Blog β€” Scandaleuse | Inclusive Toronto Boudoir Photography

Fanny Lelorrain

Fanny Lelorrain

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Boudoir Bash or meeting 5 wonderful human beings

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We put together our first Boudoir Bash: 5 women, 5 sessions for one day only. A boudoir marathon. And a pretty successful one. We had the perfect combo between a gorgeous place and five amazing personalities.

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To be completely honest, when we first started Scandaleuse, we weren't sure about booking multiple shoots a day. Since we are all about creating individual experiences, we were a little worried that it would lose authenticity and creativity. We first thought "how can you be 500% creative after 5 hours in the same space?"

Then, we had a little contest on our instagram and it made us realise that so many women who couldn't afford a VIP session were dying to try it still. And we had an opportunity to shoot in a very special location. Everything started getting together. It kinda looked like a sign so we decided to follow it. I am glad we did.

One house.

Before talking about the wonderful models, we need to talk about the location. We got extremely lucky to have access to a full house, recently renovated with modern touches and full of variety. We could never thank the owners enough. Thanks to them, our concern of potentially lose creativity during the process faded.

Two brains.

The fact that there are two of us made the entire day a lot easier. I took one shoot, Fanny took the other one, which gave us a chance to "recharge" between two people. We were also able to shoot the video below simultaneously while one of us was shooting.

 
 

Five models.

Within a few weeks, all the spots were taken. We knew practically nothing about our models. For our regular sessions, we always take our clients for a coffee to discuss location and vision, but in this case, since the location was set, we were ready to roll after sending them a few tips & tricks. Frankly, we expected our girls to bring similar outfits from one another. We were pleasantly surprised by the thoughts the girls put into their props and outfits.

We saw beautiful nightgowns, vintage bras, sophisticated bodysuits, gigantic feathers, delicate robes and so much more. Each of them have a very distinct personality which made the whole process even nicer. And the standard was already pretty high!

A challenge for all of us.

Usually, the challenge during a boudoir session is stronger towards the model, since she/he is likely the one not being familiar with it. Don't get me wrong, we do challenge ourselves by thinking outside the box for every shoot, but let's face it, the one getting naked is taking on a bigger step. This time however, we were seriously on the line too. Boudoir Bash forced us to adapt ourselves quickly and think 4 or 5 steps ahead so each of the girls would get something special. I am happy to say that the mission was accomplished.

Boudoir Bash gave us a chance to open our doors to models we wouldn't have necessarily met otherwise. It broadened our horizon and challenged us. I do believe that this little adventure made us better photographers and we are seriously considering doing it again. We are always so proud of each of our Scandals who have reached out to us to try this new experience.

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How to Avoid NEGATIVE FEEDBACK

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Here is the context: you managed to score a gig on a very nice project. You gathered all of your creativity, worked without counting your hours (for the greater good!), maybe ended up losing money rather than making some but you put your heart on the table and did not regret it. Until…

 
 

Until you received feedback. Negative feedback. This is when your client took your heart out of your chest and kicked it like it was just a piece of garbage.

I experienced this in the past and I would be lying if I said that I handled it okay and it did not affect me whatsoever.

This unfortunate scenario happens more than you would think and more importantly, hurts a lot more than you would expect. Because it is your craft. Because we are human. Because our visions are different. Because you were not prepared. Because there was a misunderstanding. Thankfully, learning the hard way can also force you to move forward quickly and efficiently.

Since this feeling is definitely something we would rather avoid, here are some leassons that I learnt from this experience:

Get your client's vision

Congratulations, you made the cut, your client believes you have the talent to accomplish their request and are ready to pay you for it! Now it is time to get down to business and understand what the hell they need you to do. Ask for inspiration photos or other examples. Ask as many questions as you need to, to make sure you understand exactly what they are looking for.

Educate your clients

Chances are that whoever will contact you for your services has no knowledge whatsoever on how to do your job. That is probably why they are reaching out at the first place. Now that you have a more precise idea of what they need from you, you MUST evaluate the time and budget allocated for this project and let them know exactly what they will get for this price/time. Is it very unlikely they will get 500 edited photos for one hour of coverage for their event. They probably won't get a very complicated studio lighting for their corporate shoot for $200.

Have a contract

Sounds simple but it actually isn't, at least for me. I got blinded by the excitement, agreed to work fast, didn't take the time to write everything down and have it signed. Bad, bad idea. This can only backfire. Write something that can protect you in case something out of your control was to happen the day of the shoot that would stop you from giving what you were asked.

Explain the final product.

