How to calm your nerves before doing a boudoir shoot

Do you feel like a boudoir session could be exactly what you need to do for yourself but a fear is standing in the way? That's totally normal and even… expected. Before you talk yourself out of a wonderful experience, let's go over the main blocks you may encounter when you think about a boudoir photoshoot.

Ditch the fear of being ridiculous

This one is probably the most dominant one. Isn't boudoir reserved only for perfect-looking people, based on all of the photos we see around?

Absolutely not. If anything, it is quite the opposite. The boudoir field has changed drastically in the past decade. It has become a wonderful artistic and therapeutic tool to reconnect with yourself and your body, instead of exclusively showcasing lingerie models. All bodies are now in their deserving spotlight, no matter the type, shape and age!

We can't even give you a more dominant audience in our field, as we work with people between their early thirties and early 60s, all with different backgrounds and stories.

Now, you may be wondering: “okay, that's great, but you still need to be a minimum photogenic and know what to do with yourself”

Here is the secret: everyone is photogenic, but not everyone has received the right guidance to be so. And guess what? It's not your job to figure this out on your own.

A professional photographer should be able to guide you to pose so you don't have to think about and can just learn useful tips. They will know the right angles, the flattering poses and everything you need to get photos that look like you but make you feel like a million bucks!

Take the time to prep to ease your nerves

We underestimate how fun prepping for the session is, but also how helpful it is to feel more confident stepping into your session.

Gathering clothing options you feel your best in, trying new pieces, thinking of fun props, looking for inspiration for hair, makeup, poses, vibes… All of these are key to feel more at peace before you even step in front of the camera.

You can even prep a two-hour playlist to bring during your shoot with us. We have a speaker, and listening to the songs you love while posing will help to bring out your sensuality, badassness, and confidence :)

Ask all the questions you need

Boudoir photography is not your area of expertise, so of course you can ask every question in the book! There are no silly questions, so if you are unsure of anything or need clarification, whether it is about the actual booking process or advice on an outfit, just reach out and ask. Any professional is happy to offer guidance on what they do best!

Kick-in-the-butt punchline: You will never regret doing your photoshoot, but you will definitely regret NOT doing it.

One of the main feedback we receive from our clients after their session is: “I wish I had done this sooner".

Like anything you wish to do for your well-being, you will definitely feel the weight of regret if you initiate the first step (aka gathering the courage to inquire for a session and tell your story) but don't follow through. Don't let this haunt you!

There you have it, your go-to guide for calming those pre-boudoir shoot nerves. Remember, it's all about having fun and celebrating you. Instead of focusing on perceived flaws or imperfections, shift your mindset to appreciate and love your body as it is. Trust that your photographer is there to capture your beauty in its purest form and that vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness.

Get ready to embark on a beautiful and powerful journey, it would be a shame to miss out on it!

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You should have a picture of yourself naked

Since the beginning of time, there has been this curiosity around illustrating the naked body. Painting, photography, sculpture (any kind of art, truly)!. And it is because bodies are beautifully fascinating. Yes, even yours! And it is definitely worth capturing it, one way or another.

Hold on though, we are not talking about slamming it on a billboard for everyone to see, we are talking about the act of posing naked, the power behind it and the wonderful memento you get to have out of it.

So why should you want a badass naked photo of yourself?

Because you never get the chance to see your full body, nude, from a distance, and even from the back. 

That's a pretty simple answer, but, oh, so true. You can only see your body from your point of view and the odd (and not always flattering!!) photo taken by someone else. You also rarely see your full body and you definitely don't see the back of it much. 

Having a well-done photo of your naked self taken gives you the chance to see your body with an entire different perspective. It brings objectivity to the table, which is a powerful tool in itself to take down body insecurities and work on potential body-dysmorphia. It helps you realize that, no, your vision is definitely different from what you thought and might even be inaccurate. 

Because you are turning vulnerability into power. 

Being fully naked, without anything to hide you is one of the most vulnerable states you could be in. This is the real you. When you decide to step into this, you are becoming one with your vulnerability and are turning it into power.

You are taking on the challenge and showing up for yourself, and that my friend, is the ultimate confidence token you could give yourself. 

Because you are going against the grain

Posing naked can truly satisfy your inner rebel. It is still to this day considered "frowned upon", "not proper", or even "shameful". When you decide to do it anyway, this feeling of showing your middle finger to all of those judgments is so empowering and liberating. And this has an impact on everything you touch afterwards: you won't let shit stand in your way as easily, scout's honour!

Because it's a way to own your body and honour it.

If you have spent a good chunk of your life deprecating your body, the best treatment would be to get a naked image of yourself taken. This is a way to bring back objectivity and detachment in how you see yourself. To bring clarity to a cloudy vision. 

If your body has changed a lot over the years, whether it was planned or not, this experience is the perfect opportunity to reclaim your self-image and get acquainted with this "new"  body of yours. 

And because Moira Rose says it best…

Take a thousand naked pictures of yourself now.

There you have it. If the idea of owning a photo of yourself naked has been tickling you for a while, give yourself this chance. Don't chalk it off to a "superficial" experience, it isn't. Its effects will linger, provoke some necessary changes within you and give you the push you were looking for to achieve what you want.

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Did you talk yourself out of it?

Last year, we had a meeting with a new Scandal (if you are new here, “Scandal” is the name we give to our clients and people in our community 🤗) and she inspired us to write today’s blog.

She reached out in January for some information about our boudoir shoots because she wanted to celebrate herself with an outdoor session. We loved her idea so much that we decided to followed up when she stopped corresponding with us. She was so happy we didn’t give up because it was the extra push she needed to do her shoot as she had talked herself out of doing it.

Sharing this information with us was very courageous, not everyone can do it, and it gave us the opportunity to write about this topic as it is a quite common situation.

