Boudoir - One Size Does Not Fit All



Confession time: I have never done a boudoir shoot.


As a boudoir photographer, that might seem a little crazy. My reasoning? I have honestly never felt like it was something that was in my realm of abilities. I would scroll and scroll through boudoir shoot content, but the sessions I saw never felt like they resonated with who I am and how I express feminity. Boudoir Sessions have been traditionally geared towards women who are wanting to gift their partner with sexy photos or forcing women into a box of what society finds sexy (WHICH ARE COMPLETELY VALID REASONS FOR BOOKING A BOUDOIR SESSION), but those things never resonated with me.


When I started looking into boudoir sessions, I kept thinking that there had to be women who felt the same way. When we break it down, what does being sensual mean? How do we express feminity? These are all deeply personal things and really are individualized to each person that walks through my studio. I would be doing a great disservice to those booking sessions to make it a one size fits all experience when it can never be that.


In this post, I want to talk a little bit about the mindset we should go into a boudoir session with. The questions we should be asking ourselves before setting foot in the studio to ensure the session represents YOU and conveys the things you love about yourself.

Pre-Session Preparations:

WHAT IS SENSUALITY &

HOW DO WE CONNECT WITH THAT PART OF OUR SELF?


Before the session, take a moment (or an hour) to ponder this question. You also might ask, "What does sensuality even mean in general?". That's is a very fair question, I even had to google it. In essence, sensuality is how we connect with all of our senses; when we feel most alive. It involves sight, touch, texture, color, etc. It encompasses what brings us enjoyment and pleasure which again, is a deeply personal experience.


In society today, we really do believe sensuality is synonymous with sexuality, and even though there can be a sexual component to sensuality, they are not equivalent. In my sessions, I really want the conversation to be centered around sensuality, not sexuality.

Okay, I know what makes me feel sensual. How do I incorporate it into the session?


Well, I am so glad you asked. I have a few suggestions on how we can incorporate things that make you feel the most alive.


  1. Music Choice - I always have music playing during our sessions. Feel free to make your own playlist that you want to play during your session. Hell, give me some songs you really love & I will curate a playlist for you. Music is a huge component for some people.
  2. Outfit Choice - This seems like an obvious one, but think about clothing even down to the texture. DO you feel your best in lace? Leather? Nude? Denim? It's all completely up to you. This is your session.
  3. Location Choice - What do you feel connects most to you? For some, nature heightens their senses & makes them feel alive. For me personally, I feel best indoors. For indoor shoots, I love shooting in my camper studio for that reason.
  4. Prop Choice - This is important ESPECIALLY for indoor studio shoots. Do you have a blanket you love the texture of? Your favourite coffee mug? Favourite bottle of wine? Bring them. Props are a great way to individualize your session.

During the Session:

The Details


Once you arrive at the session, you are free to share as much as you would like to about what you want out of our session. Some ladies I have worked with tell me why they chose to do a session, some go over poses they would like to do. Then, we will go over your outfit choices and pick your favorite pieces.


While we are shooting, you get to control the shoot. I will always be directing, but at the end of the day, this is your shoot. If you don't like a certain pose, let me know. If you have an idea of a pose you LOVE, let's do it! Communication is key in these sessions to enable me to make sure the images represent who you feel you are at your core.

The Takeaway:

These sessions are for you. Bring vulnerability, bring sensuality, bring things that make you feel like yourself.

If there is one thing I DONT want you to bring, it's the expectation to recreate someone else's experience. Embrace the deeply individual parts of who you are. These sessions are not to recreate PlayBoy shoots, these sessions are to connect a part of yourself you feel you may have lost or that does not get to shine very often in the mundane.