BOUDOIR 101 - WHAT TO EXPECT
Boudoir is for those who fear themselves.
You know who you are.
Hello, gorgeous!
In this post I will tell you everything you need to know about Boudoir photography and what to expect if you are considering a session with me. If you ever wished to feel sexy and comfortable in your skin, you must read this!
THE BASICS: WHAT’S BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY?
It’s very simple, Boudoir photography is a genre in which a photographer takes elegant and tasteful photos of a woman in lingerie. A good photographer will bring out your natural beauty and will make you feel comfortable resulting in beautiful images that you keep for yourself or share with a special someone in the form of albums, prints, or wall art. Images that will be cherished for years to come!
WHY DO WOMEN HAVE A BOUDOIR SESSION?
After years photographing women, I have found that the most common reasons they do a boudoir shoot with me are:
Surprise a loved one with a sexy gift before important events such as wedding day, anniversary, or birthday as well as enforced separations, military deployment, a work trip, or another temporary relocation.
Spice up your bond and relationship with your partner
Self-esteem booster: Feeling better about yourself and getting photos to prove it.
Divorce: yes! Very common and an excellent way to feel better about yourself after the drama.
Weight-loss: who wouldn’t want to have photos to showcase you on the best shape of your life? Or with a Revenge Body?
Recent or upcoming surgery: before/after breast implants, mastectomy, etc.
If any of these are your reasons, then a boudoir session is the perfect opportunity for you! Book now to set the schedule for your boudoir session.
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT FROM MY BOUDOIR SESSION?
You booked your consultation and already set the date for your shoot, now what? Let the fun games begin!
I will make sure I capture you at your absolute best, and make you feel beautiful and sexy in a way that you have never been before.
During your shoot, I will guide you through every pose. I usually pose you in a way that is suggestive rather than explicit. My motto is “less is more”, meaning: the less skin you display, the more sensual and classy you will look. Boudoir photography is about getting images that are subtle rather than images that display it all. You’ll be tastefully covered throughout most of your session as you tastefully display your assets.
This is a stress-free day that’s all about you. My staff will make sure you get pampered and taken care of. I want you to relax, smile, and enjoy everything going on around you—I want you to be present!
You’ll have your hair and makeup done for you by a professional, and we will go through the outfit options you bring while you sip a glass of Champagne and listen to chill music. I will walk you through the poses and recommend the best outfits to help you look and feel your best. I’ll make sure you will have a day that you will never forget!
HOW TO CHOOSE THE STYLE OF YOUR SESSION
It is extremely important to choose the right photographer for your style. Your boudoir session must reflect who you are and I want to be sure that your session is tailored to your needs, including the style of your pictures. These may include:
High-key: very bright lighting.
Low-key: low lighting. It can be grainy, black and white or film noir style
Bridal style: wearing bridal lingerie.
Pin-up style: more colorful and very retro.
The boudoir session is about you, and it is extremely important that you chose a photographer that has the style you are looking for. I personally do not shoot pin-up because it doesn’t reflect who I am as a brand. My style is more contemporary, and very fashion editorial oriented. I shoot both, color and black & white, but i’m a sucker for B&W and natural light.
Your shoot can encompass a wide range of styles, moods, and feelings. Before your session, I go over your moodboard to see what kind of photos you are looking for and make sure we are on the same page. I will also make suggestions and guide you through different ideas for your session.
WARDROBE
This is the hardest but funnest part of the process! Choosing the lingerie you will wear for your session can be very overwhelming but I’m here to help you and make the process smooth sailing. I will make sure we pick flattering styles that will emphasize your assets and minimize anything that you are not comfortable with, allowing you to create an album or products that you’ll fall in love with.
One sexy option as an outfit is just wearing a sweater, a men’s white shirt, with very high heels. Very important: You must bring black or nude heels because those are the colors that photograph the best and go pretty much with any color.
Another simple idea that looks amazing is wearing just white sheets wrapped around your body. Even though there is no lingerie involved, it’s one of the photos I get more requested by women. It’s very Marilyn Monroe style, very classy!
