Bodhi Babes Wonder Women - Jessica Milberg

louisehewison
Nov 24, 2014
6 min read

Meet Our Bodhi Babes Wonder Woman #BBWW

Jessica Milberg from Looking Glass Boudoir

"After I gave birth to my daughter I was so excited to be a mum, and loved caring for my new baby. A year or so later, when she started becoming more independent, I felt like it was time to take back ownership of my body. I was having a hard time feeling like the skin I was in was mine, plus I was uncomfortable letting my partner touch me. In short, I didn't feel sexy.

My partner suggested I spend some time taking pictures of myself 'boudoir style' as a way to see myself in a more celebratory and beautiful way. Thus was born Looking Glass Boudoir.

Admittedly it felt a little awkward at first, but soon I relaxed and had fun. The photos themselves didn't immediately change my view but they started the process of seeing my body as beautiful and sexy, as well as strong and amazing.

My motivation for doing boudoir was a life and body changing experience, yours might be for another reason (or no reason at all). This is why Looking Glass Boudoir is a completely bespoke service. There are no formulas, no book of poses to choose from, no closet full of lingerie that twenty other women have worn, no sets. I spend time talking with each client about their boudoir session and what makes it important and personal to them."

When you were a little girl, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a fashion designer and a professional figure skater. I actually held onto that fashion dream for a long long time. I went to university set on being a fashion major and chose to go to one of the very best design schools in America, Parsons. I was actually there at the time when Tim Gunn (gasp) was teaching and had him as a tutor. Sadly this is when I discovered that it was a fickle industry, and closed off to anything new and interesting. I think it has changed now but it turned me off the entire idea. Luckily I discovered photography and realized that I could still be involved in fashion but not be subject to the whims of the design industry.

What do you do now? For work? For fun?

Now, I am a professional photographer! I have two main businesses, Boudoir, and general photography. I tend to shoot a lot of styled editorial and Boudoir. The Boudoir photography is my baby. It’s by far the most meaningful for me. I love seeing the transformation that women go through during a shoot, its so very confidence building. I think all women should do a boudoir shoot at least once in their lives. It is so important to love and celebrate oneself, and not just the physical.

For fun, I mostly like to hang out with my family and friends. I know it’s not very glamorous but I really believe it’s not the activity you are doing, it’s the company you are doing it with that makes it fun.

How did you get into your area of expertise?

I got into boudoir photography through my husband’s suggestion. I used to do burlesque and really loved it. It made me feel very powerful and it was a ton of fun. I so admired all the women who did it. They were all shapes, sizes, ages, etc. and every one of them just seemed to exude confidence and poise. After I had a baby I was having trouble feeling like I owned my body. It wasn’t so much the extra weight; it was more feeling like my body had become something functional for another person. I was uncomfortable being touched by my husband and just felt as though I had lost all the ownership and sensuality of my body. I thought about doing burlesque again but that usually required late nights (not ideal for a new parent) so my husband suggested a boudoir shoot. It was such a changing experience for me and Looking Glass Boudoir was born.

What obstacles have you faced in following your dreams and how have you overcome them?

Aside from the obvious financial ones that all business owners have, juggling my time between business and family has been a challenge. This is the kind of business that really requires a commitment to marketing and networking. So much of that happens in the evening and weekends it can be hard to balance it with bedtime, etc.

What’s the best part of what you do?

The best part is seeing a woman who is amazing and brave start the process of realizing it herself and knowing that I could help with that.

What advice do you have for other women who might want to follow suit?

You have to love what you do and be ready to work non-stop, especially if you have a family. Also being patient is the best skill when it comes to running your own business. These things take time, and some days will really suck, but others will be beyond your imagination.

What’s your morning routine?

I hit the snooze button a few times (if I’m lucky and my kid hasn’t woken up with the sun), get the kid up and ready, do the school run, come home and drink a ton of coffee. Then its time to email, follow up on bookings, do a little marketing.

3 things that are on your ‘to do’ list today?

Fold the laundry, work on some website updates, and plan a few shoots.

What are you working on at the moment? Next project?

I’m working on building up my newborn photography business and getting a more focused audience for my Boudoir business. I am hoping to target more women who have had children or women who have had a big life change like breast cancer. I want to really make them feel great about themselves again. I also have a few styled shoots coming up.

One woman you admire and why?

I know its really cliché but, I would have to say my mom. She made it all look so easy. I now know how insanely hard it is to juggle a full time career and a family. She was always doing extra, like making our Halloween costumes, throwing us amazing and creative birthday parties, taking my brother and I to activities and parties, helping us with homework, getting a decent dinner on the table every night, etc. My dad was around to help but she really would go the extra effort. She was also amazingly successful in her job and respected in her field. Everyday she was faced with other peoples’ problems at work and then came home to two demanding kids. She always did it with grace and infinite patience. I hope to be able to do the same.

Three wishes?

More hours in the day, more sleep, and a highly enforced ban on guns in America.

Who do you turn to for advice?

These days the most advice I ask for is on parenting. I generally turn to my mom or other parents. For business I generally ask other businesswomen I admire or my father-in-law.

Who do you turn to for a shoulder to cry on?

My husband. He is my best friend and biggest supporter.

Favourite book?

Hhhm, that is a tough one. I think there are three or four books that stand out in my mind as being significant, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon, Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed, Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, and Geek Love by Katherine Dunn.

Favourite movie?

Again there are so many, I’m a bit of a film lover. I guess I would have to say the two films I could watch over and over again are White Christmas and Strictly Ballroom.

Favourite childhood game?

Pretend. I just loved a good old game of pretending all day long! I would make up these elaborate stories with my friends or my cuddly toys and act them out. Sometimes they would involve all the neighborhood kids, costumes, and a multitude of props from the kitchen or garden.

Fantasy career? Why?

I think I’ve got it really. I love being a photographer; I guess if I were to add some fantasy to it, it would be that it was on a really large scale. I would want to work from exotic locations, and travel to amazing places to photograph my clients. And maybe having a massive studio and Hollywood/Bollywood type sets to work on would be pretty amazing too.