What does it mean to talk ourselves out of something?

Talking ourselves out of something refers to the act of persuading oneself not to pursue a certain course of action, decision, or opportunity. This internal dialogue often involves rationalizing reasons why it may not be the right time, not be achievable, not be worth the effort nor the money.

It can come from different reasons such as fear of failure, self-doubts, external pressure, or simply a lack of confidence.

Sounds too familiar? Of course it does! We can all relate to that choice of listening to fear and giving up instead of going after something we want. It is a defence mechanism that we all do at some point in our life!

Is it a toxic trait?

Of course not! It is a way of protecting yourself from potential arm, either it is physical or mental.

But it is holding you back from experiencing Life! By engaging in these self-talks, living a too comfortable life, and not taking any risk, you are missing out on exploring new possibilities and adventures. Which makes personal growth very difficult to achieve, and you might end up having regrets about all the things you didn’t do.

Remember that no one can live your life but you!

Boudoir photography put people outside their comfort zone

We see it with some of our clients who want so badly to do a boudoir shoot to feel empowered, to regain confidence, or reclaim their image that has been destroyed in the past. But they feel so nervous, or afraid, about showing their uncovered body that they keep pushing the experience back, or they decide to not do it anymore. And that makes us sad for them because we know that a boudoir shoot would help them to get to that level of self-love they deserve.

Don’t get us wrong, anyone has the right to change their mind about anything. But when we meet someone who has this craving about trying boudoir photography, it is part of our job to reassure them and motivate them to move away from that internal fear and just go for it.

You might think that we are being bias because we are boudoir photographers, but it is more than that. We are strong believers that boudoir photography is a therapeutic tool, that can help anyone with body and confidence issues. We have experienced its transformative effect ourselves, and witnessed it through all the clients we had those past 7 years.

So if you want to give it a try, you have our support, do it! Even better, do a shoot with us 🥰.

How to shut down these annoying little voices?

Recognizing when you are talking yourself out of something is primordial to challenge these self-imposed limitations, embrace new possibilities, and finally do all the things that scare you.

1. RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS

The first step is learning to differentiate talking yourself out of something you really want to accomplish from changing your mind about something you don’t want to do anymore. You might be thinking: “aren’t those the same? You end up not doing it anyway!”. Sure, they sound similar, but those two points are very different and create different results.

The first one is based on fear. You give up or keep pushing it back not because you don’t want to do it anymore but because you are afraid of something (maybe you think you will be judged by others, or that it will change your life in a way that you don’t feel ready for… there is always fear behind those little voices that tell you not to do something). As mentioned before, not going after what your soul craves will create regrets because it was meaningful to you.

It is something you feel deep in your bones, and it usually keeps coming back even though you tell yourself otherwise.

The second one is only a change of mind. Yes, it would have been fun to do it, but since it is not something that you need in order to feel fulfill and grow, not doing it isn’t going to change anything in your life.

They usually manifest as ideas or thoughts like: “maybe I could do this” or “it would be fun to try that!”. But they don’t last long, and you just forget about them.

Once you have recognized if it is something you want to keep pursuing, it is time to do a little bit more work on yourself.

2. LET’S STOP MAKING EXCUSES

The second step is to pay attention to this universal behaviour we all have: finding excuses! Either we do it to cancel plans, to not do the work we are supposed to do, to not show up somewhere, or to not go after something we wish for, having excuses is so common that we do it without even realizing we are.

And yes, some are very valid excuses, but most of the time we just don’t want to push ourselves too much because we are very comfortable in the moment.

There are many excuses out there, but we want to talk about the 3 most common ones (otherwise this blog will become a novel 😅). Also, we are using boudoir photography to make our points clearer, obviously they apply to anything in life:

• Lack of skill & confidence: this has to be first on our list because it is something 90% of our clients feel nervous about when they want to book their boudoir shoot. It is either because they never posed in their life and feel like they will be ridiculous. Or they don’t like their body and think they will look ridiculous. But most of the time, it is a mix of both: they are afraid of being ridiculous because they believe they are not good enough to try boudoir photography.

  The truth: yes, you are photogenic! Yes, you are beautiful! And yes, you deserve photographs of yourself to show you how badass you are.
  

• Money: Raise your hand if you have money blocks that stop you from moving forward in life 👋.

  Little disclaimer: we are referring to people who have the savings for this type of experiences, or treat themselves with more high-end services or products. We are aware that not everyone can afford a boudoir shoot.

  But for those who can, money is a common excuse people use when it comes to a boudoir session. They have the money set aside specifically for their shoot, yet they overthink the experience and limit themselves on the number of pictures they would buy even though they haven’t done their photoshoot yet. When you dig deeper, you realize money isn’t the issue. The main problem is that they deeply believe they don’t deserve to treat themselves with such a transformative experience, nor invest the money on themselves.

  The truth: treat yourself like royalty, you freaking deserve it! Also, if it is hard for you to imagine spending money of a boudoir experience, remember that you don’t have to pay everything at once, and we offer payment plans.
  

• Time: “I can’t, I am too busy!”. That is true, we all have stuff to do. But time is all we have on this planet, and you can make time for the things that are important to you. So it isn’t a question of time, it is about choices and moving your schedule around. We see it often with women, especially moms. They dream of doing a shoot, but they keep pushing that thought back because of not having the time. What we hear (based on testimonials we gathered from all those years working with women who have kids) is that they don’t dare to take the me-time they deserve because they have a family to take care of. They feel like they don’t deserve to put themselves first by fear of being selfish.

  The truth: you have the right, like anyone else, to pause your busy life for a few hours and focus on you for once!
  

When you think about it, it is ridiculous to stop ourselves from going after the things we want in life because of self-limitations. If we were cartoon characters, it would be the same as dropping a rock in front of ourselves and not moving because of this obstacle we just made (even though we could just circumvent it, or jump over it, to keep moving forward)!

