February 15, 2020
1. Bring Extras and Backups
I cannot say this enough, make sure you bring extras and backups. I’m encouraging you to over-pack. I recommend bringing your exciting lingerie, your simple lingerie, kimonos, cardigans, your favorite tight fitting shirt, something sentimental – when it comes to your boudoir session, more is better. This doesn’t mean that we will be able to photograph with all the clothes you brought, but it does mean we will have choices and variety. Not only should you bring a variety of outfit choices, make sure to bring your own make-up. Chances are, you are having your make-up done by an artist, but I recommend bringing your favorite makeup items to your appointment as well as your session. You may not use them, but having the option is always better than wishing you had brought it along. I recommend packing all your items the night before and double checking before you leave. Also, if you booked an outdoor session with me, be sure to bring bug spray. You’ll thank me later.
2. Try Everything on Beforehand
This sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many women show up to their session not knowing how their lingerie currently fits them. Many of us, myself included, have a lot of lingerie from when we got married or have received them as gifts from our partner over the years. That was years ago and many of those items don’t fit the same way anymore. I recommend not only shopping for new items (treat yourself, ya know?), but trying on the options you have at home. Sometimes those “simple” sets works very well and will surprise you. If you aren’t sure how you feel about certain outfits, bring your best friend along on a shopping venture with you and let them shower you in compliments. Don’t feel like you have such a shopping partner? Feel free to get my number and text me your favorite options. I will be your biggest, honest cheerleader. Not sure where to shop? See some of my recommendations here!
3. Wear Loose Fitting Clothes to your Session
This tip is often overlooked. I cannot advise enough to not wear leggings, jeans, or any other tight fitting clothes to your session. Wearing these items will create lines and creases in your skin, which often take a while to fade. Although I can try my best to remove them in Photoshop, it’s better to just avoid them all together. I recommend wearing a comfy t-shirt dress with either no bra or a non-constricting bralette.
4. Book with your Cycle in Mind
I cannot stress this enough: try your best to book your boudoir session when you will not be on your period. I know periods can be “random” and we cannot control that, but try to lessen the chances of this happening. Although I would never fault anyone for needing to reschedule due to this, depending on how booked I am, your re-scheduled session may not be your first pick. Some women “push through” even on their period, but I want my clients to feel their best, both mentally and physically. So, do yourself a kindness and book your session around your time of the month.
5. H2O
Drink your water and eat healthy meals. This ought to be obvious, but can’t tell you how often women tell me they have been starving themselves for the session. Please, do not do that to yourself. Obviously, if bloating is a concern of yours, avoid eating tons of sodium. Fill your body with water, fruits, veggies, and lots of healthy proteins. I recommend drinking a lot of water the week of your session to hydrate your skin, which can help clear up blemishes and plump up tired looking skin. On the day of your session with me, bring some water and a snack. You’ll be amazed how tiring a shoot can be and the last thing you want is to be starving on your drive home.
6. Wear Lingerie you Feel Confident in
Like finding the right dress, find lingerie for your body type and feel good in can be a challenge. First, if you have no idea where to start, I advise going to a lingerie store like Nordstrom to get fitted. This helps you have a baseline to find the perfect pieces for your shape. The employees at lingerie stores are always happy to help you find what would suit you best. It’s crazy how many of us don’t even know what bra size we are. Getting fitted will ensure you buy the right size and feel the best in the pieces you wear. I’m very partial to bodysuits, cheeky bottoms, and neutral colors like taupe and plum. At the end of the day, the best thing to wear is what you feel your best in.
7. Don’t Forget the Touch-ups
If you are going to get your hair cut and/or colored, I recommend doing this a week away from your session. Be sure to give at least a day between any waxing and the day of your session to lessen any swelling, redness, and irritation. Make sure if you paint your nails, you paint them a neutral color that will not clash with any of your outfits. The day of your session, be sure to shave, moisturize, and treat yourself to some self-care. All these touch-ups will make a huge difference in your session. Plus, who doesn’t like being pampered a bit?
8. Find Inspiration
I love it when clients come to me with some inspiration for their session. Maybe you have some poses that you’ve always wanted to try and I definitely want to know them! Is there a certain creative shot you’ve seen me do or have seen in a magazine that you just fell in love with? I am all about experimentation and will do my best to recreate shots with my own twist. Love wind blown hair? Lets bring a fan and make it happen. Fog machine shots? Absolutely. Feel free to send me any ideas or images that inspire you before your session. This helps me understand your tastes, which enables me to produce the best images that you will love. I might be the artist in our relationship, but that does not mean that you are not creative yourself. Working together to create something unique makes the experience all the better.
9. Pamper Yourself
I feel like we have covered this already, but I will say it again. Treat yourself! The whole point of booking your boudoir session is to give yourself some mental self-care. Extend that to some physical self-care as well, for an overall uplifting experience. Do you find yourself always talking about how you want a message or facial? Book those and let yourself be pampered. There are so many ways to pamper yourself and I encourage you to go all out. You deserve it.
10. Avoid Fake Tanning
This speaks for itself. It’s one thing to get your spray tan for your cruise, but please don’t attempt this for your photos. Even if your tan looks pretty natural in person, chances are it will look very orange and not you on camera. Come as you are and embrace you beautiful skin tone as it is. Save those fake tanners for the beach.
11. Beauty Sleep
Another obvious reminder, but please get a really good nights rest the night before. Drink some relaxing tea, diffuse some lavender, cover yourself in some lotion, put on a sleeping face mask, and get some beauty rest. You will thank me for it.
12. Get Yourself in the Right Mindset
Lets sum everything up. You are doing this boudoir session for yourself. Investing in mental self-care is so valuable and you deserve it. I feel like we naturally have “buyers remorse” from spending money on ourselves, but remember that you spend money all the time on things that bring you little to no value. Allow yourself to be excited and know you are investing in your own mental health. Starting your journey towards self-acceptance is worth every penny. Remember what boudoir is all about: documenting your story, your beauty, and capturing all the qualities that makes you the incredible person that you are!
