If the thought of taking off your clothes, showing some skin and lace, and then posing for hundreds of pictures makes you question your personal limitations, you’re not alone.
Just ask Chelsea, a now bride-to-be who decided to do a boudoir photography session as an anniversary gift for her then boyfriend, now fiancé.
“Oh, you’re nervous,” said the 28-year-old from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. But “when you first begin talking to (Jeff) you feel like you are his friend and that makes the atmosphere of the whole photo shoot calm and relaxing.”
Today, boudoir photography is about creating intimate, yet tasteful, photographs. And while bridal boudoir allows a bride-to-be to give her fiancé something different, something a little more sexy and fun than your typical wedding day gift, boudoir photography is becoming more than just a new nuptial trend.
More and more women are treating themselves to the once-in-a-lifetime experience of a photo shoot that’s all about them.
“Boudoir photographs allow you to be you. It allows an individual to express their sensuality, sexuality, her beauty and most importantly their individuality,” said Jeff Cooke, photographer and owner of Jeff Cooke Photography in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. “The shoot can be whatever you want it to be: fun and flirty, sexy or even conservative if that’s your style.”
Most often taken with clients in lingerie or partially nude, boudoir photography became popular in the early 20th Century with the introduction of commercial printing methods. It played a major role with the pinup craze of the 1940s and 1950s, and since then, photographers have adapted their own style to the photographic art form.
Omaha, Neb.-based professional photographer Lane Hickenbottom wanted to set himself apart from other area photographers.
While he has been photographing weddings and families professionally since 1997, Hickenbottom started offering boudoir sessions to his clients two years ago through his company Lane Intimates.
“I noticed more and more individuals offering professional photographer services and I wanted something that would help set me apart from all the others,” Hickenbottom said. “Boudoir photography may be too edgy for some, but I believe it is something that is sexy, fun, and elegant.”
He added: “I want them to look back on their photographs and smile, knowing that they have something unique that is all about them.”
The term “boudoir” itself is derived from the French word “bouder,” which actually means “to pout.” According to Webster’s Dictionary, the word is defined as “a woman’s bedroom or private sitting room.” History has always regarded the bedroom as a private space and as a dressing room. And most modern boudoir is photographed in the bedroom, or an intimate setting – or not.
Hickenbottom prefers working in his studio. Cooke, on the other hand, is willing to travel. He has taken his sessions outdoors to an old wood mill on a family farm and even the hallway of a prominent Washington, D.C., hotel.
“I wouldn’t say I push the limits with my clients, but if they are open for something unique and adventurous, and it’s in-part who they are … then, why not go for it?” Cooke said.
While bridal boudoir remains popular, both Cooke and Hickenbottom agree that more women are requesting boudoir sessions for themselves. Cooke says he is seeing more couple clients. Hickenbottom, who lives near a military base, receives requests to help create a unique gift from the wives and girlfriends of service members overseas.
The photos from a session can also "help spice up a relationship,” Hickenbottom said.
No matter what the occasion may be, Cooke says boudoir photography has little to do with what clothes someone is – or in this case is not – wearing, but more about someone’s attitude and personal image.
“The view of women and sex has become warped through the media and I think boudoir photography is a great way for women to see themselves differently or for exactly who they are,” Cooke said. “It’s a chance to feel like a supermodel for the day.”
He added: “I think it's a good way for women to collaborate and reclaim what's healthy and good about their sexuality, rather than trying to plug into stereotypes and images that might make us feel uncomfortable or inauthentic.”
Every client is different, including comfort levels, and privacy during the photo shoot and after is at the client’s discretion.
To help his clients prepare for their different stages of dress, Cooke’s photography assistant, Jennifer Nauss, helps with any preparation and last-minute details.
“I'll joke around a bit, and help with posing the client,” Nauss said. “I think it's great having both Jeff and I demonstrate poses as well ... we see things differently.”
And as for that ease and comfort of the client?
“I think the girls appreciate another female in the room who can help if they're nervous,” Nauss said.
Hickenbottom, who’s a happily married father of two, said: “I would say that it’s a lot more common for them to tell me, ‘No Lane, it’s OK. There’s no reason for you to be nervous.’”
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