Once you understand what is the real reason behind the excuse you use, you can put back things into perspective and reassure yourself to go for it. Give yourself a good pep talk, you should be ready for the next step!

3. DON’T OVERTHINK IT

The final step is pretty straightforward: just DO IT without thinking too much about it. Overthinking is a buzz killer, trust me I am guilty of that! And such is over-planning, by the way. Wanting to feel prepared and ready is very important of course, but it can become a form of procrastination when you focus too much on it instead of doing the work.

You want to do a boudoir shoot but your inner negative voices are bullying you? Then you now know what to do: stop overthinking and book your session. You will have plenty of time to get yourself ready before your shoot, but at least you took that first step!

4. EXTRA TIP: LOOK FOR ACCOUNTABILITY

The chances to accomplish things are much higher when you tell other people about what you’re trying to do. Even just sharing your ideas, or dreams, out loud to someone can help to give you the push you need to get started on it.

Go with someone supportive and open-minded, a loved one who will lift you up! Don’t share it with someone who might crush your idea. If you are already doubting yourself, the last thing you need is another person doubting you!

So, are we seeing you soon in front of our lenses?

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Boudoir isn’t for me… I am not photogenic!

“I want to do a boudoir shoot, but I am not photogenic. Actually, I hate having my pictures taken!”

We hear this sentence so often when we meet our clients for the first time (maybe you are one of those many people who really dislike being in front of a camera, comment if it is your case!). Honestly, we cannot blame you. Just like you, both Juliette and I felt awkward being photographed until we started studying photography and started posing as models back in 2009. But then, we discover the truth… drum rolls… everyone is photogenic!

Yes, even you 🤗

Why do a lot of people dislike having their photos taken?

• LACK OF BODY LOVE

Many people don’t like their body and feel uncomfortable in their skin, and there is nothing surprising here! For centuries, we have been conditioned to believe being beautiful means looking young, and being thin while having specific attributes 😤.

Because of this, many people feel repelled by their own image, since their body doesn’t look like what they have seen in the media. And instead of realizing those beauty standards are just wrong, they believe that the problem comes from them and the way they look. It is hard to feel comfortable having your pictures taken when you see your body as your enemy.

• ASSUMPTION

In people’s mind, posing means looking unnatural. Simply because when someone is photographing you, there is this assumption that you have to have a big smile on your face, look happy, and have a rigid posture. And for most people this assumption is a big obstacle, like being told once again to pretend.

Of course, it is always nice to look approachable and confident in photography (especially for traditional headshots), but there are so many different ways of showing this aspect of yourself that don’t have to feel forced.

When you do a boudoir shoot, smiling on your photos is not the goal of your session anyway. It depends on the vibe you want to have and it something that comes naturally during the shoot.

• PAST DISAPPOINTMENT

Something that is quite common, is feeling unphotogenic because of having bad photos of yourself taken in the past. Either they were taken by professional photographers, amateurs, loved ones, or badly done for whatever other reasons, we all have photos of ourselves we hate.

Disappointments happen and that can really tarnish an experience, which makes it hard to trust a photographer again.

• CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE

Either it is for school or family photos, children are often forced to have their pictures taken. Most of us remember that awful feeling of being a kid and having to stay still while being told repeatedly to smile, so our family could have nice pictures. Let’s face it, when we are young we don’t care about photography, we would rather go play. So when we are being forced to do it (or guilted into doing it), it creates a negative experience which can be traumatic for some people!

• RELIGIOUS BELIEFS & SUPERSTITIONS

Last but not least, many cultures around the globe believe that a camera can steal a person’s soul when you photograph them. It is said that our reflections are an outward projection of our souls staring back at us, so since a photograph can lock a fleeting instant in time, people believe it can also encapsulate the subject’s spirit within the camera itself.

It actually happened to me once, Fanny, when I was shooting at a wedding. I was about to take a photo of a guest and that person asked me not to because she didn’t want me to take her soul away.

Even if intimidating, boudoir photography is your best ally.

Many people are intrigued by the world of boudoir, or they want so badly to do a shoot, but the idea of being half naked in front of a stranger is too nerve-wracking for them to take that next step! And we understand the struggle!

Maybe you are someone who is not confident with their body and who doesn’t like being in front of the camera, so having your photos taken that reveal more skin than with a regular photo shoot makes you think that your boudoir experience will be a disaster. Maybe you have all of those little voices in your head that are telling you that you will feel awkward because you don’t know how to pose, that you will hate seeing your body in the nude, and that you will find yourself ugly.

Those combined doubts you have about your body, and photography in general, are based on your past experiences, external judgments, and fears. All that negativity has impacted the way you see yourself, making you feel like you can’t have beautiful pictures of yourself because you are not good enough. Boudoir photography is the best tool to help you see your body in a new light and regain that forgotten confidence!

When you do a boudoir shoot, you do it for you! It gives you the opportunity to wear outfits that make you feel like your most sensual-and-confident-self, and it allows you to “play” with your different personalities because it is your time to shine and no one is here to drag you down. You leave the session feeling unstoppable because you just did something that was maybe a bit scary, but you did it anyway and end up with badass photographs of yourself you will keep forever!

Is everybody really photogenic?

Absolutely! Being photogenic does not mean smiling awkwardly in front of a lens. It is about being yourself and seeing the camera as a friend who will show you how magnificent you look 💛.

So get that though out of your head and book that boudoir shoot you deserve!

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Hiding VS Showing your "flaws" during a photoshoot

Scars, stretch marks, loose skin… we all have parts of our bodies that make us feel insecure. In our everyday life, we are surrounded by tips on how to hide them. In the media, whatever is not considered good enough to match the current beauty standards has a solid chance of getting photoshopped. Long story short, we are constantly told that if a part of our body isn't “right”, we have to change it.

