Celebrating Out Loud | Israel Boudoir : Malka

“I am Malka. An artist, calligrapher, wife, mama, proud friend of Rebecca, and mainly a human just trying to figure life out.

I did a boudoir session as a treat to myself. I did it before I was ready or really knew why I wanted it on a deeper level.

That's how I do a lot of the more important things in my life. On a whim. So far so good.”

“I have admired Rebecca's work since I first came across it on Facebook years ago. I knew her talent was something special and worth following.

I never actually imagined myself doing a session though. I couldn’t envision for a moment that I would be the subject of such a photoshoot, despite my interest in it. Seems weird now! 

Then suddenly, late last year I got a strong feeling that I wanted to book a boudoir shoot with Rebecca after I had my best month in my business yet. That was my first idea for a self-love splurge! So I did it.

I decided to treat myself to a gorgeous boudoir experience. And I’m so thrilled I did.

The scheduled date fell at the perfect time, in a period of joy and self-love that I had no idea was coming. It was all so synchronized in ways I can only appreciate and can’t fully understand.”

“I have always been relatively happy with my body and appearance, but I was raised to see my body as something to be covered, to be somewhat shameful of, and to be hidden from the world.

I never really had a chance to think much of my body on a deep level or to come face to face with it because it was usually behind something. I did struggle with binge eating throughout high school and undiagnosed stomach issues, so I have struggled, but not really with weight or appearance. The challenge was more related to the physical sensations my body held and the treatment of my own body and self-esteem issues that come with the self-harm of stress-induced overeating. 

Basically, I considered myself lucky to be naturally thin and close enough to beauty standards, but I didn’t love my body deep down. I just accepted it and tried to stay thin.

Through my boudoir experience, I understood what celebrating beauty without constraint does for the mind, for joy, and for freedom.

I didn’t expect to feel that. I expected to feel beautiful but still hidden. This session allowed me to feel exposed in the best way. In a safe space, in beautiful light with my wonderful friend!”

“A lot changed in my life right before the session so everything actually worked out perfectly. A month before my session I had a life-changing plant medicine experience in Costa Rica that really changed my entire mindset about life.

It helped me finally kick my binge eating habit and negative self-talk out the window. It opened me up to joy and love and the self-acceptance of where I am right now. I began meditating. I was eating healthier and doing yoga. I’d also begun dressing more freely in a way that felt more me and less influenced by outside rules and obligations.

So my session came at the perfect time, and somehow, without preparing, I was more ready than ever. I healed from within, and it helped me be ready to heal in my external view of myself and my body.” 

“My boudoir session with Rebecca was perfect in every way. The makeup and hair by Rhonda was so glamorous and better than I could have ever imagined. Rebecca was so fun to hang out with, and she made me feel so effortlessly comfortable. During the preparations, I happened to get a call from a dream client (Dior!) so that was another exciting unplanned addition.

After that, it took me a few minutes to let go and feel the posing more naturally, but Rebecca was patient and encouraging every step of the way.

The experience was pure fun and an example of jumping into a newness that I think keeps us young and ensures life doesn't become dull.

The shoot went by so quickly. Rebecca made me feel really beautiful and confident in a situation that was entirely strange and overwhelming to me at first.”

“I was on a high for the rest of the day and totally kicked ass at Dior in full makeup. It left me forever changed. I realized celebrating my outer beauty had value.

I gave space for my body to be celebrated out loud, and that was certainly a first. G-d makes us beautiful, and that is something to share in the right time and place. This place and time felt right, and I’m thrilled it’s been captured as a true art form with Rebecca’s eye and guidance.”

“This experience changed my perspective on sharing our bodies with the outside world. It helped me understand why others would share images of themselves or dress in a way that’s more revealing. It allowed me to release judgment of people who do that.

I still have modesty police that lives in my head sometimes, but overall I feel I have a new understanding and acceptance of what a sexually and physically liberated woman brings to the world. And it isn’t a bad thing. It just is. It’s natural. It’s what naturally happens when patriarchal control is relinquished.”

“When Rebecca sent me my gallery, I lit a candle to set the tone and then scrolled and scrolled and couldn’t stop. I was so happy!

There were so many photos I loved at first sight, and some I couldn’t believe were me because they were so darn gorgeous. Even the few that weren’t my favorite because they focused on a body part I don’t love, it felt good to see them. I was able to approach them from a place of joy and understanding that this is my body and it serves me. I celebrated those parts of me, too. I don’t have to look like a model from every angle. It just isn’t the whole picture of who I am.”

