PREPARING FOR YOUR HAUS BOUDOIR SESSION
Booked your first boudoir session or looking into booking one? Here is a list of tips for how to prepare for your boudoir photoshoot with HAUS!
Pamper Your Skin & Face!
Hydrate! Make sure you are drinking lots of water before your shoot. Hydrated skin is glowing & beautiful skin.
Wash your face and lotion up before you come to the studio. If your session comes with hair & makeup, you will need to show up make-up free.
Make sure to trim and/or wax your brows. This should go without saying but we’ve been surprised before – if you’ve got close to a uni-brow, get your brows done before you arrive! There’s nothing tackier than a close-up photo with overgrown brows & it’s just not something we can Photoshop.
Get Your Body Ready!
Don’t be that girl who feels she has to starve herself to look good in her photos – embrace yourself as you are, curves & all. Eat before your session as there won’t be time to take a break to eat snacks & we need to keep your energy level up.
Wear loose clothes to the studio to avoid having panties, bras, & socks leaving strange lines on your skin.
Make sure you shave your legs, armpits, & intimate area prior to your session. Or if you wax, make sure you schedule your appointment a few days before your shoot.
If you have tan lines, make sure to visit a tanning bed before your shoot to get your skin color evened out as we do NOT Photoshop tan lines without an additional fee of $50 PER IMAGE due to the extensive amount of time it takes to remove them.
To get your body ready for all the weird & unusual ways it’s about to move, do some stretches the for the entire week leading up your session to lessen the amount of pain you will be in afterwards. Here’s a video of recommended stretches:
Don’t worry though; an advantage of working with me is that I’ve been photographed by other boudoir photographers 10+ times. Many boudoir photographers have NOT done a boudoir shoot & let me tell you from first-hand experience; if your boudoir photographer hasn’t done a boudoir shoot, you’re gonna be experiencing a world of back pain for a week or more. Luckily, you don’t have to go through that with me because I know exactly which poses are painful & won’t put you in them for long. My clients rarely complain of experiencing any pain at all & if it do, they mention it only lasted 2-24 hours.
If you want the ultimate pampering experience, schedule a massage for the day after your session to work out any sore muscles that were created during your session.
Show Your Hands & Feet Some Attention!
Your hands and feet will be seen in most of the photos so you’ll want to have them looking as gorgeous as you are.
Think about your polish shade and what you want to be in the photos. Whether you go with a color or a French mani, make sure you love the shade. We recommend colors like nude, pink, red, black or maroon & avoiding neon colors. Neons ruin photos as they stand out too much & take away the attention from beautiful you. Pro tip: Use the same color on your hands & feet.
Check the bottom of your feet – are they free of calluses? If not, invest in a pedicure because your feet will show in the photos.
Let’s Talk Hair…
If you get your hair highlighted or dyed, make sure to book an appointment for a touch-up before your boudoir session as we cannot Photoshop hair color.
Make sure you love your hair color! If you’re thinking about changing your color, make sure you pick one that you’ll love to look back on.
If your package includes hair & makeup (not all do), allot 1.5 hours for hair & makeup to be completed. Our artist only does basic styles to touch up your pre-existing look to make it photoshoot worthy. If your hair takes too long to complete, this will cut into your photo shoot time. Even if we can push your shoot time back, eventually the sun will run out & there is nothing we can do if the sun runs out. So, arrive with clean, dry hair generally styled in the way you’d like it to be in photos. For example, if you have naturally curly hair & want it straightened, you should arrive with it already straightened. Try to avoid applying a lot of products in your hair as it may look greasy in the photos. Leave the guesswork to the stylist who will know exactly how much to add to have your hair looking shiny but not greasy.
Make sure you love your hairstyle. It doesn’t matter if your hair is down to your ankles or you are bald, it is all about confidence, girl! If you love your hair, then that will show in pictures, but if you don’t then that will also show. If you’re not in love with your current haircut, get it fixed prior to your session or bring a wig.
Prep Your Lingerie!
Okay so the key to a fun and sensual boudoir shoot is LINGERIE!
After you book, we’ll email you our Lingerie Guide which includes advice on how to choose the best lingerie for your body type as well as info on where we recommend purchasing it from.
