Digital Wedding Forum - Wedding photography's home on the web.

Location - Charlotte, NC
Business Name - Couture Boudoir and Critsey Rowe Photography
Years in Business - 10
Website - www.coutureboudoir.com and www.critseyrowe.com
Blog - www.critseyrowe.blogspot.com
PM - Contact Critsey

DWF - Let's start off with a little bio, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Critsey - I live on the east coast but I love to travel and have been blessed with shooting events all over. I started out mainly as a wedding photographer but found that I really love photographing boudoir and started a separate business - Couture Boudoir. My Couture Boudoir brand has really taken off in the last couple of years which also takes me all across the country and even abroad. I feel so cheesy saying I love what I do - but I do!
 

I am married to an amazing photographer, Thomas Geist. We met at a DWF convention in Vegas. Thank you DWF!

DWF - How did you become a wedding photographer?

Critsey - I have always loved photography - I actually was one of the first of my friends to have a camcorder and everyone thought I would be a movie maker so it is kind of funny that I became a photographer and have not picked up a camcorder in a hundred years! Although my 5D Mark II has the video function that I have not played with yet - should I admit that? LOL!

Oh, I did not answer the question did I? I became a wedding photographer after photographing a few friends weddings and everyone pressuring me to shoot their weddings, so here I am ten years later still loving every minute of it.

It is so weird how life leads you - my degree is in Criminal Justice and I planned to work for the FBI or in white collar crime. I am so happy that life lead me to my passion. I am always telling people they should work in a career they are passionate about because that is where they will find true happiness. I can honestly say that I LOVE my job!

DWF- Who or what inspires you as an artist?

Critsey - Oh my, there are so many people I can list as inspiration but I don't think I can fit that many people on here. My inspiration is not only some really talented photographers but some amazing people in this industry- gosh there are so many!
 

For my boudoir shoots I would say I get most of my inspiration from fashion magazines. I am always trying to evolve and become a better photographer no matter if I am shooting a wedding or a boudoir session - I really want to out do my last shoot.

DWF- If we needed a photographer today why would we book you? What makes you unique?

Critsey - For weddings I think the thing that makes me different is I shoot for the client to fit their style not mine. I want the images to reflect them and not just what I want to shoot. If they are more traditional in style, then their images will reflect that. If they are more edgy, then I shoot to fit their edgy style.
For Boudoir sessions I pretty much have the same approach - I want the style to fit the clients style. It really makes such a difference when you are photographing a beautiful woman and trying to capture her in her own unique style instead of trying to fit her into someone else's idea of style. I shoot all of my boudoir sessions on location and I can tell how the shoot will be by the style of location the client chooses - whether it is a romantic bed and breakfast or a swank hotel, this really says a lot about someone's style. The session is all about the client.

DWF- If you had to pick a favorite "Tool of the Trade" what would it be? and why?

Critsey - My tool of the trade would first of all be my Canon 5D Mark II but that is such a given so my second answer would be The Totally Rad Actions by The Boutwells. I am an action junkie and have way too many but my faves are the TRA 2 actions. I like that you can take a really plain image and make it amazing in a matter of seconds. I love taking a photo that otherwise would be deleted and making it a master piece. Some of my favorite photos are ones that would just be okay when taken but transformed to something amazing in Photoshop.

DWF - Care to share your favorite photographs?

Critsey - I really want to share some of my favorite boudoir images. I love that contemporary boudoir has become so popular!

Boudoir really is not like it used to be - now it is so sensual and sexy without being raunchy.

DWF - How about some final words to live by?

Critsey - Always be true to yourself and others will respect you for it.