I’ll be happy to provide you with a lingerie guide that will help you choose the perfect wardrobe for your boudoir session. This guide has helped many women before you select lingerie that makes them feel sexy and comfortable at the same time, and that’s exactly what we want for you! The idea is to bring 6-8 outfit options, but we will photograph 3-4 outfits. More than that is not recommended because you will be tired by the 3rd option.
We’ll work with you before your session to make sure that you have plenty of lingerie options. Your boudoir shoot is your time to shine, and we’re here to make sure you look your best.
HAIR AND MAKEUP
Hair and makeup are extremely important so please do not neglect this area. It can brake or make a photo. If you choose to come with your hair and makeup already done, it’s ok, but I do not recommend it. Our in house MUA will help you achieve the look you dream for your shoot so you can look and feel your best. Let us pamper you!
When you show up for your session, show up with a clean face and hair—we’ll take care of the rest! The only thing you need to do is sit, relax, and let our team take care of all the work. Hair and makeup usually takes approximately 1 hour.
After your session you will still have the hair and makeup done and looking like a model. So now is a good time to go out for dinner with your special person or with friends. When you look and feel your best, why would you want to go home after looking and feeling like a million bucks? GIRL, HIT THE TOWN!
POSING
Posing is one of the most intimidating parts of the session, but don’t worry! I’m here to guide you and make you look your best. The easiest way to get you to do a specific pose is by mirroring me. Once you get the pose, I will capture your best angle during that pose. I will also show you examples from pinterest boards or magazines so you can have an idea of what I need you to do. My main goal is to make you look good!
I must let you know that posing for a photo session is like doing exercise. Some poses will hurt and feel uncomfortable, but believe me, you will look amazing!
My experience as a fashion and boudoir photographer have taught me what poses work best with a variety of body types. If you’re not comfortable in a pose, just let me know! I do not want to photograph you in pain or uncomfortable. This is all about you and making you feel your best!
Posing is easy
when you have a professional guide you.
PREPARING FOR YOUR BOUDOIR SESSION
I often describe this as preparing yourself for the Oscars! LOL It takes time and commitment for that 1 day! In some ways, preparing for your session is just as important as the session itself! Make sure you’re prepared physically, mentally and ready to go.
Come with your face clean and free of makeup.
Blow-dry your hair, but don’t style it.
For the love of god, DO NOT tan nor use spray tan the days prior to your appointment. There will be an additional charge for touching up orange skin or smoothing away tan lines in editing.
Make your waxing appointment 2-3 days prior to your session to avoid redness or irritation in the skin.
Get your mani-pedi the day before of your shoot. Use nude, pink or translucent white tones. Match the color of your nails with your toes.
Avoid alcohol and sodium the week prior your photoshoot
Drink plenty of water
TIMING
You must be wondering how it takes to get the images after your session. There are several things to keep in mind when it comes to your timeline.
The boudoir session lasts around 2.5-3 hours. This is plenty of time for hair & makeup prep, picking outfits and shooting.
Images will be available for viewing within 10-15 days at my studio. If you need them quicker, a rush fee option is available.
Albums, wall art, and other printed items takes around 10-15 days. This depends on the specific item you want and how many prints you need.
It’s time to give yourself and that special someone in your life a gift that you’ll cherish forever. When was the last time you had your photos taken? It’s time to think about you, you will not regret it! Schedule your boudoir session today!
PRODUCTS TO PURCHASE
After your session and at your viewing appointment you will be able to order the products you want to print.
Albums: you can easily display and share all of your favorite images from your boudoir shoot in a discrete way. Different sizes are available.
Wall art: allows you to display your gorgeous images in your bedroom or other private areas of the home in a larger formatand greater detail!
Folio boxes: like albums, allow for a private display of your boudoir prints. These boxes can contain numerous different picture sizes, letting you choose the perfect size for each image. Folio boxes will also allow you to remove an image or two if you want to send them off with your sweetheart when they need to travel without sending the whole box along.
The white sheets sessions are the most requested.
No, she is not
a model.
She is a regular woman, a role model, just like you.