But how does it work in the boudoir world, when you have less clothes on? Do you face your fears or do you work ever harder to hide the body parts that bother you?

The ultimate reason for a boudoir photoshoot: gaining confidence.

After years in the industry, we can say with certainty that there are way more people wanting to do a boudoir photoshoot for themselves, to learn to feel comfortable in their own skin than people who want to do it solely for a partner. After all, posing with minimum coverage or even nude is a challenge, that comes with high rewards, but a challenge nonetheless. So, theoretically, to get the most of your boudoir session, you should approach it with the goal of letting go of your insecurities and just embrace them. Except it is not easy for everyone, and it shouldn't be forced.

Can you do a boudoir session without showing anything that makes you insecure?

Yes, and it doesn't mean you are "doing boudoir wrong". For many of us, the act of signing up for more revealing photos is already a huge step towards increasing your self-confidence. You don't need to add pressure on yourself to go all out and show it all if you don't feel like it. After all, some people can learn how to swim by getting thrown in the ocean, others need to dip their toes in first before exploring, and that's very much okay. You will still get wonderful photographs and a great experience.

If you feel like this would be you, definitely focus on finding outfits that make you feel your best while hiding whatever you want to hide. For example, the majority of women that come to us tend to be insecure about their stomachs. In this case, we suggest getting high waisted panties, bodysuits or other kind of cover-ups like open blouses or cute loose t-shirts. Focus then on the parts of yourself you do like and want to showcase.

Something to also consider: the biggest part that makes the right photoshoot is the photographer. The right photographer will teach you poses and shoot in a certain way to take away the focus from your insecurities and accentuate the parts of yourself you do like.

For some, showing your body insecurities is a great way to overcome them.

If you are feeling the itch of finally making peace with your body, going all out and showing what scares you the most could be extremely beneficial.

A professional boudoir shoot gives you the chance to see your body in a new light. We rarely get to see our whole body from another perspective. We see it more often than not in unflattering light, and tend to pay attention to it only when we are not feeling our best.

Being posed beautifully, with the right ambiance and the right lighting goes a long way in body-acceptance. Based on our experience when our clients see their photos, chances are you won't even notice the "flaws” that bothered you before signing up because you will be so in awe by the whole you. You will see that whatever caused you so much worry is actually not bad at all, quite the opposite! It is the ultimate way to give yourself a break and recalibrate the vision your had of yourself on the positive!

On a side note: avoid photographers that edit bodies shapes and do extreme skin edits. What is the point of challenging yourself by showing more of you if it is to get it edited post-session in ways that don't look like you? The goal is to bring some appreciation of our "flaws", not digitally "fix them".

So, should I hide or should I show my "flaws”?

While we would love to tell you to go full nude because it is so incredibly empowering, we also want to be realistic because, even for ourselves, there are many days when posing nude feels completely out of the question due to many factors. The best answer is then: do both.

Start with the outfits that covers you most. Remove some layers bit by bit until you reached your maximum level of comfort. Maybe, after getting comfortable in your session, you will even feel confident enough to pose semi or full nude, but maybe not and that's great too! Just enjoy each step and see what happens.

A boudoir photoshoot is usually outside of everyone's comfort zone, but, while it is empowering as hell, it should still feel safe. It should reflect who you are, and capture what makes YOU feel beautiful, in your own way. Don't hesitate to make your photoshoot your own, with your favourite looks and props, and enjoy the ride!

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A surprising way to increase self-confidence

Hello lovely readers! Today, we want to talk to you about something that has been overlooked in the search of self-confidence, and yet that is very important in order to increase it: posture (during a photoshoot, but also in your everyday life).

We all remember being kids and having some family members telling us to sit straight so we don’t end up being crooked adults. As annoying as it was, they were kinda right! The way we hold our body is primordial for our health and the way we look, but also to feel more confident. Let us explained…

Shoulders down, boobs up

Self-confidence is a vital aspect of our overall well-being. Not only it influences our choices, actions, and interactions with others, but it also shapes how we perceive ourselves and give us a better control over our life.

When you look online to get some advice on how to become more confident, you can find a lot of ideas that contribute toward that goal, unfortunately readjusting our posture is rarely one of those advices. Yet, the way we position our bodies and present ourselves physically significantly impacts how we feel. In fact, studies have shown that adopting certain poses can have a direct influence on our level of confidence and self-esteem.

Keeping yourself small VS power posing

If you consistently adopt closed-off poses, with crossed arms or slouched posture, you communicate to your brain that you are shrinking and feeling vulnerable. These poses can reinforce negative self-perceptions and inhibit your confidence. When you physically appear small, your minds mirror this with feelings of insignificance and insecurity.

On the other hand, when you strike a pose that exudes power and openness, your brain responds by releasing hormones associated with confidence and dominance. This phenomenon is known as the famous "power posing." By expanding your body and taking up space, you send signals to your brain that you are in a position of strength, empowerment, and self-assurance. Which leads to more success and better outcomes in various aspects of your life 💪.

So next time you go outside, think about that! Put on one of your favourite outfits and walk in the street like you own it: walk like you are the tallest person in the world, take the space you need, imagine you are on the red carpet… You’ll see how powerful that makes you feel!

Boudoir photography is your best ally

Your posture also plays a significant role in your body image. Many people struggle with accepting and embracing themselves the way they are, so by intentionally posing in ways that highlight your beautifully natural body, you can boost your self-love. This is when boudoir photography comes in!

When you do a boudoir shoot, you are not only getting pretty pictures of yourself. You are doing an experience with long-lasting results that helps you reclaim your self-worth and celebrate everything that makes you YOU (yes, your body included!). During the shoot, we help you pose accordingly to your body type, your flexibility, and the vibe you want to create, so you can see yourself the way you never did before!