While it does relate to the previous point, I believe it needs a different paragraph. People need to know prior to shoot what they will get at the end. Edited, RAWs, low res, high res, your watch, whatever. This needs to be set in stone. If you have delivering  RAW previews for your clients to choose, it is important to explain that this step is not the final product. Again, they might not know what a RAW photo looks like (and it looks pretty bad usually.). If I REALLY have to show some RAWs - which I try to avoid as much as possible - I like to give an edited example with it to show the before/after process. This also give you a chance to get approval for the editing style you went for.

Charge a fee for additional hours.

Make it worth your time. If after giving exactly what you were asked, you get additional requests, you need to charge for it. This will avoid wasting money on billable hours. And no one likes to waste money.

Let it go.

This is the hardest point for me. And this is still something I need to learn myself. Despite of all your efforts, sometimes it just doesn't work. It happens. If you feel like you gave your best and there is nothing else you can do to adjust the products, it is time to let that boat sail away. There is only so much you can do. It doesn't make you a terrible artist, it just means that people are different. Take what you can from it and move on.

That's it dearest Scandals. Now go work on new amazing projects and blow people's mind, we are right behind you.
Love,

 
 

What changed since we opened Scandaleuse?

Five months ago, Fanny and I took the decision of changing our lives and get on the entrepreneurship boat towards new adventures. We have had a great start so far. Thank you for following us on our instagram and our facebook page, we are building a nice new community of butt cheeks we are very proud of.

 
 

While we’ve always wanted to create our own company, we never actually took the plunge. My life was more about reading books and testimonials from people who actually did it and then tell myself the ”I will do it too someday”. Then I turned 25. Then Fanny got her working visa, which allowed us to legally get into a partnership. And it clicked. I quit my job and 4 days after, our shaky fingers finally showed Scandaleuse to the rest of the world from the Toronto Reference Library.

Quitting your full-time job to follow what you really believe in and give yourself a chance wasn’t easy. But oh boy is it worth the risk.

Being photographers, we were already quite far from the 9-5 office job, we were used to long, odd hours and last minute requests. Maybe it helped with the full time business women transition. We have always been organized, hustlers and not scared of hard work. More importantly, we have each other. It's a no-brainer that jumping into something like with someone is easier.

Here are our 5 best perks of running Scandaleuse and many many other projects. Don’t worry, we are not giving you the usual  I-work-from-home-so-that’s-awesome that you can find online. Here we go:

 
 

1)    We are not paid less because we are women.

This had to be my first point. I am blown away that in 2017, women are still earning less than a man for the same exact job. A lot of companies take advantage of it. So yes, one of the biggest perks of running your own business is that you price yourself the way you want to. So, no less dollars because we have vaginas. BOOM.

2)    We don’t have to deal with creative frustration.

You want to work on a brand new project? Well then do it. No approvals to get, no time wasted. Of course, all the work is on you, but since we are kind of organization ninjas, it’s definitely not an issue. Now, on top of shooting, we are about to start giving workshops and being keynotes speakers at events and that’s pretty sweet. (The amount of terrible jokes people will hear is unreal. Sorry.)

3)    We are very good company.

I was a little scared of getting lonely and getting bored working from home. Hell no. Fanny and I work together face to face multiple times a week and from our places the rest of the time. I am seeing my apartment a little more (only a little, because seriously, we are always out somewhere) and I am loving it.

4)    The constant learning position

We are the kind of people that need to learn constantly. We are naturally curious. After working at the same job for a couple of years, I started being unhappy because I felt like I wasn’t learning anything anymore. This was when I realized I needed to go. Building your own thing teaches you something new all the time.

"Once you stop learning, you start dying.", right?

5)    The Brownie Points

Everyday is a new little victory. It could be from booking a shoot, working on a new idea, fixing the website or finalizing a project. That sweet feeling of "Damn, we did it” is so good!

This could sound like we live in a world full of unicorns and glitter, and trust me, we don’t. Consider us just well-prepared and determined to make things work. We have our tough days, a crap ton of stress and disappointments. Would I go back to working full-time for someone else? Not anytime soon.

For the road

  • If you expect to start business without knowing a minimum what you are doing, think twice. Read, go to seminars, get as much information as possible
  • While having a business bestie is awesome, pick the good one. Fanny and I have known each other for 8 years and have worked together on multiple occasions before officially doing it on paper. Trust your gut.
  • Have savings. Business don’t pick up right away. We are lucky to have projects on the side and savings to save us from sleepless nights. Don’t start your business being broke.

Now, go YOU!

 
 

What to wear for your boudoir session

Look at you! You just booked a boudoir session, or you are about to book it. Congratulations! The excitement is here, the ideas are boiling all over the place. What to do, where to do it and even better: what to wear??
Well, we are here for you and we like shopping, so buckle up!

