Boudoir

I’m Bringing Sexy Back: 10 Hot Tips For A Fabulous Boudoir Photo Shoot

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Shawna Kaye

Are you ready to break out of your shell and reveal that inner diva in you? Well, I have the perfect idea for those who want to own their inner pin-up-girl; a boudoir photo shoot! The motivations for the shoot may range from anniversary, birthday, weight loss, maternity, etc. However, there is nothing more empowering as having a boudoir photo shoot for the hell of it, and having photos of yourself all glammed up and owning your sexy!

You may even want to give these one-of-a-kind images to your hubby or boyfriend as a gift for his birthday, Valentine’s, anniversary, or any special occasion. You’ll offer up some sexy photos for his eyes only, that’ll have him viewing you in a fun and flirty way, and that may even spice up your love life.

Doing a boudoir photo shoot can give you a great boost in self-esteem and confidence. Anyone can do a boudoir session, and it doesn’t require you to look like a supermodel or fit into a size 0. If you’re not familiar with boudoir photography, I will further explain this exciting trend.

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Welcome to the wonderful world of boudoir photography! Boudoir photography is simply designed to show a woman in a beautiful, intimate, and sultry state. The term “boudoir” is French, and refers to a woman’s bedroom or private dressing room, but the term has been coined to describe a genre of glamour photography in which nudity is implied by showing women in a state of undress or wearing alluring lingerie. The pictures are usually taken in a romantic setting such as a bedroom or even an elegant hotel room. Boudoir photography has become popular trend for the modern belle to capture her alluring essence.

Your girl here knows a thing or two about boudoir photo shoots since partaking in one myself, and I’m here to proudly divulge 10 hot tips to prepare you for a great boudoir photo shoot experience.

1. Book the shoot in advance to give yourself the opportunity to acquire a great photographer you feel comfortable with and trust. Scout out photographers that have boudoir photo shoot experience, and check out their portfolio of previous work to see what best suits you and the mood you want to have. The further in advance you schedule the shoot the better, so you will have the photographer available for your requested date and time. Also, the time in advance may allow you to possibly workout to get toned or loose weight. I booked my shoot 8 months in advance so I had plenty of time to get my body in tip-top shape, and it gave me a date to work towards.

2. There are a few things that should be done in advance of your shoot to ensure that it goes successful. Drink lots of water and eat healthy in the weeks leading up to the shoot; this will give you healthy glow from the inside out. Get plenty of sleep the night before so that you’re well rested. I would also suggest for you to eat a light meal before the shoot, so your not bloated during the shoot.

3. Pamper your body from head to toe. To guarantee flawless skin for my shoot, I made exfoliating my skin a daily ritual. Another important thing to remember is to wax or shave your legs, bikini area, and underarms, and tweeze your eyebrows or any obvious facial hairs. Be sure to do your hair removal two or three days prior to the shoot to ensure that there is not redness and irritation. Moisturize your skin a few hours before the shoot, preferably baby oil because it gives you a nice glow for the shoot.

4. What to wear too the shoot? You’ll want to wear loose clothing to prevent any skin markings, irritations, or traces on your body that might occur from wearing tight clothes. For example a button down shirt, and some loose jeans or shorts, or a simple dress would work just fine.

Kara Boudoir Photography

5. What clothes you should bring to the photo shoot? Now, for the actual photo shoot depending on how much time you have scheduled, you want to pack a few options. If you have an hour photo shoot that will give you ample time for just about 3 looks, and you’ll also want all the outfits to coordinate together or have a similar theme.  Not to mention, you’ll want to bring the proper shoes to complete the look, and your best bet is to bring more than one option.

