La Femme Boudoir Photography

What Really Happens at a La Femme Boudoir Photo Shoot

October 12, 2019

Boudoir photo shoots are kind of a new thing for the general public.

A Boudoir Photo Shoot is for Any Woman

Throughout the years, models and actresses were the only ones you’d see posed intimately in a professional photography studio setting. The life of a model and/or actress, in and of itself, is a pretty mystifying.

What do models and actresses do in their free time?

Who are they in real life?

Is this an actual portrayal of who they are, or just a character they’re playing?

Similar Questions for Women You See in Boudoir Photo Shoots

I feel like when ordinary, every day, non-actress, non-model girls think of boudoir photo shoot sessions; they ask similar questions. Who is this person being posed and photographed like this, and why is she so important she gets a shoot like this? 

Did she get hooked up with a session like this, or did she seek it out herself? What is actually happening during a boudoir photo shoot session?

There are so many questions. Just a few weeks ago, I was photographing a woman in her 50s who broke down right before her session was about to begin. She said to me, “Who am I to be doing something like this? What gives me the right to be here? What am I, crazy?” It opened my eyes. For a moment, I panicked. I put myself in her shoes, because I've thought this about myself time and time again. For a moment, I thought she had a point. But then I got out of my own head and all of my clients' testimonials reminded me about why I do what I do. My shoulders relaxed. I recentered and replied, “Because every woman deserves to feel beautiful and own a beautiful portrait of herself.” And she smiled the most fantastic smile of relief, nodded her head in agreement, and we began our session.

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A Boudoir Photo Shoot is not just for Fancy or Well-Known Women

I’m here to assure you that a boudoir photography is for all women, regardless of where they are in their life or their size and shape. I photograph everyday women. Corporate 9-5ers, entrepreneurs, and professionals. College grads to grandmothers. There are bachelorettes, brides, and 10-year-anniversary celebrators. I photograph the thin ones and the curvier ones, and everyone brings something different to the table. I LOVE what I do, and I’m here to demystify it for you. Hear me out.

What happens at a boudoir photo shoot? 

We have fun. We get hair and makeup done, we chat and become acquainted or catch up on old times. We dress up and dress down, and we make it one heck of an experience for everyone involved. And by we, I mean me, my client, and a makeup artist. It's just us. I don’t have a lighting and styling team; it’s just me controlling the setting and posing. No one is running around with a clipboard, and no one else is perfecting things other than me. Clients get to relax, let go, have fun, and feel beautiful, and I take care of all the details.

Just my Client and Me

Once the makeup artist is done, it’s just my client and me, and we get right down to business. And by business, I mean oo-ing and ah-ing over beautiful lingerie, checking over our inspiration/mood boards, and going over posing pointers and what she can expect to hear me say during our session. Simple as that.

When does the Boudoir Experience start?

The boudoir photo shoot experience starts at the first inquiry. After we get to chat for a bit and nail down some basic info, I send a more detailed questionnaire. The questionnaire gives everyone a chance to start thinking about how we want to run our session. Is she going for a dark and moody look, or a light and airy look? Are we keeping it casual with natural light and cotton pieces, or are we glamming it up with leather and lace? I would say that if you checked out my work on my website or Instagram, you’d agree I have a pretty consistent style of lighting and shooting, but curveballs are my jam. I love being challenged by new locations and out of the box ideas from clients. I also love it when they say, “You’re the expert, I trust you!” because that leaves me open to exploring the ideas that are always jumping around in my head. There's lots of room for getting creative with each and every session.

Growing up and working with Master Photographers as a Teenager

I've been a photographer for a long time, and even before that, as a teenager, I assisted my parents, who are also Master Photographers and international print competition judges. I’ve photographed weddings, events, family portraits, newborns, seniors, and everything in-between. I can quickly adapt, and I think that’s what makes it all so exciting for me and reassuring for my clients. Once the questionnaire comes back, and we talk it over, we discuss possible boudoir photo shoot dates.

Once we have an appointment, we lock it in with a retainer and continue planning. We research what’s already been done and share inspirational photos using a mood board on Pinterest, Instagram, or email photos and links back and forth. I want to make sure I’m making her vision come to life, if she has one, so getting on the same page ahead of time is essential. And if she doesn’t have an idea, that’s fine too. We’re going to make some beautiful photographs together whichever way it goes down. I provide her a few of my blog posts that talk about posing and preparing for her boudoir session. There is also a lingerie guide to shop from or at least help her decide on her ideal style. I also let her know how to prep herself the actual morning of the session.

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The Morning of the Session

The morning of the boudoir session, my makeup artist and I will meet her at our shoot location or at my studio. We’ll look over the outfits she brought so we can get a good idea of how we want her hair styled, as well as her makeup, and then the makeup artist will get right to it. I know that some photographers provide champagne or other alcoholic refreshments for the makeup chair, but I don’t. I don’t feel that it’s necessary, and drinking can also make someone’s face and eyes look more tired than awake. I want my clients to look and feel their best throughout the session, and I prefer to use conversation to lighten the air instead of alcohol or other substances. If she insists on bringing some, I let her know all the things I feel, and if she still wants to, then hey that’s fine with me!

