Hmmm, gee, I wonder what the “outrage” would have been IF someone would have had a “male ” only seminar ? Can we say lawsuit ?

If women expect to be treated as equals in every aspect of society, then they have to play by the rules TOO ! Otherwise don’t go whining and crying when you are excluded.

I think this whole boudoir things is going a bit too far. Where is the moral guidelines! I mean, this stuff is soft-core porn. I would dare shoot this stuff – I couldn’t handle it as a man, and my wife would kill me also. Also, why is DWF going crazy over this stuff – doesn’t DWF stand for “Wedding photography”? Bridals and Engagements go into the Wedding categor, but not soft core porn Boudoir! Anyone agree?!!!

Hi

The Divas reply to the original post, was complete.

The two reason given are not.

The list that they created for male only? and the only man to attend…maybe he did not read on the blog “woman only”

If it was men only….that would be wrong also.

Like Carli Morgan mentioned “As for the indignant men (and women), you are right: Allowing men to attend that Paris workshop would have made up for thousands of years of oppression by women. Oh, wait, maybe I have that wrong…”

She definetly got this wrong…and i ask her…what if it was a black only workshop….would that be correct because of the many years of opression they also had…and like the Divas reply to why they wanted Woman only……The flat would be only shared by Black people and the models would be Black friends???

I don’t think so…..or comparing gender descrimination to Race discrimination is not Descrimination ?

This was an European workshop help by the Divas and open to Woman only in a business that has no SEX.

Happy shooting everyone,

Nuno Figueiredo

Well I think a women’s only workshop isn’t a problem. Women have always been totally different from Men. There are reason that there are Women only colleges. It is because women sometimes can feel more open to share and less oppressed by the male presence. I understand that it seems “wrong” to discriminate because of sexuality, but in this industry the men really are different then the women. Yes we are catty, but the women I have met are so much warmer, more emotional, and willing to share.

Plus Boudoir photography is actually easier for a woman because it doesn’t have to be about the guy photographing a hot girl. It is about a woman photographing another woman in her natural and gorgeous state. Obviously some people on DWF are not happy about this trend, but they are making money of it while others are complaining.

- Wendy

Common sense in the concept of holding just men or women seminars…!

My name is Michael of DandMStudios.
We are a husband and wife photography team. We assist each other in as many shoots a possible. Our shoot specialized genre’s of images including, boudior, fine art, and personal images for men and women.(nude)

Our clients are men and women. Sometimes after we set up for the shoot, a man, will ask that my wife or assistant will leave the room.
Sometimes a woman will ask that I leave.

Many reason, embarrassed, are physically scared and embarrassed about it, or just plain uncomfortable with a man or woman around.

I have also taught women and men photography classes on the Fine Art side. I have found some of the men find it easier to let go with questions and comments when no women are around. Men have all these worries about what women will think and have to reserve themselves. The same for women.

So it does make sense that you hold a seminar for women only. It would make sense to hold a class for men too and not coed. Then have a coed class.
And if you encourage both sex to be themselves and don’t worry about offending, to ask the questions they always wanted to ask a women about photography and photographing a women. It would be benefical.
You would be surprised of the questions ask me about photograhing a man in a boudoir or nude sitting from women when its just me and women. If men were not around I assure you I would not get the questions or help they desperatly want. The same with men.

Debbie and Michael
DandMStudios

Clearly one or both of these women hate men. Reading the blog posting history of Kim or Kimberly West on her site you’ll find her anger at whatever she claims some guy did to her. If male photogs held a “man only” event, we’d not only be sued but would get lambasted in the press. Here, because they want to live in past anger it must be ok to keep all men out. Reading her ridiculous blog posts it’s no wonder she’ man-less. Step it up ladies and face that if a guy wanted you by now, you’d be married.

Sam,
I have no anger toward men. To be honest, I can’t wait to find a man who will sweep me off my feet! I’m sorry that my blog posts have confused you and given you an incorrect perception of me, but if you knew me personally, you would know that what you have just written here is absolutely nonsensical, unfounded, and fallacious.

Dear Sam Argile,

Wow, wow, wow. That is all I can say. You have taken a business decision made by two very savy business women and turned it into an unfounded personal attack against Kimberlee.

If you could please stop cyber-stalking her and take some time to get your head out of your rear end I’m pretty sure you would enjoy life a little more.

I have read Kim’s blog for sometime and I have never had the impression that she hates men. I do have the impression that she has learned to love herself and that her joy is giving the gift of self-love to other women. If I am going to make an assumption based on what people post on the internet alone, I would assume that you, Sam, have had some issues with women in your past, no?

Kim you are beautiful, young and way to smart to settle, but you already knew that, didn’t you!

Hey, I just gotta put my 2 cents in here. I agree with CC. Sam, I have to say that you are just being plain disrespectful towards someone who you don’t even know. You haven’t a clue! How can you say those last things that you said? I mean freedom of speech yes, but why so angry towards this precious one?
Kim is a wonderful young lady with a great heart. My family and I fell in love with her when she did our wedding pictures and she has become and will always be our friend. She’s golden and has such a God given talent.
Sam and everyone else, just get a coffee or a margarita and relax and just chill and let these ladies do what their calling is. I hope you find yours too!
Love ya, Kimmie!!! You, my friend, are Captivating!

