The great thing about the Hampton Roads area is the variety of photographers available to you. The boudoir community is rather small in comparison to wedding and portrait photography.

I personally love it! I have become good friends with some of my “competition”. We go out drinking, we have lunch, and I spend way too much time talking to them on facebook. I have come to really love some of my fellow boudie girls. And the great thing about the small niche of boudoir is that you will find very different styles from all of us. If somebody is looking for a more edgy processing style I know who to send them to! And if somebody prefers black and white photos I have a recommendation for that too! We all bring something different to the table. And you get to choose who is right for you!

Everybody has their own preference and idea of what images they want from their session. Here are some things to take into account when choosing the perfect boudoir photographer for YOU.

1. Style

Style doesn’t just include the post processing style that your photographer uses. Also look at their posing, their lighting, and the overall feel of their images. Editing, posing, and lighting are three very crucial parts in the feel of your images. If your style is very feminine and you like images that are very bright and soft then you most likely wouldn’t chose the photographer that uses studio lighting extensively. And if you want something dramatic, then you are definitely going to love the photographer that can rock their lights. There are certain ways to pose a client that can be specific to the lighting used.

For example, I shoot with both natural light and flash. If I want to accentuate a woman’s breasts and take emphasis off of the stomach or thighs, I am going to pose them in a way that the light falls off on the parts I don’t want to focus on. If I want to show off a woman’s curves I am going to light them in a way that sculpts them with shadows and highlights them in a flattering way.

I put style as number one because it’s pretty damn important. YOU have an idea in your mind of how you want your images to look. Why settle for less than what you deserve?

2. Experience

It’s important to know what your photographers experience level is because nothing is worse than having somebody stumble through your session as you lay there in your undies. Everybody starts somewhere, but if you are investing in this experience, go with somebody that will do just that: Create a great experience.

Experience boudoir photographers tend to spend a large amount of their time dedicated to improving their work. They know how to pose you for your body type. They know what little things to look for to make your image complete. They have also seen enough of boobies and vajayjay’s to last lifetime, so they aren’t going to be nervous about anything you throw at them.

An experienced boudoir photographer can help take the edge off and make your experience relaxing, fun, and inspiring.

I am extremely self conscious, and I would hate to show up to my session and have a photographer that doesn’t know how to pose me in a way that makes me look and feel amazing. I don’t want to spend my session stressing about how I will look in the images. I need to know for sure that I am in good hands.

3. Pricing

The first thing I am asked when somebody inquires about a session is usually what my pricing is and what it includes. Finding a photographer that fits your budget is a part of the experience. There is nothing worse than paying for something that ends up falling short of your expectations. If you are dropping time and money on outfits you are going to want images that do you and your sexy self justice. Understand that any boudoir photographer worth their salt is going to be a bit pricier than those who are not as experienced or talented because they have invested so much in making sure they are great at what they do.

When you decide to invest in a session having an idea of what you want is key.  Are you getting married and wanting a gift for your groom that will blow his mind? Then a small album probably isn’t going to be what you want him to look at years down the road. Is your partner deployed? Then a large album isn’t going to be the best thing to tuck away for private viewing 😉 Do you want something to hang over your bed to remind yourself (and your partner) of how amazing you are? Then a gallery wrapped canvas makes for a great choice!

On top of products that you want for your session, don’t forget about a key thing: Hair and Makeup.

A great Hair and Makeup team can take your images to the next level. Not only do they help you look the best, but they give you time to relax and feel pampered before your session.

Pricing is definitely an important deciding factor in choosing your boudoir photographer. Many photographers, like myself, offer payment plans to help ease the financial side of a boudoir session. Things do add up, but having an idea of what products you want and what outfits you will wear can definitely help you plan out your shoot.

 4. Comfort

You have to like somebody if you are going to strip down for them, right?

I think this is absolutely key in choosing a photographer. Some people mesh well, while others may not exactly jive well with you. You should meet them and get to know them before you work with them.

All of my sessions include a consult where I can answer all of your questions and get to now you better. I am a huge people person (hello, psych major!) and I love getting to know others. Not only do you need to feel comfortable, but I need to feel comfortable as well. It may just be my weird artistic side talking, but if we don’t connect then I don’t feel that I would be able to give you the best boudoir experience. And that is what you deserve. Never forget it: You deserve the best.

One thing I feel I should mention along the lines of comfort would be working with a male photographer.

I hate to say it, but the boudoir arena tends to be very female dominated. I have had a few male photogs in the area contact me about how to break into boudoir and I wish they weren’t facing a small battle.

There are so many AH-MAZING male photographers out there who can help you rock your session. And who knows what a guy finds sexy more than, well, a guy? As long as your photographer is professional (and most male boudoir photographers are, it goes back to number 2: experience) and understanding of your comfort level then there is no reason to pass up a guy who can rock his camera!

If you have read this far you deserve some chocolate.

I hope this has been helpful! When you first decide to have a boudoir session there are quite a few questions that may come up. Finding the right photographer for YOU a key component to the boudoir experience.

And because no post is complete without a photos, here is one from a recent session I had 😉

You will see this hot momma on the blog soon!

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