Dallas Voyage - Interview

Nov 22, 20223 min read

Today we’d like to introduce you to JoAnna Moore.

Hi JoAnna, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story. It all started when my parents made the HUGE mistake of giving my sister and me one of those green disposable cameras from Walmart. They didn’t realize it then, but they had unlocked a creative side of me that would eventually become my career.

We used the whole camera roll the first day, and when we got the photos back, they were all photos of inanimate objects, with many of them blurry and completely unusable. Since then, it’s safe to say that I’ve worked on my craft a little bit.

When I started photography in 2012, I was only shooting portraits and events, but my goal was to shoot weddings. For a long time, I thought that the photographers who “made it” were wedding photographers, and for some, that is truly the case!

During one of the weddings I was shooting, the bride had a gift for her soon-to-be husband. It was a boudoir album — a little black book filled with photos of her body in the form of art.

The look on his face was awestruck. It was such a powerful and yet intimate moment that she was able to share with only him. Immediately I knew that I wanted to offer boudoir sessions to my brides as an add-on.

I needed practice, so I recruited two girls I knew to pose for me. Once their session began, I realized that the art of boudoir photography is so much more than a gift for a spouse. It’s an empowering experience that instills confidence by seeing yourself through a different lens.

Since then, I’ve gone on to photograph hundreds of women. Each one with their own reason, their own story, and their own insecurities. Each one walking out of their session with a newly discovered self-love. I found a passion for empowering people to truly love themselves, and I get to use photography to do it.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road? Starting any business is full of struggles, but one of the many obstacles that I’ve faced while being a boudoir photographer is the misconceptions and negative connotations surrounding the nature of the photos.

Many people don’t see boudoir photography as empowering and confidence-inspiring. Oftentimes it is mistaken as something that is lewd. While there may be a time and a place for that style of photography, my boudoir sessions are geared toward encouraging my client’s self-esteem.

It’s impossible to change the minds and opinions of everyone, but since I decided to specialize in boudoir, I’ve realized the need for this type of empowerment in our culture. Society has done a great job of telling us what we “should” look like and constantly reminds us where we fail to meet those standards. A boudoir session is intended to break through those misconceptions and recognize that every woman is fearfully and wonderfully created.

I’ve had the privilege of photographing CEOs, nurses, teachers, lawyers, and even people from my church. Women from all walks of life have experienced what boudoir truly is: celebrating and appreciating the body you have.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others? While I’ve tried almost every style of photography, I’ve found my calling in boudoir photography.

I would say that I’m known for my dark and moody style. I try my hardest to make sure that each client sees themselves as fine art. I’m most proud of the way my clients feel when they walk out of their boudoir session. I truly enjoy instilling newfound confidence where there previously was none.

What sets me apart from other boudoir photographers is the experience I provide each client. Every session is personalized to offer each woman her own unique boudoir journey. From the lingerie selection, their makeup and hairstyle, what we order for lunch, and the style of their photo album, it’s all fully customizable to them.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk? The biggest risks I’ve taken thus far is making boudoir my full-time job as well as moving into my new studio location!

For years I did photography as a hobby or second job, but a few years ago, I decided to take a chance on myself and moved into full-time photography.

When I first started, I was regularly renting other people’s photo studios. I decided to take a risk and open up my own studio! The first studio I opened was absolutely gorgeous, but it was small, and I’ve outgrown it. I recently moved to Downtown Dallas and will be opening my studio in September!