Two Photographers. Seven Women. A gorgeous villa in Italy. The adventure of a lifetime.

The Fearless retreats are about friendship, art, and leaving your everyday self behind. We all get caught up in the day-to-day necessities of life; this is a chance to find the self that gets lost in the shuffle of life and laundry and to-do lists.

Your trip centres around destination boudoir photography, a chance to see yourself in a new way and find a new love for your perfectly imperfect body in some of the world’s most beautiful places. But it’s so much more than that. Every year people come home with cherished new friends, stories they can’t wait to share, and a new kind of confidence. When I started holding these retreats I couldn’t possibly imagine the wonderful thing they would become.

Read more about our previous adventures here

Check out the travel gallery here

The retreats aren’t for everyone. They’re not a sterile 5-star resort experience, though we rent some incredible estates as our homes away from home. They are about real women in quirky, gorgeous places, pushing their boundaries and having adventures and forging new friendships. And they are amazing.

The Photographers

Star Newman: I am the warm, enthusiastic bohemian tomboy ringleader and I will make sure you have the time of your life. Check out my travel boudoir portfolio and some destination boudoir blog posts to see more of what I do.

Jen Trombly: Artistic, sensual, gorgeous and deeply real- this describes both Jen and her work. You can see Breathless Boudoir’s destination portfolio here. Give her half a chance and Jen will get you naked and leave you wanting more. 😉

The Location

This year we are going to Italy, to a private villa in Umbria with sprawling grounds, a high wooden walkway and breakfast terrace, heated indoor/outdoor pool and incredible view of the surrounding countryside. Each woman will have a fully styled boudoir photography session in the villa and surrounding estate- get ready to become art. We will cook most of our meals at home using fresh ingredients from the nearby town, and we’re even arranging a cooking class so you can bring a taste of Umbria home with you.

The Photography

The best part of the trip, of course. You don’t have to be comfortable in front of a camera to do this. You don’t have to be photogenic. It is our job to coach you, to teach you how to relax for the camera, and to bring out your most beautiful self. We are professionals and we guarantee you will have a wonderful time. All you need is a willingness to trust us.

We will be shooting in the villa, the pool, on the walkways and against the rough stone walls outside. We will explore the surrounding area, full of ancient medieval towns, and shoot spontaneously wherever we find beauty. You will come home with at least 50 of the best vacation photos anyone has ever had.

What’s included:

– 7 days accommodations at our beautiful villa

– Fabulous photography by Virginia boudoir photographer Jen Trombly and yours truly, Edmonton boudoir photographer Star Newman

– Professional hair and makeup styling by Michelle Grad (and feel free to steal her for makeup lessons, too!)

– Transportation to all group activities

– At least 2 day trips (I’m still finalising details- there’s a gorgeous winery nearby, some medieval towns, and of course we could spend a day in Rome…)

– Meals at the villa (we’ll be shopping locally and sharing cooking)

– A full set of digital negatives, gorgeous boudoir photo album with 30 of your favourite images, and your choice of beautifully mounted 12×18 wall art

– The best pool parties EVER.

What is not included: Airfare (start saving your points!) and meals when we’re not at the villa (like, if we go out to a restaurant). Wine. Cabana boys.

Thinking about joining us? This trip is more than half sold, so contact me now for more details! You can use this handy contact form or email me at star@actsofbeauty.ca