Capturing Confidence on Camera With Tigz Rice

Sassy
Jul 17
3 min read

Photography, Power, and Posing for Liberation

On this week’s episode of The Sassy Show, host Bethany welcomes empowerment photographer and body positivity advocate Tigz Rice to the sofa. Known for her viral boudoir pose tutorials and a career built on capturing the many layers of identity, Tigz joins the conversation with sass, softness, and unapologetic sparkle. Whether she’s working behind the lens or showing up for talks, Tigz encourages people—especially plus-size women—to step into their bodies with joy, vulnerability, and fierce self-love.

Bethany first encountered Tigz at The Photography Show where she shared her work as a boudoir photographer and discussed her journey of encouraging empowering poses to a viral audience (we're talking millions!). Tigz's motivations behind her career trajectory evolved from her earlier life as a burlesque performer and art student with a passion for glitter, theater, and Photoshop. Her path into photography wasn’t born of a business plan, but out of creative curiosity and an early rebellion against beauty standards that never included bodies like hers.

"I rage quit on beauty standards... And people kept asking to be photographed by me because they felt seen, they felt safe."

“I rage quit on beauty standards,” Tigz recalls of her teenage years, where bullying pushed her not to conform, but to get louder with her self-expression. She shares how her mindset at that time was “If I’m going to get bullied anyway, I might as well lean into my weird.” That early spark of defiance eventually transformed into a compassionate mission of representation - especially after finding her way into the world of burlesque and vintage aesthetics.

From backstage feathers and fishnets to front-facing cameras and editing suites, Tigz’s work evolved. “It wasn’t until after uni that I fell into photography,” she says. “People kept asking to be photographed by me because they felt seen, they felt safe. I didn’t go looking for it - it came to me.” What sets Tigz apart is not just her technical skill but her lived experience on both sides of the camera. “Every version of you is worth celebrating,” she says. Having photographed people of all sizes, genders, and identities, she brings a rare understanding of how deeply personal - and sometimes confronting - being seen can be. “It’s a little self-indulgent moment to step into the most authentic version of you - or a fantasy version you’ve always dreamed of exploring.”

"Being photographed is a little self-indulgent moment to step into the most authentic version of you - or a fantasy version you’ve always dreamed of exploring."

That authenticity exploded into the public eye when Tigz quietly launched a silent pose series on TikTok. “I didn’t even speak in the videos,” she laughs, “but suddenly, millions of people were watching.” One video hit over 5 million views, and messages poured in. “So many people said, ‘I’ve never seen a body like mine posing like that.’ It just hit home how much representation matters.”

Despite the internet’s noise—and occasional hate—Tigz stays grounded in her mission. “If I wouldn’t ask for someone’s opinion in real life, then I don’t need it online,” she shrugs. And that clarity filters into her work. Clients are guided with care, discretion, and full consent - whether their images go online or remain private, nestled in a folder for themselves alone.

“I think it's about curating your legacy,” Tigz reflects. “And that legacy doesn’t need to look one way. You can show up soft. You can show up strong. You can show up just as you are.”

“So many people said, ‘I’ve never seen a body like mine posing like that.’ It just hit home how much representation matters.”

Through 1:1 solo shoots and her empowering group workshops, Tigz offers more than photographs - she offers an invitation to radically accept and embody who you are, here and now. Whether you're wrapped in sequins or stripped down to your knickers, she makes space for you to feel celebrated, not scrutinized. Because, as Tigz reminds us, “No two bodies I’ve photographed have ever been alike. And there’s so much power in knowing that.”