Is doing a boudoir shoot tickling your fancy? We don’t blame you, it’s an awesome experience, and yes, you should try it! Before you hop on this wonderful train, allow us to share with you some good pointers (and likely remove any concerns!)
1) Always, always, always safety first!!
We can't stress this enough: you do not find your boudoir photographer on Craiglist. Don’t even try, it is never a good idea. We have already gathered some very helfpul tips regarding your safety here, feel free to give it a look!
2) Ask yourself WHY you are doing a shoot in the first place
Knowing your “why” is the first step towards having a successful shoot. You don't need to have a clear videos and set ideas, we actually love when our clients go with our flow as photographers.
But if you are unclear about why you are even here in the first place, chances are you won't be able to fully embrace the experience and that could lead to disappointment.
(We wouldn’t want that now, would we?!)
On that note, we are going to be very honest with you, it's a safe place after all, doing it exclusively for your partner isn't a good “why”. Of course it's a great bonus, but the core reason should be around YOU, not someone else, especially if it is your first shoot ever.
3) You do not need to know how to pose
On the more practical side of things: you don't need to have any clue on how to pose. This is our job as photographers to guide you. You can experiment at home a bit to see what angles you like best around your pretty face and body, and you can even improvise the day of your shoot if you feel like it, but you should not be left alone in front of the camera without any directions.
The goal for you is to be able to enjoy the shoot freely, and not be stuck in your head wondering if the pose you had to come up with on the spot looks good.
4) You don't need to wear the classic lingerie set
Every outfit can be turned into a boudoir one, no exception. You just have to remove some layers and boom, done. You don't have to fall into the traditional lingerie outfits if it is not your jam.
Pick your outfits around how they make you FEEL rather than look.
Rock a blazer with heels if it makes you feel confident, hop in a loose sweater and cute panties if it makes you feel feminine. Get creative, experiment, get those outfits you bought many moons ago and never wore, as long as you don't feel like you are wearing a disguise. You need to look like you on your images.
5) Nudity is not mandatory
Do you have to show some skin for a boudoir shoot? Yes, it's not a headshot session. But that doesn’t mean you have to show suggested, partial or full nudity if you don’t want to. If you want to stick to badass outfits, then great! If you feel like trying some sort of nudity, go for it, it’s such a powerful feeling.
It is your decision to make, from beginning to end.
To let you in on a little secret, a lot of our clients don’t actually know if they want to try nude photos or not, and that’s absolutely okay. You can totally decide the day of the session and see how you feel.
6) The getting ready part of the shoot is so exciting
Putting your outfits together, thinking about your looks, creating a pinterest board with poses and anything that catches your eyes, prepping your hair & makeup… All of these are SO much fun too!
Try to avoid grabbing things last minute and give yourself the time to day-dream about everything. It’s part of the experience too.
7) Last but certainly not least: a studio should not force you to share your images online
If you are paying for a custom session and there is a clause in your contract stating that the studio will own the rights to your images, don’t do it. We personally have release options you can choose from.
Of course we love sharing our work, that’s how our company grows, but technically, it’s not your problem. it is your right to keep your images private if you want to.
You are also allowed to change your mind. If you do so, have it in writing somewhere, for both parties, so there won’t be any risk of miscommunications.