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Once the makeup artist is done

Once we get done with makeup, we thank our makeup artist and send her on her way. I’ve only had one or two clients insist on paying a makeup artist to stay throughout the session, which is cool and it’s so great to have the help! But while I’d love to have that more often, it’s not the norm. From there, we decide which outfit we’ll start with first. We usually begin more covered-up to ease into the whole shoot process and end up with the least clothed option.

You might not think so by looking at my photos, but every person I photograph comes in nervous. They’ve likely never done something like this before, and like you, they aren’t sure what to expect. They could read all of my blog posts and get the low down over and over again, but they’ll still be nervous until a certain point after the shoot begins. In my experience, starting with a beauty shot or two and letting the nerves go slowly is the best way to ease into this type of session.

Twenty minutes in, they’ve heard all of my posing directions, and they start to subconsciously know my next moves! When I start seeing the chin lift on its own, the eyes and lips relax, and the wrist twist, I know I’ve gotten them to a more relaxed place and that’s when the fun starts. She’s become more confident in her movements, and now she can focus more on letting loose and giving more of herself to the camera. I know some photographers do, but I don’t adhere to a strict posing flow. I believe that every client moves differently, and not every pose works for everyone. I especially don’t want to ask her to get into a position she can’t and end up sending her into a self-conscious downward spiral.

From the moment she walks in for hair and makeup, I start to observe her movements and nuances and keep a mental note of those during the session. Flow posing is also for high volume photographers, and I’m not pumping out multiple boudoir sessions in a day. Ideally, I photograph one girl and then have her back the same day for an in-person viewing and ordering session.

60-90 Minutes of Hair and Makeup Before the Boudoir Session, followed by a Same-Day Studio Viewing

Typically hair and makeup start about 10 am and run for about 60-90 minutes. By 11 am, or 11:30 am, we start shooting and finish around 1 or 1:30. The client will leave the studio and grab lunch while I load up the images and get them ready for her to view the photographs.

About 60 to 90 minutes later, she’ll come back and start narrowing the photos down to her favorites. Once we have them down to a good variety with some similar poses, I’ll help her narrow them down even more by comparing similar images. When we reach a standstill, we’ll look through sample albums and decide which build is the best option for the images she’s keeping. I do my best to keep my offerings elegant and straightforward so that decisions are effortless. Once assembled, she can opt to add in a companion album, the digital files, a superimposed handwritten note into the album, or any prints and wall enlargements. At that point, she’d pay the balance due, or we’d come up with a payment schedule. Her final products would then be delivered straight to her doorstep!

I Offer a Full-Service Photography Experience

I’m asked every so often if I provide digitals instead of an album or prints, or if they can view and order from home. The answer to those questions is less simple than you’d think. I mentioned earlier about my parents being Master photographers and how I learned photography through assisting them. I’ve also watched the industry evolve from film and prints to digital cameras and download galleries.

Because of my experience, I’ve intentionally designed my studio based on offering a full-service photography experience. A large part of what I do includes guiding clients from start to finish, and that is something that will never change. I could easily be one of those low maintenance, shoot & burn, wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am photographers who charge next to nothing for a next-to-nothing-experience, but I never will be. I work with busy people, and there’s nothing like helping an active person check a big thing off their list.

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Why would I want to add to their workload by sending them home with more work? 

They may insist and be very capable of putting an album together or having some files printed, but they’re likely to go to CVS or Snapfish and that just doesn’t cut it for me. There’s nothing worse than seeing your photos printed and poorly displayed. Most clients wouldn’t even know how bad it is until they see it next to the products and prints I offer. This is my area of expertise, and I build time into the process so that they can spend one hour, with my guidance, to finish their order instead of taking a whole week, pushing it off to the last minute, and sitting behind a computer alone to make difficult decisions that would have been easy with my help.

The Importance of Providing Quality well Printed Images

On the other hand, I’ve had clients grossly overspend because they were overwhelmed, pinched for time, and too afraid to let anything go.

This is why I’m here. I have the answers you’re looking for and an eye for what makes one photo better than the next. I’m here to provide you with high-quality, well-printed images you can be proud of. What's that you ask? Will I give you digitals in place of print? I rarely agree to this, but for every print or album image you order, you will have sharing-sized images included for your smart phone and social media, along with the option of ordering high res digital downloads as an add-on. But not without the purchase of a tangible album first.

Why?

Because print matters. Because the internet’s going to go down one day, your hard drive will eventually crash, or The Handmaid’s Tale could happen IRL, and everything in your life could disappear. And I’m sorry, but an image on a screen does not give you the same feeling as a beautifully printed photo in your hands. Displaying an image you love on the background of your computer monitor is not the answer. I’ll always offer digitals because that’s just the age we’re in, but not without some printed version of it first.

