Why I Created Beauty Nightmare Boudoir: From Survival to Self-Love Through the Lens
- Melissa Maldonado
- Jul 11
- 3 min read
Why I Created Beauty Nightmare Boudoir
High school was brutal. I was bullied constantly: emotionally crushed before I ever had a chance to grow. My twenties weren’t much easier. I was stuck in a toxic relationship with someone who never celebrated me. Everything I had: my money, my safety, even my identity, was tied to him. That’s what led to my eating disorder. It ruled my life.
Everything changed when I found modeling through the Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market.
It started as a casting call. I gave it a shot, not knowing that moment would completely shift the direction of my life. At first, I modeled for fashion brands. Then it moved to bikini shoots. Eventually, lingerie. And something started to shift inside me.
Even though my eating disorder was still present, I saw myself differently for the first time. Through photography, I saw strength, beauty, confidence:things no one ever reflected back to me before. It
wasn’t about being perfect. It was about being seen.
Photographers started telling me things I had never heard: “You are enough. You are amazing.”
And little by little, I started to believe it.
Healing My Body Through Boudoir and Fitness
As more photoshoots happened, I started to shift how I treated my body. I got inspired to move, to get stronger. My roommate, who’s like a brother, encouraged me to start lifting and training in a healthier, intentional way. I stopped working out as punishment. It became a way to rebuild myself.
The more I worked out, the more confident I felt.The more I shot, the more I saw myself as whole.
Eventually, the disordered eating patterns faded. My mindset shifted from self-destruction to self-respect. I was healing, and photography was a huge part of it.
Building Beauty Nightmare Boudoir in NJ and Philly
Once I realized how much photography had done for me, I knew I wanted to offer that transformation to others.
As a graphic designer, I already had an eye for aesthetics and storytelling. So I bought my first camera, a Rebel T3i, and started photographing friends, artists, and models I’d worked with. I learned lighting and technique by asking questions and being on set with amazing photographers.
Over the next few years, I built a body of work that spanned from Philly to New Jersey and beyond. I was published internationally. One of my cosplay photos won an award in Japan. I didn’t shout about these accomplishments back then, but they mattered.
A Pandemic, A New Identity, and the Launch of My Studio
When the pandemic hit, everything changed again. Working remotely gave me the chance to travel, explore, and rediscover who I was.
I hiked mountains. I ditched the suits. I became louder, freer, more wild. I stopped pretending I could ever fit inside a corporate box again. When we went back to the office, I knew I wasn’t the same person anymore.
Then I got laid off. And instead of breaking down, I built something new: Wild Queen Creative and Beauty Nightmare Boudoir.
This Is More Than Photography. It’s Reclamation.
I created this studio for all people, of all genders, bodies, backgrounds, and identities, who want to be seen without shame or limitation. Who want to step into the light and the shadow. Who want to feel bold, cinematic, and completely real.
Whether you're based in New Jersey, Philadelphia, or just passing through, this space is for you.
I want every person I work with to feel safe enough to laugh, cry, scream, be weird, and shine fully. This isn’t about fitting into a mold. It’s about breaking it.
And beyond that, this business gives me freedom. It allows me to travel with my dog, my best friend and the reason I’m still here. He’s six now, and I want him to see the world while I help others reclaim their power.
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