For the last four years, I’ve worked with over 400 women to help them look and feel their best. I started my photography career in 2013 as a red carpet photographer, capturing celebrities at glitzy events in New York City. I quickly realized that as exciting as the red carpet was, it was actually a very shallow environment that was all about surface-level appearances. From here, I went onto work in the magazine industry. Same kinda vibe.

One day, I decided I’d had enough, I’d been doing boudoir photography on the side on the weekends, and I realised that through this work I was having a really positive and lasting impact on women, in a way that was deeply meaningful to them, and to me. I take photos that celebrate women’s unique beauty in a very tangible way. However, the real magic when we’re shooting, isn’t about how externally great my clients look, it’s what changes for them internally – and permanently.

Using what I’ve learned as a boudoir photographer and international body positivity expert, I put together these 5 tips to help you look and feel your best in your bathing suit.

1) Scratch the sizing, focus on the fit

In our society we get very caught up with the number on the label, whether it be a size 4 or a size 16. The truth is that sizing is more arbitrary than we are led to believe. Each company creates their own sizing through a “fit model.” Fashion companies choose one woman who they base their entire sizing around. The fit model is not based on any scientific data of a woman’s shape and that’s why your sizing can be all over the place depending on the company. All that being said, be open to being different sizes. Especially in bathing suits, which tend to run small, the most important factor is thatit’s supportive enough that you can jump around in the water, and loose enough that you don’t feel constricted. Therefore, don’t worry about the number on the label or view it as a judgement of your character or worthiness, focus on paying attention to how it fits and whether you’re able to enjoy the moment in it.

2) Find the cut of suit that works for YOU

Today, manufacturers are transitioning so that you can now easily access a variety of bathing suit styles. You have high-waisted bikinis (which I am especially grateful for because of how it flatters my hips), low waisted bikinis, one-pieces, and even t-shirt/pantsuits. There is no one cut that is universally best for everyone. Everybody has a certain cut that looks best on them. Don’t be afraid to experiment as to which of those styles looks best for you.

3) Say it out loud, say it proud

Try this trick, when you put on your bathing suit, look in the mirror and say, “I’m beautiful”. The more you say something, the easier it is to believe it’s true. The power of looking in the mirror and saying, “I am beautiful,” can create a radical shift over time, it’s all about those small moments adding up. The 1% shifts. Even when you don’t necessarily feel it in the moment, or certain days you feel it more than others, saying this affirmation out loud can help you transition into really feeling it in your body. And if you can do it with a cheeky glint in your eye, and a wiggle in your hips, even better.

4) Create a power statement, and pin it somewhere visible

Take a piece of paper, write a quote you love that makes you feel good and in your power, and then stick that piece of paper to your bathroom mirror, your bedroom door, or really anywhere you’re going to see it on a daily basis. This way, you are regularly feeding both your conscious and unconscious mind with this message. Even if you pass it quickly when you are getting ready, your brain sub-consciously remembers the quote and it can subtly alter your overall mood.

5) Recognize your body as a form of social activism

It is time to change the narrative that our body needs to look a certain way in a bathing suit. Feeling good about yourself is an act of civil duty because we want the generations after us to not grow up feeling inadequate because of their body shape. It’s up to us to stand up and create the space and energy where we all feel celebrated. The more we tap into that, the more we can radiate the positive light to a better tomorrow.

Hopefully these tips will serve as a reminder that being in your bathing suit can help you feel MORE confident in who you are and in your body, not less.

Feel free to let me know how this goes for you!