Centuries ago, the boudoir formed part of lady's private suite of rooms, usually for bathing and dressing, and usually adjacent to her bedchamber. Later on, the boudoir was used as a private drawing room and was used for other activities, including spending time with one's romantic partner.
Nowadays, much of "boudoir" is created in the photographer's studio, the client's home, or in a luxury hotel suite, where it has become very fashionable to create a set of sensual images for women in "boudoir style." This often takes the shape of partly clothed images or images in lingerie, and has become more than just a passing fad for brides to surprise their future husbands. Bridal boudoir photography is becoming particularly popular: brides-to-be often have an album of boudoir-style photographs made as a present for their husbands-to-be. Another very common reason for a boudoir shoot is for a military husband somewhere overseas: the wife mailing him some boudoir photos of herself sends a very strong message of "Hurry home, sweetie..." :) Other common themes or occasions for boudoir photography include anniversaries, birthdays, Valentine's Day, weight loss, maternity, any form of body change or alteration (breast augmentation or reduction, etc.), and so forth.
Where does the shoot happen?
Photo shoots can take
place at the Arns Photography studio, or your home, or a friend's
home which in your opinion is nicer-looking than yours, or even an
elegant hotel suite, depending on the style you want. Typically
(but not necessarily), these photo shoots have a bedroom feeling,
hence the name "boudoir."
But aren't I too old?
Every woman can be alluring.
Proper posing, lighting, and camera angles can bring out your unique
beauty no matter how old you are, emphasizing those parts you like
about yourself, and de-emphasizing those parts you don't. Being
alluring is a state of mind with no cut-off age limiting it.
But aren't I too young?
You might be. Arns
Photography does not do boudoir shoots for ladies under the age of
18. Please bring a driver's license or other photo ID to prove that
you are not a minor.
Do you retouch the photos?
Yes, if requested. Some
ladies want photos with their imperfections omitted or fixed, and
this is perfectly fine. Other ladies prefer photos that are true to
life and are not bothered by their imperfections, and this is also
perfectly fine. What is retouching? It is where we add the glamor
to your photos. Most magazine photos are retouched to make the
model look her best, and Arns Photography can do the same for you.
We can smooth your skin, remove blemishes and wrinkles, reduce
tummies, enlarge or reduce breasts and buttocks; pretty much any
enhancements you desire.
What kind of clothing should I bring?
Arns
Photography does not provide clothing--you should bring your own
clothing and lingerie because your own clothes will be the styles
you like best, and will fit you the best. Of course, buying some
new lingerie, sleepwear, or other clothing for the occasion is often
a good idea--it will be new and exciting, but will still be your
style and size. There are several local
lingerie stores that have excellent products. Arns Photography
also has beautiful fabrics that you can sit or lie on, drape over
you, or wrap around you as you desire.
Can I bring an friend or escort along?
It is fine to
bring an escort if you like. If your friend in also interested in
having photos taken, that's fine. As a matter of fact, if the cost
of renting a luxury hotel suite is shared between two (or even more)
people, everyone gets cool photos, it costs each person less for the
room rental, and you can be each other's escorts. (Note that each
person having photos taken of her will need to pay the normal shoot
fee; although you can share the cost of a room, it doesn't work to
share the cost of the shoot, because everyone's photos require
individualized work.) If your escort is not interested in having
photos taken, and has not been an escort on a photo shoot before,
he/she should realize that it will likely be pretty boring, just
sitting there for potentially hours on end, so bringing a book to
read or something to work on would be a good idea. So, having a
escort is not necessary, but you're certainly welcome to do so if
you prefer. Arns Photography also reserves the right to bring an
escort to the shoot.
What about hair and makeup?
There are several options
available here. If you would like to do your own hair and/or
makeup, that's fine. Or you could go to your favorite stylists and
have them doll you up right before the shoot. Or, Arns Photography
can bring in a hair stylist and/or a makeup artist just for your
shoot. Let us know in advance if you would like to take advantage
of this last option, so we can make the necessary arrangements.
Is there anything you can recommmend to "set the
mood?"
To set the mood for your shoot, the Arns Photography
studio has a huge collection of music that can be played at random,
or by individual genres. Or you are welcome to bring your own iPod
with all your favorite music. One glass of wine or champagne before
you arrive can help as well, but limit it to just one.
I've never posed before; how do I do that?
Dave will
guide you into poses that flatter everything you like about
yourself, and de-emphasize those features you'd rather not
acknowledge. You can just relax and have fun and we'll make sure
you look wonderful. If you have some posing ideas you'd like to
try, or a photo you'd like us to emulate, let us know and we'll do
our best to accommodate you.
How do I arrange for a shoot?
It's simple to set up a
boudoir shoot: just give Arns Photography a call at
(970) 581-1614 or send an e-mail to
dave@ArnsPhotography.com with some proposed dates and times
and Dave will contact you to make the arrangements. Some of the
questions you should be prepared to answer include:
Where would you like the shoot to take place? Options are the Arns Photography studio, your home/apartment, or a hotel suite you have rented. If you choose to have your shoot in a hotel suite, there are many in the Fort Collins area, but you are responsible for booking and paying for the room.
Is this a single-person shoot or a group? As mentioned above, sharing a cost of a fancy room, if that is the location you choose, can save everybody money.
What kind of look to you hope to achieve? Some options include safari, military, grunge, elegant, and so forth. You're welcome to bring whatever style of clothing, accessories, and props you desire.
The cost of the photographic portion of the shoot (as opposed to the location-rental costs, if any), depends on several factors:
Once you decide on the options you want, Dave will email you a quote, so you'll know how much the total will come to. Then the final step to the arrangements is to meet somewhere over coffee (at a Starbuck's, for example) just to get acquainted and be sure we will both be comfortable working with each other. If so, the payment is due at this time, to reserve your photo shoot's timeslot.
How long does it take to get my images?
Two weeks (or
less) after the shoot, all the photos will have been edited and
placed in your password-protected online gallery within the
ArnsPhotography.com website. You will be able to view and order
your images in the privacy of your own home. You will have three
weeks to order your photo products before your gallery expires.
There is a $30 charge to extend (for another three weeks) the
expiration date on your gallery after it has expired.
Once you have ordered your prints and/or other hardcopy products, you will be notified when they are ready to be picked up; this usually takes 3-4 weeks. Take them home and enjoy them, and please let us know if we can do anything else for you.