Here are some great options for boudoir outfits:
- lingerie (sexy bra & panty set, garter belt, corset, bustier, baby doll nightie, teddy nightie, fishnet/stockings/ thigh high stockings, chemise, camisole, thongs/g-string, boy shorts, or any novelty lingerie)
- your wedding veil
- your guy’s favorite button up shirt… unbuttoned
- vintage nurse uniform
- nothing but a sports jersey                                                                                                     – jewelry options can be pearls or any delicate jewelery                                                         - your free to bring props related to your hobby, job, or personality. (feathers/ feather boa, bows, gloves, rose petals, bird cage veil, broach, sparkling hair clips, etc.)

Lux Mode Boudoir

6. Leave your face bare for the makeup artist. If your shoot includes a professional makeup artist, then come to the set with no makeup and a clean face. If you are getting your make up done elsewhere be sure to do the same as well. Makeup removal usually takes up time and you wouldn’t want it to cut into your photo session time. I would also advise that you have an idea of what type of makeup look your going for prior to your appointment; you can even bring magazine clips to show the makeup artist an idea of what you desire. I also suggest that you set your makeup appointment 11/2 to 3 hours in advance to allow time for makeup application and time to get to the set, therefore it doesn’t take time away from your session. Makeup application can take some time, but luckily for me my makeup artist and photo studio was all in walking distance of each other. Ultimately, you’ll want to get to your shoot early.

In addition, you may want to give yourself enough time to style your hair at home or if you will have a hairstylist you have to factor in enough time to spend with the stylist as well.

7. Be aware of your whole body when posing. A great photographer will suggest poses and adjustments to your pose, so you don’t have to figure it out on your own. The first thing to consider when it comes to posing is good posture, which means to pull your shoulders back suck in your stomach. To create a pleasing silhouette the photographer may even want you to exaggerate your poses by arching your back, pop your hip to one side, or pop your butt out. As far as your arms are concerned, you may want to place your hands on your hips, thighs, shoulder, sides of your face, or even use them to play with the straps of you lingerie. All in all, you want to keep your posses soft and sexy.

Warwick Boudoir

8. Be mindful of your facial expressions when posing, because this is how you convey the mood. Your best bet for a boudoir photo shoot is a relaxed smile and smizing (smiling with your eyes). I have mastered art of smizing and as you can see from any of my pics, I do it well. You’ll want to consider what feel your going for whether it be the cute girl-next-door or the seductive temptress, and that will determine what your overall facial expressions would be. Your best bet in posing and facial expressions is to flip through a magazine or go online and study posses that you like and the models expressions.

9. Enjoy your boudoir shoot. Embrace your sensuality and channel your inner sex kitten.   Be present and cherish this candid moment to the fullest, since this day is designed to cater just to you. You’ll want to let loose and be comfortable in your own skin, and to ease your nerves you may want to play music during your shoot; find out if the photographer has music, or bring your own.

10. You may have the option of photo retouching. Most photographers will offer some level of basic image editing as a standard. However, air-brushing and retouching may cost extra. Be sure to check with your photographer to figure out their policy and prices regarding retouching. You might want to factor it into the cost of your shoot. In spite of that , who knows you might just love the au naturale pics of yourself, flaws and all!

“I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. Demille”.

Boudoir By Lily

Boudoir photo shoots are fun, and offers an invaluable experience to get in touch with your intimate self and discover that flirty feminine side that each woman has. I’m sure you would enjoy getting dolled up for this awesome opportunity. I totally loved my experience with my shoot, and it was my first, and certainly won’t be my last.  If you live in the NYC area or plan coming to NYC, and your looking to do a session I can personally recommend French Kiss Boudoir Photography. In addition, if you need some boudoir inspiration check out my Pinterest board Boudoir/ Pin-Up Inspiration, you’ll find sexy ideas for all things Boudoir! “I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. Demille”.

Have you done a boudoir photo shoot, or are you interested in doing one? If you’ve done one before, how was your experience? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Love,

Shawna Kay ( Blissed Out Belle )

Kay is a Lifestyle & Empowerment Enthusiast, and the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Blissed Out Belle™. Connect with her on Facebook here, and follow her on Twitter @BlissedOutBelle