Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kayleigh Vecchione. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kayleigh, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I fell in love with photography at an early age and began studying it in high school, nearly 20-some years later, I am still constantly learning.

I tried everything from traditional schooling to in-person workshops, mentorships, YouTube videos, and trial and error by just trying things on my own. I don’t believe there is one specific way to learn photography.

Knowing what I know now, I wish I had spent more time also learning the business side of things before starting a business thinking my photography knowledge was all I needed. There were many hurdles early on in my career that would have been much easier if I knew more about running a business.

The most essential skill for what I do, especially with boudoir, was learning how to create a safe space for my clients to explore and express themselves in an intimate setting. The prettiest or most “technically correct” pictures won’t matter if they feel judged, uncomfortable, or unsafe during their photo session. Part of that was also working on myself to ensure that I do not project any of my own personal feelings on what “sexy” is – everyone feels best in different ways and it’s my job to support each person who walks through my doors.

The biggest obstacle that stood in my way of learning more was time – being a business owner, and trying to juggle life, work, family, and friends…. many times I would choose to spend my time with others versus sitting at a desk and learning. Plus as someone with ADHD, it can be difficult to start a new task if I’m not fully invested in what I’m researching.

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.

My name is Kayleigh and I am the owner and chief photographer of Flirty Boudoir, LLC.
I fell in love with fashion when I was a child, putting on fashion shows with my Barbies; I quickly learned fashion design wasn’t for me, but I knew I wanted to be involved in fashion somehow.

I found photography in high school and immediately fell in love. While beginning to learn photography, I also started modeling because I felt it was important to understand both sides of the camera; it also allowed me to network with photographers of many different styles to learn from. Of course, there was also a negative side to this, as a millennial growing up in the 90s and 2000s and modeling during that time, I had my fair share of body shaming and being told I “wasn’t (insert descriptive word here) enough”. It had absolutely destroyed me. I didn’t understand why modeling was only for a certain type of person, so I made it my mission to embrace everyone with my photography.

While I do carry that goal in all of my photography adventures, boudoir was the perfect genre where I found it made the biggest impact. Being able to capture people feeling confident, sexy, strong, beautiful, powerful, and flirty; it’s an incredible feeling. It truly fills my soul’s cup being able to say, “F*** the standards and just embrace who you are and what you love.”

Something that I believe sets Flirty Boudoir apart is that we offer a full-service experience. Our studio has multiple sets to choose from including a bedroom that can be customized to your favorite colors, we have a client closet of lingerie and accessories such as crystal body jewelry and luxe robes that range from XS-4X, as well as hair and make-up services included in our packages.

Our printed products such as albums and prints are also customizable to have your favorite cover materials and are handcrafted by a professional print lab that caters to boudoir photographers; so your privacy is just as important to them as it is to us.

I truly believe that everyone should do a boudoir session in their lifetime and I feel that Flirty Boudoir provides an incredible space for folks who are interested and ready.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I absolutely love social media – I know for many it can be a daunting task, but there are ways that you can make it fun and simple.

The most important part of social media is showing up! You can’t expect to post once every month and see results. I recommend finding a number of posts you feel comfortable sharing weekly and sticking to that to start. I understand that not everyone wants to or can post multiple times a day, but post often enough to be active.

Video content also goes much further than photos for reach and you can repurpose videos for different platforms, it doesn’t need to be new content for every placement.

Many people have booked with me because I show up and show my face so often for my business. It helps people, especially for intimate boudoir sessions, get to know me and feel comfortable with me before their session begins.

My love for social media and creative background also opened up opportunities for me to help with social media management, consulting, and content creation for many people. I also created two guides for photographers and small businesses that have 30 days of video content ideas as well as some tips/tricks for recording content to make things easier for those who have a harder time with social media.

Those guides can be seen here:
https://www.flirtyboudoir.com/category/all-products

I’d also love to offer a special discount to all of the readers with code “CanvasRebel” at checkout

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

The best source of new clients for me has been client referrals/word of mouth.

A past client who had a great experience and is willing to share that information with friends, coworkers, and family, or who recommends me on social media has gone significantly further than many marketing plans.

Reviews by happy clients on Google and Yelp are also extremely helpful.

While social media has also helped me get seen by new people, I have found that someone referred by someone who has worked with me is more prepared to actually book versus only inquire.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.flirtyboudoir.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flirtyboudoir
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FlirtyBoudoirChicago
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayleighkay/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FlirtyBoudoir
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/flirty-boudoir-grayslake
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@flirtyboudoir

Image Credits

All photos taken by Flirty Boudoir
All body jewelry by Tailored Body Jewelry

Image 1: Lottie A La West
Image 2: Clover and Sapphire
Image 3: Taylor – HMUA: Yesenia Guzman
Image 4: Katie
Image 5: Michelle
Image 6: Kevlar B Lightning
Image 7: Alejandra
Image 8: Zahradka Tonic