We’ve covered basic pose progression, the details that work, the details that don’t work, and even some specialized posing. So here are a few bonus tips for shooting glamour and boudoir (quick-fire style).
Having trouble with a subject not giving good emotion in the eyes? Ask your subject to close her eyes, and then open them slowly on the count of three. Snap the shutter just as the subject gets her eyes fully open. Eyes will look more sultry and dreamy in the resulting images.
Having trouble with a subject whose eyes aren’t open wide enough? Instead of looking in the lens, have her look at the space directly above your lens. Looking above the lens will create the illusion that eyes are open wider. And, if she’s
confused about how high above the lens to look, make a fist and physically lay it on top of the lens. That’s where she should look. Parted lips are almost always sexier than tight
lips, and little flirty smiles are almost always sexier than big smiles – unless you’ve captured a real laugh.
When a subject is asked to give a serious look, she will often give a “constipated” look. If you say with a genuine laugh and a smile, “Not constipated – serious,” keep your camera at the ready, because she’ll give you that real smile and laugh you’ve been looking for the whole session.
If a subject is giving you that plastered-on, family photo smile, ask her to shake it out. I do the horse noise and shake my head a bit.
Never touch a boudoir subject without asking first, and then don’t make a habit of it. It’s creepy and off-putting (especially from a man), and there’s not a pose or direction in the world that you can’t show by demonstration. As a personal rule, I only touch a subject’s hair because she can’t see it, and I don’t want to wait for her to go back to the dressing room – I still say, “May I…” every time I do it.
Andy Armstrong’s Boudoir Posing Guide - Page | 39 Classic style stiletto heels always work for a boudoir shoot (the higher the better). I’d rather a
subject go barefoot than wear clunky shoes.
Even though it seems kind of silly in reality, heels in bed have been and still are part of almost every man’s fantasy world.
Professionally done hair and makeup really makes a difference. Talk to local salons to see what kind of service they provide in this area. You’ll probably find someone who will work for you on location between $50-$100 per client. Pass this fee on to your client. Give positive, meaningful feedback to your subject during a shoot.
Saying, “Wow,” or “Great,” is nice, but it’s meaningless unless the subject knows what made you say wow. Instead of just saying, “Wow,” I couple it with what made me say it – “Wow, your smile was perfect just then.”
If a pose isn’t working, don’t stick with it. We don’t save face by shooting a pose that isn’t working. We just waste time. Change the pose and move on.
Most subjects know absolutely nothing about your equipment and how it’s supposed to work. If something isn’t working properly, there’s no need to tell the subject all about it. Just say, “I’m going to make some adjustments,” and keep moving. If you let on that things aren’t working properly, your subject loses confidence in you, and you need the client to have absolute confidence in you during a shoot.
They are boobs or the girls, never tits, and it’s a butt or booty, not an ass. No subject wants to hear, “Move your elbow back a little so we can see your tits.”
The first thing I do after I help the subject bring her things into the studio is ask her to show me what she brought by laying it all out on a table. I actually say, “Show me what you brought with you, so we can figure out what’s going to give us the best images.” This alleviates some pressure and nerves, because we’re going to work together on a specific task. She’s no longer in the dark about what’s going to happen. We’re picking outfits.
Andy Armstrong’s Boudoir Posing Guide - Page | 40 Boudoir photography is one of the few portrait genres where a subject with closed eyes is
acceptable. Try it in a very sensual pose. It’s worth it.
Always keep the session moving forward. Keep it flowing. There is nothing that is more
disconcerting and confidence killing for a subject than an indecisive photographer that doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing. Of course, it takes practice and repetition to get a solid
command of a boudoir session, but that’s what you should be working toward.
Bathing suits aren’t lingerie, and women don’t wear matching bra and panty sets to the pool. Teach your subjects some very basic lighting at the beginning of a session. I say, “This is the main
light. If you turn your head away from it, then you’re being broad lit and that makes your face look wide. If you keep your face straight to me or
slightly toward the light, then you’re being short lit, and that makes your face lean and sexy.”