On top of that empowering feeling, you get images as a reminder and proof on how gorgeous and badass you are! Plus, it shows how courageous you were to try a not-so-easy experience (not everyone can “strip down” in front of a stranger and have their pictures taken) 💛

Since confidence comes from within and is developed through a combination of self-acceptance, self-care, and personal growth, improving your posture alone will not magically make you the most confident person in the world. But being aware of how you hold yourself is a valuable tool to include in your self-confidence journey!

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Boudoir Photography - what are you paying for?

Boudoir Photography can be a bit of an investment for many of us. It is a very specific niche and when you have never purchased any type of photography services, you may wonder why can explain the kind of pricing you can see in our field.

Besides the obvious of the photoshoot time and final images, there are a multitude of other aspects that are taken into account when building such an experience, and we are going to walk you through it all as well as what we do to make it as easy on you as possible.

The essentials you see from the get-go:

Of course, what we are about to share is based solely on our way of doing things, however, in a basic boudoir photoshoot offer, you have a few musts that all of us photographers tend to include.

1) The photoshoot time.
In our case, we only offer 2-hour photoshoots. We feel like this is the amount of time we need to be fully attentive to your needs while being creative and making your vision come to life. We also offer unlimited outfits which is a bit unusual in our field. On top of that, it also gives you the time to get comfortable and familiar with your surroundings and our directions.

2) The make-up and hair services.
While it is optional in our case, we do recommend keeping it in your experience. Having a professional getting you camera ready and pampering you before stepping in front of the lens contributes greatly to your level of confidence. And a good professional has their own costs, which we have to build in.

3) The location.
In order to give the high quality of work we offer, we only shoot in high-end studios. In 2024, we started our own and put a lot of love and work to make it unique and find the sweet spot between making it homey and photographer-friendly. Needless to say, this comes with a location fee.

4) The amount of photographers.
We are the only studio to shoot boudoir with 2 photographers. For us, it's a non-negotiable aspect of your business. Together, we bring more energy, and mostly, more creativity, which gives you pretty much 2 photoshoots into 1.

5) The editing of the final images
Of course, since you are getting photos at the end, you can imagine that they require a minimum of work before landing in your inbox.

Those are the pretty straight-forward points you can see the minute you discover our session fee. But there are so many more you may not be aware of.

What you don't see from the beginning but enjoy nonetheless:

Something that is easy to forget, but is very important: the level of expertise.

In our case, we have over 15 years of experience as photographers. We have trained ourselves meticulously and have developed very sharp skills in our boudoir abilities. Not only do we have to master all technical aspects - such as knowing what lighting highlights which part of the body for example, but we also have to be posing ninjas and adapt ourselves to every body type and level of mobility. Not everybody can pose the same, and every body requires different tips. At no points should you feel like we don't know what we are doing, even for a split second.

The rest of those hidden gems can be cut into 2 parts: before and after the photoshoot.

Before the photoshoot, the customer support:

First off: we offer an online consultation and take all the time you need to answer any questions you may have and walk you through the process. From then, we also maintain communication before we see you in front of the lens to share with you some tips & tricks to get ready as well as go over wardrobe advice. It is not uncommon for our clients to email us with some extra ideas or questions, which is absolutely normal and which we encourage! We want you to feel taken care of from beginning to end.

Post-photoshoot work:

Most of the work does happen from your photoshoot day, until you get your final images delivered. After everything we do during your photoshoot, it is time to sort through your images. With 2 photographers, we let you imagine the amount of photos we have to go through to provide a decent selection with variety, without it being overwhelming.

Not only do we pre-select your photos, but we also do a light editing on all of them. Raw images are hard to project yourself with and we prefer showing you something that will be closer to the final images you will purchase. This is about 4 hours total.

We then host your reveal session, and it is extremely important for us to make it into an experience with tea, coffee, pastries, a big TV, and all the time you need. Once again, we don't want anybody to feel rushed while discovering the stunning photographs. In average, our reveal sessions take 2 hour.

The final editing:

Ha, this is the most underrated step! Once your final selection is made, it is time to dive in into the final editing. And boudoir is one of the photography fields that requires the most attention for a simple reason: the bodies are almost bare.

While we don't edit the bodies like plastic surgeons, we do adjust everything else such as, evening out the skin tones all over the body, removing any blemishes, editing baby hairs, adjusting the lingerie (yes, we do fix twisted straps and so on!), cleaning up the backgrounds by removing anything distracting. We also made the choice not to use AI for any of our editing, so everything is done by hand. We honestly don't even count the hours for this.

Additional products:

If getting a print or album make your heart sing, this is also something we do ourselves. Photos to be printed go through multiple checks to make sure they are flawless and album designs are made by us before being sent to our printer and then to you!

Overall, that is around 15 hours spent on your experience.

What we offer to make it accessible

The minimum investment for boudoir is about $1500 but it is never in one shot.

The retainer system:

Our retainer cuts your photoshoot cost in half. We use your retainer to secure your time with us and whatever is left is due the day of your photoshoot. If you are a planner, you can schedule your session weeks or months in advance to make this expense even easier on you.

Payment plans at no extra cost.

During your reveal session, if you want to treat yourself to all of the photos you fell in love with, we have set up payment plans without interest. You can choose to divide your final amount into 3 instalments and even pick between making a payment every 2 weeks or once a month.

We hope this blog post helped you understand how personalized and complete your boudoir experience is. We didn't even go over the actual benefits of a boudoir session in order to keep this post concise, but we've touched based on them many times in our blog.

Transparency is important for us, so don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. You can also find our different experience below:

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Dudeoir shoots - boudoir photography isn't only for women.

We have been photographing men since the day we opened Scandaleuse Photography back in 2017, but those past months, we had a big increase of inquiries coming from gentlemen, and some of them had quite the same reasons. So we thought it was time to redo a blog post regarding our dudeoir shoots!

