What would you say if I told you to do away with days at the spa and to get down to your skivvies for another reason? Well, San Diego-based boudoir photographer, Marissa Bouchér of The Boudoir Divas (formerly Women Captured), says, “out with the spa and in with a photo shoot!”
With an entire business dedicated to boudoir photography, Bouchér is one of four women at her 4,500-square-foot studio. But this wasn’t just a genre that she fell into; “it was actually something that I always knew I wanted to do. I love helping women see how uniquely beautiful they really are.” She adds: “We regularly hear gals say that they came in for a gift for their man, but walked away with a gift that keeps on giving, refreshing their conἀdence and reminding them to love their body.”
Although “fun” is not a word some women initially associate with being vulnerable in front of the camera, Bouchér assures, “We have worked hard to create an environment that feels warm and welcoming from the moment someone walks into our studio.” With additions from candles, fresh flowers and champagne to trained concierge, “we strive to put our clients at ease from the start. Once back in the studio, our all-star photographers coach each client through posing and expression for every shot.”
Before you schedule a shoot like this, just be sure to think about the style you are looking to achieve. Remember, “one set can have a very retro, pinup feel and the next can be moody and mysteriously sexy. It is all about what the client wants,” notes Bouchér.
Below the equator, Aussie wedding and fashion photographer, Michael Cook of Photographers Ink, tends to shoot boudoir a bit more locally, but has his fair share of work on location. He ἀnds that, “If I am on a destination wedding, which is usually a two-to-three-day celebration, I sometimes have a request to add in a boudoir-style shoot on the last day.”
Referencing his past experience, Cook “treats the shoot the same way I would normally do a commercial shoot. There is a wardrobe stylist present for the whole day, as well as a makeup artist and hair stylist.”
Referencing his past experience, Cook “treats the shoot the same way I would normally do a commercial shoot. There is a wardrobe stylist present for the whole day, as well as a makeup artist and hair stylist.”
In his experience, Cook says that boudoir photography is a “great confidence builder...Most women can’t believe the transformation and how good they look.” He also alludes that after years of marriage, perhaps while celebrating an anniversary, “it can be a real reminder to that first attraction all those years ago.”
Understanding that not everyone can travel for this type of experience, Bouchér urges women to “research the company that you are thinking about going with. Check out client testimonials and the photos on their blog and website. Taking pictures is intimidating to a lot of people; taking pictures in lingerie is a whole other ball game.”
Cook shares the same sentiment and suggests that a woman “decide on a style and then choose the right photographer to create that look.” He also advises that she “ask the studio how much the package is and what it includes,” to be sure that there are no surprises in the end.
Whether you fly to the west coast or the land down under, hire a photographer to come to you or contract someone locally, the objective of boudoir photography should remain the same: “I think the appeal of the image is to show something, but not everything, leaving something for the imagination,” quips Cook.
