Another boudoir tip here from Pittsburgh Boudoir Photography Photographer, Maura Chick of Pics By Chicks Photography. I have spent a lot of my time photographing boudoir and have learned what clients should do and what they should not do! For details on my boudoir package (including pricing), please click here. If you wanted to see other boudoir photo shoot planning tips, please click here. There’s a lot of good information in my blog for anyone planning a boudoir photo shoot. Finally, to see a collection of my boudoir photos, please click here.
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I have spent a lot of time talking about what you should wear. Now, I want to address some things you should avoid in your boudoir outfit selections. The tips below are extremely important to remember when shopping for your outfits!
Tip 1 – Wrinkles
OK, you’ve spent the money and invested in your photographer. You also need to invest in your outfits. Most clients decide to purchase new items, which is great – keep reading the other tips on what to avoid. But, some clients choose to use existing items from their closet in their session. Again, great. One thing to keep in mind though – make sure the items look new. Take shorts for example – those pajama shorts that you wear frequently get a little bunched up between the legs and can wrinkle. You don’t want this for your session. If you are using existing stuff, spend some time to make sure it looks new.
Tip 2 – Flexibility & Comfort
When selecting your outfits, it’s essential to try them on AND move around in them. Do not just stand in front of the mirror and make sure the outfit looks OK – you have to move and make sure the outfit moves with you and is comfortable in different positions. Doing a boudoir photo shoot is a lot of work – you’ll be up, down, sideways, etc – so you need to make sure the item has some bit of flexibility.
Tip 3 – Tightness
One of my biggest concerns with outfits is those that are too tight. Listen, I’m all about formfitting outfits but there is a line, and once that line is crossed, the items are too tight, leave marks on your body and dig into your skin. Make sure your items fit but they are not overly tight and they don’t dig into your skin when you move. For example, I had a client who bought a pair of panties for her session but every time she moved on the bed, the panties dug into her skin and created a skin roll. If she would have bought the size bigger, this wouldn’t have happened. Please make sure to be on the lookout for this in your outfits.
Tip 4 – For those with small breasts
Please ladies with smaller chests – whatever you do, do not buy a padded bra that gives you a cup size that’s two sizes larger than you are. I love a good padded bra but you can take it too far. Be cautious of the extra size this is adding, as it can look very unnatural in the photos.
Tip 5 – For those with large breasts
Well, simply put. If your breasts need support, please wear outfits that provide that support. For example – If you want to wear a bodysuit, you’ll need to make sure support is built into it or you are able to wear a bra with the outfit. If the breasts need a pick me up, do it!
Tip 5 – For the curvy girls
Now a tip for the curvy girls – avoid outfits that have a lot of extra flowing fabric. Baby dolls are a really great item to wear for your photo shoot but just make sure there’s not an excess of fabric – it can sometimes make you look larger than you are. This is why I search for baby dolls that provide some coverage to the body but don’t go overboard in making it look like a dress.
Tip 6 – Change Time
Do not choose items for your shoot that take you 10-15 minutes to get into! Doesn’t that just sound like a lot of work?! I’ve had instances where I’m standing around for a long time waiting for clients to get into their outfits. And, when you have a limited shooting time, it’s important to be able to get in and out of your outfit quickly. I recognize that some items – like corsets – take a while to put on but try to find items that are easy in and out!
Tip 7 – No costumes
This is an important one. At all costs, avoid using costumes in your photo shoot! Most of the costumes are made of plastic and other materials that don’t translate well into the photos. If you are looking for a theme, find lingerie items that would fit that theme. For example, if you wanted to do a schoolgirl setup, do not get a schoolgirl Halloween costume – you want to find items from sites that have this style that are not costumes!
Tip 8 – Avoid Fluorescent Colors
Please try to avoid any fluorescent colors. Color is certainly OK in your outfits but the brightness of the fluorescent shades draw the eye a little too much. Try to pick the regular color tones.
Tip 9 – Avoid Similarity
It’s extremely important to have a variety of items in your selection. Do not choose all bra & panty sets or all lace items. Have some mix of outfit, styles and colors. Consider bodysuits, slips, chemises in addition to bra & panty sets.
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