Boudoir Photo Ideas

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As the New Year approaches, you may have found many clients preferring boudoir photoshoots to celebrate the new year in style.

Sometimes the clients may even ask you for pose ideas that will make them appear empowered and fierce in the photos. As a photographer, you want your clients to leave the photo shoot with a spring in their step feeling like the most beautiful person on earth. We have compiled a series of boudoir photo ideas & tips that you can use to have a thrilling and successful boudoir photo shoot session with your clients.

Some of the boudoir photo ideas & tips and poses that can make your client feel and look like a Vogue supermodel include:

Partially covering the face while lying down

Image Credit: © Dainis Graveris/CC BY 2.0

When your client covers a part of her face, it creates an element of mystery, which makes the photo more attractive. The model can lie flat on her back and gently lift her arm so that it covers one part of the face. This photo is best captured when taken from above, but if you are a talented photographer, you can also capture an amazing side shot.

Posing in a bath tub

A bathtub is one of the best places to capture erotic boudoir poses. Various boudoir poses can be carried out in a bathtub depending on the creativity of the model or the photographer. Dry tub scenes are particularly popular in many boudoir photos. A claw foot vintage-inspired bathtub helps to add an element of elegance and spice to the photo. Also, a faux shower scene where the model is covered with glitter, bubbles, or flowers would result in a sensual and lascivious photo.

Getting creative with shadows

Another example of boudoir photo ideas & tips is getting the model to play with the shadows. As a boudoir photographer, you need to be able to manipulate light and use it to create art. Lighting is significant in any type of photography, but if you want to generate unique photos that stand out, you need to be bold with how you shoot images against the light. With proper angling against light, you can convey a variety of moods in the photos.

Instead of presenting the model with bright high definition boudoir photos, why not wrap the model up in mystery by bringing focus on certain parts of her body and obscuring others? By finding the perfect balance of light and shadow, you can highlight the face and curves of the model and let the shadow cover the other parts of her body to create an air of intimacy, sensuality, and mystery.

Arching the back

The arched back pose is considered one of the most delicate and sensual poses in boudoir photography. You can never go wrong with an arched back. This pose can be taken from many angles and in different positions. Ask the model to lie on her back, expand her chest forward, while keeping the shoulders and hips on the floor. This posture will create a curve and leave some space between her back and the floor, thereby showcasing the curves of her body clearly.

Once this posture is achieved, you can get creative with how the model positions her arms, legs, and face to come up with a variety of enigmatic boudoir poses.

Lying down on one side

Image Credit: © Crysco Photography/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Another boudoir photo ideas & tips pose that will help to showcase the lines of the model’s body as well as her natural curves are by having her lie down on a straight floor. Have the model lie down flat on her side and extend one of her arms above her head. Once this posture is achieved, have them bend the upper leg to create a curve between the hip and the shoulder. This pose helps to emphasize the curved waste, which instantly makes the model more attractive in the photo.

To accentuate the curves of the model further, you can have them prop the upper part of their body up on an elbow.

Seated facing sideways

Image Credit: © Crysco Photography/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Most of the above boudoir poses involve having the model lie down on her back. However, you can also capture great boudoir photos by having the model sit on a chair or a piece of furniture. The perfect boudoir pose is usually achieved by playing with the angles and curves of the model. To capture an amazing sitting boudoir pose, angle the chair or furniture away from the camera instead of having the model seat while facing the camera directly. Rotate the chair in a way that the model will be in profile when they sit.

Once this is done, you can have the model pose in a way that creates negative space between their silhouette and the lines of the chair. An example is bending or elongating the legs while sitting towards the front or back of the piece of furniture.

Crossing the legs

The crossing legs boudoir pose works best on curvy plus-size models because it helps to focus on their best features by accentuating the curves. You can have the model pose in a standing position by crossing one of her legs in front of the other. This posture will emphasize their curvy hips making it a great boudoir pose for the curvy model. After all, boudoir photography is about identifying your model’s unique features and finding a way to accentuate them in the poses.

Hugging each other

Image Credit: © Dainis Graveris/CC BY 2.0

Perhaps you are working with a couple in the boudoir shoot. One of the best boudoir photo ideas & tips to help bring out the element of intimacy and romance in the shoot is by having the couples hug each other. A great place to start is by having them face each other and place their arms around one another. Once they are locked in place, you can have the models adjust their positions depending on the features you want to accentuate.

For instance, you can have the woman sit on top of her partner. On the other hand, you may want to focus on the muscles of the man. You can ask them to flex their muscles or stand up straight.

