Boudoir Photography – Frances Photography

There are lots of occasions that are the perfect opportunity for giving the gift of boudoir photography!  One said occasion, of course, is Valentines Day.  Every year I offer a Valentines Day special to new clients which offers them $150 off of my session fee, a free hotel suite to do the photos at, and a professional hair and make-up services with a preferred vendor.  Keegan Steele of “Steele the Spotlight” is a fantastic make-up artist and she always helps my clients look their best!  Not only that, but having hair and make-up done by a professional gives my clients an added opportunity to relax and feel pampered before the photography begins.  I can’t say enough about how important this element is to boudoir photography.  While not absolutely “critical,”it does make a huge difference in the outcome of the images.  Besides that, being given a chance to settle into the scene with a glass of champagne is always beneficial.  I realize that some clients, even though interested in the ultimate outcome, are not totally comfortable getting undressed in front of a camera.  While I certainly do my best to help my clients feel comfortable, sexy, and confident, I can also say that a little extra time and a little bubbly has never hurt my/our cause.  Ladies, if you are going to go to the trouble to have these kinds of images done for either yourself or for someone special in your life, I highly recommend treating yourself to professional hair and make-up as well.  After all, this is not an “every-day” occasion, and you might as well make the most of it!  Be sure to check out some of Keegan’s work, both here and on her website.  In addition to being a total professional, she also has a darling personality that my clients love.  Here are some of my favorite images from the 2013 Valentine’s Day Special.

VantinesDaySpecial_2013

Generally my clients and I go to a hotel somewhere in Denver to take boudoir photos, but every once in a while I get a client that wants to do their session at their own home, which I love doing!  In my humble opinion, it makes the photos even that much more personal and adds a unique flavor to the images that isn’t as easily accomplished in a hotel room.

There are definite advantages, from my perspective, about working in a hotel room.  First of all, there is generally great natural light from the windows which is directional and easily manipulated for a natural & clean look that lends itself to my particular style of boudoir photography.  Secondly, the rooms are always clean and clutter free, which makes it easy to produce images that are all about the client and, for the most part, free from distracting elements.  Finally, most hotel rooms are decorated simply and depending on the taste of my clients, it’s usually pretty easy to find a hotel that will lend itself to either a classic or a modern atmosphere.

That said, there are also disadvantages to hotel rooms.  Number one, there aren’t a lot of background options given the space available to work with.  While it’s great to have a nice big bed to use, depending on which hotel is chosen, oftentimes there isn’t much more to work with in terms of furniture.  Sometimes the rooms have a bathtub (another great element to incorporate), but not always.  And sometimes, depending on availability, the rooms either don’t have a great view at all or they are facing a direction that, depending on the time of day, doesn’t have ideal available light.  Lastly, it’s an additional cost.

Working at a clients home also has it’s advantages and disadvantages.  More often than not, I am not able to visit the home before the session, so I am going into the session “blind” in terms of the usable spaces.  Most of my clients don’t really know what I am looking for when it comes to light or what is going to work well or what won’t.  Often times clutter in the home can be problematic when it comes to backgrounds too.  That said, being a professional photographer, I am almost always able to overcome lighting challenges and choose locations within the home that will work great for what I am hoping to accomplish with the images.  And finally, it’s free!

If you are thinking about doing a boudoir session in your home I would recommend a couple of things.  First, make sure that you have good natural and available light (ie. windows!) Secondly, clear away the clutter from counter-tops, bed stands, tables, etc.  Less is more when it comes to boudoir photos (no pun intended!)  And, if possible, send a few photos to your photographer so that they can get an idea of the space available.  They don’t need to be high quality or professional, cell phone photos are totally fine.  And last but not least, make sure your significant other won’t be dropping by unexpectedly.  You wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise! 

The last boudoir session I did at a clients home was absolutely awesome and I loved incorporating the elements of her real life into the images.  I had amazing light to work with as there were lots of windows, and we were able to move around the house and use a lot of different spaces.  Take a look and see for yourself…

HS_Boudoir

I am a huge fan of the boudoir photography trend that has been booming over the last several years and it has quickly become something that I am personally extremely passionate about.  Let’s face it, the female form is one of the most powerful entities in the world.  Companies of all kinds have been using beautiful women to sell things to consumers for as long as consumerism has been alive.  You know the saying “sex sells.” Whether you believe that it’s right or wrong, good or bad, if it didn’t work, no one would do it.  I personally don’t believe it’s about “objectifying” women, as that is obviously something that as a strong and independent woman I would NOT be able to take part in. Instead, I believe that it’s about the power of attraction and the power that comes from confidence.  People are attracted to beauty whether it’s in the form of a breathtaking landscape, a tiny bit of nature, a shiny gadget, a piece of art, or a human being.   It’s not just men that appreciate beautiful women either.  I don’t know anyone, male or female, that can honestly say they don’t like to see a beautiful woman.

Being a boudoir photographer gives me a unique opportunity to give women of all shapes and sizes the satisfaction of seeing themselves as beautiful. It’s not about having a perfect figure or a perfect smile.  It’s about giving women a view of themselves that they might not see when they look in the mirror on a daily basis.  It is my opinion that human beings are innately beautiful creatures.  When I am photographing someone, I look for the right light, the right angle, and the right body position to accentuate their best features.  And there is nothing that gives me more satisfaction then when I give a woman the ability to see herself though my eyes (and lens).  Giving a woman the ability to see herself as truly beautiful is a powerful experience that simply does not get old for me.  And whether the images are for herself, for her husband, for her husband-to-be, or for whomever inspired the session in the first place, when a woman sees herself as beautiful, I have succeeded.  Feeling beautiful is BEING beautiful. And that, my friends, is a beautiful thing.

AC_Boudoir