 
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We pride ourselves to make boudoir accessible for every body type, shape and gender. We make sure that whoever is facing our lense is having an unforgettable experience. However, when people think about boudoir, they automatically picture the vintage pin-up look and a full lingerie attire. Don't get us wrong, we do think the pin-up style will never go out of time (you are talking to an eye-liner master since 2007 after all) but at Scandaleuse, we are working hard to dust off the natural boudoir style and make it shine like your mama's silverware. Au naturel baby!

Let's talk about your (sexy) attire

If you are a bustier, garter belt/stockings combo and stilettos lover by all means, bring it on! But it is also okay if you are not. We have so many opportunities to bring sexy back (hello JT) with other outfits, that it would be a shame not to use them all.

You also may not be comfortable with showing certain parts of your body. Take a deep breath, it is absolutely fine. Why dress up in a way to won't make you comfortable and spend your entire session worrying and being self-conscious about how you look? You're supposed to have fun, remember? A boudoir session is supposed to be stress-free.  If you are a little lost and need some help, we have put together some guidelines with what we have heard so far during our bookings:

"I hate my arms."

Think loose sweaters falling off the shoulder, with a cute lace bra strap showing. Or even a man's shirt for the "I woke up like this" look. Lace robes are also a great option not a lot of people think off, but they are sexy as hell.

"I don't want to show my belly"

 What about a high waisted pair of panties to improve posture? Have you thoughts of a sassy bodysuit? (we love bodysuits. Who doesn't? It works with all size and shapes. Love them.) Last but not least: night gowns. Not like the ones your grandma is wearing. The ones with lace, a little see-through, showing without showing too much. Same goes with lace rompers for a more cozy look.

"My thighs are not my best friends" or "Cellulite is Satan"

First of all, we all have cellulite. Like seriously, it's part of being a woman. If really this is a problem for you, you might want to think about some shorts, tights and stockings. They all make your legs look longer and they look great with high heels.

Looking for an even more flattering booty? Get brazilian panties, they got it right! Never seen a butt not looking good in those.
If you are a thong fan, avoid the stringy ones, unless they are perfectly fitted. Higher waist line usually highlight your beautiful hips a lot better.

"My chest is too flat/too big"

So. Many. Options. Bralettes are ridiculously trendy for small breasts. Between strapped, meshed, different colours, see-through, patterned and more, you should consider them. Crop tops or see-through shirt look great, especially with nipples showing a little. Very sexy and not too revealing.

Mother nature gave you some goods? Rock the bustiers and bras with underwiring to avoid hurting your back. Make sure they are the good size, there is nothing more uncomfortable than extra skin sticking out on the sides. Bras are just not supposed to do that. You can also get some open sided shirts, to show your side boob. Don't underestimate sideboobs.

By the way, topless works too. Just saying.

Extra tips

Bring heels. Even though you might not pose with them the entire shoot, it's amazing how wearing heels automatically helps your posture and makes you look more confident.

Always bring more outfits than necessary. We will help you pick what's best. Better have more options than not enough.

Accessories can go a long way. Jewelry, stockings, body chains, harnesses, garters, hair pieces, ankle chains. Anything to make your shoot different from others.

If you don't know what to do, always pick simple and elegant. A cute pair of panties, topless, barefeet, and you're good to go.

There are all kinds of sexy. Remember, your session needs to look like you only.

Shopping selection

Now the fun part. Here are some local Toronto vendors we have worked with (or want to work with!).

 

Less Is A'mor - Online

Seduction - Yonge/Wellesley or Queen/Spadina

You get 10% discount with us by the way. Yes mam.

Jordan de Ruiter - online

Secrets from your sister - Bloor/Bathurst

 

Photoshoot in Costa Rica

It was about time that we wrote about this trip. Don't procrastinate kids.  Fanny and I had the opportunity to go to Costa Rica last February, to escape the canadian cold and follow an aerial silks retreat. Because, yes, we also do aerial silks!

 
 

This retreat is put together by the lovely Jamie Holmes, The Circus Fix genius and aerialist extraordinaire. If you are following us on our facebook and instagram, you are probably already familiar with her beautiful face! (and if you are NOT following us, it's not too late!)

While it was a pretty busy trip full of workouts and good food, we clearly saw that a shoot had to happen. We had it all laid out right in front of our eyes: gorgeous girl, outstanding country and a brand new business we were starting to nourish.

Now that we had 90% of the elements for a successful shoot, we needed one thing: the perfect spot.

We were located in a super small town called Santa Teresa, where if you don't have any sorts of transportation, you have to use your legs for 45 minutes in average (except the beach. That was across the street!). Been there, done that, Fanny and I started our little adventure for a solid 3 hours. As usual, we climb stuff, we crawl on the floor, and occasionally yell to one another "do you think this is safe???" And honestly, we didn't find what we were looking for. Until we walked home.

