You probably already have some expectation of what you’ll get when you do your boudoir photography session. Maybe you want some beautiful portraits for your wall, or a “little black book” for your significant other, or maybe some digitals you can share on your social media accounts (boudoir can be as tame or wild as you want!). That’s great you already have an idea of what you want, but have you thought about what you can expect from the moment you reach out until after you have your artwork?

If you’re a seasoned pro, or even if you’ve never done a boudoir shoot before, I’d like to share with you what expectations you can have when you book Water Bear Photography for your boudoir session. The purpose is to help you understand not only what your experience will include, but also give you a sense of safety and comfort knowing the entire process. It’s never great when you show up to something that’s different than your expectations, or may even be the complete opposite. 

Boudoir photoshoots can be so fun and liberating…or they can be filled with anxiety. I want you to feel comfortable with both me and my studio, so I’ll do my best to share as much information as I can before you ever step foot through the door. So let’s strip it down (pun intended). 

Sharing Your Reason for a Boudoir Session Helps Me Understand What You Expect

There are lots of reasons why people may be interested in a boudoir shoot.

I’ve found that some of their top reasons often include: 

  • A special gift for a partner
  • Achieving a major goal in life (fitness, self love, etc)
  • A celebration of overcoming something (sickness, separation, etc.)
  • Preparing to have a baby and wanting to commemorate your body
  • To celebrate who you are (anytime boudoir photos are also so much fun)
  • And more. 

Whatever your reason, it’s helpful to share. By doing so, it helps me understand your goals and help you create an amazing boudoir session experience. If sharing isn’t something you’re ready for, no worries! We can still create some beautiful boudoir images together. When you first inquire, you don’t need to share a lot of details, just whatever you’re comfortable with. After you decide to schedule your shoot, we’ll schedule a consultation to plan all the details!

All the Expectations are Set During Your Boudoir Photography Session Consultation

Your consultation can be done either in person on online, via Zoom. The best reason to do an in-person consultation is so you can see the studio and the space you’ll be creating in beforehand. It’s all about ensuring your safety and comfort expectations are met (check out my post on tips to ensure your safety and comfort during a boudoir session). 

If you’re local to Gainesville, Newberry, High Springs, or even Ocala, it can be a great idea to do your consult face to face. Honestly there’s nothing more anxiety-inducing for a lot of people than going to a strange place and being photographed in an intimate way. So let’s remove some of that fear right off the bat! 

If you’re from out-of-town, or your schedule doesn’t allow you the time to step away, we can do your consult on-line. You’ll still get to see me face-to-face, and I can even give you a video tour of the studio. We’ll discuss all the same things we would if we were in-person, and I can share images and ideas with you during the meeting. 

At your consultation, I’ll ask you questions to get to know you better and that will help us design the perfect session for you. If you’re a Type A, (likes-to-be-prepared) person, it helps if you have a folder of inspiration images that you love. If not, that’s ok, we can go through come galleries and talk about what you connect with and put some ideas together. 

I have a massive gallery of boudoir photography session images that I can show you for lots of inspiration and ideas! We’ll discuss your preferences (no need to get fully nude if you’re uncomfortable), create a packing list, and book a makeup artist. Professional makeup is included in all boudoir shoots with Water Bear, unless you choose otherwise. The goal is that you walk away from your consultation feeling excited, know what the expectations are, and be really prepared for your boudoir shoot! 

All the Planning Comes Together the Day of Your Boudoir Shoot

The day of your shoot, you’ll want to arrive in comfy, loose clothing with your face clean and hair ready (we can always touch it up if needed). Unless requested, hair styling isn’t included because I’ve found that hair is such a personal thing. If your hair feels “off” you may struggle to feel like yourself. If you’d like professional hair styling, let me know at your consultation, and we can plan to have a stylist ready. 

When you walk into the studio, it will be set up and ready for your boudoir shoot. We can play your favorite music that will get you in the perfect headspace and mood (you’re welcome to bring your Spotify playlist too). The studio is already ready with water, tea, and coffee for you while you get your makeup done. 

After Your Makeup is Done, the Real Fun Begins

It’s time for you and I to create your amazing boudoir photos! Remember, you’re always welcome to bring a friend along, so it doesn’t have to be just the two of us. The studio is on my private property so there won’t be anyone else around, so we can protect your privacy. The shoot typically starts either fully clothed (it’s a great time to get a new headshot!) or in something like a button-down shirt or long robe. Typically, we’ll start with a living room style set, as it feels the most like home. As you get more comfortable and into the flow of things, we’ll progress to other sets/looks, and save anything messy or wet for the very end to preserve your makeup and hair as long as possible. 

Your shoot is at your pace and comfort level. There are no time limits on boudoir shoots. I don’t want you to have a ticking clock in your head, that just adds stress and anxiety. We will take the time we need until we feel we’ve captured enough images. The average boudoir shoot is 2 1/2 hours from the moment we get ready to snap the first shot until the moment we’re ready to pack it up. This time frame is generally enough for  4 to 5 looks and to ensure you get something you love out of it! 

Once Your Shoot is Over, the Behind the Scenes Work Continues

After your shoot, you’re welcome to clean up in the studio bathroom (there’s even a shower, if needed). I’ll start reviewing and processing your images to get them into a gallery for you to see. All online galleries of lightly edited images are password protected, so only you and I can see them. 

After you’ve had a few days to look through your gallery, we’ll get together (usually on Zoom) and I can help make final choices. Whether you’re looking to get a gorgeous LBB (little black book), some stunning wall art, or some spicy digitals to share with your partner, I can help you select the perfect images and design your artwork. Each of your final selections comes with a full, fine art edit (eyes, skin, hair, teeth, fixing distracting things in the background, etc.). Depending on what you select, your images may be ready in a few days, or for albums and artwork, a few weeks. 

Enjoying your Photography Artwork Means Ensuring Your Happiness with Your Boudoir Session

Before ever ordering your artwork, you’ll receive your final digital images so you can review them. Water Bear Photography has a happiness guarantee so we will discuss your retouching preferences prior to editing and you’ll have the chance to see if there’s any changes needed once completed. 

Only after you’re happy with the images will your artwork be ordered. Once your artwork is in, I package it up along with some other goodies and schedule a time for you to pick it up, or I can deliver it to you. It’s my hope that we’ll create some pieces that have you in absolute awe of yourself.