Slide Show: Is Boudoir Photography Still a Trend?
May 22, 2013
Seattle Boudoir Photography
The team at Seattle Boudoir Photography has fully embraced the popularity of 50 Shades of Grey. Their clients bring in handcuffs, ties, and riding crops, and they're doing more couple sessions. “We have one couple coming up from Texas in the coming weeks,” said the company's Phil Holden, “and then one that is doing a cowboy theme, while the lady will be in leather and lace.” What? You didn't think we were going to start this slide show off easy, did you?
Seattle Boudoir Photography
Seattle Boudoir is also shooting men. They call it “dudeoir.” It's territory that many other photographers are hesitant to tread. “One of our favorites is a very handsome pilot with the Navy and a rugby player,” Holden said. “It’s fair to say my team of mostly women and gay guys were extremely happy to be working with him.”
Belle Boudoir
Cheryl Jones of Belle Boudoir began photographing boudoir in 2005 and opened a studio dedicated to it over four years ago. Each year she has had an increasing number of bookings; her calendar is full one to two months in advance. “My mission is to help women of any age, size, or shape feel confident and sexy by creating effortlessly beautiful images through an empowering, pampering, and uplifting experience,” she told us.
Belle Boudoir
A trend that Jones said started with brides giving a wedding gift to their groom is still continuing, but is broadening to include all women: mothers, women in their fifties, women serving in the military, wives with deployed husbands, and women experiencing cancer or other life-altering events. “I believe confidence is not about how you look, but rather how you feel about the way you look,” Jones said. “The result of a boudoir portrait experience is the transformation in how women see and feel about themselves.” NOTE: Belle Boudoir is having an open house on May 23 from 5:30 to 7:30.
Christina Mallet Photography
Christina Mallet has also seen boudoir grow and become more mainstream since launching Katrinka’s Secret in 2007. “The range of photographic styles and price points to choose from has expanded,” she said. “This expanded market gives women interested in doing boudoir so many opportunities to research what they like and don’t like in this genre and this in turn helps guide them toward the photographer and style that suits their tastes.”
Christina Mallet Photography
“I think beautiful, sophisticated, and tasteful boudoir photography will always be in vogue,” Mallet said.
Persimmon Images
Persimmon Images is made up of Kat and Justin Speyer, but Kat takes on the boudoir sessions solo. She said about half of their engaged couple clients inquire about boudoir, but she is secretive when following up with the bride-to-be as the gift tradition is still popular.
Persimmon Images
While she has only photographed females, Kat has had casual inquiries from males. “Based on the content of the messages I’ve received from men looking for intimate photo shoots, I think it’s safe to say that most of them were looking to play out some sort of voyeuristic fantasy rather than actually have pictures taken,” she said. However, with a male assistant she said she would be open to it and would also love the opportunity to explore couples boudoir.
Rebecca Ellison Photography
When photographer Rebecca Ellison schedules boudoir, it's mostly during twice-yearly marathon events where she books the hotel and makeup artist for a day or two of back-to-back sessions. This cuts costs for her clients and there are additional discounts for couples who book her for their wedding photos as well.
Laurel McConnell Photography
Laurel McConnell is all about the secret when it comes to sultry groom gifts. “Often times we scheme a whole lot and tell a few little white lies in order to mask the reason behind the extra sultry eye makeup and perfectly pumped-up hair,” she said. “Not to mention the digital trail of charging unmentionables or renting a hotel room for a cool bedroom backdrop.” McConnell only photographs five to 10 women per year due to the planning and coordinating that boudoir requires. “I want to make sure that we’re able to give enough attention to each client,” she said. She has yet to dip her toes into dudeoir, but thinks it would “be really fun to