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There it was, that super close by, easy to access, little path that no one noticed. Some sort of mini jungle, by a deserted beach. Across from the main street we are staying at.

We walked down that secret trail and fell in love. Everything was magical. The light was absolutely gorgeous at any time of the day. The greens of the jungle were mind blowing. After a thousand "wow" and "WOOOOOOW, we had it.

Side note: do not try to call monkeys there, they will throw coconuts at you. Fanny dodged one.

It felt like the photos were taken by themselves. Despite the heat, it was one of the easiest shoot we've ever done. Jamie did a fantastic job posing and we are so happy we got a chance to give her that. I only wish the shoot lasted even longer.

This is not only a "look-at-our-shoot" post. This is our first boudoir when Fanny and I worked together as a team.

This shoot triggered our love to shoot boudoir outdoors to create those out of the ordinary contrasts. This session showed us how well our ideas clicked together and how solid we are. It's thanks to this specific moment that we opened Scandaleuse a couple of weeks later.

To the next crazy shoot!

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Fancy a personal shopping session?

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Scandaleuse is not just about a boudoir shoot. We pride ourselves to create a full experience and make it unique to your sexy self. If you are having a blast, then so are we. That's why we just teamed up with Ashley, the lovely advisor from Seduction, downtown Toronto, to help you pick outfits and kill your shoot.

What's the deal?

Upon booking your shoot with us, you can schedule an appointment with Ashley for an hour long personal shopping session. The good deal? On top of the great lingerie selection that Seduction has, you get at 10% discount on your purchase at the shop. This deal is available for any of our packages.

Now, Scandals, meet Ashley:

 
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Who are you?

Hello Scandaleuse World! My name is Ashley.
I would describe myself as an old soul, who marches to the beat of my own drum. I would also say that I’m maybe a little bit of a workaholic… but when you love what you do, it’s easy to let it take over.  I’ve been working in the Adult Retail environment for 5+ years and honestly, it’s been a lot of fun. In my spare time, I’m also a freelance model, a netflix binger and a book worm.

Let's talk about your job at Seduction:

I’ve been with Seduction for just about 3 years now, and I keep myself busy in all things creative around the store. While I spend a lot of my time on the sales floor, coaching couples and singles on how to keep their sex lives interesting, I organize and style photoshoots for advertising which can be found in newspapers, online or even posters around the city. last but not least, I’m also a main contributor to our social media.

Why should our models go to you before their session?

I believe that everyone deserves to feel sexy in their skin. What you wear says a lot about who you are, or what you want to represent. Fashion, to me, is an outlet of creative expression. What I wear on a day to day basis makes all the difference in how I feel. During photoshoots, especially boudoir, it’s important that the models are comfortable, and confident in what they’re wearing. I want to make you stand out because you are beautiful and deserve to be noticed. When I accomplish that with a new client, it makes me that much more proud of what I do.

What can our Scandals expect from an hour with you?

We want you to feel special, so when you book an hour with me, you’ll get an hour of undivided attention. I want to get to know you. Asking questions will allow me to get a better sense of what kind of style or vibe you want to go for, and that will help me select outfits that will be appropriate. After the question period, we’ll walk around the store together collecting a handful of items that might be of interest, and then you’ll spend time trying the outfits on to ensure that you look and feel good for your photoshoot. When we’re done, you’ll walk out knowing that you made the right choice.

We don't know about you guys, but we are hooked. Check out our selection of lingerie and accessories we found when we met Ashley for her headshot.

Find Seduction:

  • 577 Yonge Street Toronto, On, M4Y 1Z2

  • 493 Queen St W, Toronto, ON, M5V 2B4

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The day we spoke in public

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Last week, Fanny and I did our first workshop. And since we never do things half-way, we chose to do it at the easiest place on the planet for regular people: the Oasis Aqualounge.

 
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If you were to remember only ONE thing about us, it's that we believe that you should be able to do whatever the hell you want with your body, as long as you are not putting yourself or others in danger. We pride ourselves to be respectful of people's choices even though they might be different from ours. In case you are not familiar with the Oasis, it is the only high end sex club downtown Toronto. Meaning that you go there with or without a partner and you do or don't do things. No it's not dodgy, and yes it's safe (and clean).

Now that we cleared the air, you must wonder why we ended up here at the first place.

We actually contacted them. It's that simple. They were pleased with our body positivity approach and the diversity of our models, and offered to give us a timeslot during their monthly event. We saw an opportunity to talk to people directly and took it. However, here is the difference between this specific adventure and a regular workshop: people pay the entrance ticket to the place, not to your speech. It is available to them if they feel like it. Meaning that people came or left half way through.

