Boudoir Blog

Dec 16

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Nathan Larimer Photography | Real Boudoir | Petaluma, CA

By boudoirdivasadmin | Real Boudoir | No Comments

Nathan Larimer is a boudoir photographer in Petaluma, California. He captured these images of Ashley in soft, natural light. (We love all the greenery!) Ashley found Nathan through a living social deal, and booked her boudoir shoot “just for fun!” Ashley believes sexiness and beauty is “feeling confident, laughing, having fun and enjoying life.” According to her, “Women are beautiful of all kinds. Our beauty should be celebrated, never exploited.” We couldn’t agree more, Miss Ashley. Thank you for allowing us to share your unique beauty!

If you’re looking for a boudoir photographer in the Petaluma area, visit Nathan Larimer Photography on Boudoir International.

And you can also see Nathan’s website here.

Thank you Nathan and Ashley, from the Boudoir International team.

Dec 11

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Real Boudoir | La Marie Portraiture

By boudoirdivasadmin | Real Boudoir | No Comments

La Ritchhart is the owner of La Marie Portraiture and Boudoir International member! She photographs her clients at boutique hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada! Today we share her client, Shannan’s, boudoir experience. Enjoy this Real Boudoir from La Marie Portraiture!

Why did you want to do a boudoir shoot? I chose to do a boudoir shoot after my long, drawn out divorce. I have always been very self conscious and knew I needed to find some way to feel beautiful again. One of my close friends told me about her experience and how gorgeous it made her feel, so I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and go for it!

How did you choose your photographer? I spent a lot of time doing my research. I had to find someone I knew I would be comfortable with. I looked at a lot of online galleries and ask a few friends that had done shoots of their own, and that was when I discovered La Marie Portraiture. Unlike many other photographers, La Marie specializes in boudoir photography and has over 14 years of experience. It is her passion, and it definitely shows through her fabulous work. I was totally in love with her online photo gallery. All of the women she photographed looked just like models! I would highly recommend her to everyone!

How did you feel as you were preparing for the shoot? I was nervous but also very excited. I had no idea what to expect! La Marie made me feel so comfortable. Even though we had just met, I felt like we had known each other for years! I was pampered from the time I walked through the door until the last photo was taken.

Any advice for ladies thinking about doing a boudoir shoot? I think every woman should experience a boudoir shoot! It was the best thing I could have done for myself. I was able to let go of all of my insecurities and learned to focus on feeling confident, sexy and beautiful! It was an experience I will never forget! I am already looking forward to my next shoot with La Marie!

Your favorite moment of the whole experience? I don’t know that I can narrow it down to a single moment. The whole shoot was perfect! I had more fun than I ever imagined. The reveal was also amazing! The images were gorgeous and selecting my favorites was so much harder than I thought it would be! I feel like I must have stared at them for hours!

Lingerie/shoes/accessories – any thing you want to share about what you wore, where you shopped, links etc? I had absolutely no idea what to wear. I went to several lingerie stores, but couldn’t find anything that I could see myself wearing. I have never been one to buy lingerie, so I had no idea what I was doing! I bought a few things from Victoria’s Secret and a few things from Fredrick’s. I couldn’t narrow it down, so I brought everything, including at least 6 pairs of heels! La helped me go through my selections and she put together the perfect outfits for the shoot. The color combinations she chose were spot on.

Did this experience change the way you see yourself, or the way you think of beauty? Anything else you want to share about your experience? Without a doubt! It completely changed the way I see myself. I used to look at pictures of myself and constantly pick out the flaws and imperfections. Now, I am much more confident. When I look back through these photos, I feel glamorous all over again. Beauty is self-confidence! It is about being comfortable in your own skin and loving yourself.

La Ritchhart is a boudoir photographer in Las Vegas, Nevada. If you’re looking for a photographer in the Las Vegas area, please visit La Marie Portraiture

You can also see more on the La Marie Portraiture.

Dec 06

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Boudoir Editorial | Mary Jean Murphy Photography | Petaluma, California

By boudoirdivasadmin | Editorial Shoots | No Comments

Mary Jean Murphy is a boudoir photographer in Petaluma, California and also a member of Boudoir International! Mary photographed Mikhayla for this pin-up inspired editorial, and we love the sweet and colorful aspect of these photos!

Model:
Mikhayla

Hair/Makeup Artist:
makeup by M.A.C.

What was your overall vision for the shoot, or – how did you decide to shoot this concept?
Modern Pin-Up was most definitely the theme! I was inspired by a series of modern pin-up photos of Bar Rafaeli. http://www.hollyscoop.com/galleries/bar-refaeli-sassy-pin-photos
I liked that it wasn’t over done when it came to hair/makeup and sets. It really wanted to capture the Pin-Up look with a modern twist.