Where does Boudoir Photography Belong?

These are not exactly the kind of photos you’d go framing and displaying around your home. Generally, we like to keep these babies tucked away in an album for enjoying in privacy, especially if there are kids at home. And don't feel bad if you're going in and checking yourself out in your album every day for months after your session; I would too!

So now that you’ve heard about what a Boudoir experience with La Femme Boudoir would be like, what do you think? Does it sound more attainable than you once thought? What tangible object could mean more to you than the most beautiful portraits of yourself taken at a special time in your life? And the shoot itself -- could you think of a more uplifting, confidence-boosing experience? Probably not.

One of my recent clients posted this poem as the caption to one of the photos from her session. It made more of an impact on me than I could have imagined, and spurred me to book my boudoir session. I think you’ll like it too, so I’ll leave this right here.

“The girl I used to be
Was never good for me
But she taught me how
To be who I am now,
So even though I left her
In the life I once had, 
I still need to thank her
For walking me to
Where I am now. 
Thank you for the lessons.
Goodbye.

Stephanie Bennett-Henry.

INTERESTED IN BOOKING A BOUDOIR SHOOT?

First, please read through the FAQ here,
and if you'd like move forward with a phone or studio consultation to discuss a session further,
please fill out the form below!

Tell me everything you envision in your Boudoir Shoot.

What are you most excited to capture & celebrate?

I will get back to you within 24-48 business hours!

How Much Do Album Collections Start At?

Album Collections start at $1050. Each collection includes 10+ images in a beautiful custom designed album.

How Much Is Required To Lock In Your Session?

$500 is required to lock in your session date, and payment plans are available.

Are Payment Plans Available?

Yes, payment plans are available! I'll help you plan your payments so you can stay comfortably within your budget.

I'm So Nervous! Is A Boudoir Session For Me?

Girl, everyone goes into this being nervous in some way, shape or form. If you weren't nervous I'd be surprised. I'd be nervous! The good news is that those nerves will dissolve within minutes. This session is all about you. We work together to stay within your comfort level, focus on the aspects of you that you're most proud of, and the whole session will feel like a woman-to-woman hangout. You're going to be stunned at how beautiful you look through my lens, and I can't wait to see your reaction! I work with mothers, single ladies, newly single ladies, brides, nurses, girls in their 20s, women in their 50s, and everyone in-between. I'm even hired to photograph other boudoir photographers! A boudoir session is for you, and your grandma too. Read 15 Reasons you deserve your boudoir session if you need more convincing.

How Long Have You Been A Boudoir Photographer?

I've been surrounded by photography my entire life. My parents are Master Photographers, and my brother is also an amazing photographer who specializes in weddings. (You can read more about this in my bio.) I started photographing weddings with my parents when I was a young teenager, and from there I fell in love with portrait photography. Especially portraits of women. I find it so interesting that each woman I work with is so different than the last but at the same time we share so many similar experiences. I knew I wanted to photograph intimate portraits of women long before boudoir photography became a thing. I focused on women's portraiture in early 2011, started La Femme boudoir in 2012, and the brand officially became an establishment in 2017. I've photographed hundreds of women and it never gets old. When I'm not photographing women, I'm photographing past boudoir clients' families and new babies, and I wouldn't change that for anything. You can see some of those non-boudoir portraits here.

What Is Your Retouching Process Like?

While Photoshop is our friend, I’m not going to over-retouch and make you look like someone you’re not. I will use lighting and posing to accentuate your best assets and make you look like the best version of yourself. Photoshop is there to rid the eye of distractions, minimize flyaway hairs, get rid of a light switch or two, and other non-life-altering functions. I will also use Photoshop to smooth out skin, minimize pores, and get rid of lint & wrinkles within reason. Once we narrow your images down to your favorites for your album, we'll go over my retouching process and look at each image a bit more closely. That being said, YOU are beautiful and so are your curves. We are women, our skin is soft, and our bodies are capable of miracles. Let's celebrate all that!

Will You Help Me Prepare For My Shoot?

Absolutely! I'm here to help you from the moment you contact me until the moment you get your products, and beyond. As soon as we lock in our date I'll send you some resources I've written especially for clients of La Femme Boudoir, as well as a Lingerie Guide with tons of links to lingerie shops and blogs for guidance. I want this experience to be as fun, exciting, and stress-free as possible and I do my best to make myself available for any questions and concerns you might have. After our session, I'll have you back in to guide you through the photo selection process. Many times, this is a same-day viewing so you won't even have to wait more than a couple hours to see your images! After our viewing and ordering session, I'll design a custom album layout based on your favorite images, which you'll be able to approve prior to production. Clients have told me that my process is incredibly helpful and stress-free, and that's why they've kept me as their personal photographer since!

What Can I Expect When I Book A Boudoir Session With You?

Fun, excitement, empowerment, and a whole new sense of confidence. Jump over to my blog to read more about What to expect from your boudoir session.

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