We had NEVER spoken in public before, especially in English. We had no idea what to expect. I seriously had notes with me that just said "SPEAK" so I remembered.

 
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How do you practice for an event that you know no one is coming for specifically? You can't introduce yourself multiple times if new people show up. What happens if it's boring and people leave in the middle of it? To be honest, all of these thoughts kept me up at night.

If you don't follow us on Instagram, you should. We love stories!

If you don't follow us on Instagram, you should. We love stories!

So here we were, a few days before the workshop, rehearsing in my living room, and timing our speech to keep it short and sweet. We got frustrated by our accents we think are too thick. We changed our speech 20 thousand times. We rehearsed for 6 hours non-stop one day. Again, again and again. 

The day of, we grabbed two glasses of wine, generously offered by the Oasis, took a deep breath and stepped on the stage, in front of strangers. "Picture people naked" they say. Well they already were. Surprisingly, after 3 minutes and a second glass of wine, we didn't even notice it. We did our speech - with technical difficulties and our awkward English - and we started asking for volunteers to take pictures of.

Then something pretty cool happened.

Instead of having one couple and one woman volunteering like we planned initially, we had 6 couples. We managed to make people trust us even though the first thing they said before listening to the workshop was "I don't want my picture taken". Our short intro did work. We even had to turn people down because we were out of time (and releases).

We met amazing people. All shapes, age and gender. The connection they share with their partners is unbelievable. We only had a few minutes per person and yet, we got amazing images. We saw the trust, the love and the complicity between two people and we were so honoured to be given a chance to capture it.

A lot of things didn't go as planned. We messed up quite a bit, we stuttered, we made jokes no one laughed at, saw people leaving when we were speaking, and had tough lighting conditions to shoot in. But we did it. We. Freaking. Did it. Because at the end, all that matters is that:

Some people stayed
Some people laughed
Some people were excited to have their pictures taken
Some people sent us nice emails
Some people believe in what we do.

Mission accomplished. To the next workshop!

Show us Your Tats - Amber

Amber is one of our most badass shoots so far! Kind, beautiful and adventurous, both Fanny and I were over the moon especially when she said: "I can get in the water if you guys want!" when we were in that gorgeous secret spot in Etobicoke. Needless to say she made the day to all of the random walkers that day.

 
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Oh well hello, who are you?

Hello! I’m Amber - I’m a tattoo artist with Chronic Ink in Toronto.

How did you end up pursuing a career as a tattoo artist?

I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. I started getting tattoos with Chronic Ink after discovering them online, and fell in love with the studio, the people, and their dedication to art. I originally went to school to do concept art for video games, but after deciding it wasn’t the right path for me, I decided to explore my other options - tattooing was next on the list of ideas, and I knew exactly where to go. Chronic Ink agreed to take me on as an apprentice, and with the help of their artists and other staff, taught me to tattoo!

How would you define your style?

I love drawing pretty things, and that absolutely extends to my tattooing. I do a lot of animals, florals, and other natural things. I’ve really gotten into the neo-traditional style lately, so I’m trying to take my tattoo work in that direction.

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What are some of the most memorable anecdotes from your job you could share with us?

Every day I get to meet new people and learn about their lives - it’s amazing! I have clients from all different backgrounds and walks of life - I even got to tattoo an Olympic silver medalist once. I love hearing peoples’ stories behind their pieces, especially when it’s something deeply meaningful to them, that I can help turn into a piece of art that will stay with them forever.

One of the things I specialize in is scar coverups. I understand what it’s like to be self conscious of something on your body, and it’s so meaningful to me that I can help people feel more confident by using my art.

Can an artist refuse to do a specific request?

Absolutely. We can turn down anything we are morally opposed to, that won’t age well, or that we don’t believe we are the right artist for. Sometimes finding the right artist for your piece is a bit of a process, and especially at a shop the size of ours, you might end up talking to several before we find the right one for the job. We want to make sure your piece is the best it can be!

We all love to get better and push our limits. What would be your next challenge as a tattoo artist?

I want to start doing more pieces with multiple subjects. A few flowers or an object on their own are great, but it gets more challenging when you try to fit several different subjects together into one cohesive piece. As the work I do gets bigger, the more I’ll have to do this, and I welcome the challenge!

 
 

Let's talk tattoos

Oh boy! I just tried to count, and I THINK the current number is 24. I have a sleeve in progress that’s several different pieces done at different times blended together, so it’s hard to decide if I should count them as separate pieces or one big piece.

Most of my pieces were done by other artists at Chronic Ink. A lot of them were done by apprentices - I love being able to offer myself as a canvas to other artists who are learning. Some of them were done by artists who were apprenticing there long before I was - it’s amazing seeing how far their work has come since I first met them!

