My boudoir shoot | Be My Valentine

A few pointers to help you prepare for your shoot – what to expect – and what to bring.

Boudoir photography captures an intimate reflection of feminine beauty or a celebration of love. It can be bold, romantic, tender, understated, vivid. But it is always a wonderful experience to have. Our clients feedback are often an elated expression of joy, saying that it was a lot of fun including those that were hesitant at first.

If you choose to do a boudoir session, you don’t need to spend months dieting or working out, nor do you need to spend lots of money on a selection of lingerie that you’ll rarely wear again.

Before your shoot

Take care of any waxing/shaving in the sensitive areas (such as bikini line) at least the 2-3 days before to avoid irritation and redness.
Make sure you drink plenty of water 24 hours before. This is important to avoid dehydration and looking tired.
Eat healthy and avoid foods that may make you bloated.
Do NOT drink alcohol the night before, it will make you puffy the following day and it also affects your eyes, making you look tired.
Try not to eat anything that may stain your teeth.
Check your nails, feet and hands. These show up prominently in close up photos. If required spoil yourself and book a session at the salon for a manicure and pedicure, you will be glad once you see those well manicured hands!
Get a good night's sleep!
Look at some poses from a magazine, Victoria Secret catalogue or even our portfolio. Practice, practice, practice….yes, in front of the mirror 😉 Bring your favorite pages or images with you to show us what you like the most.
Wear loose fitting clothing before the shoot to prevent marks on the skin, go without any tight fitting underwear as the marks can stay for quite a while.

Fabulous Hair

Have your hair washed, blow dried and neat. Wax the bikini line, and pluck your eyebrows. Don’t go too wild on the hairspray. Natural clean hair with a little oomph is awesome! Great hair is just as important as fabulous make up, so if you think you need a little help with your hair, get it done and if a bit of colour is required to deal with some problem areas treat yourself!

Wardrobe

Check to make sure you look great all around in the outfits you choose. You want to accentuate your favorite features and minimize any “problem” areas. Make sure you try on your outfits in full before you get to the shoot and you’re happy with it. Only bring items that are clean and look (at least) nearly new. A tired bra, shirt or undies are going to look tired in the picture. Labels are distracting....remove these before the shoot and that also refers to the washing instructions...

Make-up
Make-up is essential – Take the 45 minutes to an hour to have your make-up done by one of our professional make-up artists. They are experienced in creating the necessary look that will work for the camera. It is worth the effort, time and money!

Style

Be My Valentine photo shoots are done in a certain style. If this distinct style appeals to you this is the shoot of a life time just for you. Often not understood, photographing in a specific fine art genre, means I have a specific style. It is important for both client and photographer to be on the same page, and have the same goals, or you will end up with images that you didn’t want. Choosing me based on my style, you are not walking into my shoots “blind”, and although your images will be different to every one else’s, you will understand and have a feel for what you may expect before you book your shoot. This also helps you prepare emotionally and plan what to bring to the studio.

Props

You are welcome to bring any props you want to use at the shoot. A string of pearls, large men’s shirt, of course all your sexy underwear, several push up bras. Your partner might fancy you in a specific outfit, underwear or jewellery – bring those along. Old underwear looks old. New underwear is sexy and doesn’t distract from what is important.

Duration

A shoot can take anything from an hour to 3 hours, depending on your chosen package. Add 45 minutes to an hour for your make up session with my Make-up artist.

Editing

All the selected images are edited – colour corrected, blemishes removed and airbrushed if needed. No unedited images will be handed over to you. My style of shooting is aimed at bringing the best out in my clients, to hide what I should, and accentuate the beauty..

Confidentiality

We value your business and respect your confidentiality. Your privacy is very important and will be respected. Only if you provide permission will your photos be incorporated into our portfolio.

Images

Selected images will be completed within 3 to 4 weeks after your shoot if they need to be printed. If the delivery is digital it will be within 5 to 10 days. Additional photos can be edited and printed at a cost to be agreed upon at the selection. Images that were not selected are deleted and an archive is kept for 12 months after which those photos are also deleted. No raw (digital negatives) or unedited images are given to clients.

Fun

What is absolutely key is to remember to have fun and to enjoy the experience!

We believe in the innate beauty of all women