Not sure what dudeoir photography is? Well, keep reading, we will explain everything to you and hopefully give you the extra push you need to try this experience!

Wait, boudoir photography is not only for women?

Of course it is not! Boudoir is for everyone who is over 18 years old.

A boudoir shoot is simply an indoors or outdoors photography session, in which you show more skin than in a regular portrait session. It can be done in lingerie, or any outfit truly, as long as you show some skin (wearing only a piece a fabric, or nothing at all is also an option).

Despite some old school boudoir examples you can see online, you do not need to have any modelling experience, neither be of a certain age, body shape, or gender, in order to try this type of photography. The only thing you need is your beautiful-self and talented photographers (AKA us 😉)!

Is dudeoir photography different than boudoir?

Nope. The term dudeoir was invented so men can relate more to this type of photography by being less afraid to end up with pictures of themselves that could potentially be too feminine for their taste. But the goal stays the same:

Feeling empowered, sexy, and confident!

It is not because this industry showcases mostly women that you cannot do a boudoir shoot as a man. Some of our male clients want to showcase their masculinity by getting moody photographs that showcase their muscles. But other clients want photos that are more bright and airy to show their softer side and reconnect with their femininity (it doesn’t matter what our gender is, we all have both feminine and masculine traits… and that is ok!).

Men, too, want to feel sensual, desired, and more confident. Boudoir photography is the perfect tool to help them get there, without shame nor pressure!

Speaking of reasons…

Since boudoir photography isn’t common for men, most of them held back from doing a shoot because they don't know why they would even give it a try.

Here are a few reasons:

• ACCEPT AND APPRECIATE YOUR BODY THE WAY IT IS

Media put so much pressure on people with all the “beauty standards” that having a clouded vision of our body doesn't only apply to women, it is universal! Most of us wish parts of our body could be different:

“I wish I could be more muscular, thinner, taller, have more boobs, a bigger weenie,…”

The truth is that we should be able to love the way we look naturally instead of wanted to be different. When you learn to accept your body the way it is, you stop comparing yourself to others and start building a stronger confidence.

• BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE

Speaking of confidence :)… A boudoir shoot is a challenge by itself. It can make you feel vulnerable and pushes you out of your comfort zone. But this is good as it helps you grow and develop that confidence we all need.

Can you guess why it is important to be confident?

It gives you the strength to go through life challenges and make the world your oyster… Not bad right!

We like to say that once you strip down in front of two strangers, nothing else in life can stop you ;)

• CELEBRATE YOURSELF

This is probably the first reason that pushes most of our clients to do or redo a boudoir shoot.

We all need to celebrate our awesome-selves. Every little or big victories, body transformations (new hairstyle, tattoos, …), and even birthdays. Basically anything that makes us happy in our everyday life.

Be your own cheerleader and treat yourself with unique experiences!

• FORGET ABOUT MEN BEING MASCULINE AND WOMAN BEING FEMININE

Yes you read that right! Every single human being has both a feminine and masculine side. Not a lot of men dare to tap into their femininity, but your feminine side is a huge asset in your life. It keeps you grounded and helps you simply enjoy what is around you. You become more aware of what all of your senses are picking up, which helps you develop new perspectives and your creativity.

• BRING DOWN THE PRESSURE AROUND MEN

The pressure around men is quite insane: “Don’t cry! Be strong! Suck it up! Don't be a girl!…” If you guys dare to show a bit of sensitivity, you are right away put in the “weak” category. You have the right to be whatever and whoever you want. But in order to change mentalities, like women, you have to stand up and fight! You have to be willing to tap and show your sensitivity, to make it normal.

By allowing yourself to be more vulnerable and not being afraid to show emotions (rather than always trying to be strong all the time), you will slowly but surely remove some clichés attributed to men.

You won't be only be doing yourself a favour, you will do one for your fellas too.

• A GIFT FOR YOU BUT ALSO FOR YOUR PARTNER

Even if a boudoir shoot should always be done for yourself first, using it as a gift for your partner is always a cool extra bonus, and a great way to spice your relationship up. Who wouldn't be amazingly surprised to see sexy pictures of their lover, fiancé, or spouse?!

Now that you read all the reasons for doing a dudeoir shoot, what are you waiting for to book your session with us 😉

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The most common inquiries we got this year

We are a little bit more than a month away from starting a new year, and we thought it would be nice to do a recap of the most common boudoir inquiries we got this year, hoping you might relate to what you read in this blog and finally find the courage to do your boudoir shoot (you deserve to try this experience for yourself, it is truly life changing) 🤗

The search for self-love and body acceptance

When we receive messages from people struggling with their body (most of the time it comes from women or transgender people), they are the inquiries that are the most emotional. People talk about their stories, life issues, and lack of body confidence. They share about addictions they are dealing with, disease that changed their body, abusive relationships that destroyed their image, or the fact they never liked their body. And it often breaks our hearts because some people are really harsh with themselves, and don’t always have the kindest words towards the way they look.

But is it also very inspiring to see that despite all the sadness they had to face, they are fighting to love themselves again and reappropriate their body.

Men who went through a divorce

Those past months, we shot a lot with men in their 50’s/60’s who recently went through a divorce and are looking to either have spicy pictures to send to their new partner, or have nicer pictures of themselves to update their online dating profile with.

We have been saying it from the day we opened Scandaleuse Photography, boudoir is not only for women. Anyone can do a shoot, even men!

Women over 50 looking to feel empowered

We also have more and more inquiries from mature women who are finally stepping out of the social etiquette that is stopping them from expressing their sensuality and sexiness.

Ageism is so deeply rooted in our society, that it is very difficult for those women to do a boudoir shoot. For most of them, this experience feels like it is forbidden, and they have to push through many fears in order to give it a try.

But when they finally do their photoshoot, we can see the transformation from the start, it is beautiful!

