Elizabeth’s Feminine and Empowered Boudoir Portraits
During our first phone conversation, Elizabeth told me that she “isn’t a lingerie person.” She wondered if she could do a boudoir session that felt genuine and true to her without incorporating the frills or lace that came to her mind when thinking about boudoir.
Planning a boudoir session if you aren’t a “lingerie person”
I’ve heard this from clients before, and I am here to answer this question with a wholehearted and resounding YES! Boudoir is ABSOLUTELY for you! The magic of boudoir photography is in its ability to show all of the facets of who a person is -- in soul, in spirit, in body, in style -- in a way that feels genuine and congruent to how that person sees themself. Boudoir portraits capture the essence of a person’s strength and beauty without any need for lace, lingerie, or other stereotypically ‘feminine’ details if those don’t feel true to your own style. I promise to help you capture that in your boudoir portraits no matter what styles you love or dislike, the amount of skin you’re comfortable sharing or not sharing, or how you identify as a person. Your boudoir portraits are about you, and you are beautiful exactly as you are.
Elizabeth’s boudoir session inspiration
Elizabeth had a clear style and spoke about wanting a style that was a mix of “feminine, strong, and empowered.” Strength and vulnerability were a huge theme in our first phone conversation, and speaking with Elizabeth about a photoshoot that balanced the two elements made me so excited! I love being able to capture the dynamic between two distinct ideas/styles and I couldn’t wait to show Elizabeth’s sense of vulnerability and confidence, femininity and strength in her portraits.
After speaking with Elizabeth on the phone, we set up a studio tour for her to come and take a look around my space and to do some planning before her session. As we looked at example photos together, I noticed that she was drawn to pictures that mixed dramatic and elegant elements. She lit up when looking at bold photos and was excited by figure details (elements that celebrated forms and curves rather than emphasizing facial features). This made total sense to me, as Elizabeth also talked about feeling really excited to do a session for herself that showed how much she appreciates her body’s functions. Elizabeth wanted pictures that she could look back at in the future and remember how positively proud she is of her body, and I think her portraits show this beautifully.
Elizabeth’s wardrobe and color palette
Elizabeth brought a lovely color palette for her session wardrobe: neutrals (grounding and calming) with accents of teal and blue (bold and energetic). She chose lace pieces that were in bold black and teal colors, thus eliminating some of the fussiness that she associated with lace. Elizabeth brought out her softer, more feminine side with two bodysuits: a simple bodysuit in white cotton and a structural, strappy black bodysuit. Bodysuits are one of my *favorite* outfit recommendations in boudoir - they balance feminine, sultry vibes with simple, strong, grounded vibes.
Elizabeth, thank you for bringing your lively energy and kind heart to the studio! It was a joy to get to know you, and to create pictures showing your love for life, your amazing personality, and your love for your body. I’m so grateful that we met - thank you for trusting me with this session.