5 Tips to Prepare for Your Boudoir Photo Session
You’ve booked your boudoir photoshoot, and now the day is getting closer. You might be excited, nervous, or wondering if there is anything you should be doing to get ready.
The good news is that preparing for a boudoir session doesn’t mean changing yourself or trying to look perfect. A little planning ahead simply helps you arrive feeling relaxed, confident, and ready to enjoy the experience.
Here are five things you can do before your boudoir photoshoot to make your session day even better.
1. Plan Your Outfits Ahead of Time
One of the easiest ways to take the stress out of your boudoir photoshoot is to decide what you’d like to wear before the last minute.
And don't feel like everything you bring has to be lingerie.
A beautiful bodysuit, oversized sweater, favorite pair of jeans, button-down shirt, bridal pieces, or something meaningful to you can photograph beautifully. The goal is to choose pieces that fit well and make you feel good when you put them on.
Think about variety, too. Bringing different styles gives us the opportunity to create different sides of you—from soft and romantic to glamorous, playful, confident, or sexy.
→ What to Wear for a Boudoir Photoshoot
2. Take Care of the Little Things Early
If there are beauty appointments or little details that are important to you, take care of them ahead of time rather than leaving everything for the night before your session.
That might mean getting your nails done, touching up your hair color, waxing, shaving, moisturizing in the days leading up to your session, or simply making sure everything you want to bring is packed and ready.
None of these things are requirements for looking beautiful in your photographs. They're simply about taking care of the details that matter to you so you aren't thinking about them when it's time to be photographed.
The goal is to arrive at your session without feeling rushed or frazzled.
3. Don't Feel Like You Need to Change Your Body First
You do not need to lose weight, get in shape, or wait until your body looks different to book a boudoir photoshoot.
One of the most common things women do is put off being photographed until they reach a certain weight or feel more confident about their bodies. But there will always be another reason to wait.
Professional posing, flattering lighting, camera angles, and guidance with expression make an enormous difference in how you photograph. You don't need to figure any of that out yourself—that's my job.
Come as you are today.
Years from now, you may be very glad you have beautiful photographs of the woman you are right now.
4. Give Yourself Permission to Enjoy the Experience
Try not to pack your session day with errands, appointments, and things you need to rush off to do.
Eat before you arrive, drink plenty of water, and give yourself enough time that you aren't watching the clock on your way to the studio.
Your photoshoot isn't supposed to feel like another item on your to-do list.
Professional hair and makeup are included with your Bella Chic Photography session, so you'll have time to settle in while you're being pampered before we ever start photographing.
It's part of the experience.
→ Why Professional Hair & Makeup Are Included With Your Photoshoot
5. Don't Worry About Knowing How to Pose
Probably the most important thing you can do to prepare for your boudoir photoshoot is stop worrying about whether you'll know what to do in front of the camera.
You don't need to practice poses in the mirror.
You don't need to know what to do with your hands.
And you definitely don't need modeling experience.
I guide you throughout your entire session, from your body position and hands to your facial expressions. Professional posing, lighting, and camera angles are all part of creating photographs that flatter you.
Most of the women I photograph aren't models. They're everyday women who simply want to see themselves in a way they don't normally get to.
Your job isn't to know how to pose.
Your job is to show up and let yourself enjoy it.
Preparing for Your Boudoir Photoshoot Shouldn't Be Stressful
A little preparation can make your session day easier, but don't let getting ready become another reason to put off doing something for yourself.
Choose outfits you love. Take care of the little details ahead of time. Give yourself a calm morning.
Then let me take care of the rest.
If you're considering a boudoir photoshoot in Tacoma, you can learn more about the Bella Chic Photography boudoir experience here:
And before your session, there are also a few things you'll want to avoid: