Boudoir FAQ
Boudoir photography FAQ
Believe it or not, boudoir shoots aren’t a part of many regular routines, and so having a few questions is expected. Over the course of the last 13 years we’ve seen our fair share of questions and we wanted to create an easy F.A.Q. for our clients so that it takes a little bit (or a lot a bit) of mystery out of the boudoir photography process.
Don’t see your question on here? Get in touch and let us help.
Before you book:
Have we ever done this before?
Way back in 2009 I started my photography business, and in 2012 I began shooting boudoir sessions full time. Since then I’ve photographed around 170 women (and men!) a year. Using my algebra skills from 6th grade I’ve photographed over 2,000 people. Some are scantily clad and some are not. I’d say I’ve done this a few times and am definitely starting to get the hang of it. In 2014 we started growing exponentially. Since then we have added a full-time Studio Manager, an office assistant, photo editor, and 6 makeup artists. We have a full-on operation happening over here and you should definitely join the party.
What if I have a specific location in mind for my session?
While most of our sessions take place in our Atlanta-area based studio, we DO conduct sessions in alternative locations. We’ve worked in hotels, on farms, in private households, AirBnbs, and banana orchards.
I don’t even KNOW you, can I meet you before I decide to book? Call me crazy, but I like to meet the people that are going to see me in my underwear.
Absolutely! If you need me call me, wherever you are, no matter how far…. Just kidding, but really: you can book a free consultation here!
Hypothetically I’ve stalked your work and watched all of your Instagram stories… so I’m sold. How do I book my session?
Send us an email (Studiomanager@ownboudoir.com), book your date through our online scheduling calendar (right here!), or give us a call at 256-474-5804. Together we will pick out your session type and select an available date. From there a retainer of 25% is due in order to book your session! The retainer is non-refundable, but you CAN reschedule or transfer your deposit to another client!
After you book:
Can I send you images that I want?
Absolutely, but let’s keep it tidy. Please send us images that inspire you, especially if they include the banana orchard mentioned above. While we do not duplicate images, we do use your inspiration images to give us direction as to the style and posing that you love! This way you have one-of-a-kind images that line up with your vision.
Can I cancel my session if something comes up?
We would be very brokenhearted, but you can of course cancel your session. A cancellation fee for your session will apply if cancelled less than 30 days before your shoot date. If you’ve booked a session that includes hair and makeup a separate cancellation fee will apply to compensate the makeup artist for blocking off your shoot date. We recommend rescheduling your session instead of cancelling, but understand that sometimes things just don’t work out.
What do I wear for my session?
Traditionally the wardrobe associated with boudoir sessions is centered around lingerie. As boudoir gains more popularity, the wardrobe associated with the sessions is evolving! Are you not a lingerie person? Bring in an oversized sweater, a slinky dress, a sheer robe, go nude, wear a Wonder Woman costume…. you get the point.
We offer wardrobe consults for select sessions so that we can curate the perfect wardrobe for your session
I don’t even think Chanel could design lingerie that would look good on me, how am I supposed to find pieces to wear?
We partner with a few lingerie stores in the Atlanta area (and beyond!) that are brilliant at helping you find lingerie that looks amazing on you. They’ll throw you a ton of different styles at once to get a feel for what you gravitate toward. From there you guys will figure out the best size and fit.
Also….Did you know that you can get lingerie tailored? A few nips and tucks can really help out with the fit and look of your lingerie. With our powers combined we will come up with a collection of lingerie or wardrobe that is sure to look great.
But what if I want to, say, dress up in a banana costume? Or something reallllyyy weird?
Bring it on and we’ll peel back the layers of your sensuality.
THE BOUDOIR SESSION:
Who will be at my session?
Your boudoir session will be a closed event. You and your photographer will be the only people at your session. Should you opt-in for our hair and makeup option then your hair and makeup artist will be there for a few images to make sure that everything looks great on camera!
Where do we even HAVE the session? My house is less than ideal, plus I’d have to make up an excuse to get the kids out of the house.
We totally understand, plus who has the time to clean your house these days? Most sessions take place in our studio in West Midtown Atlanta, but we HAVE photographed in homes, AirBnbs, hotels, and event halls! If we are shooting on-location (not at our studio) we require that we see pictures of the space in order to vet it. I want to make sure I’m not being led into an Indiana Jones-type of lair. I’ve listened to too many crime podcasts to not need to see photos of where I’m going.
How long does a session last?
Our boudoir sessions last anywhere from 2-6 hours depending on which session you choose. I know that’s a big range, but we like options!! While we know you’d love to spend all weekend with us drinking champagne and getting amazing photos, it just isn’t feasible and eventually the champagne runs out anyway.
Can I bring a friend or my significant other?
Unless you are booking a couple’s session we ask that you do not bring any friends or significant others to your session. Our ability to laser focus on capturing gorgeous images of you will be interrupted and definitely lacking. We will spend brain power trying to make sure everyone is comfortable, has enough snacks, isn’t too bored, likes the music, knows where the bathroom is, loves our jokes, doesn’t feel ignored… it’s a whole thing. Let’s just keep it the two of us!
**The exception to that rule is that you can have someone around for hair and makeup, but after that they will need to quietly exit and let us have all of the fun. We have plenty of fun activities for them to do around the studio!
OK, so no friends. Can I bring my friend Champagne?
