The magic of boudoir photos doesn’t begin when your husband unwraps a sexy photo of you. It begins when you’re stripped down in your lacy skivvies under the watchful eye of the camera and your photographer. A boudoir photoshoot is a transformative experience that every woman should have.
I had my first (and only) photoshoot more than 10 years ago, before my body held the souvenirs of carrying and birthing a child. Perky breasts, firmer stomach, and a sassy confidence becoming of young twentysomething college senior. A mutual friend needed models for her senior college photography project. Somehow I was volunteered and found myself topless sitting in front of a black backdrop. At least I had a feather boa to keep me warm.
Once I warmed up and loosened up, I had a blast posing. My photographer encouraged me to be myself, but also encouraged me to be more playful. I had a blast! I left that photo shoot empowered and more in love with my body than my inner fat girl had ever been.
In the world of smartphone cameras and Vine videos, it might seem unnecessary to hire a photographer for sensual pictures of yourself. A good boudoir photographer will make you feel comfortable in your own skin (literally, since you’ll be in various states of undress) and has the talent to make you look va-va-voom.
I asked my friend and talented photographer Amanda Rodriguez of Then Again Photography, who’s logged many boudoir photo shoots, to share a few tips about having boudoir photos taken and how to find the right photographer for you.
1. Think outside the box. Sexy doesn’t have to pose found in centerfolds. You don’t need an in-your-face nude shot to be sexy. Imagine yourself in wearing an apron (and nothing else) or a an intimate look at you in bathroom getting dressed for a night out. I like to work with suggestion and the idea of intimacy.There is power in leaving things to the imagination.
2. Raunchy and sexy are two different things. There is space for both of them in your boudoir photo shoot if you wish. Personally, I like to use creative focus and capture sidelong glances and suggestive poses and looks to convey feelings to those receiving the photos. It’s about your comfort level and creating something that will elicit the feelings that you desire them to when you and/or your husband look back on them in years to come.
3. Know your pro. Every photographer isn’t comfortable doing boudoir shoots, nor is every boudoir photographer able to make you feel comfortable when they take your photos. Any discomfort and awkwardness is certain to translate to you, and the last thing you want to feel during this type of shoot is awkward. I recommend that people seeking to hire a boudoir photographer, particularly one that comes to your home, do some research. Take some time to review the person’s portfolio and ask them for referrals. If they don’t have any, you may want to look elsewhere.
I’ll bet if your friends, you’ll be surprised by how many have had boudoir photo shoots or want some done.
Add a boudoir photo shoot to your bucket list. You won’t regret it.
Photo: Getty
