Getting professional photos done can be a little intimidating, but the good news is you can warm up and practice with some boudoir photos at home! It can be a really fun, empowering experience, and you get to do it on your own without worrying about having anyone else around. Preparing for your session can make it more fun and will make a big difference in how the photos turn out, so this guide will give you some tips and advice for how to take your own boudoir photos!
Can I Take My Own Boudoir Photos?
Before women dive into figuring out how to take their own boudoir photos, the first question they often ask is “can I take my own boudoir photos?”
Good news – the answer is a big ol’ yes! Having a professional photographer there definitely has plenty of perks, and maybe taking your own boudoir photos as a way to work up the confidence to take that next step, but taking your own boudoir photos (whether it’s for you, as a gift, or just for fun) is a great way to celebrate yourself and feel good in your own skin. All you need is a phone or a camera, but a tripod can help you get more angles.
Where to Take Your Own Boudoir Photos at Home
Doing your own boudoir photos at home is usually the easiest, most convenient, and most comfortable option for most people! But, even the tiniest of apartments have different places where you can take your photos – different corners, different rooms, and lots of options.
When you decide to take your own boudoir photos at home, here are some tips for finding the perfect place to do it!
Natural Lighting
The most important thing when it comes to finding a spot in your home to take your boudoir photos is the lighting. Lighting is huge for photos – and natural light is the most flattering, and will give you the best result.
Try to choose a room that has a window, and think about where in the room has the best lighting. It’s totally okay if you don’t have a lot of experience being behind the camera and you aren’t sure how to figure it out – just open up the selfie camera on your phone, point it at your face, and walk around the room! You’ll quickly notice the difference between standing in front of a window and standing in a dark, unlit corner. As you prepare for your boudoir photos, look around your home and take note of where the light comes in throughout the day!
Choose an Uncluttered Space
You might have to move some things around when you prepare for your boudoir photos – if you’re anything like me and you have kids who leave a trail of things behind them everywhere they go, you’ll of course need to do a little bit of cleaning up, but it can also help to move furniture around temporarily!
Simple is better for your boudoir photos, so make sure that the space is clear and uncluttered. It can be as simple as taking photos on your bed with a white sheet, or you may want to move a couch close to your window or do some temporary redecorating to create a space that’s open and close to the good lighting. Especially for those who live in a smaller space, don’t be afraid to do a little bit of rearranging just for the shoot – you can move it back later!
It’s usually best to choose a space where the walls don’t have a lot of photos or things hanging on them, so that the background doesn’t distract from you, but you can play around and see what works for you.
More Lighting Tips for Taking Your Own Boudoir Photos
Like I said, lighting is huge for photos! So along with finding a place with natural light, there are a few other things you can do to make your photos look even better.
Think About the Time of Day
One thing to keep in mind is that lighting can change throughout the day! For indoor photos, typically the best time for a photo shoot is the middle of the day, when the sun is high in the sky and there’s a lot of light coming in. This can also depend on the space you choose – because of course, some rooms are going to get more light than others. A first story apartment that faces another building may be pretty dark in the morning, but a room that has a lot of open space outside of it can look absolutely gorgeous as the sun rises!
Take some time to pay attention to what happens in your home, take note of when the lighting looks good, if there’s a time of day when the sun rays create a really nice effect in a certain room, and be intentional in scheduling when you’re going to do your own boudoir shoot!
Add Artificial Lighting
Natural light is best, but there are always things you can do to improve the lighting for your boudoir shoot! If you’re limited in when you can take your photos (for example, if you want the family out of the house so you can get in the zone and have some time to yourself without being interrupted), if your home just doesn’t get a ton of natural light, or if you just want to experiment and have fun with the process, a ring light is a really great, inexpensive way to improve your photos and make them a little brighter!
The shape of a ring light is perfect for photos, as you can put your phone (or camera) in the middle of it, and it creates evenly distributed lighting on all sides. You don’t have to break the bank for a ring light – there are lots available, from tiny ones that clip to your phone to ones that have a tripod for your phone and even a remote.
A phone tripod and a remote can make taking your photos easier, as you can set your phone up away from you and use the remote from a distance without having to get up between shots to use the self timer!
How to Have a Great Time Taking Your Own Boudoir Photos
The most important thing about taking your own boudoir photos (even more important than lighting!) is that you have fun and enjoy the experience. This should be about celebrating yourself, feeling confident and comfortable, and doing something for you! Here are some ways to prepare, and some things you can do to really get in the moment
Get Some New Lingerie
There’s no better feeling than treating yourself to some new lingerie, and what better time to do it then for your boudoir shoot? Treat yourself to some lingerie that makes you feel sexy and confident, and it’s a surefire way to boost your mood and help you feel good in front of your camera!
Practice Your Poses
Posing is typically the hardest thing about taking your own photos. One of the biggest perks of having a professional boudoir photographer there is that they’ll tell you what to do, but when you take your own photos, do some research first and look up boudoir photo poses that you might want to use!
You can use Instagram or Pinterest, and there are plenty of YouTube videos and blog posts online that will give you some inspiration. Poses can be hard to remember, so don’t hesitate to take some screenshots of your favorites and look at them during your shoot if you need to!
Before you start actually taking your own boudoir photos, practice some of the poses to see which ones you like. Everyone has a different body type and different things that they’re comfortable with, so some poses that work for other people may not feel natural to you – and that’s okay! It’s all about finding poses that make you feel good, so get a mirror and practice your poses and facial expressions. Do this before you actually take your own photos, as when there’s no camera it’s a little bit easier to get comfortable!
Relax and Have Fun!
When it’s time to take your own boudoir photos, make sure to relax and have fun with it! Music is a great way to help you get in the moment and loosen up, and a glass of wine is also helpful in relaxing your nerves and letting your inner goddess free.
Do whatever you need to do to feel comfortable, and remember that this is about you – so treat it as part of a self-care session. Pamper yourself beforehand while you do your hair and make up, have a good time taking the photos, and then treat yourself to a nice bath afterwards, or do whatever you like to do to relax and take time for yourself!
And if after you take your own boudoir photos you want to take the next step and have some photos taken by a professional, contact me!
