Doing sexy or boudoir photography outdoors can be exciting and beautiful. However, it can also be cold and rainy and might have privacy problems. In this blog posting, I talk about the advantages and disadvantages of outdoor boudoir photography.
Advantages
Model Stephanie Anne behind some grass in San Lorenzo Canyon, NMThe great outdoors can be beautiful, especially in the two states where I live: New Mexico and Hawaii. A beautiful landscape makes a better backdrop than any you will every find in a studio. Trees, tall grass, mountain streams, and wonderful vistas all await someone willing to work outside.
When we are working on private property, privacy can be assured. I have set up a simple outdoor studio on 11 acres that I own in the Sandia Mountains, near Albuquerque. The land has a lockable gate. It also has several different forest settings.
Working outside can lend a sense of adventure to the photo session. Many people in the US are rarely somewhat or completely undressed outdoors. Therefore it can be a new experience (and maybe even a nude experience; sorry, I could not help myself).
Disadvantages
Model London Andrews in the Rio Jemez, NMThe biggest possible disadvantage of doing sexy and boudoir photography outdoors is the weather. Luckily, I live in areas where good weather is common. However, I have had to cancel photo sessions or move them to the studio when the weather did not cooperate.
Also, in most states, it is too cool or even cold to work outside during part of the year. If you are cold, it will show in the photos and they will not be as good.
When working in national forests and on other public land, there is the issue of privacy. Model Stephanie Anne looking around a corner in San Lorenzo Canyon, NMWhenever I am shooting sexy or boudoir photos outdoors, I always have a lookout posted, and we are ready with a robe or other cover at a moments notice. When we were doing the photos of London (such as the one above where she is floating in a pool), a group of people intending on fishing wandered by (and kept going). We heard them approaching and she was clothed when they came by us. In general, I have noticed that even at busy locations in the mountains (such as the Sandias just outside of Albuquerque), most people are gone by a mile from the trailhead. Leave the trail by just a little bit, and you rarely will see people. I know many places just far enough off a trail to work well as photo locations.
Summary
Model Stephanie Anne in San Lorenzo Canyon, NMDoing sexy and boudoir photos outdoors gives a background and props that are impossible to recreate in a studio or other location. There can be a sense of adventure associated with going to a location and being partially or completely undressed. Unfortunately, the weather is not under control, so there can be temperature or rain issues. Private property has controlled access, but working on public lands requires having a lookout watching and listening for people wandering by.
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
Model Kika De La O in the bedroom portion of my studioTo 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
Model “Ziggy” poses in a non-bedroom part of my studio.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.
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