“We all deserve to be treated, dressed, and photographed like goddesses. We all deserve to be given the chance to see how beautiful we are through another’s eyes. Sometimes we need that outside lens and perspective to know our worth. It sparks an inner knowing.

It’s ok to receive help in this area and learn to love your body more as a result.”

“I’d recommend this experience specifically to religious women who don’t celebrate their bodies and feel they’ve been taught to hide them like it’s a bomb that might go off.

Women who don’t know how to let go because they were taught to hold it all in.

Women who want to laugh and breathe deeper. Honestly, I think that’s all of us.”

Hair and Makeup by Rhonda Lev

Kodak Film // Processed and Scanned by Panda Labs, Tel Aviv

Empowered and at Peace | New York Boudoir : Rebecca

This breathtaking session took place last year, in October 2021. I know, I know. I can’t believe I haven’t posted it yet either!

As the first cold breezes flew through New York, my makeup artist and I arrived at our gorgeous Airbnb to begin the first of many boudoir sessions.

In my client’s words, “I’ve been speaking with Rebecca for years now trying to work with her. Splitting time between Israel and the US, conflicting schedules, and of course, Covid, we were finally able to make it work. This was years in the making!”

When my client, also Rebecca, walked into the Airbnb for her boudoir session, she lit up the room. After all this time, I could not wait to photograph her.

Through the pre-session process, I had the chance to get to know Rebecca more and help guide her through the physical and emotional preparations. I remember her telling me about her journey, sharing her feelings about her body, and giving me all the details of her stunning tattoos. Her coaching call gave us the opportunity to have a collaborative vision for her experience and the art we wanted to create together.

Afterward, she said, “This was the most intimate and personal set I have ever done in my life. Rebecca made everything so personal and important in all the best, happy, and healing ways. She makes you look within and asks the questions you are afraid to answer. I felt so much lighter and empowered after talking with her and spending time with her makeup artist, Rhonda.

Film photography has always been my favorite and most personal because of my late Aunt, so I’m not surprised that seeing the developed rolls, I feel at peace. I loved every second of this experience.

I feel at peace. I hope everyone can find that.”

The session really flowed so beautifully and naturally, and I see how that energy came through in the portraits…

I love traveling to new places and having different backdrops for the sessions. Even through the window, you know I’m not in Israel anymore!

Her eyes and the connection shots just totally blow me away.

When Rebecca saw this picture for the first time, she said, “This is the one photo I would want to represent me for the rest of my life. My jaw is on the floor. I can’t believe it.”

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have photographed you, Rebecca. Thank you for trusting me with these intimate and vulnerable moments on your journey.

For those of you who are in the U.S. and want to have this unique experience, there are still some openings left for the first week of May 2023 in New York. Feel free to e-mail me at rebecca@rebeccasigala.com to explore the possibilities together. xoxo

Follow my incredible client, Rebecca, on her Instagram page. @embersofbecca

Makeup and Hair by Rhonda Lev

No More Hiding | Tel Aviv Boudoir : Gabi

I grew up in New York in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, when women's weight and bodies were constantly demonized. From gossip tabloids to the news to overhearing other girls and women speaking about their bodies, no one seemed pleased with their appearance.

The idea that my body should be something different than what it was became so internalized and was a part of what led to a painful eating disorder in my adolescence. I “recovered.” I regained weight, my period returned, and my skin brightened, but the true suffering continued in my own mind for years.

Through being in therapy and fully exploring myself through meditation, I am now able to observe my thoughts and feel compassion for myself, something I so desperately needed when I was younger.

When I moved to Israel and found Rebecca’s Instagram, I was blown away by the photos she was posting. There were different types of women with all different types of bodies, all being celebrated as they were. It was revolutionary!

Every single human she photographed looked so beautiful and so perfect. Each body looked exactly how it should…

When I first came across Rebecca’s work, I was in a long-term relationship and wanted to gift my boyfriend photos. However, my fear of not being sexy, fit, or tan enough kept me from following through.

Since then, that relationship ended, I completed a bachelor’s degree, became a registered nurse, adopted a dog on my own, came out to family and friends as bisexual, and began dating my current girlfriend.

At some point last year, Rebecca reached out to me and asked if I wanted to have a call to discuss what was holding me back.

On that call, I realized that I would probably never feel ready enough to actually make the final call and decided to do it anyway! We booked the session for 2 months later.

I felt so nervous to totally expose myself. I spent so many years hiding who I truly am, hiding my sexuality, and trying to make myself seem perfect from the outside. The idea of literally and metaphorically stripping down all of that was incredibly daunting.