Birthday celebrations & couples’ anniversary

This year, many people did a shoot to celebrate their birthdays or anniversaries, and we love this idea! Using boudoir photography to celebrate a milestone, make your shoot extra special. Usually, this is when we see the most creative outfits and props that people bring with them:

• a couple did a shoot to celebrate their love, and they were both big fans of Harry Potter;

• one of our client wanted to do her shoot with a vintage erotic postcard vibe;

• one of our last boudoir shoot was for a client turning 35, and it was all about glam, silver, and diamonds;

• this summer, another couple celebrated their anniversary with an outdoor shoot, and wanted to be photographed in the nude with their paddle board because it is one of their favourite outdoor activity;

• we even had a son who gifted a boudoir shoot to his mom for her birthday because he knew she would love it!

Like those people, you deserve to celebrate your badass-self 😘

The classic wedding gift

Last but not least, we had a lot of photoshoots with women who were getting married and wanted to gift a boudoir album to their husband (hoping to have their reaction photographed and filmed during the ceremony while opening the album). One of them sent us the photo, and as you can see, his reaction is hilarious!

If you have been reading our blogs for a while, you know that we believe that it is very important to do a shoot for yourself. But showing your beautiful photographs to your partner, to make them blush and happy, is a cool extra bonus and a great way to add some spiciness to your relationship!

This is only a small selection of the reasons why people do a boudoir shoot, but they are so many others. Remember, your boudoir shoot should be fun and make you feel amazing, and to be honest, you don’t really need a reason to try this fabulous experience. It can just be a gift from you to you :)

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Magical boudoir, are you up for it?

We have been saying the following since we opened Scandaleuse Photography back in 2017:

“Boudoir doesn’t have to be the traditional photo of a woman posing on the bed of a hotel room wearing a classic set of lingerie!”

Don’t get us wrong, if this is your vibe than it is perfect, and you deserve classic boudoir photos to celebrate your gorgeous self. But for some people it is not, and they can have a hard time taking the step to book their shoot because they cannot picture themselves in a traditional setting… This is mostly why we opened our boudoir business.

We wanted to show another side of boudoir photography and open the door of this world to the ones who want to step away from common boudoir photoshoots. So because we have our own boudoir style, we attract a lot of clients who want to do unique photoshoots and who give us the freedom to make cool ideas come to life!

Boudoir experience tailored to your personality

You are not just sexy, cute, chill, or serious. You are a mix of emotions, wants and needs, which change depending on your mood and life. A boudoir photoshoot is the perfect opportunity to let loose instead of focusing on external judgment, and highlight the multiple facets of your personality as well as your wildest self!

• Want to feel like a river nymph or the goddess of wind? We got you and know the perfect spot for it!

• Want to go back in time and be a glamorous 50s actress, we might have the perfect props!

• Want to let your inner witch take over for your boudoir shoot? Hell yeah, we love that (where are our Charmed fans at?)!

No idea is too big. If we can make it happen, we will!

Share your thoughts, bring your outfits and props, we take care of the rest!

The way it works is simple: people send us a little message to share about why they want to do a boudoir shoot and schedule a Zoom meeting. This consultation is the moment where we go over our boudoir process, listen to your ideas and expectation for your boudoir shoot, and take notes of the things that are important to you.

The day of your boudoir shoot, we go over the outfits and accessories you brought with you, and this is when we start creating the sets that will be matching your vision.

You don’t need to think too much about your ideas, as the artistic part of the shoot is our job (and we are really good at it 😄 ). Especially for any “magical touch” you want to have on your pictures such as levitation, flying stuff, fire, spooky effect… All you have to do is share with us about things you would like to see on pictures or vibe you want, and we take care of making it happen!

In case you want to have a badass boudoir photoshoot, but you don’t have any ideas yet beside wanting something different, here are a few questions you can ask yourself that will help you start untangling some ideas:

• Do you want to shoot indoor or outdoor?

• What are your hobbies, things you like in life, that you would want to incorporate in your shoot?

• What aesthetic do you feel the most attracted to: light and airy, or dark and moody?

• How do you want to feel during your photoshoot?

Figuring those few things out is a great way to start thinking of what you want. Or you can just contact us, and we will be more than happy to guide you!

We love boudoir photography, and we love even more the Scandals we work with! So let us bring your ideas to life 🥰

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Check out our Unstoppable photo exhibit

It’s a wrap! Our Unstoppable 3.0 photo exhibit was on October 7th, and it was a success! We sold around 90 tickets and were able to get $2000 for the 2 charities we raised funds for: After Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Canada.

Since our exhibit is over, we can finally share with you all the photographs! This collection includes 19 photos, divided into 4 distinct sets, and we'd love to give you some insight into the story behind them.

When we started to brainstorm about the photoshoot, it was really important for us to work with women who were breast cancer patients and survivors to showcase different type of bodies and breasts, as most of them have undergone single or double mastectomies, some with breast reconstructions and some without.

We also wanted to illustrate the struggle of body-acceptance for breast cancer survivors, especially after a single or double mastectomy. It’s an unfortunate reality that breasts are often tied to ideas of femininity and sexuality. The emotional and mental impact on women when their bodies are changed in such a significant way is barely discussed. They are left feeling less beautiful, less feminine, and less worthy.

This exhibit is our way of showing our support, love, and admiration to all the women who are dealing with breast cancer 💗

Set 1

For the 1st set, we asked all of these beautiful women to start by covering themselves, except 3 of them, to showcase them as pioneers towards self-acceptance.

It was important that most of the models hide themselves and look away from the camera, to also show the feeling of loneliness breast cancer can make you feel. We use red as primary colour for the fabrics to show the pain, heartbreaks, and internal fights those women have to go through.

