How Do I best prepare for my shoot?
As you can imagine we get asked this a lot. Our first piece of advice is this is meant to be and is going to be a fun experience that is all about spoiling you! So, don’t stress or over think your preparation, just have fun and look forward to looking GORGEOUS. It’s our job to help you get the most from your shoot and so we have put together the following tips.
We always start by telling our clients to take care of themselves before their shoots. Pamper yourself as the lead up to your shoot is all part of the fun.
Drink lots of water, properly hydrated skin always looks best
Exfoliate and moisturise. Spend extra time taking care of your skin, it's going to be your main outfit!
If you're shaving or waxing and say your shoot is on Wednesday then do it on Monday night or if possible Tuesday morning . We can handle a bit of stubble much more easily in post processing than razor burn!
Please if at all possible, refrain from spray tanning! Your natural skin will photograph best! We've had so many clients have problems with their spray tanner, resulting in weird colour patches and drips. The spray tanner also settles in every fine line of your skin, making you look much older. We really recommend that you don’t risk UV tanning or chemicals, we love you just as you are, and it is always a better picture.
As we have said use this session as an excuse to pamper yourself! Whether that means taking the time to do a pedicure and manicure on yourself, or booking an appointment for someone else to, it's always a good idea. With nail polish we find it works best visually to have the polish on your nails and toes the same. If your polish is chipped, you are best to removing it before your shoot.
Please eat something light before you shoot. Don't do anything drastic like a cleanse or fasting. Posing for our boudoir sessions is kind of similar to a yoga session. You'll be holding muscles you normally don't, and often be inverted laying down. We don't want anyone to feel faint or lightheaded. The small amount of body change you feel from cleansing or fasting will not be visible in the final photos. We photograph everyone so their body looks gorgeous. Even if you think you're a bit bloated after you eat, we promise you will never be able to tell in your photos.
If you are shooting lingerie, spend a little time choosing what works best for you. Maybe even treat yourself to a new set. Most of all choose something that you feel GORGEOUS in.
DO have matching sets! Even if you have beautiful and expensive pieces, please make sure you have at least one matching set.
Keep your lingerie wrinkle-free by bringing every outfit on its own hanger or packed flat in a small suitcase.
·DO feel free to over pack. We'll go through all the options you bring at the beginning of your shoot. We will select pieces based on what we know will photograph best. It's always better to have more to choose from!
DON'T buy hold up stockings that are "stay-up" and have a silicon or plastic on the inside. No matter how slim you are, the stay-up stockings that use plastic to grip your skin will instantly give you "sausage-leg". Buy the higher end thigh highs made to be worn with a garter belt
DO think texture! We recommend sticking with more solid colours over prints. Our favourite colours are black and jewel tones. We love any texture as it adds interest to your photographs. Lace, beading, glitter, straps, chains, etc. are great.
DO bring VERY high heels. We love a good pair of flats in our day to day life. Boudoir though is a fantasy and it's true the higher the heel the better your bum looks. Borrow some if you don’t have any, it's always well worth it and remember they are for posing, you don’t need to walk in them, so go as high as you can stand in. We love black and nude, with a stiletto heel. Unless you love the shoe, we don't recommend ankle straps. Visually they shorten your legs.
DO bring larger scale accessories. Small and delicate jewellery won't photograph well. It's also hard to edit around. When choosing jewellery, think statement pieces! We love earrings over 10mm in size. The more your jewellery catches the light, the better it will be to photograph.
DO consider normal clothing if you’re nervous about being too revealing, such as off the shoulder tops, cardigans, tanktops, sheer tops, loose knit jumpers a fitted button-up shirt, or a high slit skirt or dress. All of these items can be paired with great underwear to make a very sexy (but less skimpy) outfit.
DO you. It is not all about being naked, if you have a unique style fully clothed, we would love to capture it. Fabulous vintage, carnival queen, leather clad beauty, drag queen, whatever style makes you shine will give a great image.
DO remember that sometimes no outfit can be the best outfit. Some of our favourite images were photos taken when our client wasn’t wearing anything clothing-related, and simply covered up with a white sheet, towel, pillow, or a prop (we have lots of props we can help with at the studio).
When you arrive the first thing that we will do, over a cup of tea or coffee, is go over the model release form, which we will have sent you an electronic copy of the day before. The Model release form is the contract between us and adheres to the format designed by The Royal Photographic Society, of which we are a member.
We will then show you around the spaces you will be shooting in and provide a private room and bathroom for you to use during the day for any changes or to touch up your hair and makeup.