Boudoir photography is gaining in popularity in recent years. What started as a little extra surprise as part of a wedding session is now becoming an entity of its own. More women are taking part long after saying “I do”- it’s a way of capturing a moment and celebrating their sensual side. Even though most sessions are done as gifts for a partner, it’s ultimately about doing something for yourself – celebrating your body and the female form.
Over the next couple weeks we’ll be featuring a few local photographers who also hold boudoir sessions. Our series starts with Mel Wilde…
What inspired you to get into Boudoir photography?
Boudoir for me began as an extension of my wedding and engagement photography. But now it’s become a passion, a favourite commission and quite central to my business. Quite simply, I enjoy making women feel beautiful. It’s not like any client walks in and feels 100% confident about their bodies, but part of the thrill and the privilege for me is watching them grow in confidence over the shoot. Clients know, as a woman and a photographer, that I’m on their side. We’ll chat about any body confidence issues, because poses and lighting and a sympathetic artist can make those disappear in composition and editing. I want the women to feel and see themselves at their best: classy, authentic, stylish and yes…sexy too.
Why do you think Boudoir photography has gained in popularity recently?
Societally, I think we’ve moved back and forth with our ideas on the female form and with the notion of how much we should bare and be proud and at what age.
So, I think we’ve all freed up attitudes a little to having images of ourselves in lingerie as women.
The trend in pregnancy boudoir has made boudoir seem something for us to celebrate ourselves and our form through at a time when perhaps our mothers would never have contemplated baring their skin, least of all for a photographer.
We look good! We’re aging differently and if you still got it…that’s an attitude I see in my most confident clients.
It’s great for me as a photographer to see a trend that started with brides requesting special groom gifts, extend now to mums post maternity, whilst pregnant and clients come who are keen to see themselves as women as well as mums. I love that! It’s so empowering not to lose oneself to parenting, I think…
Who do you think women are having Boudoir sessions done for – themselves or partners?
This is a total mix! Clients come with different motivations. My style of boudoir is quite painterly. Less is often more. I’m not trying to create an overtly sexy image for a lingerie campaign, I’m about women looking and feeling beautiful. So, I can’t speak for all women. But my clients come to feel and look good mostly for them. They might come because of a milestone birthday, post maternity, losing weight or as a gift to a groom or anniversary treat for themselves or a husband. But, mostly, they’re in front of my lens or them, with all their vulnerabilities. It’s my job to take that courage, and build it and give them a stunning image of them as they are.
Where do the sessions take place?
Anywhere! My home, theirs, or with venue partners like Warren House in Kingston and others I work with a lot.
How long do sessions last?
Sessions last two to two and a half hours.
What can a client expect during a session?
We start the session before the day. Clients co-direct their shoot, so lengthy chats take place to find out more about them and build rapport that helps them on shoot. We’ll chat about favoured and least favoured body bits!
Preferred styling and location. I’m about colour theory, so location and backdrop is important to me, to add that painterly quality to those shots not quite so close up. Furniture and interior colouring might well impact on advice about styling and lingerie, say. It’s about all aspects of the composition coming together, because if things don’t work well together, our viewing of the image afterward is jarred. What we should see is this amazing woman and stunning form in a great setting. Not how the pattern of the sofa clashed with the bra fabric!
Make up artists can be brought in, I work with three trusted ones… all female and they do hair too. There’s a small surcharge for this but not as much as you might expect. We have a ‘before session’ advice sheet we give for women to prepare their skin well…
In session, we’ll chat about the lingerie the client brings and delve into my prop box. I have furs, hats and a lot of jewelery supplies!
Do you provide the outfits? Props?
Buying new lingerie, or bringing some that fits you perfectly will always look better than outfits to me, but I do help ‘style up’ and accessorize clients, as they would like to be styled.
What advice would you give when considering a Boudoir session?
Getting in front of the lens will make many of us feel more vulnerable than others, but for different reasons. Find a photographer who’s images you love and chat with them about any concerns. If you like them and can chat through any worries, that’s likely your girl, or guy! You need to feel thy empathise and you can trust them…if that’s all in place…stand back world, those images will be amazing!
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