this to my attention that xyz is trying to imitate me, down to my word choice and articulation. And I just laughed.

Why?

Because imitation is the best form of flattery 

But also because I am a deeply secure person. Anyone who has met me will tell you the same thing. So it’s only natural that I feel secure in my work, too. I know what attracts women to trust me and work with me is a unique set and combination of living my authentic self, delivering what I expect to receive, and going above and beyond with staying married to my inner voice and ideas that I am naturally and intellectually drawn to.

A feminist. A skeptic. A science geek. An artist. A mother. A lover.

And this is why I attract the very best of women — these women are DREAMGIRLS. Because they have trusted me with bringing their dream to life and when they let go off that first wall of strong guard, throughout all the clicks of the camera, together we discover POWER and that’s why when we look at the images together, we laugh and we cry knowing that we have given ourselves a gift that can never be replaced.

To all my Dreamgirls, thank you 

And to you, I can’t wait to see you in the studio xo