CREDIT: KR. B.
Boudoir photographer keeps things tasteful and empowering.

CALGARY (CUP) - Former Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) student Alix Broadway is the photographer and creative director of ‘Miss Behave' — a Calgary-based boudoir photography company that aims to shine a positive light on sex and female sexuality.

Broadway dates boudoir photography back to the glamour photography of the 1980s and explains how it brings out a sense of empowerment within women all around the world.

“Every woman wants to feel sexy and beautiful, and [boudoir photographers] have a way of showing that with these photos,” she said.

A married woman herself, Broadway's preference has been to shoot exclusively for women, as she thinks her work sheds a positive light on sex. This, she says, is important because “sexuality itself is a hard thing for a lot of women to get a grip with within themselves.”

While posing for the intimate shots popularized by boudoir photography, some women may feel anxious and exposed. Broadway eases these anxieties by making them feel at home and pressure free in her studio.

“I treat every single client that walks into my door like a friend that I haven't seen in years,” she says. “They need to feel extremely comfortable for me to get the most amazing shots out of them.”

Broadway graduated from ACAD with a photography degree in 2001, and had shot a diverse range of fashion, commercial and wedding photography before discovering boudoir — a branch of photography she originally never thought she'd see herself pursuing professionally.

“It's funny because when I was going to ACAD, I never wanted to shoot a naked woman, so the irony is, here I am,” she said.

The idea of Miss Behave came about in 2009 when Broadway decided to reprioritize her photography career, and in turn, the company has been embraced by the community and has seen plenty of growth.

“It's actually been the most rewarding experience I've had with my photography career,” she explains.

“When I first started, I never realized the actual impact I'd have on my clients. I went from shooting five women a month, and now I'm at around 30 a month.”

Broadway says that the majority of her clients are females getting pictures taken for their partners. Her clients range in both ethnicity and age, with her youngest client being 18-years-old and the oldest being 68.

Regardless of age, Broadway builds a strong rapport with each client; the passion and dedication that she displays with her clients ultimately brings forth a lot of positive feedback, she says.

“Every single client that comes in, I always receive an email afterwards that brings a tear to my eye. They're just very thankful.”