Boudoir can seem really scary, especially if you have never done it before. When something scares us we tend to make up all sorts of reasons why we cannot do something.
If you are like me your mind tends to run wild when you get nervous and before you know it you have come up with dozens of reasons why you can't or shouldn't do the thing you wanted to do.
Well, today we are going to bust wide open some of the most common myths about boudoir photography shoots. We will dispell the myths and excuses most women give when they are trying to talk themselves out of doing a shoot.
Ready? Here we go!
Myth: "Boudoir is only for women with perfect bodies."
This is probably the most common myth I hear when it comes to doing a boudoir session. I have a secret to tell you, ladies. No one loves every aspect of their body. Not you, not me, not the models on tv. What I learned right away when I started this journey was that it doesn't matter if the woman is a model that has been all over the world or a mom in the suburbs. EVERYONE has things they like and don't like about their bodies.
But guess what? That is totally okay! Boudoir photography is all about acknowledging those perceived flaws and moving past them to embrace your body and your sexuality so that you can love yourself as a whole complete person.
Before every session, we do our homework. We work together to find out what you love about yourself and what you don't so that when we shoot I know exactly what to maximize and what to minimize. None of the women you see on this website have perfect bodies. Perfection is an illusion. What is real though is that with the right lighting, poses and composition we will make you look your very best.
Myth: "I want to do a shoot, but I need to lose some weight first"
This is the second most common myth I hear all the time from women. And it runs right in tandem with the first myth. It's this idea that you can do a shoot, but you just have to change yourself first. I am here to tell you that you don't need to spend a second in the gym or dieting before you shoot.
Why? Because you are just procrastinating. Which for me is always worse than just admitting that you are nervous. Why is it worse? Simple, because it causes you to push off what you want to do and delay your happiness until you have reached this idea of a perfect you.
Like I said in the first myth, everyone has things they don't like about their bodies, but if you are honest with yourself and me we can work around all of those things and create a shoot that allows you to let your light shine as brightly as possible.
I always relate it to the whole "beach body" craze. This thought that you have to spend hours upon hours in the gym before you can go to the beach. That is crap, it is nothing more than a marketing plan for the fitness industry. Do you have a body? Cool, take that body of yours to the beach and enjoy yourself.
The same applies to your boudoir session. If you want to do it (and I absolutely believe that every woman should have the boudoir experience at least once in their life), then DO IT! Don't wait, don't hold yourself back from empowering yourself today. You don't need a gym or a diet. You just need to take that scary first step to get started with your session. I promise you won't regret it.
Myth: "I don't know how to be sexy, so I can't do a boudoir shoot"
When I hear this myth it always makes me laugh. Especially when it comes from moms. "I don't know how to be sexy! But Janet, you have 4 kids! Clearly what you think of as sexy and what you're doing that is sexy are two different things."
What I am getting at is this. "Sexy" can be just a flashy word for confidence. Confidence is the be-all and end-all of "Sexy." Sure, Victoria Secret models look amazing in all that lingerie but what sells it is their confidence. Imagine if they were all dressed up but they didn't have any confidence; if their body language was like that of a frightened rabbit. That would be the furthest thing from sexy, nobody would buy it.
The same applies to your boudoir session. I am there to be your coach and cheerleader, I will put you in the right poses that will make your butt look amazing and I will light you so that every curve of your body is perfect. But what is going to sell it is your confidence. Confidence is really easy to achieve too, all you have to do is fake it. It is just that simple really. If you can fake it you will make it.
Myth: "I have to buy a lot of expensive lingerie to do a boudoir session"
Nope, absolutely not. If that is not how you see yourself then don't do it. Simple is just as sexy as the priciest set of lingerie. If you are the type of woman who feels more confident in your favorite t-shirt and a simple pair of panties or your birthday suit then that is what you should do for your session. We can do an awful lot with a little or nothing.
Myth: "I have to go to some exotic location or far away studio to do a boudoir session"
This one comes from people forgetting that the whole point of a boudoir session is to capture images in an intimate setting. You don't need to travel to my studio and you don't need to rent some luxury hotel. Can you? Absolutely if that what you want to do for your session and if that is how you envision your finished photos.
But I always encourage an in-home session because it is the perfect way to capture you in an intimate way in your own environment. It goes beyond just your body and really shows your personality. It also gives the viewer better idea of who you are as a person.
Now I know some are thinking, "oh I can't do a session in my home, there is nothing special here." Which is so silly, it's yours! That is what makes it special and intimate. Do you have a bed, some windows and time to shoot with no one home? Then that is all you need. We can create beautiful, intimate and empowering photos of you anywhere.
There you have it. 5 of the biggest boudoir myths debunked. I hope this has helped you move off the fence to set up your own boudoir session. And if it has I encourage you to fill out the FAB Client Application and then sign up for your free consultation. I cannot wait to talk about your session!