Well, everything can be safe and unsafe. However you can make sure that your Boudoir shoot is safe for you. As a photography genre, Boudoir photography has no physical or mental harm associated with it. However, because Boudoir photography is an intimate activity where the focus is on being sensual, and you will be at your most scantily clad in front of a stranger, it can make a woman feel vulnerable and unsafe when working with members of a photography team.
Since a Boudoir shoot typically involves minimal clothing, sexy poses, and lingerie changes — not to forget a private setting where a make up artist or a hair stylist is going to be touching you, it’s imperative to hire a legitimate photographer who can make their clients feel safe and make it an enjoyable experience.
Here’s how to make sure that your Boudoir photography shoot is safe for you
1. Meet your photographer in person
Choose a public place for a meetup. Meeting them will give you an idea of their personality and professionalism by how they conduct themselves around you. If a physical meeting is not possible before the shoot (if you plan to travel to a different city for the shoot) or due to long distances, then a zoom meeting can always be done online. Meeting your photographer or interacting with them will also establish a rapport and start a process of increasing your comfort level before the shoot.
2. Ask a lot of questions
When you do that, you can assess whether the person actually HAS experience as a Boudoir photographer or is meeting you in person for some other nefarious purpose. Anyone who’s been doing this professionally would already know the answers to your queries without fumbling. Their experience will be very evident in their answers.
3. Choose a photographer with an all female team if that makes you comfortable
Many women feel far safer if women professionals are handling something as private as a Boudoir shoot. If you are comfortable with a male photographer taking your images or with a male makeup artist or hair stylist doing hair and make up for you then please go for it. There are many male professionals who will absolutely go out of their way to make women feel comfortable. But if you feel that an all female team will put you much more at ease then go for it. In our case, we have an all women team doing the Boudoir shoot.
4. Make sure your photographer is actually a Boudoir photographer
There are many photographers out there who are wedding or fashion or “something else” photographers. However they add Boudoir to their website SEO and you land there. When contacted, they may even agree to do a Boudoir shoot. It’s a good idea to Verify whether your photographer really is a boudoir photographer or just claiming to be one. You can also check their credentials. Do they have open social media presence? Or are they just lying from behind a website that’s attracting people for reasons other than Boudoir photography? There are a lot of perverts out there who will do anything to get a kick.
5. Choose a 3rd party reliable location for the shoot
Do NOT do the Boudoir shoot at home. One may feel it’s safer at home, but not only does shooting in one’s own bedroom not make good boudoir pictures or usually have proper natural light, it’s recommended not to invite strangers into your personal space at the outset.
6. While choosing a hotel room for the Boudoir shoot, choose a reputable brand
Don’t go in for those sleazy OYO rooms or the hotels which let out rooms by the hour for couples. It’s best to invest in a good quality hotel room or suite where you know you will surely be safe. And that the staff will take care of you. If a photographer is doing the shoot at a studio, verify onsite location before the shoot. If the photographer is authentic, the space would be public enough and female staff would be present to make women feel safe.
7. Ask if you can bring a friend
A legitimate photographer will allow you to bring someone along for your safety. They may have rules for that person, but they will allow it.
In some cases, the friend may be required to stay in a waiting area. But they would be close enough that if anything were to make you feel uncomfortable, they would be there is an instant.
During my shoots, I don’t typically allow guests to accompany the client especially not into the shooting area. It can make things awkward when the client is posing. Likewise, children are not allowed because of the nature of a boudoir photoshoot. But in general, if a female client insists that she needs a female friend, sister, mother, aunt, as long as they are providing positive support, bring them along! But anyone who can possibly disrupt the shoot will not be allowed.
8. Be clear about the privacy or usage of your images
Always discuss this aspect with the photographer before the shoot. Once you are clear about it, sign a contract with the photographer. I always make sure this is mentioned in the Memorandum of Understanding document signed by both parties before the shoot.
9. Don’t Go For The Cheapest Option
A boudoir shoot experience is a luxury. It is also a very vulnerable time. Pricing will of course always play a part in your decision, but going for the cheapest option might turn out to be counterproductive later.
A professional photographer has put time into learning their craft. They incur costs for setting up a business, for equipment, for their website, marketing and for the staff they have to pay. They incur costs even when they provide you consultation for free. They need to make a profit to stay in business and they provide a professional service.
Pricing is of course important, but if that’s the only criteria, it’s best to save over a period of time and then hire a professional boudoir photographer. You will have a much better experience.
Hope the above tips help and using them, you would be able to do your due diligence when selecting a boudoir photographer to work with. Here are the various policies and processes we follow for our photography shoots.