Set 2

The 2nd one was created with the idea of showing more women slowly uncovering, with the support of the first 3 models, and feeling more comfortable with their naked body.

In this set, we really wanted to recreate a boudoir room, with bright and light colours to bring a feeling of peace and happiness, in which our models are taking care of each other to represent the power of sisterhood and showcase the importance of having a feminine circle to fight the loneliness you can see in the set before.

Set 3

The 3rd set is the "no f*cks given" set, designed to be bold and defiant.

In this set, ours models are fully showing their breast and feeling more confident with their bodies. We chose royal colours such as gold to highlight their power and courage! We wanted something unapologetic and for these women to make a statement:

They will not hide any longer!

Set 4

The last one is s heavily influenced by the Renaissance era, and is all about rest and reflection to continue their healing process.

In this set, we used blue and purple colours for the fabrics, as we wanted to create a relaxed and serene atmosphere, symbolizing the achievement of self-love and the unity of a newfound community.

It was also very important to pose them in the most soften ways possible to showcase their natural bodies, and emphasize that stillness state.

Doing this 3rd edition of our Unstoppable serie was once again a beautiful journey rich in emotions, and it was a true pleasure meeting wonderful human beings! In case you were not at the opening night of this exhibit, we hope you enjoyed seeing the photos in this blog article and the story behind this project.

We want to thank all the fabulous people who have helped us created such a beautiful event, we are forever grateful!

Cancer was a test of my strength & resilience

This blog was written by Ellyn Winters, breast cancer survivor and one of our model for our Unstoppable photography exhibit.

I was diagnosed with ER+PR+ HER2- breast cancer on March 10, 2022. The diagnosis of cancer came as an utter shock. I was fit, a non-smoker, and a social drinker. I breastfed my kids. I had no family history. I also was diligent about my breast scans. I had a baseline at 40 and went every two years since turning 50. My last mammogram in 2019, in the words of my surgeon, was “perfect.”

And yet, I found myself two years and two months later, with multifocal cancer in the left breast. Three tumours, with the largest measuring 4.5 cm. How that was even possible will always be a mystery to me.

After two surgeons’ exams and an MRI, it was determined a mastectomy was the only option. I opted to have both breasts removed for symmetry and peace of mind and chose aesthetic flat closure – a form of chest wall reconstruction that leaves you with a perfectly flat chest.

Initially, things looked good with respect to my lymph nodes. Even after surgery, my doctor told my husband everything looked good. But pathology told a different story. Cancer was found in microscopic amounts in my left side lymph nodes. So I had 12 weeks of preventative chemo and 15 rounds of radiation to reduce risk of recurrence.

Cancer was a test of my strength and resilience. For the first four weeks after my diagnosis, while I awaited my biopsy, I was crippled with anxiety. I couldn’t get a breath or pick myself up off the floor. But as time went on, I gathered my courage, decided to “love my fate” and decided cancer was NOT going to take me to the mat. I fought back, trained like I was going into a marathon, and went into surgery and treatment with the stubbornness of a bull. I made it through. I never stopped working and never missed a client deadline. 

I also became determined to eliminate the shame and blame that seems to swirl around a breast cancer diagnosis. It bothered me terribly to see women express humiliation, or feel they need to hide away. So I fought, and continue to fight back against this societal stigma.  I wrote an opinion piece for The Globe and Mail. I wrote a book. I was featured topless in People Magazine, showcasing my scars and flat chest. I have co-created the first conversational AI for those on the breast cancer journey. And I am proud to support UNSTOPPABLE and share our uniquely brave beauty with the world. 

I didn’t want cancer. I still can’t believe I had cancer. But I decided that the universe set me on this path for a reason, and I am determined to make a difference and make things better for my daughter and other women.

Go check Ellyn’s Instagram to read more about her work in the breast cancer community!

If you are interested in our Unstoppable exhibit, you can find all the details and tickets below:

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Scars only form on the living

This blog was initially written by Patti Hone on her blog: Tata Cancer.

A few months ago, I was asked to participate in a photo shoot with 9 other breast cancer survivors. We were a diverse group of women of all ages, size and race, but we all had SCARS, both physically and emotionally. Some of us had one breast, others no breasts, and still others with partial breasts. Some have had reconstruction, others not. We came together as strangers, but immediately bonded. We all had been touched by this horrific disease, and we all shared in that pain, fear, hope and fight. We didn’t have to say anything to each other…we just knew how each of us felt. We shared an experience that had changed our lives forever…an experience that bonded us as sisters for life.

The photo shoot was designed to educate, showcase and celebrate our bodies with or without breasts. It was very empowering. As a woman, society puts a lot of expectations and pressure on how we look. We are expected to have breasts…two. They are a sign of femininity, of beauty and of sexuality. But as women who have experienced breast cancer, our bodies no longer fit that mould, and we struggle with our body image and how we are perceived. I struggled long before having been diagnosed with cancer. I was always self-conscious of my appearance. I was never thin enough, pretty enough or attractive enough. I battled with this self-doubt for my entire adult life. Now throw in a double mastectomy and eight subsequent surgeries, and this “image” became an even bigger hurdle. And now, here I was, agreeing to pose topless for the world to see “baring” every bump, bulge and scar.

As the ten of us came together for this shoot, I could feel the energy emanating from each of us. There was no judgment and no shyness; only positivity, support and admiration.

We did not feel ugly. We did not feel unworthy. We felt powerful. We felt beautiful. We felt SEEN!

On October 7th, our photos will be displayed in an event to raise money for breast cancer. Tickets are now available as well as an “ask” for donations if you are unable to come but would like to help. 100% of the money raised will be donated to breast cancer charities.

We are proud to bare our scars. We are warriors, survivors and thrivers. Our scars remind us of what we went through and what we overcame. Scars only form on the living, and we celebrate life each and every day!

If you want to read more about Patti’s story, go to her blog!

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