Boudoir Pictures

Photo courtesy of Tine Hoffman, www.tmphotography.net

Ah, the ever popular bpics. The latest craze in wedding gifting.

What is boudoir photography, you might ask? Boudoir pictures, also known as intimate photos or "for his eyes only" photos, are a new trend in wedding, bridal, and portrait photography. The word "boudoir" is taken from the french "bouder," meaning to pout, and is translated to mean "a woman's private sitting room, dressing room, or bedroom. The pictures are beautiful and tastefully done sexy portraits, usually taken by a professional photographer.

I finally took the plunge two weekends ago and had them taken, and thanks to my fabulous photographer, I already have the proofs back. Hurray! But this post isn't so much about me as it is about helping YOU - the would-be bpic photographee.

If you're ready to bare your...um...soul ( ;) ) in the search for beautiful, sexy photographs, here are a few tips and tricks to help on your way:


(1) Who should take my boudoir pictures? Can I take them myself?
First, while taking your own bpics might sound like a great way to save some cash, it's also a great way to highlight any and all of those areas of your body that you might be less than super comfortable with. It's also a great way to up the "sketchy" factor in your pics. And do you really want to emulate dirty feet bpic girl? ;)

So, now that you realize that you need a professional, where to look? A good place to start your search is with your wedding photographer. Many already shoot bpics as part of their photography. And even if they don't, they're likely to have great recommendations for you. One caveat - not all photographers, even wedding photographers, are good at shooting bpics. It takes a special eye and skill level to convey sensuality without trashiness, and to use lighting and angles to photograph semi-nude bodies in a classy way. Make sure you ask to see examples of boudoir shoots, not just any old portfolio they happen to have lying around.


(2) Okay, so I've booked my photographer. Where am I supposed to take these?
That really depends on you and your photographer. Some photographers have studios that you can use; if not, you can use your home, or a willing friend's home, or rent a hotel room. As an OOT bride with no family in my photographer's city, my options were to rent a hotel room (and spend even more money) or to use my photographer's awesome new loft studio. Being the money-conscious unemployed attorney that I am, I opted for the studio and am glad I did - and so was my photographer. Most homes and hotel rooms do not offer an adequate amount of natural light, and her studio had GINORMOUS windows (but was off the street, so I didn't have to worry about peeping Toms ;). The photos turned out great - they have a really nice urban edge to them.

(3) Ack! What do I wear???
You should anything and everything you feel sexy in, be that lingerie, your significant other's clothing (I secreted away one of his white button downs and a tie), swimwear, or a corset. You can also wear things like your favorite pair of great fitting jeans, or a sports jersey. The point is to pick things that make you feel sexy, and that your significant other thinks you look great it. Try to bring a variety of outfits (at least 4 or 5), and bring accessories, like stocking, shoes, and jewelry. Also, remember to be open-minded if your photographer suggests mixing and matching your outfits. Their the professionals here, and they know best how things are going to show up on film. One final note: make sure to bring a fabulous pair of heels. It's infinitely easier to "standy sexy" when you're wearing a pair of mile high heels. ;)

Oh, if your tastes wander more towards lingerie than sports jerseys, Elle MacPherson makes some great vintage-y lingerie, your standard Victoria's Secret get-ups wll work well, and Frederick's of Hollywood makes some great corsets (but be sure to check eBay - you can find their corsets for up to half-price there).


(4) How should I prepare for the shoot?
Mentally, repeat after me: I am a beautiful, sexy woman (or man ;)). We ALL have body hang up; that doesn't mean that you can't have great bpics that you and your significant other will love. Your significant other doesn't even notice the flaws you're obsessing over, let alone CARE about them. Learn to do the same. Oh, and a glass of bubbly can't hurt. The more relaxed and comfortable you are with yourself the day of the shoot, the better your pics will look. Physically, make sure everything that you care to show is freshly shaven or waxed. Pamper yourself - get a mani / pedi. Hire a professional MUA to do your makeup and a stylist to do your hair (if you're paying to look good on film, you might as well look REALLY good).

(5) Should I bring someone with me?
That is entirely up to you. If you would feel more comfortable having a close friend with you, then bring a close friend. If you think you would feel more embarassed to have an extra person in the room, skip it. The key is to do whatever will make you feel the most comfortable.

(6) Woohoo! I did it. And the pics are great. But, ummm...how do I give them to my fiance / significant other?
That's entirely up to you. Many individuals put their favorite photographs together into a book and share it with their partner the night before the wedding. Just be careful to include a note or tell him that it's for his/her eyes only, unless you want friends and family to get an eyeful looking over shoulders when your gift is open.

Happy posing! :)

Any tips or tricks you'd like to share?

E-pics are in! E-pics are in!

Don't really have much to say here other than - WOOHOO!

Well, that and Steph Carson = photo goddess. A few pics for your viewing pleasure:

And we're done!

Whew! That was one marathon photography session.

We just got back from our engagement photo session w/ Steph Carson and we're exhausted. I can't imagine how Steph and her photojournalist feel after shooting a wedding all day Saturday in the heat, traveling back into the city on Sunday, shooting a warm-up session, then doing ours....

The day started out w/ a marathon shoe shopping expedition this morning to find the perfect fuschia shoes to go w/ the new Herve Leger dress. After scavenging through about 12 stores on Broadway this morning, I finally found them at The Shoe Box - a pair of Courtney Crawford, fuchsia patent leather slingbacks with 5" heels. THEY ARE AWESOME!

After finally finding the perfect shoes, it was time to head out to to prettify myself w/ nails, hair, and make-up (to clarify, I'm not REALLY a diva - if I had any make-up or hair skills myself, I would have done them on my own. Sadly, I don't. *sigh*).

I won't mention the hair place b/c my experience was less that stellar there, but I will talk for a minute about my MUA - Amy Eidelman. She was fantastic! My make-up was amazing, and it stayed put even in the sauna that was NYC yesterday evening.

Then, when a scheduling snafu on my part (apparently I was too busy to remember that the Met would be closed on Sunday evenings so we couldn't do pics on the rooftop garden :( ) meant that we had to switch locations, she stayed for the entire shoot, trekking w/ us around the east side and into Central Park, helping to carry our bag, touching up lipstick that had rubbed off (everything else stayed put - amazing considering how hot it was), and helping me transfer between shoes and flip flops (I didn't want to ruin my brand new Courtney Crawfords walking through the mud). Again, this woman is amazing! If you're still looking for a MUA, definitely give her a call - her work is phenomenal and her rates are very competitive.

And Steph was, well, simply amazing. I knew we loved her work, but I didn't know exactly how it would be to work with her. Once we actually got started though, I was immediately put to ease. When the scheduling snafu happened, Steph suggested we just take some pics around the area instead of travelling somewhere else, so we were able to get a few "grittier" urban shots before heading into the (semi)dry park. Her eye for lighting and creative angles just can't be matched - I'm getting antsy sitting waiting for our proofs already!

And for those who are wondering whether or not to do e-pics, definitely go for it. We've haven't seen our proofs yet (just a few shots that Steph shared w/ us via her digital camera), but we are soooo very glad we did it. We had a lot of fun, we got to know Steph really well, and she got to know what does and doesn't work for us photographically-speaking - which will hopefully help us get better pics on our wedding day.