Did you work with a stylist, or did you style all the outfits/accessories yourself?
The styling was a collaboration of Mikhayla and myself. I’ve work with Mikhayla before and knew she had fabulous style. We met for a consultation prior to our shoot and planned out every detail of the shoot. We looked at Pinterest boards together for inspiration on makeup, hair, clothing, sets etc…. This also insured we were on the same page when it came to all of these things. It’s kind of like bringing a photo of a hairstyle you’d like the stylist to recreate vs. trying to explain your hairdresser this new style. A photo is worth a million words!

If you could choose the most important pieces of the styling or set in your images that you would say set the tone for the whole shoot what would they be?
The color RED! Red lipstick and heels where a must! Headbands were an essential part of the look. Cropped tops & high waisted bottoms were important parts for the wardrobe.

Photographers always know that nothing goes to plan in a editorial shoot where there are so many elements that have to come together, overcoming them and still getting killer images is what makes us pro. 🙂 What challenges did you face?
The laundry mat scene was probably the most challenging prior to the shoot. I was hoping it was not going to be busy and having good light! Fortunately, we shot on a weekday so it was quite. Just one lucky guy and his dog were there for all the fun! The front of the laundry mat was all windows so that worked out perfectly as well.

Describe the setting of the shoot/location, and how it inspired you:
I used a number of different locations for this shoot! The studio shots were done with natural window light on a GORGEOUS “Drop it Modern” background. The laundry mat really inspired me, I’ve been dying to shoot in one for quite some time and for this shoot, it was perfect! We also went to a soda shop called “LaLa’s” which added to the modern/vintage vibe.

Just for fun: Did you create a mood board? If so, would you be willing to send it/share it with us?
I have a Pin-Up mood board…..http://www.pinterest.com/maryjmurphy/pin-ups/

Would you want to recreate this shoot for your clients? Or was this a one-of-a-kind original?
I would most definitely do more Modern Pin-Up shoots. In fact, I’d like to make it a signature style. I’m not sure about recreating it exactly…….maybe portions of it. I think it’s best if someone wants to do a shoot like this to use it as inspiration, but then make it your own.

Thank you Mary, for sharing your editorial with us! If you’re in the Petaluma area and looking for a boudoir photographer, check out Mary Jean Murphy Photography!

You can also view Mary’s website here.

Dec 03

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Make this holiday your very sexiest yet…

By boudoirdivasadmin | Inspiration | No Comments

This video will serve as more than enough inspiration to make this holiday your most romantic and sexiest ever! I think we can all agree that a boudoir book would be hands the sexiest gift you could ever gift your man.

Does that lovey-dovey adorable couple inspire you to make sparks fly this year? Now search in your area to make your dreamy holiday come true….. www.boudoirinternational.com

Dec 02

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Boudoir is more popular than ever…

By boudoirdivasadmin | News and Announcements | No Comments

We all knew that boudoir was becoming more and more popular. Which is probably why you are on this site right now, you are quite possibly considering a boudoir photo shoot. Well looky here at the this story that TODAY (NBC) did on the growing popularity of boudoir photography. Maybe this will put you over the edge on your decision making. I never thought I would see the day Matt Lauer did a story on our world of frou frou boudoir. But he did and he even seemed to love the idea, as most people do 😉

Nov 25

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Editorial by Jen Cook & Ann Carroll – the Photographix

By boudoirdivasadmin | Editorial Shoots | No Comments

We’re thrilled to share this shoot with you today, coming from the very talented duo Jen Cook and Ann Carroll – better known as The Photographix. These Franklin boudoir photographers share an incredibly beautiful editorial boudoir shoot with us today. We love everything about this shoot – the model, the styling, the crisp clean lighting, and the overall vibe. Be sure to scroll below the images to read more about their Editorial shoot – the styling, the vision, and more!

Model: Allison

Hair/Makeup Artist: Artistry SpaSalon

What was your overall vision for the shoot, or – how did you decide to shoot this concept?
We just recently did a complete overhaul on our studio and needed to get images to show, so we asked Allison who works at the salon right beneath our studio. We loved her look and wanted to do something vintage inspired so she was the perfect choice! She did her own hair and makeup and looked absolutely stunning!!

Did you work with a stylist, or did you style all the outfits/accessories yourself?
We did everything ourselves with the help of a local bridal store, Arzelles. They let us borrow all the jewelry and veils.

