Posing Tips for your Boudoir Session
Wondering Which Boudoir Photography Poses Are Right
For Your Session? I Got You, Girl.
Posing for a boudoir session can be one of the most daunting parts of the whole process. Just the thought of not knowing what to do can stop you from going for it, and it's actually one of the main questions clients have when they are thinking about booking with me.
Will you direct me during the shoot, or do I have to know how to pose?
Girl, you don't have to know anything other than how to let go and trust the process. These are the same instructions I give to each and every client I work with because, just know, I will make sure you get that confidence boost you came here for. When we start a session, I typically go through all of the main posing pointers with you before we even start shooting, just so that you know exactly what I mean by certain things and what to expect during the session. That way, you won't feel like you're second guessing yourself and can feel confident that your images are coming out great. Of course there are many, many factors that go into a successful boudoir photography shoot, but these are the main posing pointers, broken down by section.
Boudoir Photography Poses: Your Face & Lips
Let's start with the hardest part first. Boudoir sessions are all about showing off the curves and all things feminine, but what should you do with your face?
Do you smile? If not smile, then what?
Boudoir sessions, unlike headshots and senior portraits, really aren't the place for full on smiles unless that smile is super genuine. Like, I-caught-you-laughing-in-the-moment, because you BET, if you do laugh a real laugh, I'm going to do everything in my power to catch it. That's really the only time that a full-on smile fits into boudoir photos.
What I tell my clients is just to not hide their smile. Even when you're not looking right at me, keep something in the back of your mind that keeps a little smirk on your face. If you're doing this session to give an album as a gift to your love, it could be the thought of them seeing these photos and seeing how smokin' hot you look, or the fact that you might be doing all this in secret and you never keep secrets 😏
Story time: One time I had this client who just had the best little smirky expression on her face from the very start. I had to just stop her and ask, "What on earth is in the back of that mind?? Your expression is perfection and I just feel like I need to ask."
And this is what she told me.
"It's taken years for me to get the courage up to do this shoot. I've been following you for a long time, and every post you shared of women who look like me, I got closer and closer to feeling worthy. And now I'm here representing all the women who look like me, who also thought they could never have the confidence to do something like this. I'm showing them they can, and they should."
I had to hug her, and pretty sure I got a few tear drops on her too. How beautiful is that?
So, when you keep a little smile behind your expression, that's where the magic is, and I usually get the best expressions right after a good laugh settles down because your mouth has relaxed but the smile is still in your eyes. It shouldn't take effort, it should just take letting go and having some fun on your big day. Don't take yourself too seriously, this is meant to be fun. You look amazing and you're prancing around my studio in next to nothing, on a random weekday when you're probably supposed to be working; what's not fun about that??
I'm sure you've heard of the "smize" or the "smile with your eyes" concept. Go ahead, try smiling with your eyes on demand. Yeah, it's not as simple as it seems. Here's what Google tells us:
How to Smize
- Relax your shoulders and laugh
- Crinkle your eyes without smiling
- Tilt your chin down and angle your face toward the camera
- Subtly lift the corners of your mouth
- Think of something that makes you feel excited
The Google machine also referenced a bunch of Youtube videos where Tyra Banks (who coined the term on Next Top Model) teaches people how to smile with their eyes -- this one was especially entertaining 😂 Tyra Teaches Smizing but this one is more of the smize I'm looking for if you want to try it out for yourself - Smile with your Eyes
Disclaimer: You do not need to know how to "smize" in order to have a successful boudoir shoot. You just need let go, trust the process, keep an open mind, and be ready to have some fun with your session.
The key here is, while keeping a neutral face, to think about smiling or something that makes you want to smile. Once you think about smiling your face will subconsciously adjust. The outside corners of your eyes will pull back with your ears, and your lips will turn up at the corners and may slightly part. A little bit of smile will eliminate the possibility of capturing that RBF, if you know what I mean.
This one is a little peak behind the curtain into a portrait photographer's mind. When I'm photographing your profile and you're looking off to the side, I'll have you turn your face just enough to keep the tip of your nose from crossing over the horizon line of your far cheek. When I started entering in Professional Photographers of America (PPA) competitions back in the day I couldn't believe how intensely my images were picked apart by the judges based on scoring criteria. I learned that when a subject's face is turned away from the camera, their nose should never cross over the cheek line, but should stay "tucked" into their face (unless you're showing a perfect profile.) Not only is it more flattering for the client, especially someone who is self-conscious of her nose, but in the portrait photographer's world, this is a must-know for professionals who are serious about their craft. So if I have you turn your face away from me, I'm looking for that specific angle. Same goes for if you're laying down and I tell you to tip your head back while I'm shooting from above and behind. I'm looking for that perfect angle where your nose, lips, and chin are in a perfect line and they don't intersect. It might feel unnatural to position your head that way, but the photos will prove me right.
