What is Boudoir Photography?
What is boudoir photography? You will find several different opinions and definitions of what boudoir photography is, but for me there’s one thing that clearly differentiates boudoir from similar types of photography such as glamour, or fashion photography… the main difference and what really defines boudoir photography is it’s purpose. Boudoir photos are private in nature, they are meant to be intimate, special, and of significant value to the people that do them.
Let me give you an example, so you can understand better what I am trying to say. Here below you will find two very similar photos, they both show beautiful women in lingerie. The person on the left is a professional model, she’s getting paid by Victoria secret to do this shoot, she has probably done this hundreds of times, she is very confident in front of the camera, she knows how to pose, knows what angles work best for her…the image will be used commercially either for a vs catalog, website or similar, so this is what I call a fashion, commercial photo shoot and not boudoir.
the photo on the right though, is a boudoir photo…this is a client, it’s her first time in front of a professional photographer (me!), and her first time doing intimate photos, she’s not a professional model (she may look like one but she’s not) she doesn’t know how to pose, she is nervous, she doesn’t know what to do…the photos are for herself or whoever she decides to shared them with, these photos are very special to her, and is most likely the only lingerie photo shoot she will do in her life.
So these two images may look similar but their nature is totally different. That’s why it’s so important to find a boudoir photographer near you with the skills needed to consistently create beautiful boudoir photos with women of any body type, size, or experience.
Why People Do Boudoir Photos?
There are multiple reasons why women do boudoir photos, but the common denominator is that they all want to feel pampered, beautiful, empowered, and more confident. People book their boudoir experience normally at a pivotal moment in their lives, for example there might be a special date coming up, a wedding anniversary, or an important birthday (normally 30, 40, or 50), some people want to celebrate their bodies after losing some weight, some want to give these photos as a present to their fiancé the day of their wedding, some are recently divorced and are beginning a new life, whatever the reason is these photos are a transformational experience that will impact the way people perceive themselves in a very positive way.
Also, keep in mind boudoir photos are not for everyone, there will be women that feel empowered by climbing a mountain, doing a solo trip around Europe, or being a C level executive, and that’s totally fine. My job as a boudoir photographer is not to convince people that boudoir photos is something they have to do, but rather convince those who want to do a boudoir session that I am the best photographer for the job.
How To Find A Great Boudoir Photographer?
Finding the right photographer for you session is of pivotal importance as these photos have an emotional component to it, so here are three things you need to do to find that special photographer that will provide you an amazing boudoir experience:
Make sure their style and your style are a good match: Check not only their website, but their social media as well where you’ll probably find their most recent work there. Make sure their style is appealing to you, how they use light, the use of color, light, backgrounds, etc… do you see yourself in their photos? Does it look like they know what they are doing?
Read The Reviews: Once you are sure you like the photographer’s work, check the reviews! Read what past clients have to say about their experience working with this photographer, if their expectations were met, how the photos turned out, how was the customer services, products offered, etc.. From my point of view the experience is a lot of times as important as the photos themselves. If you like the photographer’s style but there are no reviews available this might be a red flag, ask them for references.. if they fail to provide those, move on to the next one.
Talk To Them: This is the last and most important thing to do. Schedule a phone or in person consultation with the photographer, ask a lot of questions about the process: where the session will take place, what do you need to bring, is hair and makeup available, etc… it’s also important to pay attention to the questions they’ll ask you, this will tell you their attention to detail and expertise. Take advantage of this opportunity to get a good sense of their personality, do you feel this is someone you can trust with these very special images? Do you feel comfortable with them? It may not seem obvious at the beginning but feeling relaxed and comfortable during your session will be one of the most important for the success of the photo shoot. The more comfortable you are the better the pictures will come out.
Good luck with your boudoir photo shoot! they are really a unique experience.
If you are interested in working with Marco just follow this link or fill the contact form below. Marco Ibanez is one of the top boudoir photographers in the country, he has won multiple awards and is a regular speaker at photography conferences worldwide.