Boudoir sessions are always my favorite. With all of the weddings, engagements, newborns, & families I photograph, boudoir is always the best. Why? It's so raw. And vulnerable. There's something so intimate about having someone come into the studio, strip down to their undies, and standing in front of my camera. That takes a LOT of courage. A huge "step out of my comfort zone" moment. And I think that not enough people in this world see how good and positive and self confidence building these sessions can be. They think boudoir is a code word for pornography and that's it. So today's blog is all about that. All about the behind the scenes for what my boudoir sessions look like. I'm spilling all the secrets today, friends. Today's blog post will be SO good.
Before we get into it, I'd like to thank Amanda with AC Photo ltd, Rachel with R. Bradley Modeling, and Lion+Ram Studios. Amanda had extra studio time booked with Lion+Ram and invited Rachel & I in for a styled boudoir session. Amanda & I took photos of Rachel to help build up all of our boudoir portfolios & it was SO much fun. Aside from weddings & engagement sessions, boudoir sessions are my most popular type of session that I book. However, I really respect the privacy of my clients and don't share all the photos from my paid sessions publicly, so I am THRILLED that I finally get to show you a few of my boudoir photos to show you what's possible when you book a session! I am so proud of these photos and am so excited to finally be able to put together this blog post to share them with you.
One of the first questions I'm asked when planning a session with a new client always involves outfit recommendations. I don't limit the number of outfit changes my clients can bring to their session as long as we can fit them into the hour (typically we work through 3-4 in that amount of time!) but I do always recommend trying on your outfits before your session starts. You know, just to make sure everything fits right. I have tons of recommendations on where to shop for different outfits, but before you start shopping I suggest browsing Pinterest to see what style of outfit you're drawn to and what will compliment your body type best. Aside from choosing outfits that make you feel confident, my biggest tip is to start your session off with an outfit that covers more skin. Bring along a robe, oversized flannel, jersey, t-shirt, button down, etc. to start your session in so that you can take a few minutes to adjust to being in front of the camera in something more natural before changing into a more vulnerable outfit. Rachel started braless in a button down shirt & jean shorts. A perfect combination to kick things off with!
I also think it's important for you to have your boudoir session in a studio. Lion+Ram isn't my typical studio since it's so far out from Cincinnati, but I think utilizing studio space is the first step in having a successful boudoir session. Setting the mood right from the start by walking into a gorgeous space helps everything else fall into place. Another one of my biggest tips? I tell my clients to make a playlist that makes them comfortable. I've listened to everything from country to rap to Disney while working my boudoir sessions, and I LOVE how different all of my clients are. I always bring a speaker with me to the studio so that we can blast music and focus on having fun throughout our hour together instead of working in an uncomfortable silence. Because that wouldn't be fun now, would it? This studio was especially gorgeous because of all of the different rooms we were able to use. So uniquely decorated and perfect for the boho vibe we had going on.
Let's take a moment to chat about why you should book a boudoir session. My busiest season for boudoir runs from late December - early February (thanks to Valentine's Day!) but I think a HUGE misconception about boudoir sessions is that you should only book one if you're looking for a gift for your significant other. What?? That's crazy! One of my best sessions to date was with a single woman who wanted to book a session as a gift for herself. Why? Because she could. Yesssss! You don't need to wait for a special holiday, anniversary, or occasion to come around to book yourself a session. Actually, the majority of the time I end a session & walk out of the studio with my client, they tell me that they're so happy that they booked a boudoir session because it ended up being more of a gift to them personally than it ever will be for their boyfriend/fiancé/husband. You work hard, girl, you deserve a session for YOU!
Photography is an investment. You get what you pay for if you know what I mean. It is possible to find discounted sessions by booking with a newer photographer, but when you book a session with an experienced photographer you don't only receive beautiful photos back from your session, but you receive the entire experience of stepping into the studio, working with someone who has the background and experience to pose your body type and work with your angles, who knows how to find flattering lighting, knowledge with editing, and someone who is able to take you at such a vulnerable state and help make your beauty just shine. One of the best parts about my job is delivering a gallery back and having my client tell me that they can't believe how absolutely STUNNING they look. Pure confidence & beauty captured. It's such an amazing feeling.
One of my bucket list sessions that I'd like to try in the future is a boudoir shower session. Lion+Ram had a GORGEOUS bathroom and shower in studio, but we were almost out of time so these last few photos were pretty rushed. I would LOVE to have an entire shower session here soon, though! Another type of session I'd like to photograph would be a couples boudoir session. If you or someone you know would be interested in this, send them my way! I guess the bottom line with this entire blog post is that boudoir is AWESOME if you open your mind to it! Sessions with me are filled with positivity & I make it a goal of mine to make my clients feel as comfortable & confident as possible. Boudoir photos make great gifts for significant others, but also a great gift for yourself. Your body is BEAUTIFUL and it deserves to be captured.
If you're interested in more information on booking your own boudoir session, send me an email & we can get to planning. I am SO excited to work with you :)