Things To Do Before Your Boudoir Photoshoot
A Boudoir Photoshoot is an empowering journey, capturing moments of confidence and celebrating your life’s journey.
To ensure your experience is as seamless and memorable as possible, proper preparation is key.
In this guide, we'll walk you through essential things to do before your boudoir photoshoot, helping you feel poised, confident, and ready to embrace the art of self-celebration….
pics and words
THE DAY BEFORE YOUR MADISON BOU BOUDOIR PHOTOSHOOT
1) TRY ON ALL your lingerie!
According to Lingerie chain Boux Avenue “A massive 81% of women are wearing the wrong bra size! You might have thought the biggest issue would be women wearing bras that are too small for them, but Boux Avenue actually found that wearing cup sizes too big is far more common. They recommend that you should have a bra fitting every 6-12 months to ensure you are wearing the right fit and style for your bust! Ill-fitting lingerie is very obvious in Boudoir pictures and extremely difficult to fix in Photoshop.
2) Sort out your nails!
Remove any chipped nail polish and get a manicure and pedicure if possible. It’ll be worth the extra effort. Even if it’s not normally something you would do, you could use ‘press on’ nails instead. Think ‘French manicures’ and more nuetral colours rather than bright or sparkly nails which will always draw the attention. We would prefer to draw attention to your eyes than your nails.
3) Don’t Spray Tan!
Please resist the urge to spray tan or fake tan in any way before your shoot. The camera really doesn’t take kindly to it and you will look orange. Your eye will think it looks ok but the camera will do its colour science digital thing and turn it orange. Fixing it is a real pain in Photoshop. No matter what we say about this over the years, this tip is the one most often ignored and despite the fact that digital colour science is getting better it still can’t cope with fake tan. Professional models don’t do it and neither should you.
(The Picture below should show you how we feel in no uncertain terms)
4) Get Your Roots done
If you want roots doing, get them done a week or so before your shoot to allow everything to settle. Best not to do anything too drastic either in case you don’t love it. Colouring should be done the week before to avoid any stains on your scalp. Let’s have your hair looking your best before the shoot rather than an experiment…While on the subject of hair…
5) Arrive with clean, dry hair and a clean, make-up free face.
Honestly, I know you don’t want to leave the house without make-up but it’s so much easier starting with a fresh face than having to clean it all off first. Wash your hair the day before and fully dry it before arriving for the session.
6) Grooming should be done a a couple of days before the shoot
Waxing/Shaving needs a day or two for the redness to disappear so make sure you do it in plenty of time. Bath, exfoliate, pamper the day before. Treat yourself like you’re on a Spa day and you’ll be better prepped to really relax and enjoy the Boudoir Experience.
8) Sleep!
Get loads of sleep the night before and make sure you drink plenty of water. These two things will reduce eye bags and really make your skin glow! This is not an old wives tale it’s based on years of experience.
ON THE DAY OF YOUR PHOTO SHOOT:
1. EAT!
Eat a full breakfast before you arrive for your Photoshoot. Your tummy won’t bloat up noticably but you’ll have more energy on the shoot and you may not get time during the shoot to re-energise. So eat first and make sure you bring something to drink. (Non alcoholic)
2. Better to Bring Too Much than Too Little!
This is one of our favourite sayings! We have no problem being faced with a huge variety of options on the day. It just allows us to get more creative. The last thing we want is for you to realise you’ve forgotten that amazing item that would go with those shoes when we’re halfway through the shoot. Some people bring several suitcases of stuff and that’s ok. That said, we’ve had clients bring absolutely nothing and we’ve created magic from just a bedsheet (Yes, really) Honestly, it’s entirely up to you what you bring but try and include some variety. Bra and Panty Sets tend to look better on those with model type figures, Body suits look good on everybody, particularly if you’re conscious of your tummy area. Try different colours and textures, add hats, gloves, accessories as well, if you have them. High rise panties and garter belts can also help with tummy areas and be kinder to ‘love handles’ than low rise knickers. Check stockings fit your legs properly and don’t pinch the thighs too much. (Those that need suspenders, hold ups are generally more forgiving than elasticated ‘stay ups’ )
Oh and feel free to consider shapewear as well. It’s amazing for giving you curves in all the right places rather than bulges in all the wrong ones.
3. Heels
Don’t go overboard on these. We tend to not shoot heels in every picture, prefering to focus on your eyes. That said, heels can add some wonderful sexiness to pictures. Remember that the longer the heel, the longer your legs will look (and who doesn’t want that?) Try and ensure the bottom of the heels are clean and all stickers are removed or it’s extra photoshop time and think of closed toe shoes, especially if your toes aren’t your best feature. A general rule is that if you have a statement pair of heels then bring them but leave your more everyday shoes behind. You’ll probably look better barefoot anyway. Prefer Doc Martins? If that’s more your style than heels, let’s go with it. Remember, this day is all about you and your personal style. ‘Sexy’ comes in many different styles and your style is the ‘sexy’ we want.
You can’t walk in them but these ‘ballet’ ankle boots certainly make a statement.
