We were lucky to catch up with Jennifer Tallerico recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jennifer, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

The mission of the studio is to break the the beauty industry standards and have people not only embrace but also love the body they are in. Whether they feel beautiful in a long flowy gown, a corset, fully nude or even in a t shirt, I photograph these clients in a way that make them love they way they look. We are allies to the LGBTQ+ community allowing all to show who they truly are. My own personal mission is the change as many minds as I can about body image and pull clients out of self destructive behaviors that damage their success at life, relationships or even careers.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

The studio started in 2007 as a hobby while I worked as a scientist full time. My children were 1 and 3 at the time. In 2011 I was impacted by the major layoffs over the state of Florida in the environmental areas. I had a choice. Either find another job where I knew I would have my children in full time daycare, or make this business take off. While the beginning years made me think I made a mistake, being able to be at home while running the business with my children was enough to keep me pushing through. After working hard for many years building a brand and trust from my clients, I was able to expand into a larger studio in the downtown area of Palatka Florida. One by one, each client came in with a new story, a new body image issue, and some with heartbreaking traumatic pasts they were trying to overcome. My goal is and has always been to create a safe judgement free area where clients can break free from their own intrusive thoughts about their bodies.
Boudoir photography is sometimes seen as “sexy pictures” as many boudoir photographers have heard. However boudoir is so much more than that. It is a way to see yourself, help heal, and regain confidence. Many have stories about sexual assault and or verbal abuse about their bodies. Being in the studio allowed to feel safe while in a vulnerable state can help with the healing process.
The underwater portion of my work started for my love of water and the freeing feeling of being submerged from the noise and distractions of the world above. I had a background knowledge of color loss and distractions in the water from my past career that taking the camera under water was second hand to me.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new client is actually previous clients. I work creating a luxury experience for my clients that they are so excited to tell everyone about their day. People trust their friends recommendations over some ad they might see on social media. They want someone they know to tell them about the experience. In the line of business I am in, trust is a huge component. I am asking these clients to trust in me when they are in a very vulnerable state. Their fears, anxiety and body image is something I hold onto tightly while I walk them through the process. They leave the studio feeling confident and wanting to share their story.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

I have a private VIP facebook page where previous and new clients can see all what the studio has going on. We talk about women health, mental health, body image issues and so much more. It is not just a place to show the images (the only images shown are those who have given permission as the studio hold privacy as one of the top priorities) but also to talk about issues going on in a judgement free zone.

Contact Info:

• Website: jtnoirstudios.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jtnoirstudios/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jtnoirstudios

Image Credits
All images belong to JTNoirStuios, JTAqua Studios and the parent company Tallerico Photography