12 Frequently Asked Questions About Boudoir Photography

 Having questions about something you’ve never experienced is completely normal! Here are some of the most common questions I get about having a boudoir photo shoot with me!

Do you share my images?

I only share what I’m allowed to share. After you’ve seen your photos, I’ll ask you if you’d like them to be shared (on my social media and website). If you’d prefer that they stay private, no worries! You don’t have to do anything! They just go in my private folder where I hold onto them in case you want to purchase any other products down the road. If you’re like, “Hell yeah, show the world how hot I am!” then you’ll sign a release that allows me to use them! Either way, it’s completely up to you!

Do I have to wear lingerie?

Not necessarily! Plenty of my clients have worn other items! Whether it’s an oversized sweater and some knee high socks for a cozy look, or a jersey of your favorite sports team, I want you to rock what makes you feel sexy! Plus, we’re gonna shoot 3-5 outfits, so we can get plenty of variety!

Can I add other items to my experience?

Sure! We do have an a la carte menu if you just can’t get enough of your photos! You can add on a second, third, fourth, eighty-seventh album, or enough metal prints to cover every wall of your house! We have found that having one all-inclusive option keeps things simpler, but we definitely don’t want to limit how many items you can get!

Is hair and makeup included?

It sure is! Offering hair and makeup with our shoots accomplishes many goals! Getting it done in my studio means you don’t have to run around from appointment to appointment, making sure you’re on time. It also gives you time to relax and loosen up your nerves! Sitting in that chair, we’ll be talking and laughing and you’ll be learning way too much about me… we’ll basically be besties by the time your hair and makeup are done! No more nerves!

Do you photoshop my images?

I do some light photoshopping. I don’t make anyone unrecognizable, but I do remove bruises and blemishes or smooth out skin that got pinched up in the fabric, things like that. I want you to love yourself as you are, so photoshopping you into someone else does not serve our purpose! You’re beautiful and you don’t need it!

Where should I buy my outfits?

With every shoot, you get a in person wardrobe consultation, or the sexier name: a shopping trip! This is a time for us to get to know each other a bit (which can help alleviate nerves), but also for me to help you find outfits that will make you feel like the absolute badass you are! And I even buy us lunch!

What type of print products do you offer?

Our all-inclusive offering comes with a fully customizable album with 40 of your favorite photos from your shoot. The albums are heirloom quality, so your grandkids will find it in a box in the attic and think “damn, Grandma was cool as hell!” It also comes with two 16x24 metal prints ready to be hung on your wall and a 5x7 ice block keepsake for your nightstand or shelf! Our a la carte menu features albums and metal prints of other sizes, as well as our photo box option!

Do you offer digitals?

Your session is going to include all of the final images on a heart-shaped USB flash drive. I will delete any where I missed the focus, or the lighting wasn’t quite right, or I took it right as you blinked. You’ll likely have somewhere between eighty and one hundred photos on your USB.

I’m freaking out! How can I calm my nerves?

Calming nerves can be different for each person. For me, the more I know about something, the better I feel about it. If you’re like me, read all the info you can find on my website here. You could also speak to someone you know personally who has done a shoot with my team and I. As I mentioned above, sitting in the hair and makeup chair often helps calm nerves, too! However, I do not allow the consumption of alcohol in my studio, so if you feel like that’s the only thing that would help you, we might not be a good match.

How many outfits should I bring?

We’re going to shoot 3-5, but it’s better to bring more than that! You should also plan on bringing a variety of things. We’ll decide together which of the outfits will work the best! You don’t have to only bring what we find on your shopping trip, you can definitely bring things you already had!

Should I get to my shoot early?

Nah, that’s not necessary! My studio is primarily lit with natural light, so we choose the start time based on where the sun will be when you’re out of hair and makeup. If you get to the studio too early, you’ll be subjected to my dumb jokes and oversharing longer than you were scheduled for, so be warned!

Where is your studio located?

Our current studio is in Warner Robins, but we will be moving closer to Atlanta this summer!

How a Boudoir Photography Session Can Help You Fall Back In Love With Yourself

 This world can make you hate yourself.

Societal beauty standards developed to make you feel insecure.

Hurt people who are going around spreading that hurt.

Every time someone says something mean to you, or you feel like you don’t fit in, or you criticize yourself, you fall further away from loving yourself. What if I told you that all of those societal standards are bullshit? What if I told you that the mean things people say have more to do with them than they do with you? Would you believe me?

You should. There’s valid logic behind it.

If people didn’t feel like their body HAD to look a certain way, would diet culture, gyms, and plastic surgeons be so successful? Yes, there will be people who still seek those things (myself included, I got my boob job for me and the gym is my therapy), but the numbers would be lower. So many people do these things not because they want to, but because they feel like they have to. The same can be said for so many other industries. Those industries don’t want to lose their money. If you love yourself, you’re less likely to fall for their “this will make other people love you” marketing ploys.

When people are angry, are they nice to others? When people are hurt, are they nice to others? Not usually. When people are happy and truly love themselves, are they nice to others? Absolutely. So these people who are being assholes, calling you names, telling you to change this, that, and the other…do you think they’re happy and love themselves? Of course not. Should their opinion matter to you? Not in the least. They’re lashing out to bring you down with them. Don’t fall for it.

Eventually, you develop self hatred. If you can hate yourself first, they can’t hurt you, right? You can’t drag somebody down who is already down.

“Shawna, how are you gonna bring this around to boudoir?”

I’m gettin’ there.

There’s so many ways that boudoir can help you fall back in love with yourself.

Before your shoot, we do a wardrobe consultation. I help you pick outfits that will look amazing on you. Sometimes the clothing we wear is not flattering to our body type so it adds to us not seeing our body at its best. I’m guilty of that from time to time. The wardrobe consultation is done virtually if you prepay for product collection 1, 2, or 3, or in person if you choose option 4 or 5. I have years of experience in dressing bodies and can definitely help you find things you’ll feel comfortable in and fall in love with! You also get access to our client closet if you’d like to use it.

In my studio, we include your hair and makeup. This step is incredibly important because it can help calm your nerves. While you’re in the chair, we’ll talk about so many different things. By the time you’re done in hair and makeup, you’ll feel like you’re just hanging out with friends! We also double check to make sure you love the look, so feel free to let us know if anything needs to be changed.

During the shoot, I show you how to do the poses and encourage you by letting you know how great you look! I’ll also show you a shot or two on the back of the camera so you can see just how beautiful you are. Unedited.

You’re in a supportive environment. You feel beautiful and comfortable. There is no one here to tear you down. Your first instinct is to have fun and see your beauty, and it is correct. If you’re a good person, you are beautiful and you deserve to see it.

I’ve had so many women cry when they see their photos. The whole process can be cathartic. All of those years of undeserved criticism, self loathing, and subliminal messages of body hatred just…slip away.

However, if you’re not ready to shed those layers of self hatred that you developed as your safety blanket, boudoir isn’t going to be as helpful for you. If you can’t or won’t drop that shield, my “LOVE YOURSELF DAMNIT” bullets can’t penetrate it. My best advice is: drop it. It’s not worth the effort to carry it.