4. Accessories
Accessories sometimes work, sometimes don’t so bring them just in case. Jewellery looks better on photoshoots when it’s bigger and chunkier rather than small and dainty. A string of pearls always looks good and can add some vintage glam, flowers and petals (Like those below) can add something to shoots as well. A favourite bottle of perfume often looks great when used in some pictures. Consider hats, large brimmed hats, sun-hats you’d normally wear on the beach can easily be adapted for boudoir as well. A sports shirt, if that’s your thing, can add something personal to your shoot and, since this is being requested more and more these days, consider very carefully more ‘grown-up’ accessories such as whips, bondage chains, cuffs and collars. ‘Very carefully’ meaning if they look cheap and tacky they will add nothing to your shoot whatsoever. (same goes for ‘cheap and cheerful’ nurses uniforms and devil horns and the like). That said…. Accessories that are more stylish such as anything from Honey Birdette for example (HERE) can add an extra level to your shoot and we say, if it’s your style, then go for it. One of the wonderful things about a Boudoir Experience is that it allows you the freedom to express yourself and push your boundaries a little.
5. Bring a Dressing Gown or Kimono
Between outfit changes and during hair and makeup, you’ll love us for this tip.
6. Wear Loose fitting clothing to your Shoot
The last thing you want is to get into your lovely outfits and see lots of strap marks all over your body from tight trousers, belts, knickers, bra-straps and watches. If you can, arrive in a simple loose dress or track suit. No marks please.
SHOPPING FOR LINGERIE
Most women do not have model bodies, in fact, most of our clients are mature women over 35 and most would consider themselves plus size women. Our clients are Mums and suffer from the same body issues and weight issues as everyone else. Many of our clients have endured surgeries and have battle scars to prove it. One of the most empowering things about doing a Boudoir Photoshoot is to reclaim ownership and love of your body. Wearing lingerie is a part of the process. You can grab the free Madison Bou Lingerie Guide in our ‘resource centre’ Here and we also have a recommended list of where to shop for your Lingerie Here - Best Places To Buy Lingerie
GET YOUR BODY READY
Looking through this blog you’ll see a familiar theme developing.
Time and time again we’ve said that you do not need to lose a few extra pounds for your Boudoir Photoshoot. It will not make any difference to your shoot in fact it won’t make any real difference to your life. (Especially if you’re constantly hungry because of permanent dieting) There’s no doubt that a healthy weight is conducive to a healthy heart and long term health benefits but this is far more about a long term lifestyle plan than any quick diet fix.
What a Boudoir Photoshoot Experience with Madison Bou will do for you is give you some new ‘self love’ so you’ll appreciate your body more and be grateful for what it has done for you over the years. Your body is amazing and we will help to show you just how beautiful you are in your body, just as it is, right now. The more confidence you gain from loving your body as it is now will hjave a tremendously positive impact on other issues in your life, such as relationships, work and how you project yourself in front of others. It’s difficult to overstate this since it can sound a little like a fanatical cult at this point but really, everybody will see some form of positive impact from this experience. Some, more than others and for some, they tell us, the impact was ‘life-changing’
So the important take home from this section is, don’t worry about your weight.
Do worry, however, about getting enough sleep and drinking fluids. Sleep and water are the easiest ways to get your body ready for an amazing Boudoir experience. Bye Bye bags and hello glowy, clean skin.
Keep in mind that Boudoir poses are designed to enhance your assets, dissimulate things that are distracting and slim you down. In much the same way, lingerie that has been carefully selected for your boudoir shoot will slim you 10 pounds instantly.
So, some of these things we’ve covered earlier but to recap the things you should do to get you body ‘Boudoir ready’ are the following…
Having your hair clean, dry and ready for styling. Dirty and oily hair will not produce the best hair styling so, wash it the night before and make sure it is not wet when you arrive to your studio.
Doing your nails with a neutral or complimentary color
A good night sleep
Lots of water for at least 24 hours prior to your session
Shaving, waxing days before to avoid redness.
Having a decent breakfast the morning of your shoot to avoid energy gaps.
Lots of face moisturiser
No fake tanning.
If you have a favourite lipstick colour, by all means bring it with you.
Make sure you tell us if you suffer from any allergies to make-up.
CLEAR YOUR DAY AND BE ON TIME
Doing a boudoir photoshoot is not something you do everyday. Look at it as a special occasion day JUST FOR YOU and give yourself some well earned TLC. Don't rush the experience. Treat it in much the same way as you would dressing up and going to a Michelin Star Restaurant with Gordon Ramsay as cook! Preferably book the day off from work to really enjoy the experience.
Getting you ready for your photoshoot with professional hair and makeup, going through all the outfits and directing you through the shoot itself all requires your time and your attention. You’ll never feel rushed by us since you’ll be the only client we photograph on the day. Enjoy every moment of the experience. While many of our clients love it so much they can’t wait to come back, for others, it’s a once in a lifetime experience so again, we say, don’t rush it! Expect to spend four to five hours at your boudoir shoot to get the most out of this.
RELAX
Honestly, all you have to do is turn up! We’ll do everything else and guide you with posing and expressions every step of the way. Trust in the process and relax and great things will happen.
BE READY TO INVEST IN YOURSELF AND NOT CUT CORNERS.
Most likely, you won't be doing a boudoir session often so let’s DO IT RIGHT.
Quality boudoir photography, lingerie and professional makeup come with a price tag.
Save for this experience if you need to but don't expect to get glammed up, work with one of the most experienced boudoir photographers in Yorkshire and have a luxury album with 20 to 30 images for a couple of hundred pounds.
The best boudoir photographers a will all have boudoir packages in the thousand pound range and up. A Boudoir Experience with Madison Bou can cost as little as £600 including products but most invest far more than that. Our clients always love their pictures far more than they ever expected and almost always invest in excess of £1,000 for what they want. What’s more, they never tell us at any point that it feels like too much money for what they got out of the experience.
Nicola opening her fabulous Madison Bou Boudoir Book.
