Boudoir Photography – Part 2 Creating the Experience

Today we’re talking about what a boudoir shoot is and what is involved in creating an amazing experience for the women I shoot. So let’s start from the top; the first thing to know is that for 98% of women a boudoir session is a very scary thing. The thought of standing in the equivalent of your underwear in front of strangers and then giving that to someone as a gift can be a bit frightening.

Feeling safe and comfortable is top priority!

With this in mind, the first step for me is to meet with each client at the studio before we actually book their session. I feel it’s very important that they see where their session will take place and spend time getting comfortable in the studio. Getting to meet in person, knowing where she will have her session and seeing the hair and makeup room where she will be pampered and start her day, takes away some of the unknown. I have images all around the studio so they can see other sessions and ask questions.

We take time to sit down for a cup of coffee and go through a quick pre-shoot questionnaire. This is when I find out more about their reason for coming in and what they are looking for in their session.

This is the time to educate your client, not sell to your client.

I haven’t taken their picture yet so I’m not selling them product but it’s still important to look at the different product options they can choose from. Why? It gives me an idea of how they want to present their images and helps when planning posing, shots and sets. It lets them know what I charge and they can plan what they want to purchase. Pricing should not be a surprise the day they put in their order.

It’s important to discuss what the timing and cost of the shoot is. Make sure you understand their needs.

Is there a deadline they need the images for? If so, it’s critical to plan everything with enough time to plan, have the session, edit, do the image reveal, order and receive the product and ensure everything is perfect when they pick it up. Are they working on a budget? I offer a 6 month, no interest payment plan if needed. The client pays a portion of their purchase at their reveal and can pay the rest in installments. Product is not ordered until it’s paid for but it gives them time to get all the images they want if budget is a question as long as they plan ahead for timing.

They’ve book their session, what happens next?

Once contracts have been signed and the session paid for, I’ve got her added to the calendar and am contacting one of my hair and makeup stylists to lock in the date with them.

I set up a private Pinterest board which is shared by me, the client and the hair and makeup artist. This board is used for inspiration and allows me to see how my client thinks. Every woman has a different idea of what is sexy and what she wants to create. Being able to have her pin an idea lets me know see visually what she is envisioning for her session. It also allows her to pin hair and makeup images so her stylist can see what style she has in mind. The worst thing we can do is go into a session with OUR ideas and not consider what the client wants. This ends up with an unhappy woman who isn’t going to purchase and is going to talk poorly of you when her friends ask how her session went. It’s important to keep in contact between signing your contract and the day of the session. Have her send you images of what she is planning to bring if you can’t meet in person. I also email tips for preparing herself for the session over the weeks until the shoot. The more you can prepare before they arrive, the better your session will go.

Our day starts at 9am.

The day of the session, I’ve laid out a snack table and beverages, music is playing and ready for their arrival. I will assist her bringing in and hanging up her clothes and we take a few minutes to go over what she brought with her and her ideas. I always ask if there is a must do outfit so I can make sure we get that included in the images. (I don’t limit wardrobe or sets so always tell them the more they bring the better!)

From here we get her set up with a beverage and snack if needed and go into hair and makeup. Depending on the style of the shoot, hair and makeup normally will last 1 ½ to 2 hours. During this time, I’m taking behind the scene images, and taking some time to finalize my plan for the day. It’s important to know what the key images you want to capture are before you start shooting. The biggest challenge for me is that time just flies by during a shoot and I have to make sure I don’t miss something special they had their hearts set on including in an image.

Shoot time for me is normally 11am until about 4pm.

Though it’s a long day for both me and the client I feel it’s important to change sets, poses and outfits to allow variety in her images. I will coach her through her poses and we’ll spend time laughing and joking to keep everyone motivated. Providing snacks and drinks during a session keeps energy up and keeps people awake. Offering breaks is important and gives me a chance to review my image plan and talk with the client to make sure we are capturing what she had envisioned.

By the end of the day we are both usually tired and a bit sore but happy and energized. This is a day that is all about pampering her, boosting her self-confidence and having a great time. I will give them a post shoot questionnaire to fill out and set their date to return for their reveal before they leave. Normally we get back together in about two weeks for their reveal and ordering session.

To me the most important thing to remember is this is her day.

It wasn’t easy for her to take that leap and call me to set up a meeting and book her shoot. I know she spent the days up to the shoot getting ready but also being nervous. Now it’s my turn to give her a day she will remember and images she will love. There is no better feeling than this. The smiles and hugs when she leaves and the thank you for an amazing day let me know it was a great experience for her. That is why I chose to do what I do.

Part 1

If you have any questions about this article or ideas for other topics you would like me to write about, please comment below or Contact us from our web page.

CONSIDERING A PHOTO SHOOT?

If you’ve ever dreamed of having a photo shoot that is all about you, whether it’s a romantic and sexy lingerie boudoir shoot or an intimate and glamorous portrait session, we have the studio, stylists and photographer to provide an unforgettable and empowering experience. Call me to set up a complimentary consultation where you can see the studio and we can talk over coffee about how you want to be photographed.

Is it a long trip to visit the studio? Women have traveled from all over the East Coast including Connecticut, New Jersey, Virginia, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island for their custom photography session with us. Feel free to contact us and set up a special phone consultation! And remember Gift Certificates are always available.