8 Myths About Boudoir Photography

I need to lose weight first.  This couldn’t be further from the truth.  I always say that I can do with more lighting and posing than you can with six months at the gym. 

We may get thinner but we’re not getting younger. 

I Don’t Wear Lingerie and/or I Don’t Want to Get Naked.  You don’t have to be naked or wear lingerie.  I know how to shape light to conceal as well as reveal. See my POST on alternatives to lingerie for non-lingerie ideas. 

 
 

Boudoir is Porn.  Porn objectifies and demeans its subject; it’s explicit in nature.  Boudoir photography captures your beauty in a sensual and tasteful manner.  It’s about making the subject look and feel incredible.

 
 

Boudoir is only for young women.  Boudoir is for every BODY and every AGE.  One of my clients gets new photos done every year to honor herself.   I’ve had clients from age 19-65!

Boudoir photography is a One-Time Experience.  False.  The confidence boost can be addictive.  I have many repeat clients, and they often come back for different reasons:  birthdays, bridal boudoir, anniversaries, and even maternity.

Boudoir photography is Only for Those Who Have a Partner:  Wrong again.  Many clients come in to celebrate weight loss, birthdays, breast cancer recovery, or just to have beautiful photos to capture them at their current age and weight.

You Need to Look Like a Model.  Nope.  You don’t need to look like, or pose like a professional model.  It’s my job to guide you into the right poses, choose the right lighting, and give you the same editing and post-production that models get.

Getting Photographed by a Stranger is Scary.  I promise you that I’m furthest thing from scary.  I’m a little goofy, but it is always my primary goal to make you feel comfortable.  We’ll chat before your session so I can get to know you a little better, and I provide an all-female environment. 

It seems that most of these myths are rooted in fear.  Have you ever noticed that when you say  “yes” to new experiences that good things happen?

I just opened a new studio and I’m celebrating with a limited number of boudoir sessions for $99. Book yours below!

You Don't Have to Wear Lingerie

Sometimes I hear clients tell me that they don’t really wear lingerie and aren’t sure what to wear.

Bring Your Best Fuzzy Sweater, and make sure it’s loose and boxy.  Wear it with some sexy lace undies, and you’ve mastered laid–back appeal.  Bonus Points for Knee High Socks.

 
 

You can also do the above look with a simple tank top. 

 
 

A White Button Down Shirt is a classic and hides a multitude of sins.

A Swimsuit Coverup:  They look great with some pretty undies or you can go nude underneath. 

 
 

Fitness Apparel:  If you’re more comfortable in a sports bra than a lace bra, own it. 

An Evening Gown:  This atypical item is more glam than boudoir but still very sexy. 

 
 

A Vintage or Faux Fur:  Raid grandma’s closet, or scout a thrift store.  There’s something about fur that reeks of luxury.  Plus, it’s soft and feels great against your skin.

 
 

A White Sheet and Nothing Underneath:  Save yourself the stress of worrying about what to wear and just be nekkid! 

The Craziest Items Clients Have Ever Brought to a Session

I work in a small space so I don’t have the benefit of using lots of different sets.  One of the ways I keep things interesting is to have clients bring in one personal item.  (Get your mind out of the gutter!)

I love it because it keeps me on my toes creatively.  Over the years, I’ve had some clients bring in some very interesting items.  Hopefully, these examples give you some ideas of what to bring your own session with me.

A Fishing Pole:  A lot of times clients will bring in something that relates to a spouse’s hobby or interest.   This particular session was going to be shot indoors using a bedroom set in a traditional boudoir style.  If this had been retro pin up, it would have made the perfect prop.  I had to find a way to incorporate this into her session without looking cheesy, so I had her sit on the edge of the bed and hold the fishing pole in front of her with her knees together. This turned out to be one of my favorite images from the whole session.

 
 

 

A Life Jacket:  Life Jackets are big and bulky and flatter NO ONE, but I figured out a way to make her cleavage and legs look sexy in spite of it!

 
 

A Bottle of Lube: aptly named F*CK Water.  Since I didn’t need to demo the product in use, this one was pretty easy.

 
 

Compression Socks:  This sounds like the most unsexy of all unsexy items in the history of undergarments, but the client explained that her significant other found them to be very sexy on her.  They were bright pink and the resulting photo was nothing less than pure sexy legs!

A Fuzzy Pair of Ginormous Dragon Slippers.  Most clients like to bring heels that accentuate a pair of shapely legs, but this client’s significant other loves dragons, so we did a classic pin up pose where she lies on her back with her legs up in the air. 

 
 

Some of the coolest items clients have brought have been:

Sushi:  This client wanted to incorporate her Japanese heritage as well as her love of cooking so I had her lie on her side and I placed a few pieces on her thigh for an abstract shot of her hips and thighs. 

 
 

A Monogrammed Brandy Bottle with Matching Glasses and a Silk Tie: This client’s anniversary was coming up and sharing a glass of brandy is something that they like to do together, so she brought their monogrammed brandy bottle with their initials on the bottle.  We put the silk tie around her neck and filled one of the glasses half-full (Yes, I’m an optimist!) with brandy. 

A 45lb weight:  This client wanted to showcase her love of fitness.  The resulting photos are still some of my absolute favorites from her session.

A Chanel handbag and a pair of Louboutins:  This totally appeals to my love of fashion.   Besides, if you’re going to buy luxury items, why not commemorate them in a photo session?  It’s a great excuse to splurge!

Her Bridal Bouquet & Veil:  These are perfect for a bride with an upcomimg wedding and a nice surprise for the groom!

A Record Player & an Al Green Album:  This was a favorite combo that represented the couple’s sexy time together. 

 
 

Let your imagination run wild and I'll bring it to life! 

What a Boudoir Session is Like From a Client's Perspective

You've got the address all mapped out. Your lingerie is stowed away in the trunk and you've come up with a plan to explain why you're going to be gone for the next 4-5 hours.

Yet, you're still NERVOUS.  You tossed and turned the night before.  "Will she photoshop my cellulite?  I hope she knows how to hide my thunder thighs."  Wake up before the alarm goes off.  Stress about the under eye circles you now have.  "Maybe the make-up artist can cover them."

If you want to know what it's really like to do a boudoir session from a client's perspective, now you can hear it for yourself.  It's also captioned for you in case you're not in a position to listen with the sound on. 

I sat down with my client to ask her what her biggest fear was prior to her session as well as her favorite part of the experience. To Book Your Own Session, or Learn More, visit boudoirbettyfl.com/learnmore