As a boudoir photographer, I love seeing clients who are initially nervous really come into their own during a photo shoot and start to let their personalities shine. Miss B was one who definitely went for it and tried some fun and challenging poses, with great results. My favorite part about boudoir sessions, though, is how gorgeous everyone looks in their photos… and especially hearing the ladies who insist they’re “not photogenic” (it’s a lie!) delight in their own real beauty. It feels good to give that gift!

Miss B, you’re a beauty. I hope your man enjoyed his Valentines Day surprise!

(An aside: Most women think of boudoir photos as a great wedding gift for their future husbands (and they are!) but guys love boudoir photos any time: Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, Valentines Day, days that end in “y”, you name it! Boudoir photography has its origins in wartime pin-up photos that ladies sent to their men overseas, and given that we have lots of troops deployed right now, this is still a pretty popular practice. I’ve also known women who have just had boudoir sessions done for themselves… to celebrate their bodies, their femininity, their sexuality, and their courage. That’s why boudoir sessions are some of my favorites!)

Enjoy the photos!

Ms. S had her hair curled and coiffed by my favorite stylist, Heidi, who did an amazing job. I love it when my clients have their hair and/or makeup done at the studio… it gives us more time to talk, brainstorm, and relax before the session. Ms. S also brought a friend, who provided extra encouragement and hilarious commentary. This is a great idea if you’re nervous about shooting but have a girlfriend you really trust. It (and maybe a swig of aged whiskey) can really help take the edge off.

I loved the outfits Ms. S brought with her… I’m always amazed by the different and creative lingerie and props my clients bring. I’m starting to collect vintage jewelry, robes, and corsets for some extra options. We picked five from the selection Ms. S brought with her and had a great time thinking of different poses for each outfit.

Ms. S, you looked gorgeous and I loved getting to know you. Thank you for a fabulous session!

I’m still waiting on the go-ahead to publish images from the awesome shoot with Miss S (I never use boudoir photos without permission) so I’m going to use a photo from Miss O’s boudoir session for this post. The topic: retouching!

Boudoir sessions are the same length as my typical portrait sessions but involve a whole bunch of unique elements. For the ladies, a boudoir session means getting used to posing in front of the camera in their skivvies… a new, different, and FUN experience. For me, a boudoir session means setting up my studio and lights, coordinating with hair and makeup artists, laying out the cool props and lingerie, making my guest(s) comfortable, and figuring out the best poses for each lady to express her hawtness. Then, after each session, I retouch each image to look just right.

For portraits shoots and weddings photography, I edit all images (for color, exposure, and ambiance) but I only retouch my favorites and any that are ordered for albums, canvasses, or enlarged prints. Complete session retouching is exclusive to my boudoir sessions. It gives those intimate images an extra-glamorous kick!

When I retouch an image, I remove blemishes, hide dark circles, smooth wrinkles, highlight eyes, and give skin tone a gorgeous luminance. I also rework the photo to bring out the best details and hide any distracting elements. It’s a really fun process, even though it takes a lot of time!

Here’s an example from the smoldering Miss O’s session:

The “before” photo is what the image looked like after minor adjustments for exposure, contrast, and color. The “after” photo has had filter effects (“actions”) applied in Photoshop and digital retouching.

I love doing retouching that’s subtle and natural (an extra challenge!). My goal is to give you retouching that you’ll only notice it if you look at the two images side-by-side: Retouching that makes you look like you, in your best light. Everyone gets a blemish now and then, or a poor night’s sleep, and I think everyone deserves not to be reminded of that fact when they look at their sexy boudoir photos.

So… yeah! That’s about it for the “retouching” FAQ. I’ll share other before & after images if you’re curious to see more.

And, in case you’re curious, every boudoir session results in between 40 and 60 retouched images, with a copy of each in black and white in color. (Getting two copies of each image is another special bonus for boudoir… other sessions result in a mix of both.) I upload all images to a private online gallery, where you can decide which you’d like to purchase as prints, in an album, or on a disc.

I’m hoping to complete a boudoir FAQ soon. What questions do you have that you’d like to see included?

Ladies! If you’d like to give your man the gift of boudoir for Valentines Day, be sure to book before January 20th.
All V-Day sessions include a free 5×5 framed photograph, perfect for his desk (if discreet!) or dresser drawer.

Miss A was already expecting in these photos, so early that she’d only shared her pregnancy with her closest friends. She’s a teeny-tiny athletic girl, so I have no doubt she’ll get right back into shape after she delivers.

But I do hope to get Miss A back in my studio for some late-pregnancy photos in similar poses for a nice contrast between bellies.

Miss A had a very nice selection of lingerie, and an absolutely sultry look…

I think that a lot of boudoir photography, no matter the outfit, is about the eyes. (Like the photos above.) But I do also love pics that show the wonderful details of a woman’s body, and I think my clients (and their partners) do too!

I also love it when girls bring men’s clothing to their shoots. Miss A used one of her husband’s ties for some awesome photos. A good prop can really make the shot.

I always give my ladies a disc of their best 50 or so boudoir images in BOTH black and white and color. This is a special perk of boudoir sessions… for other photography, color choice is at my discretion (unless you have specific requests).

There’s some great aesthetic distinctions between color and B&W boudoir photos. You can see both versions of one of my favorite images from Miss A’s session below. It’s tough to say which I like better… her eyes just pop in the black and white image, and there is some lovely contrast between her form and the background, but her skin tone and the warm color in the second image gives a softer, more intimate feeling.

Are you a fan of B&W or color?

Thanks, Miss A, for a fabulous session! I hope you love your images, and I know that you’ll look just as beautiful in every part of your pregnancy.

I spent a Sunday afternoon last month perfecting my studio lighting during a boudoir session with Miss “O.” We’ve known each other for a long time, so she was very patient with me while we figured out what angles and  levels gave the best light in different studio settings. We took our time, listening to music and sipping drinks while she tried a bunch of poses. All in all, we had great results – Her images are gorgeous and my favorite yet!

I usually do a bit of light retouching on boudoir photographs, just because no one likes under-eye circles or blemishes to detract from their sexiness, but Miss O is so pretty I had to put in barely any work to make her look her best! (I’ll post some before and after images of this process sometime.)

Miss O is proof that boudoir photos don’t have do be done as a gift for a boyfriend or fiance. She isn’t engaged and, believe it or not, she’s single! She’s also quite cheeky, and I really enjoyed working with her to make these photographs that she’ll treasure. I’m working to lay them out into a beautiful flush mount album. Enjoy the rest of the pictures behind the cut, and please share your thoughts…

Kyle brought some sexy heels and a few fabulous outfits and really rocked the studio. I’m seriously thankful for her help testing my studio setup and for letting me use her gorgeous likeness in my portfolio. Check out a few of Kyle’s images below…

Enjoy!