Star Newman- Edmonton Boudoir Photographer Extraordinaire

“True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist.” – Albert Einstein

ABOUT ME

I’m an Edmonton boudoir photographer (hi Google!), a mom and an artist, a dancer and a writer and a dreamer.  I love the smell of chai and the taste of raspberries.  I ride my horses bareback, read to my kids, and cherish beauty wherever I find it.  I love light so much I can’t separate myself from it; I get distracted watching it play over a friend’s face during coffee and grey days sap all my strength.  I’m imperfect, so I’ve learned to find beauty in imperfection; or maybe perfection in a carefully arranged collection of flaws? I am endlessly in love with my work, always amazed at how a camera can capture aspects of people they can’t see in themselves. I have been one of the best Edmonton boudoir photographers around for more than a decade, and I can show your beauty in ways you never imagined.

I’ve never quite outgrown a need to try to save the world so my packaging is recycled whenever possible, I do my best to buy locally made products and products from vendors that have ethically responsible business and manufacturing practices, and a portion of all sales is donated to a variety of charities helping women and girls here in Edmonton and overseas.

ABOUT YOU

You are a beautiful woman, but sometimes you have trouble seeing it.  You want your daughter, or your niece, or your sister to love herself just the way she is, but you… you plan to love yourself just the way you are- after you lose ten pounds. Or when you don’t look so tired from being up all night with the kids.  Or when the echoes of cruel things people have said to you in the past finally die out.

It turns out, though, that you ARE beautiful.  For real.  Those people who tell you that? They’re not lying.  And I can show you what they see.

…want to see?

HOW IT ALL STARTED

I began taking pictures for real when I became friends with some amazing, beautiful women who didn’t realise how amazing and beautiful they were.  We fooled around with my camera in the evening as we learned about friendship and that not all girls were like the mean girls from school.  As the photos got better, my friends and I got stronger, learning to love our bodies and trust our friendships.  Eventually I started taking pictures of other women who had seen the photos and heard the stories, and I’ve spent the last ten years making the photographic transformations I love into a business. It’s also still what I do with my friends for fun- did I mention I love my job?

WHAT’S IN MY BAG

Cameras: My BFF the Nikon D750 and her older sister the D3s, sometimes accompanied by a variety of fun old film cameras  *UPDATED* And a Polaroid! It’s so much fun!!

Lenses: Generally 85mm 1.4, the Sigma Art 35 & 50mm’s, and a bunch of vintage manual focus prime lenses collected on my travels- it seems I’m becoming a hipster in my old age

Just in case: Green & Black’s 85% dark fair-trade chocolate, emergency pearls, a fountain pen and a good book

MY INSPIRATIONS

I love the natural world, beautiful light, the female form, and watching women slowly unfurl and let go the hurtful, negative thoughts they wrap themselves around.

I’m inspired by Emily DeSoto, Ashima Narain, Sebastião Salgado, and a hundred artists of no particular fame who capture beauty once or a hundred times.  I love the work of the painter Pino and am working on private projects paying photographic homage to his lushly sensual style.

WHAT I BELIEVE

I believe that all people deserve the right to happiness, safety, and free expression of love. The studio is an LGBTQ+ safe space and I believe that offering refuge and aid to displaced people is the privilege and responsibility of those who are born to safety. While most people say you should keep strong opinions out of your business, I think that given the tremendous act of trust involved in booking a boudoir photography session it’s better that you know who I am going in. 😉