Boudoir photography has become more and more popular in recent years. It used to be mostly for taking photos for your significant other before the wedding as a gift.
Nowadays, boudoir photography has become a way for a woman or a man to get sensual photos of themselves and embrace their body. Check out these great boudoir photography ideas for inspiration!
Note: Some images are cropped to conceal the identity of clients.
Boudoir Photography Ideas: What Is Boudoir Photography?
Boudoir is a French term that means “dressing room.” It coined the idea of women in their undergarments before getting dressed. It is now known as a type of portrait that celebrates the body.
Boudoir photography clients are primarily women but can also involve men or couples. A boudoir photoshoot is a private and celebratory type of session. Boudoir photography ideas include sexy lingerie, tasteful angles, and self-empowerment!
1. Ask Your Client What They Want From the Boudoir Session
Having a wardrobe for your clients for each session is not essential, as body types and styles can differ each time. But some things are important to prep before the boudoir session begins.
Meet with your client to review the distinct looks they would like for their boudoir photos. It can be sultry, sexy, and sensual or just cozy, comfortable, and fun.
Ask them what type of looks they plan on bringing for the session. This will help tailor the lighting, setup, and post-editing style.
This can give you more insight into what to shoot for and other general compositional tools you might need. This way, you can create a fantastic gallery of images for your client.
Ask them if they plan on printing or creating an album of their photos. You can also offer or include a cute photo box for them to hold loose prints from the session for their viewing only.
2. Set Up or Determine Shooting Space for Boudoir Shoots
If you have a studio, you can tailor it to the look and feel of your session. Include a bed or somewhere your client can lie on and pose during the session, like a lounge chair or seating.
Your client might opt for more of a studio look with solid or textured backgrounds. Ensure you have them ready before the session begins, especially if they are fabric. Those tend to show wrinkles in photos much more.
While having a studio isn’t required, you can set up a boudoir session space in many different locations! A hotel room at a boutique hotel with lots of interesting or thematic decor can work perfectly. Many of them have a bed and lounge that you can use.
If your location has a pool, you could even go outdoors for a few shots in a bathing suit. This way, you can capture a more editorial look to the session.
If you decide to use the client’s home, ask them for photos of the space they wish to use. Many homes are beautifully decorated. But it can be a little distracting to have items that clutter backgrounds or spaces. This is especially true if they don’t have enough window light and you photograph in natural light.
Once you know the space you will use, ask your client to bring sheets of their desired look for the session. Different sheets for the bed can add variety when your client uses certain looks or changes from one look to another.
But it doesn’t matter if you’re in a studio or not. The space should have a bed, lounge area, makeup station, and a private dressing room or bathroom.
Each boudoir session should also include making the space cozy and comfortable. You can use music, candles, or incense. This can help calm nerves and create ambiance. It can also give your session the energy it needs to create amazing photography.
3. Add Hair and Makeup as Part of Your Boudoir Offer
Makeup and hair can give your client a nice pampering before the session. It might get them even more excited to get started!
You don’t have to hire a makeup artist for the session. But you can team up with a local makeup and hair person to help you during boudoir sessions.
You can include the fee in your pricing or as an add-on (or both) and offer your client the choice. Having hair and makeup done can add to the look of the session. It can create a total transformation of your client and make their photos really pop!
4. Keep Things Classy for Timeless Looks
Boudoir has surged recently because of its classy posing and flattering lighting. It focuses on celebrating the body. So, keep it classy with your angles, and highlight your client in the best possible light. (No pun intended.)
Your clients look to you for posing help and the best camera angles. They want beautiful photos of them that they can appreciate many years down the road.
Keeping it classy with your angles and posing can make the session more empowering for the client. It should be a true celebration of the body!
5. Start With Clothed Photos to Let Your Client Get Comfortable
Not all boudoir sessions are in lingerie. Some can be in a dress, fully covered, or pajamas. Each client is different and has different levels of comfort.
The most common boudoir sessions are mostly lingerie or suggestively nude photos. It is important to begin with a few photos of your client fully covered before getting to the lingerie part. This way, they get warmed up during the initial shots.
After that, they’ll feel comfortable and have gotten their nerves out. Show them one or two photos that get them excited. After that, have them change into the more revealing outfits of their choice.
Follow their lead during the session. And you’ll have those empowering photos your client will love!
6. Photograph on a Bed for a Variety of Boudoir Poses
You can use many different types of boudoir poses while using the bed for the boudoir session. You can start with a comfortable seated position. You can then direct your clients to lie down, turn on their stomachs, etc.