Boudoir Photography Poses: Your Upper Body
Your jawline, neck, collar bones, and chest- the area otherwise known by the French as the décolleté- can be extremely sexy and should be treated as such. When I first start going over posing pointers, I'll let them know I'm going to constantly remind you to keep your chest up. My intern once photographed me and shouted, "TITS UP!" and we both died in laughter. But really, keeping your form upright and not slouchy is so important in most poses.
You also want to feel into the connection between your body parts. When you look down your shoulder, kick that shoulder forward and feel the pull between your shoulder and chin, and your collar bone will pop slightly- also very sexy. Lay your fingers somewhere along your collarbone, or even better, run them softly across your collar bone, not only feeling your skin with your fingers, but pushing into the touch of your fingers. We want your movements to be full of emotion and connection, so much so that the person viewing the image can feel it themselves.
Afterall, this experience really is all about reconnecting with your body ✨
Boudoir Photography Poses: Posing Your Hands and Wrists
SO IMPORTANT! Hands can make or break a photo's mood. A balled up fist or fingers pointing straight out can make an image feel cold or rigid, whereas delicate "ballerina" hands can soften the mood and feel much warmer. Literally, think ballerina hands and your fingers will immediately ease up. The key with cohesive portraits is to give your hands something to do always. Hands touching anything make you feel a connection. Touching the charm of your necklace, slipping a bra strap down, or a little tug up on the side of your undies gives the viewer's eye somewhere to look. Connection attracts the viewer's eye, so if you touch your finger to the line of your lip, that's what will be noticed first and foremost. The opposite also applies; If you want to keep the attention away from your midsection, then pull your waist back, cross your right arm up to the left side of your neck and touch with soft fingers, cross your left arm down to the right side of your undies, and voilà - attention averted - midsection is blocked, and hands are attracting attention elsewhere.
Another tip: Twist your wrist so that your wrist's profile shows the elegance of your hand instead of the broad back of your hand.
For instance, if you're touching your lip, I might remind you to twist and slightly bend your wrist into the underside of your chin so your hand's profile is framing your jawline, keeping your fingers soft and elegant. These small tweaks will make the image feel much more delicate, and keep the focus on what we're trying to capture.
Boudoir Photography Poses: Posing Your Hips, Midsection, and Bum
This is another area in which special attention should be paid because the position of your hips and backside can make or break a photo. In general, when you want something to appear larger you'd push or lean it closer to the camera. Alternatively, if you want something to appear smaller then you should tuck it back further from the camera. Say you want your waist to look slimmer. I would have you shift your weight and your hips back while I shoot from a slightly higher angle. Imagine a person holding a string with the other end tied to your bum and that person is pulling the string; your center of gravity is going to shift back and your chest will be more pronounced than your lower tummy.
Do yourself a favor and watch yourself in the mirror: Pull your chest up, and swivel your right hip back. Your left knee pops up and you're on your left tippy toe. Then push the left hip back and your right knee and tippy toe pop. Keeping your chest up and your hip back, notice how your waist appears. Now turn to the right and do the same thing; push your right hip away from the mirror and your left knee and tippy toe pop up. Swing your hips into the mirror now and notice the difference in how the trunk of your body appears. These are things I'm paying attention to as I pose you and shift the focus from one body part to another.
Boudoir Photography Poses: Posing Your Legs, Ankles, and Feet
You'll almost always be up on one tippy toe. When you're sitting or laying down, I'll usually have you up on both tippy toes, tightening and elongating your legs.
There's just something about flat feet that doesn't really do anything for your shape, and I'll always be looking for how I can elevate your image - these little details and tips do the trick! Even the way you cross your ankles matters, and I'll be keeping my eye on that as well.
No detail goes unnoticed, so don't worry about having to know what to do during your session - I'll be directing you through and through.
Did the Boudoir Photography Poses Guide Help?
I hope this posing guide gave you an idea of what to expect during a boudoir session with La Femme Boudoir! This experience is meant to be fun and liberating, and now that you have a glimpse into how I'll be directing you throughout your session, my hope is that you'll be able to relax, trust the process, and give into the temptation to go with the flow. It's not often you have the opportunity to lean into your inner model and flaunt all you've got SO by all means, work it 💃 and let go of any insecurities and uncertainties standing in your way. Perfection is overrated, just think of this as a creative collaboration by two women who think bodies are beautiful and should be made into art ✨
Do you have a question feel free to reach out to me directly or if you want to share your thoughts feel free to comment below.