Adding Boudoir Photography as part of your existing photographic services can be advantageous for all kinds of photographers. Interested in starting part-time? Here’s an overview:
Step 1. Set up a portfolio to showcase your skills and take pictures of people who may be interested in using your services. This should include photos of family and friends who live far away and offer you a chance to shoot on their terms. Offer this service at a discounted rate if you do it for your family and friends, and it will increase your revenue.
Step 2. You now have a portfolio, so you need to set up a business plan. Include a mission statement with your photography services that outlines your benefits, the reasons why your customers love your boudoir photography services, and how you plan to increase your customer base. A business plan is an invaluable asset when you are just starting because it allows you to show investors and future clients what you have to offer.
Step 3. You have some portraits scheduled, and you don’t know how many you want to take. If you’re new to the boudoir photography industry, it’s best to shoot for a few clients at first so that you can build your portfolio and skills. When you start adding boudoir photography services to your business plan, include the number of portraits that you want to take during a month.
Step 4. You get a call from a potential client. Since you’ve done the research and the homework, you know exactly who your target market is and what they want in sexy photos. Now it’s time to talk to them and find out if you’ll be able to do a shoot that would interest them.
Step 5. Your boudoir photography business plan will tell you how to approach each client, including how you will prepare and complete their portraits. This section will include a list of flattering poses that you plan on posing to make them look and feel sexy. Include the kind of camera you will use as well as the lighting you plan on using.
Step 6. As you meet with your clients, be sure to give them a warm, professional welcome. Most people arrive for boudoir photography eager to see if you have something fun and sexy lined up for them! A good boudoir photographer will be patient with new customers and generally get right into the action to ensure you capture the perfect picture.
Lighting is also essential. Some photographers prefer to work from behind the model to control the lighting and mood better so that certain poses may not come out quite right. It depends on your taste, so you may want to practice in some lighting environments to get your bearings before making any fundamental changes to the model’s outfit.
Photographers have different techniques when taking boudoir photos. Some prefer to work from behind the model so that they can more easily manipulate her body in several poses to create a more sensual look. Other photographers prefer to work from above so that they can get a better angle on the client. This may include showing one side of a woman’s face and the other side completely. Some photographers will even take photographs from a slightly higher or lower perspective than usual so that the client can see the sides of her body that the model wants to show off to her photographer.
Once you have decided where you will shoot your client, it is time to get down to the serious business. You will need to decide whether you will be shooting your client totally nude or if you will want to wear some sort of boudoir makeup. Even though the client will be wearing very little, you still may need to do some touch-ups with her hair and makeup in order to get the ideal image. If you are planning on doing some live action photography, it may also be helpful to put some type of costume on your model so that your clients can step into a more believable life-like version of themselves.
One great way to help make a boudoir photo shoot feel more realistic and complete is to give your client some practical props to wear during the shoot. There are some models who are comfortable in just a bikini, but some models really feel more comfortable in plus-sized apparel or even lingerie. This is completely up to you as a photographer. If you feel that your client is comfortable in what you are suggesting, your job is done. However, if you are suggesting something that would really turn heads and draw a lot of attention, it is best to bring along some props.
One great thing about using a boudoir photography package is that you can get both retouched photos and unretouched photos included in the package price. If you need more than one photo for your client, all you have to do is ask for them. You can also request some extra photos if you want. Many photographers offer package deals that include both unretouched photos and retouched photos, which is a great way to get your entire client photo shoot done at the same time.