So, you’ve heard of boudoir photography but maybe you’re wondering … what exactly is boudoir?
Let’s break it down!
Boudoir = French word meaning a woman’s bedroom or private room
The simplest explanation of boudoir photography is “sexy photos”. Generally women (and sometimes men or couples) get boudoir photos done in sexy lingerie in a bedroom-type setting. However, there are many types of boudoir including different sets such as shower boudoir, cloud boudoir, outdoor boudoir and more! Boudoir no longer takes place only in a bedroom!
But why get boudoir photos done? Why pay for pictures of yourself in lingerie?
A lot of people do them as a gift for a significant other. Back when boudoir photography got its start, that was the main reason people got these photos done. However, that is no longer the main reason. Women who did these sessions realized there was an unintended but AMAZING side effect of having these photos taken...
So what is this side effect?
A HUGE boost of confidence! Women who do boudoir sessions suddenly see themselves in a totally new light.
How is that possible? Why does boudoir give you confidence?
Let’s break it down into steps of how boudoir sessions usually work:
1 - As part of your session, you get your hair and makeup professionally done. That automatically makes you feel like you’re looking your best.
2- You get to wear sexy clothes. The first outfit should always be the most conservative to ensure you feel as comfortable as possible. The longer your session goes on, the more comfortable you will become wearing sexier and sexier outfits. Your confidence to wear these outfits slowly increases during the session. Then the real magic starts to happen.
3 - Your photographer should begin showing you a few of your photos on their camera. This is the step where you finally get to see everything put together–you see how the poses, lighting and angles come together and you start thinking, “Wow, is that really me?!” and seeing that yes, in fact, the process IS working for YOU. That’s when the confidence STARTS. But that is not where the confidence ends. If it ended there, it wouldn’t be a lasting confidence. But boudoir gives you lasting confidence. Why?
After your session, when you get to see your finished, edited photos it begins to stick. This is when you realize it wasn’t just a fluke, it wasn’t just that the tiny picture on the back of the camera made you look awesome–you really do look awesome in the full, finished photos as well. Then it clicks, “this is me.” The “flaws” you see in your daily life are no longer your main focus. Now your main focus is on the whole picture. You stop noticing your “flaws” and are able to see what others see. Other people don’t notice our flaws the way we do. We tend to pick ourselves apart until we can’t see past them. Boudoir releases that part of us.
If you want the MOST LASTING CONFIDENCE from your session, I highly recommend you get at least one metal print from your session. Why? Because then you get to see that photo every single day because it’s hanging on your wall. You get that confidence boost and reminder of how amazing and beautiful you are every single time you look at it. Trust me, I have my own metal in my guest bathroom and I catch myself looking at it constantly. Sometimes I even look at the photo, look in the mirror and say “yeah, you look a little rough today, but remember what you CAN look like and do look like to others” and immediately feel better about the way I look in that moment too.
Now, I feel it’s important to mention, confidence is only a side effect of a boudoir session if you choose your photographer wisely. Not all boudoir sessions are created equal. Some boudoir photographers (like us) spend lots of time, money and energy studying boudoir: learning the best poses for every body type, how to light the body in the most flattering way, what types of lingerie work best for each body type, along with tons and tons more education. Generally photographers who have this education will be in the $1,000-$10,000 or more range for a session. With boudoir you truly do get what you pay for. Yes, there are photographers who charge under $500 for a session, but I guarantee they don’t have the education you want if you want a confidence boost. In fact, I’ve heard many horror stories from clients who went to “discount boudoir photographers”and had their self confidence completely smashed to pieces. This happens because the photographers haven’t spent the time, money and energy on education. They don’t know how to pose you correctly, light you correctly or have the ability to help you with things like lingerie. You also likely won’t get your hair and makeup done for your session (which we include for free with every session.)
Ready to take the next step in your self love journey and book your own boudoir session?