Ask a Boudoir Photographer: "Am I too old for a boudoir photoshoot?"
Ask a Boudoir Photographer: Am I Too Old for a Boudoir Photoshoot?
Question:
“Hi Chicago Boudoir, I have a question. I’ve been thinking about doing a boudoir photoshoot for a while, but I keep wondering if I might be too old for something like this. Most of the boudoir photos I see online seem to feature younger women, and I’m in my 40s. Part of me would love to do it, but I’m not sure if boudoir is meant for someone my age. Do women my age ever do this?”
Answer from Chicago Boudoir:
YES! Women your age absolutely do boudoir. And if you're in your 40s, 50s, 60s, or beyond, you are definitely not too old.
I actually wish more women could see the beautiful, confident women who come into our studio at all different stages of life. Because you're right, when you look at boudoir photos online, it can sometimes feel like you're only seeing women in their 20s and 30s.
But that's not the reality of boudoir.
Many of the women who come into our studio are in their 40s, 50s and beyond. They're celebrating birthdays, new chapters, relationships, their bodies, or simply themselves.
Confidence, beauty, and femininity do not have an expiration date and looks amazing at any age.
You Don't Have to Look Younger. You Get to Look Like YOU.
Every stage of life brings its own kind of beauty. And one of the things I love about boudoir is that we're not trying to turn back the clock.
We're not trying to make you look 25. We're not trying to erase every line, mark or sign that you've actually lived a life. We're celebrating the woman you are right now.
There is something incredibly powerful about photographing a woman at any age who knows herself, knows what she wants and carries that confidence with her. That kind of confidence photographs beautifully.
Many Women Choose Boudoir in Their 40s and 50s
If you're wondering whether women in their 40s, 50s and beyond actually book boudoir sessions, the answer is a very enthusiastic YES! Women come into the studio for all kinds of reasons. Maybe they're celebrating a milestone birthday. Maybe their kids are older and they're finally making some time for themselves. Maybe they're starting a new chapter, celebrating a relationship, or simply realizing that they've spent enough time putting themselves last.
And sometimes there isn't a big reason at all.
Sometimes you just want to do something amazing for yourself.
Women who book mature boudoir sessions bring their own stories, experiences and confidence into the studio, and I absolutely love photographing that.
Boudoir Is About Celebrating the Woman You Are Today
One of the most meaningful things about boudoir is that it is not about trying to recreate a younger version of yourself. It's about celebrating the woman you are today. Your experiences, your relationships, your career, your motherhood, your challenges, your accomplishments. All of those things are part of your story. And your body has carried you through all of it.
That’s definitely something to celebrate.
I hear from women all the time who say they spent years waiting until they lost weight, got in better shape, felt more confident or somehow became “good enough” to be photographed.
Don't wait for some future version of yourself to decide you're worthy of being celebrated!
The Camera Sees Confidence, Not Age
One of the biggest things I want women to know is that you don't have to know how to pose before you come into the studio. That's my job!
I guide you through everything, from how to stand and move to where to put your hands and how to position your body.
Lighting, posing, wardrobe and professional hair and makeup all work together to create beautiful images, but the goal isn't to make you look like someone else.
It's to show you just how beautiful you already are.
You don't have to look younger. You just have to let me show you what I see.
Many Women Wish They Had Done This Sooner
It is very common for women to think about doing a boudoir session for years before finally deciding to book. They wait until they lose weight. Until the kids are older. Until work settles down. Until they feel more confident.
Until one day… they finally do it. Not because they suddenly became perfect, but because they finally gave themselves permission to do something just for themselves.
You will never get this version of yourself back, so why not celebrate her now?
You Are Not “Too Old” for Something That Celebrates You
There is no age limit on feeling beautiful. And you can’t “age out” of boudoir. If anything, there can be something incredibly powerful about doing this when you're older because you know yourself better.
Boudoir photography is all about confidence, self appreciation, and celebrating the person you have become. For many women the experience becomes less about perfection and more about pride, and I’d encourage every woman in their 40s, 50s and beyond to consider the boudoir photoshoot experience!
Curious If Boudoir Could Be Right for You?
If you've been thinking about doing a boudoir photoshoot but keep wondering if you're too old, I hope the answer is pretty clear by now. You're not.
If you're curious about the experience, a complimentary phone consultation is a great way to ask questions, talk through what you're looking for and get a feel for whether a session at Chicago Boudoir feels right for you.
Call or text 312-425-2946 to schedule your complimentary consultation.
And if you're not quite ready to book? That's okay, too. You can start by reading more of our Ask a Boudoir Photographer questions and getting comfortable with the idea first.
Tonya’s Story: “I Thought I Was Too Old for Boudoir at 57”
For a long time I assumed boudoir photoshoots were for younger women. When I would see boudoir photos online, it always seemed like the women were in their 20s or 30s. I’m 57, and even though part of me thought the photos looked beautiful and empowering, I kept telling myself it probably wasn’t meant for someone my age.
I remember thinking, Maybe that’s something I would have or should have done years ago.
But the idea stayed in the back of my mind. I had gone through a lot in the past few years and had started feeling more confident in myself again. Part of me wondered what it would feel like to see myself like those ladies I saw online. But every time I thought about booking a session, that little voice would pop up saying, You’re too old for this.
Eventually I decided to reach out to Liz just to ask a few questions. She told me that many of her clients are in their 40s, 50s, and even 60s, and that confidence often shows up even more beautifully in photos than age ever could.
That completely changed the way I looked at it, and I decided to book a session.
I was nervous walking into the studio. But once the hair and makeup started and Liz began helping me to be comfortable through the poses, I started to relax. The whole experience felt very supportive and comfortable.
When I saw the photos later, I was honestly speechless. I didn’t see a woman who was “too old.” I saw someone confident, elegant, and proud of the life she had lived.
The photos didn’t make me look younger. They made me look like the best version of myself right now.
I’m so glad I didn’t let that idea about being too old stop me from this experience, and hope you don’t either!
Ask a Boudoir Photographer Series
This article is part of our Ask a Boudoir Photographer series. Many women have questions, concerns and hesitations before booking something as personal a boudoir photoshoot, and that’s completely normal. In this series we answer questions that real Chicago women ask us all the time about boudoir photography. If you’d like to read more in this series, you can explore other questions and answers here. And if you have a question of your own, please text us at 312-425-2946 or email it to hello@chicago-boudoir.com.