A PEEK INTO A BOUDOIR PHOTO SHOOT: THE DAY OF YOUR SHOOT

Welcome to this 3-part series about what actually happens before, during and after a boudoir photoshoot. Think of this as a window into one of my boudoir photoshoots, and a how-to guide that you can use regardless of where you get your shoot done.

On to your big day, the day the of your shoot.

When You Arrive

The name of the game when you arrive is comfort. Everyone is a little nervous. That’s normal. So I want you to get comfortable ASAP, and one of the ways I do that is by including hair and make-up with all my sessions. It’s a great way to start the day of your shoot with a little pampering.

For one, you don’t have to worry about doing your hair and make-up! Many of my clients don’t wear a lot of make-up on a regular basis but usually want a bit more of a “look” for their boudoir photos. And the thought of watching elaborate make-up tutorials from millennial YouTubers with perfect skin is not their idea of fun.

(I personally love watching make-up tutorials on YouTube. Lisa Eldridge is one of my favorites! She’s super down to earth, uses products from all price ranges, uses normal women as models and has minimal all the way to glam looks.)

The other reason I include make-up in your session fee is that my make-up artist will only use products that will look good on camera. There are products that look amazing in real life but don’t translate well to camera.

Before your hair and make-up starts, we will discuss the outfits you brought and the general look you are going for. My make-up artist will then customize the application and shades to get you exactly the look you want. And you can feel confident knowing you look amazing!

As for hair, it is so uniquely you. Only you can decide how you want it done, but many of my clients do end up with some kind of curl in their hair. And we aren’t looking for perfectly coiffed hair here either. You are going to be lying down, putting your hands in your hair and maybe even flipping it around.

At some point while you are getting your hair and make-up done, we will look at different poses so you can point out ones that you really like and the ones that you aren’t too sure about. Of course, I don’t want you to do anything you are not comfortable with, and we will definitely discuss the things you don’t want to expose. But this is an opportunity to stretch your comfort zone in a safe way. So we can always keep those “maybes” in mind for the end of the shoot.

Your Boudoir Photoshoot

After all this lead up to your photoshoot, it’s actually going to fly by. I start with your most conservative outfit of the bunch to ease you into the experience. In the beginning you will be spending the vast majority of your energy on listening to posing instructions. All photography posing is fairly specific but boudoir especially. I will be telling you where to place your feet, legs, hips, arms, shoulders, face and hands. As well as giving instructions on expressions. So there is really no time to be nervous!

After a little while you’ll see that I say the same thing over and over again. You’re not doing anything wrong! We humans relax into our normal sitting, standing or lying positions as time goes on. Once you know this, you’ll be able to get back into position like a pro with just a few prompts. We will cycle through all your outfits and desired poses and you’re done.

Scheduling your Ordering Appointment

Your final to-do item is to schedule your appointment to come back and view your images. I typically try and get you back in within a week or two. However, if we began early enough, and you have enough time, I can do your viewing the same day. You can take a well deserved break for lunch, come back in an hour to view your images and order your products. More on that in the next post of this series.

Oh, and lastly, don’t forget to plan something special for after your shoot! You are going to look and feel amazing. Make this a day to do something fun for you and the ones closest to you. Grab a coffee or drinks with friends and/or schedule dinner with your sweetie.