Whether you’re booking your first boudoir session, or you are a seasoned pro, boudoir photo shoots are personal and can feel a little bit intimidating. If you’re familiar with my boudoir photography you’ll have noticed it’s a little different from most other west coast boudoir photography out there. My clients are never posed in stiff, pin-up style positions. I don’t shoot in a studio, I shy away from generic hotel rooms, and I ask you to actively participate in the planning of your session. These photographs require trust, teamwork, a willingness to think outside of the box, and an eagerness to make art together.
You are unique, so every session is unique.
Whether your boudoir session date is approaching, or you’re considering booking a session with me, here are a few tips to help you prepare your mind and body for your session.
Body
When you look great, you feel great. I’ve compiled a few simple habits you can adopt now to show up to your photo shoot feeling sexy in your skin.
EAT LIKE A RABBIT
No, I’m not asking you to deprive yourself and start a crash diet; I AM asking you to eat yo’ veggies! Veggies contain fiber, which helps clean out your system, flush toxins, and flatten your stomach. Say ‘YES’ to celery, cucumber, fennel, and ginger, and limit your meat and dairy intake whenever possible to promote healthy digestion, reduce inflammation, and prevent bloating.
If going from 0 to 100% vegan is too much for you to handle, try replacing one meal a day with a giant vitamin-packed salad. Skip the ranch dressing in favor of a little olive oil and lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, add some carrots, radish, cucumber, sprouts, or roasted beets for variety, and munch away.
There’s nothing more disappointing than waking up on photo day feeling bloated or inflamed, so take initiative and start eating like a rabbit today. Trust me, this is one of the BEST things you can do for your body to help you feel and look your best for your boudoir photo shoot.
HYDRATE
Water is life… literally! I can’t over-stress the importance of hydration. For silky, you-know-you-want-to-touch-me skin drink up to 3 liters of water a day and no less than two. Start immediately, the moment you know you want to book a boudoir session, and let this be the beginning of a healthy habit for life.
Drinking this much water can be a challenge if you aren’t used to it so allow yourself some time to build up the tolerance. Yes, you may have to run to the loo a few more times than usual but after a few weeks of total hydration your body will get used to it, rid your body of excess water weight, and add a nice glow to your skin.
PLAY DRESS UP
The best boudoir wardrobe isn’t full of garters and corsets; in fact, modern thigh-highs have this annoying habit of digging into your legs and creating unsightly dents and rolls in your (otherwise smooth) stems. Instead of feeling limited to a spandex-garters-and-straps wardrobe, use Pinterest.com to browse for the look that best suits you.
If you’re outdoorsy, search for terms like “west coast boudoir photography”, if you are drawn to vintage flair, try terms like, “vintage boudoir”, if you’re uptown city chic, try terms like “new york boudoir photography” or “high fashion boudoir” and build a mood board out of images that you like. Draw inspiration from the outfits in the images you’ve chosen.
If you are drawn to lace, chunky sweaters, cute panties, vintage silk, classic cotton, or artistic nudes, then pack accordingly. Above all, make sure you try on everything you plan on bring to your session. Make sure each piece fits well and that you love yourself in what you’re wearing. Wearing something that reflects your personality and that makes you look and feel your sexiest is a recipe for confidence, and confidence is, undeniably, the most attractive thing you can wear!
MIND
Your mind should be your greatest ally as you prepare for your day. Use your mind to meditate on what makes you beautiful. Just as you prepare your body, prepare your mind.
THINK POSITIVE
We are often our own worst critics, so for many men and women, thinking positively is the most difficult part of preparing for a boudoir session.
Positive thinking is not all rainbows and butterflies or the act of dismissing your feelings, it’s the decision to speak to yourself as you would speak to a friend, and to see yourself through the eyes of someone that loves you. Positivity is the act of celebrating what makes you beautiful rather than focusing on what you don’t love about yourself. While dwelling on negativity, voicing self-criticisms, and harboring negative energy will eat at your confidence and leech the joy from your session; self-love will empower you, reallocate your energy toward positive change, and spread light to the people around you.
In the next month or so as you prepare for your session, when you struggle to get into your skinny jeans, discover a new wrinkle, compare yourself to someone else, or fight a hormonal breakout; whenever you feel yourself sliding into a negative thought pattern, practice positive self-talk by responding to your thoughts in the same way you would speak to a friend.
Leading up to your shoot I will ask you to meditate on what you love most about your body. Before we start photographing I’ll ask you to tell me what you’ve come up with. This can be anything from embracing your mother’s eyes, finding pride in your big booty, or loving the way your body responds to your partner’s touch. It can be anything as long as it’s positive.
A confident, happy, self-loving mind adds the magic to a boudoir photo shoot. Positive thinking is one of the most important things you can do for yourself, and it’s something that only you can control.
When booking any boudoir shoot, it’s important to prepare your body and mind. Boudoir is a personal, beautiful experience, and one that I’m so thrilled to share with you. For more advice on preparing for your boudoir shoot, read the next blog in my series, Boudoir Pt. 2: Finding a Location That Tells a Story.
