What is Boudoir?

A lot of you have been inquiring about boudoir photography lately. I see more and more interest and definitely lots of questions. Although it's not a new thing by any means, boudoir photography has exploded in the last few years.

Boudoir (bo͞oˌdwär) is essentially a woman's private sitting room, dressing room, or bedroom.
Boudoir Photography is variations of candid and posed photographs partly clothed or in lingerie. Nudity is more often implied than explicit.

Boudoir photoshoots are common for brides who want to surprise their future husbands on their wedding day. Other common occasions may include anniversaries, birthdays, Valentine's Day, weight loss milestones, maternity, other forms of body change or alteration (such as breast augmentation or reduction) and for servicemen and women overseas. Boudoir photos don't always have to be sexual, but they should always be sexy.

I love shooting boudoir because it gives women the opportunity to play dress-up and feel beautiful. I mean how often does the average woman get to get their hair and makeup done, dress up (or down) and do a professional photoshoot? I love seeing confidence and sensuality develop during a session, it really is empowering. Every woman in the world should experience it.

  

Typically, boudoir photoshoots with me are done in either luxury hotel suites or in the client's home. My style is sexy, feminine, classic and high-end. I gather inspiration from fashion magazines and editorials. My goal is to make you look and feel like a lingerie model rather than a low-end hooker (sorry to any low-end hookers potentially reading this). The key is to portray both beauty and art.

Often, my clients are very private and, understandably, only want their photographer and significant other to know about the photos. Other clients are so proud of the results and how beautiful they look, that they decide to share the photos with friends and family. Often times, the client will allow me to use a few of the photos for self-promotion because they loved the work so much. This is completely up to the client and I exercise absolute discretion.

What can you expect from your session? Once you contact me, we will discuss your vision, decide on a shoot location, discuss wardrobe, etc. We will book your session date and I will prep you for the day. On the day of our shoot, you will go through hair and makeup first (unless you're doing it elsewhere or doing your own), then we will start with the first look. I will guide you through poses, moves and pretty much walk you through the process. After the shoot, I normally require a 2-3 week turn-around for post-processing, or up to 8 weeks if you order an album.

Final thoughts:
In my experience, it is especially important to do your homework and research before hiring a photographer. Not anyone can do boudoir and not anyone should. The last thing you want is to spend so much time and money to get photos that are cheesy and tasteless. Just because someone is good at photographing newborns doesn't mean they'll be good at boudoir. Also, you should communicate to your photographer what feel you're going for during the initial consultation. Ask to see samples of their work and make sure they can deliver what you want. Hire a photographer whose work you love.
Remember, everything from hair and makeup, to wardrobe, to retouching plays a huge role in the end result. You get what you pay for.