What NOT to Do In Your Boudoir Shoot: 8 Tips For First-Timers

Do you trust your boudoir photographer to make you look amazing or are you going to insist on duck lips? Here's a guide to mistakes you don't want to make during your boudoir shoot.

A huge part of our job as professional photographers is making sure the client is comfortable with their bodies so they can relax and feel beautiful during the shoot. We show this by setting up psychologically safe environments where what we capture are real expressions as opposed to "posed" ones.

While this sounds simple, it often can be quite difficult. I'm no stranger to making mistakes that would make a client feel uncomfortable during the shoot. In fact, there are several things you should avoid doing in your boudoir shoot if you want to look and feel amazing.

1) BEING UNREALISTIC WITH YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THE SHOOT

You'd like to put together an amazing surprise for your husband but don't have much experience modeling. Your goal might be to look like an underwear model. Try not to get your hopes up too high as it can lead to disappointment. Your photographer will do everything possible to make you look great, but realistically--not everyone is a model and if that's what you're going for then maybe reconsider hiring a pro.

2) GETTING TOO PHYSICAL WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER

We are professionals and your photographer is there to make you feel comfortable. Getting too touchy-feely isn't necessarily the best way to go about this. Our job is to help you feel safe, secure and happy with how we're making you look so that you can genuinely have fun at the shoot. If I say move your arm a little bit or arch your back, it's because I'm doing what's necessary to retain our commitment to capturing genuine expressions as opposed to "posed" shots.

3) TRYING TOO HARD TO BE SEXY

Making an effort as a model during a boudoir session is good. Be yourself and let that be sexy enough! Trying hard comes out in photos (trust me) and it's often not the best look. Think of how you would naturally feel, relaxed and happy, and let that shine through in your photos.

4) FEELING PRESSURE TO TAKE IT ALL OFF (OR NOT)

This is probably one of the most common mistakes women make when they are uncomfortable with their bodies. I'm here to tell you if you want to take it all off that's perfectly fine! Please do whatever makes you feel beautiful but please don't do this if it doesn't come from a happy place within yourself first. Taking your clothes off because you feel pressured will likely lead to disappointment at seeing your pictures. You'll look back on those images and see that forced sexy look on your face instead of feeling genuine happiness while being photographed in lingerie by a pro.

5) DON'T TRY TO BE A PORN STAR

This is another common mistake women make when getting their boudoir photos taken. Trying to look like a porn star or some other type of professional model just isn't going to happen in front of a camera. We promise neither ourselves nor our clients are trying to recreate this kind of imagery and we don't have the skill, experience or desire to do it either. Our goal is to help you feel beautiful, natural and happy while doing what we love; taking pictures! When you realize that it's ok not to be a porn star, you can relax and let your true beauty shine through in each photo captured.

6) LEAVE YOUR PHOTOS IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER'S HANDS

This is huge. Yes we know you want to look amazing in your photos but after the shoot is done, your pictures are our responsibility. If they don't turn out the way you had hoped it's probably not because of a lack of skill on our part, rather likely that something was missing from your end--a smile, a bounce in your step or just being happy and relaxed. You hired us to guide you through the process and be there to capture what will make for great boudoir images but after that it's up to us.  If you're unhappy with how the photos came out it's not necessarily because the photographer did something wrong but more so about how you delivered. What's most important is you feel great about how it all went down; the whole experience not just the finished images.

7) COMPLAIN THAT YOU CAN'T MOVE THE WAY YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER WOULD LIKE

We know that boudoir shoots are often unplanned and some models have more mobility than others, or possibly come to us with an injury or disability. This doesn't mean I'm going to try and push your body beyond its limits doing so will only result in disappointment because there isn't a "right" way for everyone to move in front of my lens. We're ultimately trying to capture genuine expressions from each individual woman based on their unique body type. If you don't feel comfortable moving in a certain way just say so and we'll find other ways to create flattering images. If you prefer posing for these kinds of photos it's totally fine, tell us your favorite moves!

8) NOT KNOWING WHAT YOU WANT

I've had women come into their boudoir session with hopes that I will magically know what they want from the experience without ever discussing it or giving me any direction at all. The best thing would be both parties knowing exactly what is hoped for prior to the shoot. This allows us to do our part before hand and allows you some safety in knowing how the whole process unfolds during your time with us as well.  We're here to help guide you through this process but ultimately you are in control.

I had a lot of fun writing this article and I hope you enjoyed reading it! If there's anything we missed, please share your thoughts below. What mistakes have you made while getting ready for or during one of these sessions?