Month: August 2015

One location option for sexy or boudoir photography is to use a studio. As with any location, there are advantages and disadvantages. A studio is under the control of the photographer, and might be less expensive because he or she does not need to travel. However, it might not look like a (or your) bedroom, and it might take longer to relax in the unfamiliar surroundings. In this blog post, I will go into more detail about the pros and cons of boudoir photography in a studio.

Advantages

To start with, a studio is a controlled environment. This means that the temperature can be set to a comfortable level. Probably, you are wearing fewer clothes than normal. The ability to ensure that you are warm enough is important. If you are uncomfortable, it will show in the photos. When I am doing sexy and boudoir photography, your comfort is more important than mine. If necessary, I will be sweating to ensure that you are comfortable.

Next, most studios have controlled access. This means that you get privacy. In my case, the only people around during boudoir photography in a studio are you, maybe your friend, my (female for female customers) photo assistant, and me. Your privacy is very important to me, so I ensure that nobody else will show up in the studio unexpectedly.

Another advantage of a studio is that the lighting might be already set up, saving time (and hence money) for you. It can take 30 or more minutes to set up lighting equipment, and a similar length of time to take it down again at the end. Since my price is related to the amount of time I will be spending on the photography and subsequent editing, less time means a lower cost.

Beyond the cost of the time to set up equipment, when I have to travel to your location, I have to spend both time and money to get there. When we work at my studio, the time is minimal or zero. This is also reflected in the cost.

In my case, my studio is in my house. Not everybody is comfortable coming to a strange house and undressing. For this reason, I also have access to two rental studios. They have the advantages listed above other than the time savings, although one of the studios comes equipped with a good selection of lights and light modifiers.

In my home studio, not only are lights probably already set up, I keep a selection of props handy. When traveling, I take the props most likely to be useful, but if something unusual is needed, I might not have it. Under most circumstances, I have way more ideas than we have time for, so this advantage is minor.

Disadvantages

You never get something for nothing, however. This means that boudoir photography in a studio does potentially have some drawbacks. The first is that the boudoir (French for bedroom) part of my studio probably looks different from yours. If the photos are intended for your partner, then this difference might be disconcerting. A related issue is that a different part of my studio is a more traditional studio. It looks nothing like a bedroom. We can get great photos there, but they will not be traditional “boudoir” photos.

Another disadvantage of a studio location is that some people find it harder to relax in due to being partially or completely undressed in unfamiliar surroundings. Time spent photographing might cover this; most customers relax in 15 to 45 minutes. This relaxation time is why I rarely schedule less than a two-hour photo session.

Summary

Boudoir photography in a studio is a temperature- and privacy-controlled environment. It normally requires less travel and setup time than a location photo shoot. However, it probably does not look like your home, and it might take a little longer to relax in the unfamiliar surroundings. In other blog posts, I discuss the advantages and disadvantages of your house, a hotel, and outside locations.