Let me try to list everyone:
Marilyn Nguyen, Livia Tsang, Neil Tavares, Evan Yu, Katie Willson, Karen Ng, CJ, Frank Carrilho, Monika Boo, β€˜Big Mac’ Mackenzie, Laurel Winston, and two tattoos that I’ve gotten in the week or so after we did this shoot by Tegan Rush and Sebastian Camargo - the tattooing never stops when you work at a tattoo shop!

 
 

Could you give us details behind your most meaningful tattoos?

Honestly? Most of my tattoos don’t have a lot of meaning behind them. I have a quote from my favourite movie, my house from a wizard school LARP I went to, and a whole lot of stuff that I just enjoy visually. Everyone gets tattoos for different reasons - I put them on my body like one would put art on their wall. Just because it looks nice!

If you could give one piece of advice to anyone who wants to get a tattoo done, what would it be?

Give your artist as much creative freedom as you’re comfortable with. I understand that it’s sometimes hard to relinquish control - especially when it’s a piece with a lot of meaning that’s going to be on your body forever. I guarantee that you’ll get a better piece in the end if you give your artist a bit of wiggle room, though.

Find Amber

Check out the shop’s instagram at @chronicink! We have so many incredible artists that encompass all styles of tattooing, and they’re some of the nicest and most genuine people I’ve ever met.

Her instagram to see her beautiful work.

How I Met My Business Partner

Episode 1 : From Paris to London.

 
 

Hello Little Scandals,

Juliette here! As you know, there are two Scandals-en-chef behind Scandaleuse. Fanny and I are lucky to have a rare relationship. A very strong bond that was built over the years. Not to say that we agree on everything, we are not Barbie dolls surrounded by unicorns, but we have been pretty lucky to find each other.

So that's the story for today: how we met.

(Fanny doesn't know I am writing this at the moment. Surprise!)

 
2012, and already taking lingerie photos....

2012, and already taking lingerie photos....

 

Paris, September 2009. I am 17, Fanny is 19. I am from the middle of nowhere in the North of France and Fanny grew up in Paris' suburbs. We officially met for the first time when both of us sign up for Photography school in Northern Paris. Two young women trying to chase their dreams and learn the craft that Photography is.

The first things I remember about Fanny are:
β€’ She was ALWAYS wearing heels
β€’ She had to have her coffee from that crappy machine we had in the hall multiple times a day.
β€’ Her nails were different color every week. Like seriously, that was the fun fact of every other Monday.

I felt like she was such a grown-up compared to me & my black nails, because y'know I am rock'n'roll.

We spent the first year of school becoming friends but nothing crazy. We both had other girls we bonded with. Turns out both of these lovely girls ended up leaving after the first year and Fanny and I kept going for the second part of the program.

I guess this is when we started becoming close. I was slowly struggling with this school that I didn't like, seeing Fanny was pretty much the only thing that made me go. We modelled for each other's assignments. We did random shoots when no one was taking care of us.

She was always game to follow my crazy ideas of creating dresses out of curtains and go shoot in a public park in Paris.

 
Yep, this was one of first sessions!

Yep, this was one of first sessions!

#artplease

#artplease

 

I wanted more than the school. I wanted to travel. I didn't go through the program and didn't do the last year. Fanny kept going and I found another school than led me to London to work as an assistant for a photographer there.

Surprisingly, my leaving made us stronger than ever. Over the span of 8 months, I did my internship and went back home. Fanny had that tickle to travel then and I desperately wanted to go back to London. "You should come with me" I told her one day on October 2012.

Later that month, I got a phone call:

"I am coming with you, let's do it" she said.

Tickets were bought the same day, we packed our bags and left two weeks after.

The day we left for London with 3000 bags.

The day we left for London with 3000 bags.

To this day, the moment when both Fanny and I were in the Eurostar, on the way to London-St-Pancras, is one of the most powerful moments of my life. We were both very serene. We were doing something kind of crazy, leaving our friends and family behind, to go to a city Fanny didn't know and I was barely familiar with. City where people speak another language we didn't really know. No jobs, no apartments, just our thirst for adventure. Yet everything felt like it was meant to be.

After writing this, I realize than we are going to need at least another post to tell you guys how we ended up in Toronto.

Stay tuned Little Scandals.

 
 

I had to end this blog post with some vintage pictures of us. Here we go, yours truly!

Show Us Your Tats - Betty LaBourbon

Betty was one of the first participants to Show Us Your Tats. We fell in love with her retro look that makes you want to buy anything babydoll looking you can find. We loved her even more when she agreed to get in the water with us at Cherry Beach, with a thousand dogs (and their owners) staring at us. 

 
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Who are you?

Betty LaBourbon,  burlesque performer based out of Toronto. My classic pin up style is the cherry on top of my electric performances, both as a solo performer and as part of the Femme Diagrams burlesque troupe.

