Boudoir poses really aren’t that scary, with the right photographer. Boudoir is such an intimate experience and the idea of posing for your session is probably causing you the most anxiety. I wanted to clear up some misconceptions + concerns around posing and create a better understanding around the the process.
How To Pose for Boudoir Photo Shoots
The one thing that is giving you the most anxiety actually has the most simple solution; you don’t need to know how to pose for your boudoir session. The majority of my client’s have never even had professional photos taken, let alone boudoir photos. So your experience in front of the camera doesn’t matter. AKA, I know you aren’t a model. I honestly don’t care if you think you are awkward in front of the camera, think you are not photogenic or don’t know how to be sexy. I have heard it all and we can just go ahead and throw it out the window. Can you follow simple directions like arch your back? Can you put your right hand on your right hip? Relax your left shoulder and look to your right. Straighten your bottom leg and push your top knee into the bed to push your booty up and back. Relax your mouth. If you can follow those instructions you can nail your boudoir poses because I will be telling you exactly what to do. You may not be a professional model, but I am a professional boudoir photographer. Seriously, at no point are you on your own during your session.
The Most Important Things About Boudoir Poses
If there is just one thing for you to understand about boudoir poses it’s that everyone is wrong. Everyone, ok not every one, but like 97% of the people I shoot think they can’t do it and they are just wrong. They think they can’t be sexy. They think they won’t look like everyone else on my IG or website. They think they can’t pull it off. They have convinced themselves they are the only one that can’t do boudoir poses. They think they will only like a few images. They have all been wrong.
That’s the most important thing to know.
Another important bit is that I don’t believe in flattering boudoir poses. Flattering in the fat phobic way that we would hide certain parts of your body. Flattering in the cringy way that I would shoot a size 15 differently than I would a size 2. Flattering in the mindset that you need to look a certain way in your boudoir photos. You will look amazing, just as you are.
Last heads up about boudoir poses; they are not going to look how they feel, most of the time. I know I do a great job of making the humans in my images look natural, which is why it can come as a surprise that these boudoir poses are no joke. I even recommend stretching before. They aren’t comfortable or supernatural in that you aren’t normally in these positions. Therefore, they are going to feel a bit awkward at the moment. This is when I remind you to trust me that they translate VERY WELL in camera. Honestly, the more awkward or hard the pose is, the more you love the image.
Not All Boudoir Poses Are Created Equal
While I don’t shoot bodies differently based on size I do shoot poses differently depending on what works most naturally for how your body moves. One of the steps to your boudoir session prep is to start a pinterest board so I have a visual of what you are drawn to with posing, comfort level and overall vibe for your shoot. I will usually keep a few poses from your board as inspiration to recreate during your shoot. Meaning I don’t want to focus on forcing your body into that pose exactly. I like to pay attention to little details of how your body wants to move to make the pose perfect for you. Not the other way around. Our bodies all move differently and forcing it into exact poses you like of another body isn’t always best.
Not all boudoir poses are created equal and it’s all in the fine details. Something I pride myself in and that separates my work from the masses, is my hyper attention to details to make your body language off the charts. This means all the details in an image are spot on. Because we could have all the emotion in your body but if your facial expression is off, the whole thing seems not authentic. The emotion in your image is created by the body language we create.
Posing for boudoir is an art form; making sure you feel comfortable while being vulnerable in a safe space to be present in your body to create magic. To capture you as the masterpiece you are right now.
If you are ready to make the first move and get more information about a boudoir experience with me, simply inquire HERE.
