SIX tips to calm your nerves and prepare you for your first Boudoir photo shoot

What’s the first thing that crosses your mind when your best friend tells you she has just had her first boudoir photo shoot and is strongly encouraging you to take the plunge too? Do you immediately think: NO WAY! Maybe that critical voice inside your head says: not until I lose/gain 15 pounds and tone up! I’m not SEXY! I’m too old! But I’m a MOM! I’m in my 30’s! 40’s! 50’s! 60’s! I’m too curvy! The list of harsh thoughts goes on.

We are too quick to compare ourselves to models in magazines and Instagram pages that hardly show anything but seemingly unattainable beauty standards. I once saw this commercial by Dove that showed the reality of some magazine/billboard photo shoots. My jaw dropped. The final “product” is a woman and it looks nothing like her in real life. How can we be held to such high beauty standards when they aren’t even REAL?? What are we teaching our daughters, our sons, our future generations….even ourselves!?

How can these thoughts of self-doubt be overcome so you can take the plunge your best friend has been raving about? We are our harshest critics. Squash that voice in your head and listen up! Here are six tips to help you up to and through your very first boudoir photo shoot and to help put your mind at ease!

1) Go SHOPPING! Buy yourself something that you will feel sexy and confident in! You don’t just have to wear only one outfit or even the same style throughout the entire photo shoot. If you prefer the edgy side of things you may want to take a look at lingerie from here or here. La Senza always has great deals and can suit a variety of lingerie preferences.

First boudoir photo shoot #boudoir #lingerie #posing #sexy #kitchencounter

2) Once you have your items home, try them on! Take a look at my personalized client Pinterest board that will give you tips on some great boudoir posing ideas!

Sunrise boudoir photo shoots #sunrise #view #boudoir #cozysweater #legwarmers #snow

3) Be sure to EAT WELL and stay away from alcohol (at least until shoot day).

Cut down on the salt intake to prevent bloating. Start drinking a lot of water approximately one week before your photo shoot. You will be hydrated and this will make your skin glow!

4) PLAN ahead:

- Dye and cut your hair approximately two weeks before the photo shoot

- Wax, thread and shave a day or two before so that any redness reduces

- Get your nails and toes done (if that’s your thing) a few days before

- Wear loose fitting clothing to the photo shoot. Tight clothes (socks, underwear, jeans, bras) can leave marks on your skin.

- No sunburns please!

- If you’re thinking of adding new ink to your body canvas do it well in advance so that your tattoo has a good chance to heal or wait until after the shoot.

5) SLEEP! I know that when I’m rested I feel stronger, taller and even…..sexier!

6) BELIEVE IN YOURSELF and HAVE FUN. You are amazing and will look amazing JUST THE WAY YOU ARE.

For the longest time, I have been planting the seeds with one of my girlfriends to try to get her in front of my camera. We ended up starting out doing a “non-boudoir” photo shoot and then I threw a white men’s shirt on her, pulled it over her shoulders and got her to straddle a chair (not going to lie, there MAY have been a little bit of liquid courage involved!). She looked sexy as hell! Afterwards she confessed it “wasn’t so bad”, that she really enjoyed herself and that she loves the photographs we created together!

Trust your photographer. We are the professionals. We will guide you step-by-step through the posing and process to make sure everything turns out amazing.

Remember: You do not have to be a professional model! You do not have to get naked (unless you want to create some fine art nudes!) I promise you, you’ve got this! Now go rock your boudoir photo shoot and then tell a friend to go rock one too!