Jurassic boudoir shots intended as bride’s joke become internet sensation
She’s a Calgary mom with some true rex appeal.
Nicole Stein has become an internet sensation after donning a seven-foot-tall Tyrannosaurus rex costume for a racy boudoir photo shoot last month, which has since gone viral.
The 32-year-old mother of two wanted to do something different ahead of her Canada Day wedding to now-husband Chris Hall, and a joking online discussion about doing boudoir pictures dressed as the prehistoric predator somehow became reality.
Fellow Calgary mom and photographer Kissy Spicer happened to have her husband’s inflatable Tyrannosaurus costume — aptly named Sexy Rexy — and the duo were soon involved in the strange photo shoot.
“It was just going to be a gag gift for my husband,” said Stein. “We did the real boudoir shoot and then I got the T. rex suit on and we probably laughed for about 15 minutes.”
At only 5-foot-3, Stein said trying to strike racy poses in the massive inflatable costume was a bit of a chore.
Spicer said she has always had a bit of a quirky side when it comes to photography, but she admits she set the bar a bit higher with the provocatively prehistoric photo session.
“Nicole has always been one of my favourite people to shoot — she’s always down for any crazy idea,” said Spicer, who’s known Stein for about four years.
And what began as a silly idea has spread like an extinction-causing asteroid, with the duo receiving interest from ABC’s the Today Show, Inside Edition and Buzz Feed.
“It has gone nuts in the U.S. and absolutely insane in Russia and Korea,” Spicer said.
But before its viral spread over social media, its first viewer was Stein’s recently hitched husband.
“He had no idea. I made up a little photo book to give to him at the end of the wedding,” she said. “When he opened it, he had a look of shock on his face and then a big grin. It was hilarious.”
And while noting the sheer volume of attention was unexpected, Stein said she’s happy to see it brought some smiles to people’s faces.
“I’ve succeeded in my mission to spread laughter around the world,” she said.