Let's talk tattoos

I have 4 tattoos. The oldest is a maple leaf on the small of my back that was done for my 16th birthday. It was done in a small town shop outside of the city. My black widow was to remind me that I am strong in my own right, and was done by a friend. I have a Winnie the Pooh memorial piece for a family member who passed away. And I have a burned branch with my family's crest to keep me connected to my past. Those two were both done at Tat-a-rama in Etobicoke. So far that has been my favorite shop that I have visited in Toronto.

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What was the time and budget allocated for each piece?

The maple leaf was maybe $100, it is not very big and it was done outside of the city many years ago. It was only maybe a half an hour to complete.

The black widow was even less than that since it was done by a friend who was an apprentice at the time. Again, it didn't take very long, maybe 20 minutes.

The branch took quite a bit longer, about 2 hours. It cost almost $300, and I gave the artist a good tip as well because he did an excellent job.

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The Winnie the Pooh piece was maybe an hour and a half, and cost about $250, but again, I gave the artist, Joe Berry, a tip because, again, the artists at this shop do excellent work. I'm very picky because I either design my own tattoos, or have very clear ideas about what I want, so I need to work with artists who are willing to listen, and not all about their own ego and personal style.

Is the tattoo fever going to strike again?

Ooh absolutely! Tattooing is a great way to celebrate and remember important things, events, people. I have maybe 3 more planned, but I'm sure more ideas will come to me as time goes on.

Is there something you wish you had known before getting tattooed?

I did a lot of research before getting my first tattoo. I had to as a requirement before my parents would sign the consent forms! But I didn't realize it was going to be such a spiritual experience. You have an image that means something so personal to you that you want to carve it into your body. You sacrifice blood and pain for this image to be with you forever. That is an incredibly intense experience. And for me it became very spiritual. A way to give back to the universe for lessons learned or gifts received. I still feel that way every time I go under the needle.

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How did you immediate family/circle of friends react?

My family has always been ok with tattoos. Both of my parents have them, and since I was so young when I got my first one, I needed their consent before it could be done! Strangely enough, my nose piercing caused more issue than any of my tattoos have! As for my friends, it was never an issue, either good or bad. They all wanted to hear about it, and teased me about going through the pain, but no one really seemed to consider it much beyond that. It's become very normalized in our culture I suppose.

The Deets

Tat-a-rama in Etobicoke | @tatarama.
Joe Berry | @joe_b_tattoos

Find Betty

Her Instagram | Her Facebook

 
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When the photographer becomes the model

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You know we care. You know we would do anything to treat you the best possible way. We know there is always room from improvement. That's why we decided to put one of the Scandals-En-Chef - Juliette - on the other side of the lense for a change, to experience fully what it is like to be half naked in front of a camera.

 
 

Dear little Scandals,

Both of us went to Costa Rica last February to participate in an amazing Aerial Silks retreat. We stayed in a beautiful lodge and totally took advantage of it. We woke up early morning before the heat made us sweat more than usual and off we went, shooting!

Disclaimer : Like many women and men, I have always had body issues. They are like ghosts from my 14-year-old self when I was hiding my face with long bangs and wearing horrible push-up bras, and other uncomfortable attire to pretend my body was something it wasn't. Over the years, I became "okay" with my reflection in the mirror. Not hating it, not loving it either. While working out has helped me a lot, I still have to battle my demons here and there. This shoot was a huge challenge that I set for myself.

Now, buckle-up, you are about to jump in my head...

 
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7:01 am - Today is the day. Can I catch up on years of non-squatting in 2 minutes?
7:02 am - Probably not. At least we are doing this before breakfast. No swollen belly, yay!
7:05 am - My hands are shaking and my buttcheeks will too. Why did I think this would be a good idea?
7:06 am - Shoot boudoir sessions they say, it will be fun they say….
7:08 am - Enough talking to yourself, more getting ready.
7:30 am - Hair? Decent. Make-up? Complete. Wardrobe? Minimal. Sex-appeal? In process.
7:35 am - I am SO ready for this.
7:38 am - Here we goooo.
7:40 am - Wait, what am I supposed to do? Listening to Fanny should be a good start.
7:45 am - I have to contract my abs.
7:50 am - Daaaaamn, I feel like a sex bomb.
7:55 am - I have never been this self-conscious about sitting on a bed. How do people sit on beds and look naturally sexy?
7:56 am - American movies are full of lies.
7:58 am - What the hell should I do with my arms? What do normal people do with arms? The human body has way too many parts.
7:59 am - Hold the pose, hold the pose, hold the pose.
8:00 am - Worth it. Looks sick. Let's do more!
8:15 am - I have never arched my back this much before. Flexibility here I come.
8:17 am - The garderner is taking a hell lot of time to pick up his lime on that patio here. Enjoy the show buddy.
8:25 am - I am getting the hang of this.
8:27 am - Call me Sexy Beast from now on please.
8:30 am - More! More! More!
8:32 am - Bra's off. I am a savage. Free the nipples!
8:37 am - There is something very cool about walking around breast-naked, let me tell you.
9:00 am - Wait, it's already over?

