7 Tips to ROCK your Boudoir Session | Denver Boudoir Photographer
7 Tips to Rock Your Boudoir Session
& Get the Most out of Your Experience
After being a boudoir photographer full time for a hot minute now, I’ve had the pleasure of working with many people and have picked up a few tips & tricks that have worked for them for their session. I think being prepared is THE most important part of having a good experience for your shoot, so hopefully this blog post helps out a few of you!
1.) You ARE overthinking this and that is OKAY.
Being nervous about this is absolutely normal, especially for your first time. You’re telling yourself over and over again that this isn’t for you, you can’t pull this off, and you should probably just back out now. Do I want you to feel that way? Absolutely not, BUT it is part of the process. Your nerves are going to be through the roof, especially the days leading up to your session. Then something magical happens, you get halfway through your session and you think, “wow, this actually isn’t bad at all”. Then you see your portraits at your viewing appointment and you’re amazed that THAT is you. Yes, it’s YOU. You CAN do the hard stuff. You ARE gorgeous. You are capable of so much more than you ever thought. I want you to walk way from your boudoir session feeling all of those things and more. Boudoir is about empowerment and those nerves you’re feeling are coming from a place of “less than”. Boudoir is for you to show yourself that you are worthy. You can do this, promise, and I’m going to be there holding your hand the whole way!
2.) Wear what you makes YOU feel good.
“What do I wear?!”, is everyone’s main concern before and after booking. So much so some people won’t book at all because they don’t think they’ll know what looks good. First of all, your photographer (ahem, me) should know wtf they’re doing and should be able to guide you in the right direction. Second of all, stop worrying about what everyone else is wearing and focus on yourself - this is all about you after all. What makes YOU feel good? My clients usually bring in a big bag of options and before we start shooting we go through all of them. My first question will always be, “which of these makes you feel your best?”, because ultimately that is all that matters. If you’re not comfortable in what you’re wearing it will show up in your pictures. This is for you 100%, choose what makes you happy.
3.) Treat yourself.
Booking a boudoir session should be looked at as an amazing life event for yourself. When you’re old and gray, this will be an experience you look back on fondly. Treat this “event” as such. Go get a massage. Get your nails done. Get your hair done. Heck, even book yourself an airbnb to stay in the night before so you show up relaxed and ready to go. There is no shame in focusing on and taking care of yourself. Most of us are burnt out and exhausted, so take this time for yourself, guilt free.
4.) The little details matter.
Keep in mind that the camera will pick up on the small details!
• If you want your nails done, have them done. If you don’t care, come with cleans nails and toenails.
•Tan lines and red lobster burns (ha) WILL show up on your pictures and they will require additional editing ($$$) if you want them fixed. Avoid the sun for a bit to avoid having harsh tan lines and wear that SPF when you are out.
• Dirty feet show up on camera, so make sure you’re wearing socks before you come in!
• Avoid microblading and permanent makeup right before your session. These services can require a touch up (or two) and may not look exactly how you want by the time your session is here.
Overall, just consider what small details will show up on camera and how you can mitigate them if they bother you any other time!
Wanted to add, I am not referring to permanent parts of yourself. We are embracing those things, that’s the entire point of this!
5.) Eat and hydrate before.
A lot of folks will intentionally not feed themselves leading up to a boudoir session and let me tell you, it does not benefit your session whatsoever. Posing for a boudoir session can be very physically taxing. Consider it a workout, really. You are stretching in weird poses and holding those poses for awhile. Most of the time we are both a sweaty mess by the end of your shoot. You NEED those calories and you NEED to hydrate. As a person with POTS, I 10/10 recommend taking care of yourself so you don’t feel like you’re going to black out at your session. It’s not fun, at all. Self love also means taking care of ourselves. Let’s practice it. ❤️
Feed. Yourself.
Drink. Water.
6.) Stretch!
Trust me, you want to stretch. As I said above, I am going to twist you into some unnatural poses and I promise you’re going to feel it the next day. It really helps if you stretch well a week or so leading up to your session. Yoga poses are your best bet. Here are a few I’ve found that work well. Please modify as needed. Only you know your body and it’s limits.
• Cat/Cow
• Cobra
7.) Read everything your photographer sends you.
Please, please, pleaseeeee. We put information together for you for a reason! Please read all of it. I personally send all of my clients a guide that goes through everything to prepare. It can be lengthy so return to it as needed. If you don’t get the email with that guide, please reach out! Technology doesn’t always play nice and I’d rather you reach out needing help than you show up completely unprepared. xx
That’s it! Hopefully these tips help you to feel a little more ready for your session or help you feel more confident in your decision to book your own boudoir session one day. Always reach out with any questions, even if you aren’t my client. I want everyone to have this experience at least once in their lives and if I can help you feel more prepared, I’m happy to help.
