What is Boudoir Photography?

WHAT IS BOUDOIR

“bou·doir | ‘bü- dwär : The Victorian word boudoir refers to a section of the private suite of rooms adjacent to a lady’s bedchamber. A private feminine space where a woman could relax, get pampered, try on outfits and lingerie, and simply be herself. (Something a modern woman rarely has time for!)

…Well, so much for definitions.

Generally speaking, Boudoir Photography is a genre of photography largely based around the ‘bedroom’ with the models wearing some forms of lingerie. We’ve always hated labels so over the past 20 years we have been refining our understanding of the term by changing up the outfits to ‘Anything you feel comfortably sexy in ‘ and we’ve extended our ‘bedroom’ setting to ‘anywhere you feel comfortable being photographed’

Note that our version of ‘boudoir’ is about your comfort levels and not any set version of the ‘rules’ of boudoir.

(Luckily ‘Boudoir’ purists are not a terribly political group and don’t have too much clout in Parliament to get the rules of Boudoir Photography enshrined in law. We’ll just take the flack from the purists on ‘boudoir’ forums online. )

So – Our redefined Boudoir is essentially – Portraits that celebrate the beauty of the human form.

Lingerie and Beds are often included but certainly not always.

Jeans and T-shirts, outdoors in the wood, on a marble floor in an evening gown, naked in a carwash – All of these things can be broadly included in our version of ‘Boudoir’.

It’s a state of mind, an attitude. It’s liberating and it’s powerful.

Note – Nudity does not equal boudoir. (So many of our clients worry about this) – Boudoir is not Pornography. Boudoir certainly doesn’t make people sexual objects but rather, allows women to express their sexuality without judgment. After all, we are born to be sexual but boudoir allows the subject to be in control at all times.

No one would call Michaelangelo’s David or The Dancer by Gustav Klimt, pornographic and neither is boudoir photography pornographic.

The attitude and intent are what’s different.

Boudoir is created for the woman in the pictures (In the main) and it is the woman in the pictures that benefits the most.

Boudoir removes the fears of not looking “good enough” and combats the negative comments about being “too big”, “too skinny”, “too small chested”, “too large bottomed”, etc.

You see, the real power of boudoir …  is in YOU!

We always say that Boudoir is for every BODY.

By booking a boudoir photoshoot you are reclaiming your body and celebrating its beauty and sensuality.

Boudoir is a source of self-love that will feel so liberating.

The perfect way to take back your body, your confidence, and your sexiness.

Gosh, this is starting to sound like a University lecture, but we get pretty passionate about this stuff. It really is that good and that much fun!

Lecture over…. for now. x

Here’s Clare’s Fabulous Book (our classic, ‘little white book’)

After a Boudoir session with Madison Bou, you will be able to get pictures that will last for a lifetime.

All of our products are printed with archival quality inks and papers, so your albums and prints will last and not fade as they would if you were to print images from the High Street or most online printing companies.