Celebrating diverse beauty

Many women we see are nervous about what to expect during a photo shoot. After all, they’ve mostly never done anything like this before and when you combine this with the fact that the majority of women have real anxieties about their bodies it’s no wonder they arrive with a certain trepidation.

This is completely natural, but with the right preparation and a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, the experience can be an empowering and enjoyable one for everyone.

Firstly, it’s vital to choose the right photographer for you.

Do everything you can in the ‘research’ phase to find a photographer who produces the kind of pictures that you love. We cannot stress this enough. If you don’t like the pictures you see on their website, if they’re too grungy and dark, or too bright and colourful or if you see too much cellulite and everyone looks awkwardly posed or uncomfortable then, move on. There are loads of photographers out there so make sure they produce the kind of work you’d like to have done for your pictures. Then contact them and ask lots of questions and try and find out more about them and ask yourself whether you’d like to work with that person. On the phone, do they make you feel comfortable and are they easy to talk to. Remember, you’re not going in for brain surgery, it’s preferable for you to enjoy the experience at the very least so you want to get an idea whether you’ll have some fun with this person.

What we say next, you won’t believe but it has to be said anyway, so here goes…. Shopping for a Boudoir Photographer by price alone is a waste of time. almost every Boudoir Photographer works on a similar business model and that is, they charge a ‘session fee’ and then they charge the bigger amount for the pictures after the session. The ‘Session’ fee can be anywhere from around £40 to around £300 so here’s where you could make a saving. However, the session fee normally includes ‘hair and make-up’ which should be essential for a shoot like this and it also includes many hours editing, apart from the shoot itself. Obviously the more experienced photographers will charge more in this regard and you’ll need to decide how important all this is to you by judging their worth from the quality of their pictures. ( You’ve already used that yardstick when you chose who to speak to in the first place, right?) The second payment, the one for the pictures varies a little depending on the quality of products offered and sizes and if you want digitals and other extras. Most studios of quality don’t offer cheaper digital packages since the quality of work is in the image itself not the ‘paper’ or ‘jpeg’ it arrives on plus the fact that physical products will highly likely outlast the digital jpeg by several decades. Make sure you can purchase exactly what you want and not things you don’t want and make sure you know exactly what’s included in each package since comparing them can become really confusing. it’s extremely hard these days to come away from a Boudoir Photoshoot with any professional studio and pay less than a thousand pounds. This is the reality so you need to treat this entire experience as an investment. (There are dozens of cars on facebook marketplace for under £1,000 but if you know nothing about cars, this could be an expensive mistake. If you really know about cars, though, you could make a living as a trader. Same is true about Boudoir Photographers. You need to really know what you’re looking for and what to ask for if you want to avoid an expensive mistake. Checking the facebook and google reviews are a good thing to do for increased sense of what you’ll be getting)

Before the shoot, discuss your goals and expectations with your photographer.

Are you creating a romantic gift for your partner, or celebrating your body and boosting your confidence?

Your photographer should be able to customise can the shoot specifically to meet your goals. (It’s worth mentioning here that some studios are ‘high volume’ studios with a ‘conveyor belt’ mentality to customer care and these types of studios are often called ‘makeover studios’ - They have multiple shoots per day with each client having exactly the same experience in terms of ‘poses’ , ‘backdrops’ ‘time’ etc. Effectively, you will get the same pictures as the girl before you and no doubt you’ll get the same pictures as the girls who’s having her hair and makeup done while you’re doing your shoot. Nothing wrong with this experience at all as long as you go in knowing that this is the equivalent of a ‘happy meal’ rather than a Michelin Star fine dining experience. Also keep in mind that you may be surprised that the ‘happy meal’ of makeover shoots will also likely cost more than £1,000. It’s the reality of business.

When you arrive at the studio or location, your photographer go over with you the plan for the day, including lighting, poses, and clothing options.

You can bring your own lingerie or outfits, or sometimes use items provided by the photographer. Currently we don’t offer a wardrobe for clients. Perhaps one day we will but right now, we can advise you on what to bring and help in any way we can. (We have produced a unique ‘prep guide to Boudoir’ with lots of ideas and inspiration and suggestions on where to shop which is in the ‘resources’ section of this website)

If you have any concerns or preferences about what you wear, we’ll go over them with you before you arrive during a series of phone-calls and via ‘mood/ideas boards’ we create on Pinterest.

Hair & Makeup - Jayne then discusses and starts your hair and makeup which generally lasts around 90 minuts or so. This when you’ll start to really lose those initial nerves and really get comfortable and excited with the whole process.

During the shoot, trust your photographer and relax. We will guide you through each pose and provide full direction, but the most important thing is to be yourself and have fun with it.

Boudoir photography is about celebrating your body and embracing your sensuality, so try and let go of any insecurities and enjoy the experience.

We will do everything we can to make you feel comfortable and relaxed throughout the shoot, taking breaks as needed and offering encouragement. (We’re like your personal ‘hype squad’ )

If anything makes you uncomfortable or you want to make a change, tell us. This shoot is all about you and your needs. These pictures will be for you to enjoy for the rest of your life so let’s work together and create something that’ll make you proud.

After the shoot, you’ll leave us on a real high, like you just had an amazing spa weekend and be excited to see all your pictures.

It’s almost cruel that we make you wait a week or two before your viewing session but that’s how long it takes to make sure everything’s just right. Some studios do ‘same day viewings’ and rely on you being on such a high after your shoot that you’ll be keen to purchase. We’d rather take our time to create the finished edits and this means that you get to see the pictures as they should be seen, as art, rather than just snaps from the camera.

The Viewing/ Ordering Session - Time to return to see all your amazing pictures from the day (Around 100 or so shots). this is even more fun than the shoot itself and the part when you get to see just how beautiful you really are. We have a box of Kleenex standing by since you’ll probably cry some happy tears at this point. You’ll see yourself as a Magazine cover and you’ll be able to see all our lovely display products to choose how you’d like to show off your favourite pictures. It’s all very unrushed and non-salesy.

After the Ordering Session - We geet to work producing your products. If you order a book of pictures, we set about creating a ‘layout’ for you to approve before we send to print. All our wall art comes from Graphistudio in Italy and is as good as we’ve seen anywhere in the World. Our Books are also made in Europe and represent the state of the art. If you order digitals we send them to you via a password protected gallery link the next day.

You can then download the edited images to your computer.

A Madison Bou boudoir photo shoot can be an incredibly empowering and enjoyable experience for women of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Choose the right photographer, communicate your goals and preferences, relax and have fun during the shoot, and enjoy the results in your private online gallery and in your amazing printed products.

With the right preparation and a comfortable and supportive atmosphere, you’ll be amazed at the stunning images you’ll create to enjoy for the rest of your life.

Michelle (below) told us “What can I say…. I felt so special, my hair and make up are absolutely gorgeous. Jane and Dave really listen to what you want and make you feel at ease. I have had a fantastic fun day and left feeling beautiful, I just can’t wait to see the pictures. For anyone even considering this…… just do it. It is a real confidence boost and utterly empowering. Thank you both so much x”