We recently connected with Lindsay Carlisle and have shared our conversation below.

Lindsay, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

Thanks for having me!

Success looks very different for everyone, so I can only share what has worked for me and my version of success. Staying disciplined and focused throughout the years, with an unbreakable confidence in my ultimate vision for my work (which we still have yet to see…working on it!) has most likely impacted my success the most.

Success as an artist and as a photographer especially doesn’t come easy and it takes a lot of behind the scenes work and sacrifice. When I started my boudoir photo business in California almost 8 years ago, I knew virtually nothing about business, marketing or even boudoir posing for that matter, but I did know one thing for sure- I wanted this business to succeed and I was confident that it would.

So I drowned out all doubt and negativity and kept my focus on my vision. Working countless hours in the beginning of opening my boudoir business- an insane amount really, I ended up sacrificing a lot of life in order to gain momentum. I was incredibly motivated by my vision and wanting to help empower people with my photography.

With each client I got to photograph I grew more and more committed to my career because I could see that I was helping women change the way they see themselves. Coming from an educational background in psychology and counseling, boudoir photography was an obvious choice for me as it’s highly therapeutic for my clients. I was hooked on boudoir after the very first photo shoot and never looked back.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Lindsay Carlisle, owner of Lindsay Carlisle Boudoir Studio, offering empowering boudoir photo shoots in Los Angeles and Tulum, Mexico. The tagline of my boudoir studio is “Self-loving boudoir photos for the sexy & soulful” because my personal approach to boudoir photography is one that aims to honor the wholeness of my clients- their beauty and body, but also their personal journey.

My clients book their photo shoot with me because they want to feel more empowered and confident in their body and more often than not, because they want to honor a special time in their lives. Through our work together we’re able to create beautiful artwork that reminds them every day of their strength and power. This artwork is priceless, helping my clients remember who they really are even on days when they forget. It is such a gift to do this work.

The way that I offer my boudoir sessions is a bit different than the industry standard- since 2019 I have been based in Tulum, Mexico, where I offer boudoir sessions throughout the year. I also spend about 4 months a year in Los Angeles working with my southern California clients. Many of my LA clients end up coming to Tulum for their second or third session with me. It’s always so exciting to see them in Tulum, treating themselves to the ultimate self-love trip.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I would say #1 thing that has helped me get the word out about my boudoir business is providing a 5 star client experience where my clients feel supported from start to finish, along with an exceptional quality of images.

Social media is obviously a useful tool which I use to boost my business, but at the end of the day my clients walk away very happy with their photo shoot and gallery and it is their joy and excitement over their boudoir experience that is what most helps support the work I do.

The sharing of my client’s experience with family and friends, as well as on our Google business page is really what has helped my reputation as a boudoir photographer stand out, opening the doors for others to feel confident in what I have to offer. I’m always so grateful when my clients take the time to share what their boudoir experience meant to them-it is not uncommon for me to tear up when reading their personal reviews of our time together. It’s actually a very empowering experience for us both.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My move from California to Tulum, Mexico in 2019 was perhaps the biggest pivot of my life and a time of massive change and growth for me.

I had always envisioned living at least part of the year in Mexico and in 2018/2019 the weight of running a business as a boudoir photographer in California was very stressful for me. Intuitively I felt that I needed to slow down a bit, re-focus on my health and wellness and take some of the pressure off myself. The slower pace, tropical weather (I was always cold living in the Bay Area!) and expat-friendly vibe of Tulum was calling me…

I gave away most of my belongings and took off for Tulum in July of 2019- just a few suitcases, my cat and myself.

It was not an easy move for me. I remember moving into my new apartment in Tulum after having met with the landlord and signing the lease. My landlord walked out after our meeting and I just looked around at my new place, sat down on one of my unpacked suitcases and cried, wondering if I had just made the biggest mistake of my life.

In that moment I thought, “Did I really just give up everything I had going for me in California to start all over again?” Yes and no.

Yes, I was starting all over in a new country. I had to learn how to navigate through this new place, culture and way of doing things. Almost three and a half years later and I’m still learning how to do this. It never really stops being hard and I’m always home sick for California, but the personal freedom I have gained by basing myself in Tulum and becoming a legal resident of Mexico has been more than worth it.

Professionally, I was starting over in a big way- no longer serving Northern California, but rather focusing on my markets in Los Angeles, Miami and Tulum. Essentially I was starting a brand new business in 3 new locations at the same time. No easy feat! Though this time I had all my experience and knowledge under my belt and I knew if I pushed through everything would work out.

And it has. I feel very grateful to be able to call Mexico home, while still getting to enjoy the comforts of Los Angeles with our session offerings every few months. In making the move to Tulum I’ve been able to more closely align with my vision and values, finding much more life/work balance. This trickles down to everything I do, including how I’m able to practice self-care and in turn serve my clients better.

Pivoting toward a new direction in my life and work has been one of the best decisions I ever made. Living and working in two distinct locations, helping my clients see themselves as beautiful? It’s truly a dream come true.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lindsaycarlisleboudoir.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/lindsaycarlisleboudoir
• Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/LindsayCarlislePhotographyPage