Incorporating Flowers in The Pose

Your client may desire to have a boudoir photoshoot out in nature. A great way to create a sensual and delicate boudoir pose is by introducing a bundle of flowers into the photo. The model can hold the bouquet of flowers and pose while using the flowers to cover themselves. Another great way of incorporating flowers into the boudoir photoshoot is using them as an accessory to the model’s hair. This will add some elements of nature to the photoshoot.

Griping Fabric in The Wind

Another great outdoor boudoir pose idea is having the model hold the fabric against the wind, especially if they are clothed. A loose negligee or a sheer robe is perfect because it will pick up the wind’s breeze and show the model’s movement against the fabric. If the model wants a nude outdoor boudoir photoshoot, you can still incorporate fabric in the poses to make the photos more colorful.

You can give the model a long piece of fabric or a bed sheet and have them face the wind while holding the fabric behind them. The piece of fabric will billow and act as a cape, thereby creating softness and adding visual interest to the photo.

Posing With a Mirror

Image Credit: © Dainis Graveris/CC BY 2.0

As an experienced photographer, you are aware of how props can help add more visual interest to a simple scene. A floor-length mirror can breathe life into an otherwise plain boudoir scene. Ensure that you place the mirror in front of the camera gear at an angle so that the gear does not appear in the photos. Also, make certain that you do not appear in any of the photos as a reflection.

The model can pose in front of the mirror at an angle that allows the camera to capture their body as well as their reflection. Have the model switch into different posing positions depending on how much of their body they want to be captured in the mirror and in front as well. The mirror will help to add depth to the room while allowing you to capture multiple angles of the model’s body in a single shot.

Looking Back

Sometimes the model may be a bit shy with frontal boudoir poses. If this is the case, you could have them pose while facing away from the camera. The essence of being a great photographer is knowing how to make your model feel comfortable in order to capture their best natural poses. If the model is not keen to show too much of their body, then you have to find a way to work with their back as well as their face.

Have the model pose by facing away from the camera and looking over their shoulder. You can have the model drape a sheet across their body as they pose. This will help create a classic elegant silhouette that will complete the shoot, depending on how revealing or covered up the boudoir pose is.

Placing Hands in Hair

Image Credit © দেবর্ষি রায়/CC BY-SA 2.0

A great way to add visual interest, volume, and a sense of adventure into a boudoir pose is by having the model run her hands through her hair. This especially works if it is the model’s first boudoir photoshoot because the pose looks natural and effortless. You can suggest that the model push up their hair lightly in order to add more volume to it. They can also run their fingers through the hair to add an element of wildness into the pose.

Taking off the shirt

While the majority of boudoir photoshoots involve women models, sometimes you may get a male client who wants a boudoir photoshoot. And what’s more seductive than removing clothes in a boudoir photoshoot? You can ask the man to take off his shirt ad capture every movement between being fully clothed and shirtless. This adds an air of anticipation to the photos, which makes them more seductive and alluring. You can have the model put on a simple white t-shirt and ask them to pull it off as you capture each moment.

Alternatively, you can ask the guy to slowly unbutton a shirt as you take the pictures. This creates a sexy and confident atmosphere around the model, without necessarily emphasizing a particular area of their body.

Cropping out the face

Another creative boudoir photo tip is by cropping out the face of the model and focusing on a particular attribute of their body. This is perfect for boudoir models that desire to remain anonymous or are a bit shy in front of the camera. If the photo shoot is for a clothing or lingerie line, you can crop out the model’s face and focus on the lingerie as well as the curves on their body. This is actually what most lingerie and clothing lines use to advertise their products because by cropping out the face, the image becomes more relatable to people since the photo could be of anyone.

Working out

Do you have a male client and you are out of ideas for boudoir poses for them? Try having them work out during the photoshoot. You can have the shoot in a gym so that you can capture the strength and muscles of the model as they lift the weights. Working out boudoir poses are great because they make the model feel powerful and confident as they show off their moves.

Besides, if working out is a hobby they enjoy, you will be placing the model in his natural habitat, which will make him more comfortable and confident, which will result into powerful, masculine sensual photos.

Laughing during the poses

The best boudoir photos are those in which the model appears happy and content. What better way for your model to appear happy than by having them laugh so hard? For this to be achieved, you need to build a rapport with the model before the photoshoot starts so that you can get them to be comfortable around you.

Assure your client that they are in for a memorable and enjoyable experience and this will help them relax and ease into the poses. The more you make the experience fun for the model, the more likely you are to get the perfect shot of them laughing their heart out.