Describe the styling of the shoot.
Honestly we went into this kind of blind! We work better that way 🙂 Must be the art school in us 🙂 We had the shoot on the books for quite a while, but with our schedules we didn’t have as much time as we would have liked to get everything together. The week before the shoot we hit up Nordstroms and lots of other places, but purchased the most from them. Again, Arzelle’s was a huge part in this bc the jewelry really made the whole thing come together. In the end, for the images you see, we actually didn’t use anything we bought at all! We started playing around with Jen’s Grandmothers vintage robe, high waisted undies and the fabulous jewelry and wa-lah! They turned out to be our most fave images from the whole session 🙂 Also, the black robe images are Eberjey borrowed from a local boutique Emmaline.

How would you describe your typical style, was this a departure or were you playing into your typical inspiration?
Vintage, classic, modest, natural, soft, girly, romantic 🙂 We absolutely love Elizabeth Messina and get a lot of our inspiration from her!

If you could choose the most important pieces of the styling or set in your images that you would say set the tone for the whole shoot what would they be?
The jewelry and the studio! We are so proud of our new look and no one around us is doing boudoir like we are. We want to be different and totally US, and we feel like we have finally gotten there!

Photographers always know that nothing goes to plan in a editorial shoot where there are so many elements that have to come together, overcoming them and still getting killer images is what makes us pro. 🙂 What challenges did you face?
Fit. We didn’t have our model come with us when shopping, so we just had to choose what we thought would work best. This comes back to why we also just started plaything with things we had, and they ended up being our best images. So the key is to just play and have lots of things to choose from!

Would you want to recreate this shoot for your clients? Or was this a one-of-a-kind original?
Would love to recreate it and have already had some many new inquiries from this shoot alone.

Thanks so much, Jen & Ann, for letting us show off this gorgeous editorial shoot! If you live in the Franklin, TN area, and are looking for a boudoir photographer, please contact these ladies! Also be sure to visit their portfolio page & their website.

Nov 19

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Editorial Boudoir | Ron Dressel Photography | Charlottesville, Virginia

By boudoirdivasadmin | Editorial Shoots | No Comments

This editorial boudoir was photographed by Ron Dressel of Charlottesville, Virginia. Ron describes this shoot with model (Amanda) as a representation of his typical boudoir vision and style. Amanda was styled by Ron himself with hair done by Chelsi Thomas and makeup by Sarah Hatch. Thank you Mr. Dressel for contributing your editorial to the Boudoir International blog!

What was your overall vision for the shoot, or – how did you decide to shoot this concept? The overall vision of this concept was to create soft and sensual images featuring glamorous lingerie. The lingerie was selected for it’s

Did you work with a stylist, or did you style all the outfits/accessories yourself? garments were selected by myself.

Describe the styling of the shoot Victoria’s Secret

How would you describe your typical style, was this a departure or were you playing into your typical inspiration? My typical boudoir shooting style is reflected in this shoot. I heavily rely on available light rather than using flash or strobe. I find images come out softer and dreamier than when using flash. This shoot was also done using a mixture of digital and film mediums.

Photographers always know that nothing goes to plan in a editorial shoot where there are so many elements that have to come together, overcoming them and still getting killer images is what makes us pro. 🙂 What challenges did you face? Challenges faced in this shoot was finding the model herself. Since this was an editorial shoot the garments had been gathered before hand. The first model I originally had planned to use had to cancel on short notice so I had to scramble to find someone that fit the vision and the garments.

Describe the setting of the shoot/location, and how it inspired you: The shoot took place in a warehouse studio location. The location has brick walls which are painted white and offers lots of natural window light. The studio also had a nice selection of vintage furniture available as well as a sheer white partition which added depth when shooting through.

If you’re searching for a photographers in the Charlottesville area, please visit Ron Dressel Photography on Boudoir International. For more about Ron, visit his website.

Nov 07

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Real Boudoir | The Secret Pin-Up, Ashley Durham, Boudoir and Glamour Photographer

By boudoirdivasadmin | Real Boudoir | No Comments

Ashley Durham, owner of The Secret Pin-Up, Boudoir and Glamour Photographer is a contributing member of Boudoir International. Today, we’re featuring a real boudoir shoot, photographed by Ashley in Colorado Springs. Her client, Abby was kind enough to answer some of our questions about her boudoir experience. Take a look at her gorgeous photos!

Why did you want to do a boudoir shoot?Boudoir photography has a tendency to make women feel amazing about themselves. I was in a slump and really felt like I needed that self-esteem booster. I felt like the session would do just that, and it definitely did. Never in my life have I felt incredibly sexy with so little clothing on.

How did you choose your photographer?I came across Ashley’s work while looking at fellow photographers that were attending an upcoming photography retreat. I immediately fell in love with her work. She’s amazing, and every image I saw made me feel like I absolutely needed her to photograph me.

How did you feel as you were preparing for the shoot?Preparing was nerve-wracking at first. Although after reading a blog post I found out that I didn’t have to stress out over what to wear. I had to choose items that made me feel comfortable. Outfits that I could actual say, “yes, this is something that I feel matches my personality.”