7. Use Specific Poses to Add Depth to Your Images
All bodies are beautiful. But photography is two-dimensional, so you must create a perception of depth. Because of this, your client might need help in the posing department when getting photos of their backside.
If your client is lying down, have them angle their bottom toward the camera and prop it up using their hips. This can help elevate their backside a little more. It can accentuate curves in what may look flat in a photo. Unfortunately, photography can produce pretty flat looks.
8. Use Lighting to Make Your Client Pop
Lighting can change our perception of details in photos. Highlighting or using more light on a certain body area can make it look wider, bigger, or more expansive. While a darker shadow or shadows can hide, make things look smaller, and create more drama.
Use highlights high on the backside and create shadows down below to make people’s bottoms look larger. You can also use side lighting to create more drama across your client’s body.
Want something more ethereal? Use backlighting to create a flood of light. You’ll get that glow that makes your client stand out against the bright light. Light can change the look and feel of the session. So, don’t be afraid to experiment with different lighting techniques!
9. Give Them Something to Do With Their Hands
It can be particularly tricky to pose hands. During boudoir sessions, keeping their hands moving and busy is very helpful.
Do this by instructing your client to use their hands to fix their outfit or hug themselves. You can even get behind-the-scenes photos of your client putting on makeup. Keeping their hands busy keeps your clients moving and changing up their poses.
Use their hands to prop their head, fix or play with their hair, or frame their faces. Doing this can also help keep your client busy and less focused on themselves and more on their movements.
10. Photograph Details to Add Variety to the Boudoir Shoot
Boudoir sessions are great for photographing details or body parts your client finds most attractive.
If you photograph a bride-to-be, you can focus on her ring as she hugs her arms around her chest. Or you can photograph parts like the lace of the outfit, shoes, or even parts of the face like lips and eyes. Something similar can be done with a groom, his ring, tie, hands, or arms.
You can also photograph the outfits without being put on. The wedding gown or suit, bralettes, or makeup on the counter help tell the story of the entire session.
Or you can get creative and photograph the shoes with their engagement rings on the heel or a part of their body that they feel is their favorite. These details help to fill in the session with variety. They also work as nice transitions in an album or slideshow.
11. Photograph From Behind to Create Mystery
To create more mystery, photograph your client from behind, where you can barely see their face. They can look over and down their shoulders to hint at their profile. Or they can look up or keep it hidden from the camera. This lets you get different angles and gives your client more variety.
12. Photograph From Above to Make Your Client Look Taller
Getting photographs of your client from above can seem tricky at first. Access to a step ladder or standing on a chair can give you a better angle from above.
Photograph your client lying down or with a slightly elevated angle. This can make your client look long and taller, help shape them, or add sidelight to their photos. It can also give the illusion of candid photography as if they were just on their bed at home lounging comfortably.
13. Try an Outdoor Boudoir Photo Shoot
If your client is up for it, go outdoors for some shots. And if you are in a space with interesting architecture, photograph your client in that space! Or look for elements that can add a little more drama or give a different look to the photos you’re taking.
Natural light, like the noonday sun, can give your photos more drama. Using areas with lots of light flooding in can also be helpful when creating various images.
14. Use Mirrors to Create Drama and Interest
Using mirrors can give your photos an interesting effect. This is especially true when trying to keep the photo a little mysterious and dramatic. Try creating interesting reflections if you can access mirrors in the home, the studio, or the space you photograph.
Photograph your client in front of mirrors for more details. Or shoot through the mirror instead of your client directly. Play with different angles to get interesting effects.
15. Add Negative Space to Draw Attention to Your Subject
Negative space can isolate a photo’s subject much more. It can help you focus more on details. Or it can create an asymmetric balance in your compositions. So, let a little bit of space fill up more of the frame.
16. Use Props to Show Your Client’s Personality
You can add boudoir props like hats, glamor jewelry, men’s dress shirts, ties, and gloves. These create more interesting storylines and effects when photographing boudoir sessions. Play with different looks, themes, and sets during the session.
Conclusion: Boudoir Photography Ideas
Boudoir photography isn’t as unknown as it was a few years ago and has recently gained lots of momentum in photography. It’s about empowerment through appreciating the body and highlighting your client in the best possible way!
Have fun creating some great images for your clients, and let them see how beautiful they are inside and out! Which boudoir photography ideas will you use at your next photo session? We have more posts on plus-size boudoir poses or tips on becoming a certified boudoir photographer!
