Style Inspiration: Strong and Empowered
How do you want your portraits to look and feel?
This is a question that I ask each of my boudoir clients as we begin planning their session. Some clients have a very clear sense of direction -- they’re drawn to portraits with a romantic and cozy energy, or they want portraits that emit a casual and relaxed energy. Other clients like the idea of a mix of styles, aren’t sure how to put words to their ideas, or want guidance in how best to reflect their current chapter of life in their portraits.
Over the course of photographing 100+ boudoir clients, I’ve noticed that there are four categories of styles my clients tend to be drawn to. In the upcoming months, I’ll explore each of these four common styles to use as an inspiration. You might find that one of these styles perfectly encompasses what you’re looking for, which is awesome -- that gives us a clear direction to head towards! With that in mind, it’s equally okay if you’re drawn to a mix of things or have a completely different idea. These explorations are here as a starting point for your inspiration, but I’ll always be delighted to explore an entirely new direction with you!
Energy and vibe
The strong, empowered style is often a choice for clients who are feeling really powerful and confident in themselves. The idea of feeling “empowered and strong” goes hand-in-hand with boudoir in general because doing a boudoir session is incredibly powerful in itself. Some clients are excited to spend an entire session devoted to capturing their strength and empowerment on camera, while others are more interested in having just a few pictures from their shoot focused on strength.
These clients may have recently experienced a period in which their physical strength, emotional strength, or mental strength has been front and center. Whether someone has recently finished their first 5k, graduated from school, or healed from a difficult relationship, or moved through a challenging season of life, these clients are often ready to celebrate their inner strength. I love capturing strength and empowerment on camera because it can be communicated directly or subtly through your hair, makeup, outfit, and posing choices!
Whether you love the idea of communicating really strong energy or a calmer sense of strength, I invite you to think about what feels ‘strong’ to you and view the following suggestions as ideas to play around with.
Inspiration for hair/makeup + outfits
For a strong vibe, clients often choose a minimal and natural makeup look or choose one feature to boldly highlight (like adding a strong eye or a pop of color in the lips). Hair is often styled in a more minimal or undone-looking manner: think touched-up bedhead, messy waves, or loose curls.
If a client is looking for a strong vibe with lingerie, I often suggest choosing pieces with straight, clean lines that draw attention to your favorite features (or features that make you feel super strong and confident). Straight lines in wardrobe choices tend to draw the eye exactly to where that line lands (in contrast to curving or lace-edged lines, which tend to feel more romantic in pictures). A strappy bra and underwear set or a solid-color bodysuit exudes confidence and strength to me - in Jen’s Glamorous, Happy Boudoir Portraits, Jen wore a bodysuit that was a black metallic fabric with a deep V-neck. Another outfit that feels strong is a cotton, solid-colored bralette paired with a cheeky bottom. This look has a way of demonstrating empowerment in a more carefree and effortless way.
Beyond lingerie, a crop top with a clean edge feels really strong (while also being a great option for someone who loves their waist!) and pairs well with a simple black thong (for a more undressed look) or a simple pair of jeans (for someone who wants to incorporate everyday clothing). For example, in Elizabeth's Feminine and Empowered Boudoir Portrait, Elizabeth wore a black thong with a simple cropped white t-shirt. A sports bra and a pair of high-waisted yoga pants is a great idea for displaying a more literal athletic feeling, while a t-shirt and sporty underwear combines strength with a relaxed vibe in a boudoir session.
Posing
When a client is looking for portraits that feel really empowered and strong, I focus on capturing their confident energy and sense of groundedness. This can mean portraits with giant, bursting-out-laughing smiles, or portraits with a lot of calm and focused expressions. The concept of “taking up space” is also a powerful way to demonstrate strength, and I love to create portraits with clients in tall, intentional postures. Your body deserves to take up space, and it’s so empowering to demonstrate this in your portraits!
Combining the “strong and empowered” style with other styles
A strong and empowered style can really fit alongside any other style inspiration you have! Some people pair a strong, empowered vibe with a more relaxed, casual vibe -- this combination leads to a chill, easygoing, and confident energy. You can also pair elements of strength with something bold and dramatic to create portraits that are powerful, sexy, and embody self-assurance. Mixing a soft and romantic style with strong and empowered elements works beautifully, too; the styles really play off of each other and intermingle to create a balance between delicate and empowered.
For more inspiration…
Leah's session is a great example of a strong and empowered style taking the lead.
Annie's session shows a strong style mixed with a calmer vibe.
Cyndy’s session channels a strong vibe mixed with a relaxed, minimalist approach.
Autumn’s session is a wonderful mix of strong and feminine styles working together.
Explore the other boudoir styles:
Considering your own boudoir session?
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