What I learned from this experience:

This shoot confirmed everything I thought would happen and more. I blanked for basic poses, went from feeling vulnerable, super nervous and questioning everything I did to jumping around, boobs au naturel. It is amazing how fast you become aware of your own body when it is the main focus. Every natural movement does NOT feel natural anymore for no reason.

Thankfully, I did not have to do too much thinking with Fanny guiding me every step of the way. I felt more and more comfortable after the first 5 minutes and was completely at ease by the end of the session. Even better, I am actually super proud of myself for accomplishing this.

This session also helped me become a better photographer. I am even more aware of what a model needs to hear in order to feel taken care of.

Conclusion: Will definitely do it again!

Things you should know:

  • Your photographer (aka us!) does NOT judge your appearance. That is not what we are here for.
  • It does take guts to pose half naked in front of a stranger. That's why we make a point of ensuring you are 100% comfortable with us, our personalities and the way we work.
  • Posing you is part of our job. You shouldn't worry about having to come up with poses by yourself.
  • You are allowed to say no. I personally felt comfortable enough to show my breasts.  Maybe you won't, and that's okay.
  • Make the most of your session and have fun. You've come this far, you might as well go fierce!

This makes me happy for what we are currently doing with you Little Scandals.

Love,

 
 

Show Us Your Tats - Kris

 

We randomly found Kris on Instagram via Adrenaline's story. The guys were just trying on their women's clothing collection and we thought "that guy sounds like fun". Good call, Kris is -indeed- hilarious and one of the kindest men we've ever met.

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Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I am Kris, the Manager at Adrenaline Tattoos Piercings and Streetwear in Queen west! We offer tattoos, piercings and sell clothes. Adrenaline has been around since 1998.

Adrenaline is one of the biggest tattoo parlors in Toronto, what do you think makes it different?

I think the biggest thing that separates us from other shops is our customer service. We train our staff to be attentive, caring, and knowledgeable, at the end of the day, people are here to spend a lot of money and we need to be able to make them feel good about their decisions.

What's your background and how did you end up working in the tattoo industry?

I used to be in the restaurant and bar business for many many years. I worked every position you can think of, from busboy to General Manager. I left the industry to challenge myself, both personally and professionally. The tattoo world shares many of the characteristics as the restaurant world in terms of customer service and standing behind your product. I ended up at Adrenaline by staying I am contact with people I had met during my time in the restaurant business and the timing was right for me.

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Let's talk tattoos:

I now have over thirty tattoos but a few were done at Adrenaline! I do try to get them from every artist because it is free marketing and to be honest we have some of the best out there!
My most meaningful ones are: my chest which was done by Todd Marritt. It really depicts who I am. I have the crown because I'm named after a prince. The upside down heart represents my love life, unfortunately it's always been a roller coaster.
My lion on my forearm which was done by Delmer Gomez. It represents me being a Leo and always being a strong man who represents his pack. Strong personality, strong work ethic, strong minded.
Finally, my Gentlemen's Club tattoo on myleft upper arm done by Dan Kirk! This one also means a lot. It represents a lifestyle where you dress well, you feel well and you always treat women with respect... It shows that not all is lost when it comes to chivalry... (Scandals-en-chef are thanking you for it and will let let ladies know how to reach you ;) )

Any tips for future inked people?

My advice for newbies picking an artist is do your research!!! If you want a black and grey realism tattoo, find out who does them! If you want a traditional style rose, find out who does them!!
But, my advice to anyone who wants to get tattooed is : know what you want, where you want to get it on your body, and how big you want it! The more details you can provide to the artist, the easier and more pleasurable experience you will have!

 
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Being in the tattoo world full-time, what are the most valuable lessons you've learned so far?

Never judge what tattoos people are getting, because it may mean something to them. Always have a positive attitude when you come to work, it's infectious! And finally, lead by example; your team is only as strong as their leader!
We're making memories everyday! Yes, I am known as the best lip singer and dancer (haha) but there are also a lot of strong personalities here which makes for a good dynamic!

Last few words for the road:

We are constantly promoting upcoming events on our instagram page! So follow us! 
We are currently working on a new project, but it's a secret!! Shhhhh...

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Special thanks to the Rose and Crown for letting us borrow their space and their confused customers!

Find Adrenaline:

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