Boudoir sessions

Boudoir Bash or meeting 5 wonderful human beings

We put together our first Boudoir Bash: 5 women, 5 sessions for one day only. A boudoir marathon. And a pretty successful one. We had the perfect combo between a gorgeous place and five amazing personalities.

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To be completely honest, when we first started Scandaleuse, we weren't sure about booking multiple shoots a day. Since we are all about creating individual experiences, we were a little worried that it would lose authenticity and creativity. We first thought "how can you be 500% creative after 5 hours in the same space?"

Then, we had a little contest on our instagram and it made us realise that so many women who couldn't afford a VIP session were dying to try it still. And we had an opportunity to shoot in a very special location. Everything started getting together. It kinda looked like a sign so we decided to follow it. I am glad we did.

One house.

Before talking about the wonderful models, we need to talk about the location. We got extremely lucky to have access to a full house, recently renovated with modern touches and full of variety. We could never thank the owners enough. Thanks to them, our concern of potentially lose creativity during the process faded.

Two brains.

The fact that there are two of us made the entire day a lot easier. I took one shoot, Fanny took the other one, which gave us a chance to "recharge" between two people. We were also able to shoot the video below simultaneously while one of us was shooting.

 
 

Five models.

Within a few weeks, all the spots were taken. We knew practically nothing about our models. For our regular sessions, we always take our clients for a coffee to discuss location and vision, but in this case, since the location was set, we were ready to roll after sending them a few tips & tricks. Frankly, we expected our girls to bring similar outfits from one another. We were pleasantly surprised by the thoughts the girls put into their props and outfits.

We saw beautiful nightgowns, vintage bras, sophisticated bodysuits, gigantic feathers, delicate robes and so much more. Each of them have a very distinct personality which made the whole process even nicer. And the standard was already pretty high!

A challenge for all of us.

Usually, the challenge during a boudoir session is stronger towards the model, since she/he is likely the one not being familiar with it. Don't get me wrong, we do challenge ourselves by thinking outside the box for every shoot, but let's face it, the one getting naked is taking on a bigger step. This time however, we were seriously on the line too. Boudoir Bash forced us to adapt ourselves quickly and think 4 or 5 steps ahead so each of the girls would get something special. I am happy to say that the mission was accomplished.

Boudoir Bash gave us a chance to open our doors to models we wouldn't have necessarily met otherwise. It broadened our horizon and challenged us. I do believe that this little adventure made us better photographers and we are seriously considering doing it again. We are always so proud of each of our Scandals who have reached out to us to try this new experience.

When the photographer becomes the model

You know we care. You know we would do anything to treat you the best possible way. We know there is always room from improvement. That's why we decided to put one of the Scandals-En-Chef - Juliette - on the other side of the lense for a change, to experience fully what it is like to be half naked in front of a camera.

 
 

Dear little Scandals,

Both of us went to Costa Rica last February to participate in an amazing Aerial Silks retreat. We stayed in a beautiful lodge and totally took advantage of it. We woke up early morning before the heat made us sweat more than usual and off we went, shooting!

Disclaimer : Like many women and men, I have always had body issues. They are like ghosts from my 14-year-old self when I was hiding my face with long bangs and wearing horrible push-up bras, and other uncomfortable attire to pretend my body was something it wasn't. Over the years, I became "okay" with my reflection in the mirror. Not hating it, not loving it either. While working out has helped me a lot, I still have to battle my demons here and there. This shoot was a huge challenge that I set for myself.

Now, buckle-up, you are about to jump in my head...

 
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7:01 am - Today is the day. Can I catch up on years of non-squatting in 2 minutes?
7:02 am - Probably not. At least we are doing this before breakfast. No swollen belly, yay!
7:05 am - My hands are shaking and my buttcheeks will too. Why did I think this would be a good idea?
7:06 am - Shoot boudoir sessions they say, it will be fun they say….
7:08 am - Enough talking to yourself, more getting ready.
7:30 am - Hair? Decent. Make-up? Complete. Wardrobe? Minimal. Sex-appeal? In process.
7:35 am - I am SO ready for this.
7:38 am - Here we goooo.
7:40 am - Wait, what am I supposed to do? Listening to Fanny should be a good start.
7:45 am - I have to contract my abs.
7:50 am - Daaaaamn, I feel like a sex bomb.
7:55 am - I have never been this self-conscious about sitting on a bed. How do people sit on beds and look naturally sexy?
7:56 am - American movies are full of lies.
7:58 am - What the hell should I do with my arms? What do normal people do with arms? The human body has way too many parts.
7:59 am - Hold the pose, hold the pose, hold the pose.
8:00 am - Worth it. Looks sick. Let's do more!
8:15 am - I have never arched my back this much before. Flexibility here I come.
8:17 am - The garderner is taking a hell lot of time to pick up his lime on that patio here. Enjoy the show buddy.
8:25 am - I am getting the hang of this.
8:27 am - Call me Sexy Beast from now on please.
8:30 am - More! More! More!
8:32 am - Bra's off. I am a savage. Free the nipples!
8:37 am - There is something very cool about walking around breast-naked, let me tell you.
9:00 am - Wait, it's already over?

What I learned from this experience:

This shoot confirmed everything I thought would happen and more. I blanked for basic poses, went from feeling vulnerable, super nervous and questioning everything I did to jumping around, boobs au naturel. It is amazing how fast you become aware of your own body when it is the main focus. Every natural movement does NOT feel natural anymore for no reason.

Thankfully, I did not have to do too much thinking with Fanny guiding me every step of the way. I felt more and more comfortable after the first 5 minutes and was completely at ease by the end of the session. Even better, I am actually super proud of myself for accomplishing this.

This session also helped me become a better photographer. I am even more aware of what a model needs to hear in order to feel taken care of.

Conclusion: Will definitely do it again!

Things you should know:

  • Your photographer (aka us!) does NOT judge your appearance. That is not what we are here for.
  • It does take guts to pose half naked in front of a stranger. That's why we make a point of ensuring you are 100% comfortable with us, our personalities and the way we work.
  • Posing you is part of our job. You shouldn't worry about having to come up with poses by yourself.
  • You are allowed to say no. I personally felt comfortable enough to show my breasts.  Maybe you won't, and that's okay.
  • Make the most of your session and have fun. You've come this far, you might as well go fierce!

This makes me happy for what we are currently doing with you Little Scandals.

Love,