Champagne the beverage? Sure! She is always welcome, though that’s an extra step for you! Part of our process is grocery shopping for you so that you feel like a celebrity. We’ll have everything you request! If you have a specific and rare request then feel free to bring that along, I can’t go truffle hunting in Italy right before the session (not that I don’t want to).
I’m SUPER awkward in front of the camera, how do I overcome that for this shoot?
Take deep breaths, give yourself a pep talk, do the hokey pokey. But really, that nervousness and awkwardness will likely be there in the beginning. However, because we are going to pose the hell out of you, the awkwardness you will feel won’t show in the camera. We show you images on the back of the camera as we go through the session so that you can see how NOT awkward you look. Just know that it is in our best interest to make sure you look your best because we want you to buy the photos afterward.
Do I need to know how to pose?
Absolutely not! You’re hiring us, remember? I’ll instruct you the entire way, giving you specific directions on what to do with your body/hands/face/ etc. My mantra for posing is “the weirder it feels the better it looks”. You might practice in the mirror and think something looks great, but remember I’m at a different angle from you…so chances are it looks a little ‘not great’ in camera.
I pull off a pretty sexy duck face pout. Do I really need to listen to you telling me what to do?
Please see above.
But will you know how to pose me in my banana costume?
It might take a little extra thought, but I assure you we’ll have a bunch (pun intended) of great poses for you to choose from.
I can’t touch my toes, how can I pose for my session?
There isn’t a lot of toe-touching that is involved with posing for a boudoir session, so you’ll be ok. I may need you to touch your elbow to the back of your neck… so good luck.
What if I don’t like my images?
To be quite honest, this doesn’t happen. (but, if it does happen then we will schedule a complimentary re-do of your session. No questions asked.) We work diligently before your session to make sure we are on the same page with your likes, dislikes, and comfort level so that each image you see will be VERY hard to part with.
I know that I said that this doesn’t happen, and you immediately said “lol, yeah but you haven’t seen me, so it could happen”. I call bullshit on that idea and again say: I’ll give you a complimentary re-do if you don’t like your images.
Will you photoshop me?
It depends on what you mean by photoshop. Would you like for me to smooth out your skin, remove a few blemishes (or a regrettable tattoo), or nip/tuck a few places? I can absolutely do that! Sadly, super-imposing your head onto the Chiquita Banana lady isn’t a part of my photoshopping, no matter how much you love bananas.
I’m a lady in the street but a freak in the bed, can you capture this?
Yes!!! And we’ll play Usher’s ‘YEAH’ the whole time. We’ve got a whole set of items that could be made into whips and chains and handcuffs.
How should I do my makeup?
You should let us take care of it, but we also understand that some clients have preferences for the makeup artist that touches their face. For that we would recommend photo-ready makeup. The camera will wash out about 50% of what is on your face and for that reason a heavier foundation, bronzer, blush, highlight, false lashes, and brow definition are highly recommended. For lips, a pigment close to your natural lip pigment is fantastic if you’re going for a natural look.
Are you going to post my images?
Would you like for us to post your boudoir images? This is entirely up to you. Of course I’ll be posting the banana costume, but for every other boudoir image in your collection you’ll need to give me permission in order to post. This is usually done before your session via a contract, but we can always adjust that contract after your shoot!
General F.A.Q. aka “late night boudoir thoughts”
Why are these sessions so expensive?
After each session I get a facial made of gold leaf and diamonds while drinking water blessed by an ancient Aztec tribe. I also have mannnyyyyy years of experience (and did you catch how many people I’ve photographed) that is worth a premium. I mean, not many people can make a banana costume look sexy. However, to be completely transparent, it was hard to put a price on fitting a 4 hour session into 10 years (that’s 87,600 hours) of experience but we did the best we could. Our sessions are not for everyone’s budget, but we are dedicated to making sure you still get the best boudoir experience possible… so if you find that we aren’t for you, please let us know and we will work our hardest to make sure you are in great hands.
I don’t even like being naked in the shower, do I have to get naked for my shoot?
Not at all. Again, you can do the entire session in a banana costume.
Makeup always makes me look like a clown, how will I know what looks great for me?
If you have no clue about how to do your makeup then you would greatly benefit from having one of our stylists do your makeup in-studio. This way we can do your makeup in stages, making sure you’re liking what you are seeing, and are aware of exactly how it will photograph.
Now I have half-naked photos of myself, cool. What do I do now?
Show them to your dentist, show them to your barista, create a boudoir shrine for yourself in your home, send a sexy text, set up a scheduled email that sends you a reminder on how amazing you look, create a new Linked-In profile, etc. Are you giving these as a gift? Then give them!! (We can help you create a killer idea for how to give these!). The most important thing is that you stepped out of your comfort zone and have photos to prove it.
It hurts to clip my fingernails, do I have to wax to look good down there?
To wax or not to wax, that is the question! Listen, there is no need to change your entire grooming process for your boudoir session. We won’t be zooming in ‘down there’ and so you’ll be just fine coming as you normally are. If you DO choose to wax for the first time, we recommend doing a trial wax about 5 weeks out from your session and then if you’re in love with the results you can do a final run about a week before! If you don’t love the results then go ahead and delete the phone # for your esthetician. If you’re wanting some up-close booty shots then we would highly HIGHLY recommend smoothing out those cheeks with wax. Light has a funny way of catching every. single. hair. You may not know you’ve got hairs on your cheeks, but you do.
How do you pronounce ‘boudoir’
BOO (as in ‘BOO I’m a ghost’)- DWAR (as if Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s name was Dwar “The Rock” Johnson). BooDwar.
