“The whole day flew by and I loved every minute. I felt great and my confidence grew and grew throughout. Thank you for such a memorable day!”…Michelle

When I first started photographing Boudoir, a mere 20 years ago, everything was hired on a shoot by shoot basis. I used Hotel rooms, Shops, clients’ homes and even shops and warehouses. No two places were the same and it was a wonderfully creative period, learning about light and how to use it to produce quality images. A little later on the creative journey with Boudoir I bought my first studio in central Leeds and then a Luxury Flat with 40 foot ceilings and floor to ceiling windows. Then when Madison Bou was created as a partnership, we relocated to a rented outhouse at Hazlewood Castle which served us well for 5 years.

Now, post covid, we have come to the conclusion that using different venues is the way to go and far more creative than a white walled studio space.

Traditional High Street studios are just not as versatile as outdoor or on-location photoshoots.

Here are some reasons why:

Unique and personalised backgrounds

One of the biggest reasons why we prefer outdoor or on-location photoshoots is the variety of backgrounds and settings they offer. Traditional studios have plain white or black backdrops that don't allow for much creativity or personalisation. Outdoor or on-location photoshoots allow us to create environments which better fit the style and personality of our clients.

Anything From urban landscapes to natural settings, antique furnishings to contemporary interiors - the possibilities are endless.

Taken on the floor of our warehouse studio in central Leeds

Natural lighting

Another advantage of outdoor or on-location photoshoots is the use of natural or ambient lighting. Traditional studios often rely on artificial lighting, which can create a very staged or artificial look. Natural light, on the other hand, allows us to capture the natural beauty of our clients in a more flattering and authentic way and it also allows us to change settings quickly and get more variety of images during the shoot. Commonly, our clients get to see in excess of 100 finished images. Most High street Studios will show around 60.

The big natural light windows of our contemporary styled, mill conversion flat in Leeds

More relaxed and comfortable atmosphere

Many clients find traditional studios to be intimidating or uncomfortable, with big lights and bare white walls which can impact the quality of the final photos. Our clients need to feel relaxed, especially during an intimate, boudoir style photoshoot and we find that a comfortable, more homely environment helps to relax even the most nervous client and allows them to feel more natural and confident in front of the camera.

More creative freedom

Outdoor or on-location photoshoots offer more creative freedom and flexibility than traditional studios. We can experiment with different poses, angles, and lighting setups, and incorporate props or other elements that add visual interest and depth to the photos.

This allows us to create truly unique and personalised images that stand out from the rest.

While traditional studios have their place in photography, they are generally not the ideal setting for boudoir photoshoots.

Outdoor or on-location photoshoots offer more creative freedom, personalised backgrounds, natural lighting, and a more relaxed and comfortable atmosphere that allows us to capture the true beauty and essence of our clients and, at least for Boudoir, that’s what it’s all about.

We’re not saying we’ll never go back into the studio again, but we’ll always be offering options to our clients to choose something more bespoke to their needs.