I know I’ve said it before, but it really does mean the world to me when my clients have such a good time on their boudoir shoots that they come back for more! Another of my recent wonderful return clients is Norwegian pinup model Penny Heartbleed, who joined Miss Victory Violet and I on both our vintage pinup makeover shoots at Fontaine’s in London, as well as at Hotel Pigalle in Gothenburg in 2019. As one of the loveliest humans you could ever meet, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to catch up with Penny Heartbleed again and ask her some important life questions, including her reasons for coming back for boudoir shoot number two….

Penny Heartbleed / Pernille Wangsholm

Occupation: Software developer

How would your best friend describe you? Loyal, kind, and fun I think!

Name three things that you always carry with you? Bobby pins, powder compact, red lipstick

What was the last book you read? I typically read a few books at once because I’m impatient, the last two I finished were “Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies”  by Nick Bostrom, and “Poseidon’s Wake” by Alastair Reynolds.  

What inspired you to book a boudoir shoot? I have been following you and your pictures for a long time, and I always loved how confident the ladies look. I wanted to feel that confidence as well! Even though I had wanted to for a long time, I always had this voice in the back of my head telling me I should go work out first and then do it when I was in better shape. But reading your blog post about body confidence really helped me take the plunge, and I was good enough to do it now!

Who would play you in a movie of your life? Natalie Dormer

Whats the most interesting thing about you that the internet doesn’t know about you yet? Hmmm.. Maybe that I studied AI and game development? And that I LOVE dinosaurs. 

Tell us about one of the outfits you wore for your empowerment shoot – why do you love it? I have always felt that lingerie brands – and brands in general – are very good at catering to one specific kind of customer. And I never felt that customer was me. You can tell that most lingerie commercials are made to excite the person LOOKING at whoever is wearing it, not the wearer themselves. Then I saw the Savage X Fenty show and I was blown away by how beautiful it was put together, and how they had a large variety of people in their looks, of different genders, body types, sizes, colours, and abilities. I knew this was a brand I wanted to support, and I found some stunning pieces to show off!

Describe your boudoir shoot experience? I had a bit of a rough week leading up to my photoshoot, so I decided to treat myself and spend the night at the Hotel Pigalle. Gothenburg is a few hours by train from where I live anyway, so I wanted to make a full day of it! The hotel was beautiful, and I got to relax a little bit before meeting Tigz and Miss Victory Violet in their suite for the shoot. They knew I was feeling a bit down, and got me feeling so well and right back in a good mood! Ella worked her usual wonders on my hair and makeup, Tigz had to help me clasp up my stockings, and we had a lot of fun! The shoot setting is always very calm and fun, assuring, and positive. Afterwards I met up with two other girls who had shoots before me and we went for dinner and drinks!

What song gets you on the dancefloor? It’s Raining Men, or anything from my “pride classics” playlist

What are you most proud of in your career so far? Last year I got onto the board of directors for my company, which is pretty rad! I get to help drive a company that works in tech and startups while still being a big group of friends who care about each other. Also I got to go to Paris Fashion Week!

What is your top body confidence tip? Do more things that make you feel well and make you appreciate what your body can do. Figure out what makes you feel well, it can be working out or it can be taking long baths. Running, or reading by the fireplace. All bodies are different, and the beauty standards change all the time. There is no single body shape that is better than any other, it’s all fashion and cultural for the current times. Prettiness is not a tax you have to pay to exist in the world as a woman, as they say. 

What will your autobiography be called? “I guess we’re here now so might as well make the most of it?”

If you could be a model for any brand, which brand would it be and why? I would go back in time and model for Thierry Mugler, because the sheer drama is perfection. On a more close-to-home note though, I would love to work more with Emmy Designs Sweden. They create clothes of high quality in low quantities, pure wool garments that pretty much keep me alive through winter. Emmy and Lisa who run it are also the sweetest people.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking about booking a empowering boudoir photoshoot of their own? Do it! It’s so much fun, it makes you feel wonderful, and you don’t need to show the photos to anyone unless you want to. 

Want to feel confident like Penny Heartbleed ? Make today the day you book your own boudoir shoot with me – explore some of my boudoir offerings here and then say hi via the contact page. I can’t wait to hear from you!