Boudoir photography is a type of intimate, sensual and elegant portrait photography typically shot of women in a "boudoir" setting. And it is that dressing table is what the term Boudoir means.
Boudoir photography aims to reflect the environment in which a woman prepares, dresses or makes up. It is an intimate and delicate moment and, therefore, that should be the general tone of a Boudoir photography session.
Sessions of this type of photography are specific, although more and more you can find them on demand, for example, in wedding photography as part of the preparations.
WHAT IS A BOUDOIR PHOTO SESSION?
Boudoir or boudoir photography is a type of intimate photography of a woman's preparations when it comes to dressing or putting on makeup . He seeks to photograph women in an elegant and sensual way , so she always appears dressed in lingerie or similar underwear. The environment is also very important in this type of photography, it must always be consistent with the elegance that we are trying to convey.
RECOMMENDED LENSES FOR BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY
In general, we look for portrait lenses that distort very little and are as bright as possible, with different focal lengths to achieve wider shots or close-ups .
FIXED FOCAL LENGTHS
They are known as Prime lenses . As they are made up of fewer elements, they tend to have better quality in relation to the same focal length in zoom.
50mm f/1.4: It is what Mario calls the King of Lenses for being a very bright, sharp optic and with an impressive value for money. This lens is the closest to human vision.
85mm f/1.4: An 85mm allows you to get closer to your protagonist without invading their space, it also helps to blur the background and photograph in low light.
FOCAL ZOOM
24-70mm f/2.8: A very versatile zoom lens for portraits, very bright and with a very nice blur.
For more portrait lens recommendations , check out the linked article.
CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR YOUR NEXT BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY
Rooms with good lighting, spacious enough to enjoy different perspectives and with good natural light, are the ideal location for a Boudoir session.
Many people go for suite-type hotel rooms, as they are spacious, neutral (in the sense that there are no family photos on the walls ? ) and, in principle, elegant.
It is also important that you look for a place where the walls, the curtains, the sheets and, in general, most of the elements do not have very bright colors or at least one of the walls is quite neutral to prevent those colors from being reflected in the skin of the protagonist.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NATURAL LIGHT
Wherever you do your session, it is important that when you arrive you locate the places with the best lighting. Don't forget the power of a window light in indoor lighting, check out these examples .
You should not only look for a good dose of light, but above all you should focus on a soft and diffused light, which is the one that most favors this type of Boudoir photography.
Use a side orientation to increase or decrease the shapes, backlighting to create more creative images, low key, etc.
Do not miss our complete guide on lighting if you want to know all the keys to learn to know and master light.
MAKEUP AND HAIRDRESSING
These types of photographs are characterized by a very marked styling, where hairdressing and makeup play a fundamental role.
Most sessions have professional help in terms of hairdressing and makeup, but if you are going to do it yourself or your model, remember that it is vitally important to maintain elegance at all times.
COSTUME IN BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY
The wardrobe is another essential part of Boudoir photography . It must be sensual and elegant, according to the lines of each of the women you are going to portray.
Remember that the audience for these types of photographs are mainly women. It pursues to portray the body and beauty of each one, with its own particularities and, at the same time, it seeks to make them look good to themselves.
If there is any complex, the wardrobe can be used to hide some areas that the model does not want to portray, or look for the most flattering poses or lights for each of them.
Some Costume Ideas for Boudoir Photography:
- bras
- Men's shirts
- babydoll
- Lingerie of various colors (you can't miss the black lace ? )
- High heels
- Socks
- suspenders
- corsets
- Jeweler's
- Transparent fabrics…
BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY PROPS
Beyond the wardrobe, also look for props or accessories that you can use in your Boudoir sessions to add interest or beauty such as:
- Flowers
- More expensive
- vintage objects
- Etc.
BREAK THE ICE
Boudoir sessions are very intimate, so you have to gradually break the ice so that the person portrayed feels comfortable and at their best.
Trust plays a fundamental role, so you shouldn't start photographing like crazy, but ideally you should create an environment of mutual trust, where you waste professionalism and know-how.
Explain to him what you want to achieve with the session, how the photos are going to be, why you make the decisions you make (the light is beautiful here, I like this background, etc.). Use a little invasive and indirect vocabulary. Instead of you are beautiful, use "perfect", "beautiful", etc., and above all, ask permission if you have to do any alterations to the clothes or, better yet, ask them to do it themselves.
To overcome shyness, I recommend starting with photographs that do not look directly at the camera, general shots where you should not get too close... and as you feel more confident, you can recreate more "invasive" scenes such as close-ups or certain more sensual poses. .
BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY POSES
Speaking of poses, it's important to have a list of poses prior to the session, so you know they work. If you don't know what you're doing and transmit it, you can create a somewhat uncomfortable situation that, for sure, will not help you in your relationship with the model.
This does not imply that you cannot improvise, quite the contrary, but having a good base to start from is essential to achieve good results.
What to do with your hands? Use them where you want to direct the viewer's attention. If, for example, you want them to go to the chest, place them there.
Here are more than 60 female portrait poses that can help you make that list of poses ? and in the following video, you will see Blanca working on a session while she tells you some tips and how to correct the most typical mistakes:
EDITING IN BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY
Each photographer decides what type of editing they want to apply to their photos. However, I recommend that you do not abuse it. Use it only to correct a few minor blemishes, but always remember that models need to recognize themselves in these shoots.
Recognizing yourself with their bodies, their brands, etc. These types of sessions are often a journey of self-acceptance, a gift from women to women, and it would not be right for you to modify them until they lose their essence.
Each body is different and unique and therein lies the beauty of this type of session.
BOUDOIR PHOTO GALLERY
Here are a few Boudoir photos for inspiration:
CONCLUSIONS
Boudoir photography is characterized by the search for sensuality from elegance, by insinuation, showing the body of women in a unique and special way.
Through clothing, posture and attitude, you must be able to maintain the balance between beautiful, elegant and sensual. If you succeed, you already have your Boudoir session.