Ok…I have read Kimberlee West’s blog since forever…and I have never gotten the impression ever that she was a man hater. Kim would be be an amazing catch for someone who was worthy of her.

Everyone should relax, and let Kim & Marissa have the workshops as they have chosen to do so. I have attended in the past, and they have no ill thoughts or meaning towards men and both are amazing teachers and share so much information with all attendees.

you have to be kidding me. who the hell cares about whether men are allowed or not. good grief. i have never once gotten the impression that kimberlee is in any way a hater. i would have had no idea that some clown would come to a place like this and raise such a ruckus.

dude, you need a hobby. there are so many other pressing things in this world to direct your energy towards.

on behalf of decent guys everywhere kimmie, this guy is a troll.

I find this somewhat amusing as it seems that people have a tendency to hide behind their computer screens to whine and bicker about what someone else is doing with their business. Is this due to the fact that maybe these two women have worked their business from the ground up with the utmost success? Are these people envious of the quality of work these two achieve? Are they just upset because they lack the visionary gene that these two were obviously blessed with? Instead of bickering, why not mind your own business rather than knocking others for their success.

To Mike Hall: Making claims against them for shooting soft core porn is absolutely absurd. Classifying their work as such is obviously an intentional personal attack fueled by some sort of personal problem that you may be plagued with. Why don’t you do a little research prior to making uneducated and immature statements. Photographing a woman in an intimate setting wearing lingerie and looking beautiful is far from porn. If you were to turn up the lights, add another woman or man in the picture while removing all the clothing while acting out a sex scene, then that would classify it as such. It is sad, but humorous that you are claiming their work to be that. How disrespectful. Your observations, statements, and claims are humorous to the rest of the world that knows the difference. It is unfortunate for you that you cannot accept the actual artistic nature behind good boudoir photography and what their actual business is geared towards. I highly doubt they would even be interested in photography if they knew they were going to be shooting porn. Not to mention that its doubtful that they would be as respected in the photography industry as they are if they were shooting soft core porn. Mike, have you ever looked at sports illustrated? Have you ever looked at Maxim? Have you ever browsed through one of your wife’s cosmo mags? The images in there are, and can be much more revealing than the ones that the divas take. Hey, here is a thought, go to the beach and just sit down and take a look around you. What you will see may shock you if you are comparing their work as porn. I have a feeling that you may have some sort of a guilty conscience for interpreting their work as porn. Maybe you have been caught in some act and by posting this, you feel like you have been forgiven. Either way, you are foolish and your observations of their work is unrealistic.

Sam, you are an idiot. Plain and simple. I too have read her blogs and that thought never once came to mind. Reading her blogs over and over again to only come to that conclusion is stupid. A logical third party observation places you in the weirdo, maybe even psycho category. Kimberlee is a beautiful woman, and she probably has high standards for what she wants in a good man. She is smart for not settling for some low life scum bag. An obvious fact is that you seem to fit that scum bag classification, and are probably just upset because you wouldn’t be able to get a sophisticate, intelligent, and beautiful woman like her. So congratulate yourself Sam, you just made a fool of yourself, although I am sure this isn’t the first time, nor the last.

Personally, I would love it if my girlfriend was photographed by these two. It would substantiate and solidify my adoration that I feel for her on a daily basis. I think this may be one reason why these two are running such a successful business. I admire what they are doing. I feel that they are led by the morals that feed the success of their business. They DO work with male photographers, which have to, and willingly hold the utmost respect for what they do and who they are photographing. They are not the typical perverted disrespectful men who get off on seeing a woman look sexy. I feel that the divas reasoning for wanting to work with female photographers is common sense and has paid off. I think all the ones complaining of the issue are the ones who want to get in there and mentally perv out on the models, hence the divas reasoning for mainly wanting female photographers. Maybe if men started showing a little more respect for women in this world, we wouldn’t have these issues in the first place.

Whew. This is a little funny to me. 1st. Boudoir is not porn.. if done tastefully which the BD’s have. Most of these gifts are for people that they give to the “other half”. So it may not be for you and your wife’s personal liking.. why blast those who do? Not nice. Also, Men have “Man Nights” and Women have “Girls Nights” so what if there is a “Girls Only” seminar.. boys.. you can totally make your own. Promise.

Divas- hold your heads up. You are clearly doing what God has called you to do.

You have to be kidding me. Haha, wow, look at the people hating on the divas. This doesn’t surprise me though. People are jealous and envious of enthusiastic and driven women. Hey haters, go find something constructive to do rather than bashing someones business. Tell me, and specify which rule stated in which book with factual evidence that they are breaking the law with their “women only” seminars. They are doing plenty of things right, and it probably is just bugging you that you didn’t think of it first. The haters need to piss off and find something better to do with their lives, because they obviously suck their own. Divas, keep doing what your doing, and don’t let these schmucks get you down.