Any advice for ladies thinking about doing a boudoir shoot?Be yourself. If you are a generally happy person, laugh during your session. If you are serious, go for that sexy, seductive look. Work with someone who brings out the best in your personality. Choose a photographer that will talk to you before, during and after your session to make sure you felt comfortable throughout the process. Again, BE YOURSELF.

Your favorite moment of the whole experience?Seeing my images during the ordering session. I smiled the entire way through. I felt amazing in my skin, and that was not something I would have said in the weeks prior to the session.

Lingerie/shoes/accessories – any thing you want to share about what you wore, where you shopped, links etc?Victoria’s Secret is the place to go! Not only do they have amazing selection, but they have items to fit various shapes, sizes, and personalities. I felt sexiest in the PINK tank top. Still, to this day, my husband has a huge smile on his face when I wear it.

Just for fun: Define what SEXINESS &/OR BEAUTY means to you.Sexiness to me is something that comes from within. It’s the way you carry yourself, the way you smile. Beauty is the same way. You have to feel it inside to be able to radiate it on the outside.

Just for fun favorites: share your favorite lyrics from a song, or a favorite quote.“What could we accomplish if we knew we could not fail?” ― Eleanor Roosevelt

Did this experience change the way you see yourself, or the way you think of beauty? Anything else you want to share about your experience?Growing up I was never the “pretty one”. I never saw myself as beautiful, because I wasn’t told that I am. After my session with Ashley I discovered that I really am beautiful. Inside and out. It’s not what the world thinks about me, it’s what I feel about myself. Yes, I had my hair and makeup professionally done, but that doesn’t mean that the starting canvas wasn’t already beautiful. It took seeing my body in lingerie to make me realize that I can be so much more than I thought I was. I have a belly that is hard to get rid of, but I have a baby boy that steals my heart everyday with his smile. He is part of the way my body looks. If this body can create such an amazing miracle, it’s definitely worth photographing.

We’d like to extend a big thanks to Abby for giving us permission to share her boudoir photos on the Boudoir International blog. You ARE beautiful!

If you’re looking for a boudoir photographer in the Colorado Springs area, visit The Secret Pin-Up, Ashley Durham, Boudoir and Glamour Photographer on Boudoir International and see more of Ashley’s work on her website: http://thesecretpinup.com/

Nov 04

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Let’s enjoy what we have right???

By boudoirdivasadmin | Inspiration | No Comments

What we love most about being a boudoir photographers is that we are all about reminding women to own and enjoy what they have right now. To focus on the positives, that all of us have a unique beauty and to embrace that. And to remember that we don’t have to let society’s crap version of what “beauty” is influence our perception of our own beauty. We can realign our thoughts with positivity and self affirmation. That we can decide and say what is beautiful and be a light that shines beauty everywhere, more in attitude and grace than looks. We speak on behalf of all boudoir photographers that we want to be a cheerleader the day of your shoot, making you feel comfortable in your own skin. And we want you to walk away from the experience with a new attitude and self appreciation. Maybe it’s time for you to Believe in Beauty….

This kind client said it the best, and in fact if you want to watch here entire testimonial it’s on the video below. Here is the initial email she sent us…
“I was once again, stunned speechless as I beheld my beautiful photo album in my hands. I felt, and still feel, choked up in gratitude, appreciation and sincere thankfulness. Emotions that are welling up from the soul because of giving me such a deeply personal and truly unique gift that no other person has. Your lovely team that day has shown me a beautiful side to myself that I’ve never seen. And now that you’ve allowed me to peer behind the heavy curtains of self doubt and dancing threads of insecurities, a mystical force of confidence has seared itself into my character which allows me to fight those horrible thoughts, perhaps forever! 🙂

If I were to wish any one thing for all of womenkind, is to spend the afternoon with your girls, such as the wonderous day that I had, all for the sake of “gifting” unto them what I have been blessed to have received. Please, please, please pass onto the entire staff my heartfelt thank you! ♥

Forever stronger,
Susan”

Oct 31

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Halloween Editorial | The Boudoir Divas

By boudoirdivasadmin | Editorial Shoots | No Comments

It was a chilly fall morning when we took Peggy (our gorgeous and talented hair and make-up artist!) to the outskirts of San Diego for a just-for-fun outdoor boudoir photo shoot. Pegs was recently hitched, so we took this opportunity to snap some shots of her in her beautiful, vintage wedding day garb with our own boudoir twist! With Halloween right around the corner, we feel this shoot perfectly captures the “spirit” of the holiday. Thank you, Peggy, for getting up at the crack of down with us to play around in the wilderness. We love you. <3