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Billingborough woman's '50 over 50' project aims to boost confidence and self-esteem




A photographer has launched a project to make women over the age of 50 feel more confident about themselves.

Sharon Mallinson has run Symply Boudoir from her home in Billingborough for more than 10 years but in the last year her work has been hit by the pandemic.

With restrictions now lifting, Sharon is hoping to attract women back with her 50 over 50 project.

Symply Boudoir Photography (46118468)
Symply Boudoir Photography (46118468)

The aim is to find 50 women over the age of 50 to take part in a boudoir photography session, which Sharon says can boost self-esteem and confidence.

“Boudoir photography is often thought of as seedy and tacky but it’s far from that,” said Sharon, a mother and grandmother.

“When I first started the business, I thought it would be pretty young girls but the more I started doing, the more I realised it was more than pictures – it was boosting people’s confidence. It was quite incredible. As a woman over 50 myself, we want to be seen and acknowledged and to feel good about ourselves.”

Sharon launched the project earlier this year because she said her business had been “totally annihilated” by the pandemic.

Already 30 women have signed up and Sharon, 59, has released an image of herself so women know what to expect.

She has spent the last few months chatting to women online, to encourage them to be involved.

“People are curious about it but they are also anxious. I don’t want anyone to feel they are going to be asked to do something they don’t feel comfortable with, so it does take time to build that trust,” says Sharon.

She describes the sessions, in which a make-up artist and hair stylist are provided, as “fun and a giggle”, adding: “It’s just big girls getting dressed up and having fun.”

The first photos were due to be taken yesterday (Thursday) as many of the women already signed up wanted to wait until they had the opportunity to visit a hairdresser.

Sharon then plans to run an exhibition somewhere locally of the 50 pictures and the personal stories of why the women wanted to be involved, to raise money for ovarian and breast cancer charities. Many of the women involved have had breast cancer, and ovarian cancer is said to be “invisible”, which Sharon said is how many of the participants feel.

Each session costs £199 including a mounted photograph. To find out more visit: symplyboudoir.com



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