The Troubardours: Marisa Leigh, Boudoir Photographer.
The best part of choosing an adventurous life is that you meet adventurous souls on the same roads you travel— “The Troubardours” is an ongoing series where I share the stories of amazing, interesting and inspiring friends who travel under the direction of their own compass.
Marisa Leigh is a beautiful woman that specializes in photographing beautiful women. I met Marisa many years ago when I was living in Los Angeles. Discovering and learning about the world of boudoir photography was an incredible experience for me, partly because it sounded like my dream job and partly because it was clear that capturing the beauty of women required not just lighting, a great camera, an assistant and props, but above all—a clear understanding of the mental mirrors and psychological barriers that a lot of women have around their bodies. Marisa is a fine artist that puts passion and heart into every single shoot she does.
In essence, beautiful women pay you to get undressed and get photographed by you. What’s it really like doing your job? How did life take you there?
It’s Tuesday morning. The candles are lit, downtempo is on and hair and make up is ready. My client walks through the door wearing no makeup and right away I’m in awe of her and her natural beauty. My makeup artist and I gush over her with excitement. She appears shy and nervous and we quickly put her at ease with our regular routine. With a glass of champagne in her hand we unpack the lingerie and feast our eyes as we get giddy with all our options.
We talk ideas, vibe, mood and what art is to her. My shoots are full of fun, laughter and release.
It’s like a movie, there is always a shift, the part where something inside her changes and I see it in their eyes when it happens. There’s no words to describe it. There is a lightness of being and this light that fills the room. It amazes me every time and when I hear those words come out of her mouth, I can’t believe that’s me, I can’t believe how beautiful I feel: my soul sings.
These are the moments I live for, why I work so hard and what makes it all worth it. Showing women something they may have never seen before is the best feeling in the world. I love being me, I love what I do more and more everyday.
I attribute some of my success in creating a sacred space for women to show up and and allow their beauty to unfold to my own personal growth. The more I work on myself, the more beauty I see within me, the more I can show for others to do the same. The cleaner the glass the clearer the reflection. It’s a daily practice and I feel incredibly blessed to do what I do.
Over the years my eyes have really opened to how insecure women really are. I had no idea how much shame women have around their body and I think that’s why I’m constantly digging, learning and opening up to new things all the time when it comes to my own self-love and sexuality. We live in a world were we need to always be asking more questions. Where did this belief come from, is this mine or a result of social norms? What taboos have I’ve fallen prey to and how do these serve me?
How has your thinking on human sexuality changed over the years as a result of your job?
I’ve always been a very open, curious woman and ready to try something new. Photographing women, couples, and their vulnerabilities and pushing them out of their comfort zones is just something I live to do. I am here to learn and expand as much as I can. I think doing what I do allows me to explore my sexuality all the time. I’ve always loved women but after so many years of doing this I think I’ve realized that there is also something else there.
Ha… I’m definitely opening up to the idea that I am clearly bisexual and that I’m in love with women in so many ways. There is just so much to love, their skin, their curves, eyes, lips…. I love it all and I love capturing their pure and raw sensual nature.
Can you tell me about the time you threw yourself out of an airplane in your underwear?
8 years ago I took 6 amazing women skydiving in lingerie. All these amazing women had been through some deep trauma in their life and were scared of heights. I have always believed that the only way to conquer our fears is through them. We must always leap into the fear and feel the fear to move past the that which we have labeled impossible. Skydiving seemed like the perfect activity to forge a new path and brave a new way of being. So many of our fears are made up, they’re not real and some can disappear as fast as we created them.
Trauma can sometimes take a lifetime to get over. Getting through trauma requires confidence and we can build that daily by pushing our comfort zones and finding strength in being able to do the things we thought we couldn’t do. Being that I am a boudoir photographer on a mission to help and inspire women to step into their unseen strength it seemed fitting to do the jump in lingerie. Because let’s be real if you are scared of heights and you can jump out of a plane in lingerie— what can’t you do?!
You’ve been to Costa Rica a few times. How has it affected your life?
I didn’t really drink coffee till I went to Costa Rica in my 20’s. It was my 3rd day in Costa Rica and we did a day trip ridding horses up into the cloud forest of Monteverde, (which is insane btw!) We stayed at this lovely little bed and breakfast. I’ll never forget that moment when they brought us coffee with our breakfast. It was almost 20 years ago but I can still hear the sounds, see the surroundings and the taste, the smell… It was an epic and life-changing moment. I was hooked. From that day forward I have always preferred getting my beans from Costa Rica because they are filled with magic and infused with the pura vida!
Every morning when I sip my cup of coffee I go back to that special place even if it’s for a moment. I love sipping my Troubador coffee and knowing it comes from Costa Rica from and all the beautiful people it is supporting, it makes it even more special.
What’s your message to other humans for 2021?
My special message for humans for 2021 is to love yourself more, to be kinder to yourself and to take more time for yourself. You’ve been through a lot and it’s so important to take more time learning about you, what you want, what makes you happy and what will make you thrive!
Take that solo trip whether it’s for a few hours or a few weeks and take some time to think, ask those bigger questions. And while you are pondering your beautiful life you what you want to create and bring to the world, have some coffee, hopefully it’s Troubardour.