Rebecca was there every step of the way. She sent me journal prompts and mindful ways of fueling my body and mental health leading up to the shoot, nothing about a diet or rigorous exercise. She suggested I sleep properly, drink enough water, and set boundaries so I wouldn’t feel drained as The Big Day approached.

This felt so refreshing and obvious, and helped me feel acceptance and compassion towards myself and my body.

Something else that Rebecca helped me through was an idea for the shoot.

Since admitting to the world that I am bisexual and love women too, I felt my own internalized dread that I don’t “look the part.” I feared I presented as too feminine and people always seemed surprised when I mentioned my sexuality. I received a wide array of reactions when sharing my bisexuality. This included shock (“how can someone so girly be attracted to women?), disgust (“how do you two girls… do it?” nose wrinkle), and disbelief (“someday your husband is going to love that you had a bi-phase”). I felt I wanted to appear more masculine, just to relieve myself of some of these reactions.

I expressed this idea of bringing both feminine and masculine aspects to the shoot, and Rebecca asked me how I imagined what masculine energy would look like in the shoot.

The adjectives I thought of surprised me: confident, bold, daring, and self-assured. So why didn’t I believe feminine energy should also embody these traits?

This helped me see how I was judging myself both as a woman raised in our society AND as a queer woman.

When the morning of the shoot arrived, I felt so nervous and excited. Getting ready and dolled up with Rhonda made me feel so confident and ready.

Rebecca helped guide me into different poses (I was never one to feel comfortable in front of a camera or posing) until it felt totally natural!

I thought I would be excited to see the pictures and not necessarily enjoy the actual photoshoot. I was pleasantly surprised to realize the photo shoot was so enjoyable and fun!

I received the photos from Rebecca and probably stared at them, dumbfounded, for about two hours before I excitedly ran to share them with my girlfriend. I couldn’t imagine all the things I saw as applying to myself.

I saw a confident, comfortable, sensual, beautiful, and strong woman in the photos. It reminded me of how I felt when Rebecca sent me the prompts and suggestions before the shoot. These conclusions I drew upon myself were so refreshing and obvious.

It has been almost a year since my boudoir session, and I still feel the effects of the whole experience. I didn’t realize it would stick with me as much as it has! What started as self-acceptance and compassion bloomed into a strong belief that my body looks exactly as it should, and I love the way she looks! On my “down” days I love to look at my album and remember what a fun day I had and how strong I am.

I feel every woman should be able to experience this at least once in their life. Aside from just a fun day and beautiful photos, it has really improved how I view myself and has seriously helped my confidence!

Gabi, thank you for allowing me to go on this journey with you. From the very beginning, you were so open and willing to go outside of your comfort zone and use this experience for personal growth.

It was such an honor to witness you as you stepped fully into your power. No more hiding. No more staying small to please others. Just being completely real and content with where you are at and who you are.

It was incredible to see that unfold through this process.

These photographs are more than I even dreamed of creating with you, and I’m really happy that these tangible results feel aligned with your internal experience. You’re amazing! And SO beautiful.

xoxo Rebecca

My Personal Evolution | Israel Boudoir

Almost exactly a year after we did B’s first boudoir session, we found ourselves in my new photography studio, doing another one.

Boudoir experiences offer healing and empowerment, as well as a way to document new stages of our lives. While B’s last boudoir session was an anniversary gift for her husband at the time, this one was completely for her.

Its purpose was to help her recognize and celebrate the woman she’s become and walk into this new chapter feeling grounded within herself.

When she told me that a divorce was in her near future, we really focused on carving out a space where she truly felt herself. This session gave us the opportunity to flirt with different parts of her sexual expression.

While I am not able to share them all with you, here are some that we both loved…

In B’s words, “I decided to do a second boudoir session because it had been a period of intense change in the mental, spiritual, physical, and literal sense. Having a baby, losing my mind, experiencing crazy depression without knowing it, feeling more lonely than anyone should in a partnership, and coming out of all that.

I realized my path was not as I originally dreamed it to be, and there would be a divorce. I wanted to document myself and my change.”

“My boudoir experience is a constant reminder of my evolution in life, both physically and literally. Every woman should have this.”

Looking back on this session brings me so much happiness. B, thank you for trusting me, not only once, but twice! I look forward to our future sessions as your journey continues to evolve.

Kodak Film // Processed and Scanned by Panda Labs

Hair and Makeup by Beauty by Rhonda