Even if your package includes the option of borrowing lingerie from our closet, you will need to bring items of your own just incase what we have doesn’t fit or interest you. You can leave the tags on incase you end up using items from our closet so that you can return your items.
Whatever items you end up choosing to wear for your session, be sure to use the scissors in the studio to remove the tags as we don’t want them to show up in the photos.
Get Ready to Have Fun!
This is going to be fun! Don’t worry, you don’t need to know how to model. I will pose you down to your fingertips and give you feedback the whole way including showing the photos I’ve taken of you throughout the whole shoot, so you’ll know just how beautiful you’re looking.
If however, you’re the kind of gal that likes “homework,” one way to get super ready for your shoot is to do what I used to do when I was preparing for shoots as a model back in the day: 1) Check out our Pinterest board & study the faces of the models in those shoots, 2) Find a couple photos that really speak to you, 3) Practice the expressions in these photos in your bathroom mirror. Remember that modeling is something that takes practice just like anything else & that models have YEARS of practice. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t look like a model. The goal is to have FUN while doing this exercise. There’s really nothing to worry about though because I have a background in modeling & will coach you on exactly how to pose.
So don’t stress! Now that you know how to prepare for your boudoir shoot you can relax and get ready to have an amazing experience. Contact us if you haven’t already booked an appointment. We will see you soon!
For more examples of our Signature Style, check out our Pinterest Board.
Make-Up Guide: 3 MAKEUP STYLES TO ROCK YOUR BOUDOIR PHOTOS!
No two women are the same, so why should their makeup be? Don’t let mountains of makeup options stop you from having the time of your life at your boudoir shoot. Whether you’re foxy glam, natural vixen, or looking for that pinup style, a boudoir photo shoot is the perfect time to rock what makes you spectacularly you. And the best part is that you aren’t alone! Our in-house makeup artist will help you create whichever fun and flirty style you decide.
Make-Up Guide: How to Do Your Makeup for Boudoir Photos
No two women are the same, so why should their makeup be? VIEW HERE
Upgrade To Glam
Bring on the contour! This look is all about awakening your inner vixen. For glam, think: lining, smudging and accentuating to bring out that smokey eye. Your lips are another great asset, so we’ll be lining and shining those beauties, as well. Lashes are a must for this look, but don’t be intimidated by the idea of wearing false ones. A little lash-inspiration is easy to come by with the help of our makeup artist.
Remember, you’ll want to choose one main focal point for your glam boudoir look, whether it’s eyes or lips. A good rule-of-thumb is to pair dark eyes with a nude or lighter lip, and a bright lip with a lighter or more neutral eye. Don’t worry our expert makeup artists have it totally under control!
Natural Beauty
If you’re more a natural beauty type of girl, you can still rep your style while wearing some great makeup. You’ll start off by moisturizing (the secret to all around great makeup sessions), and then use a concealer to lighten up under your eyes.
For a natural glow you can add a light powder foundation and a little cheek color, if you’re feeling it. And for your eyes? Think a muted shadow over your eyelid, with a touch of mascara, or a more natural style of false eyelashes. Think about trying a matte natural or nude color tone for your lip!
Pin It Up, Girl
For the retro girl who has everything, a boudoir shoot is the perfect platform to show off her style. If you’re looking for more of a vintage vibe keep things classy with your makeup while emphasizing some glamorous points. The key to pinup boudoir style is not to overdo it!
For brows, which are the foundation of the pinup look, your stylist will keep them well shaped, and filled with a brow pencil just a shade or two darker than your natural haircolor. Your eyelids will stay neutral, emphasized with either a beige or taupe color variation. Ready to get that perfect cat-eye? None of us truly are, but with the help of our makeup artist you can keep the retro vibe alive. Top it off with a red lip, and you’re ready to roll!
ABOUT THE HAUS OF GREY
Creative. Clean. Different. We are a group of creatives in Atlanta, Ga. with a passion for storytelling. Founded in 2016, our studio has been serving women, especially women of color, at the highest capacity of creativity. The Haus of Grey experience is unrivaled. We’d love to treat you to a tea an panini in the Marietta, Georgia area and walk you through our albums, canvases and other print photography products. We can also provide more information on our Wedding Videography and introduce you to our team