Shooting Boudoir Photography

By Simon Everett

Boudoir Photography
Taking Boudoir images is a unique experience for any photographer, and has to prepared very carefully and tactfully, as most boudoir would involve female subjects, and to put them at ease it is wise to be polite and understanding the there needs, as being a male photographer some female models may feel uneasy especially if this is the first time they have modeled for Boudoir.
Keeping the Model relaxed
Its always a good thing to keep the model updated and happy with all what is happening with regards what positions and and look that you are looking for, and more importantly if the model is happy with this. It is wise to have a talk with model before starting the shoot.


The shoot
Explain preciously  to the model at each step of the way to ensure the model if comfortable and happy with the poses and angle at which your shooting.
Your model will become more relaxed and confident as the shoot goes on.

The studio
A typical Boudoir shoot will consist of highkey and lowkey techniques some models will prefer lowkey lighting for there boudoir shoot as this may be there first time etc, however you may have a model who is confident enough to have both lighting techniques, either way these are factors to consider and that you as the photographer are happy and knowledgeable to shoot.

Images and settings
At regular intervals show the model your images on the camera this will also help there confidence during the shoot and will see your results as they happen.
When setting up a studio for Boudoir what is required, for example highkey if your looking for stunning white background and detail looked strobe lighting with good quality softboxes is the first step to success making sure that having a good set of strobe lights will help you in every way. You can use flash speedlights as well however be aware that speedlight do produce a harsh light that may require softening, you can of course use speedlight softboxes to accomplish this.
Camera settings there are several settings you can use I tend to want to cancel out all ambient light in the studio for example the main lights so setting your aperture to f/10 will achieve this it’s a good trick to try grab you camera if your in a room with the light on set your camera f stop t f/10 and take a picture, you should see the result be pretty much all black now take a photo at say f/4 then you will see light in the room as your eyes sees it, i simply trick but works effectively in a studio lighting controlled environment.

Conculsion
Always keep an open mind more for the model needs as well as the results your looking for, have you taken into account a room the model can change in private and that the studio in this case is an enclosed environment so no one can stray pass and see what is going on, this all helps with the model’s confidence.
Be aware that the model will normally be looking for tasteful but classy images as they would either be for several reasons, partners, portfolio, and many others.

Boudoir photography is not your regular studio photography for most however it does come along at times so researching it is as important as shooting a family portrait.

Thanks for reading.

10 things to know about learning photography

10 things to know about learning photography

1. There is nothing like taking your camera outside or indoors and snapping away to what results you get, Understanding the functions and settings of your camera is KEY to successfully creating the images you want.

2. Reading the camera manual is a good place to start as well. If you stuck on some aspects of your camera, for example F/ stops, ISO, White balance and so on.

3. Find the style of Photography that you like, by looking around on the internet or magazines looking at the images that you really like and understanding how these images where taken and how the look was achieved.

3. Finding a great internet source, by looking around on Youtube, or photography websites can be a massive help in learning techniques, styles, and how to do it instructional videos as well as seeing first hand how it’s done.

4. Joining a camera club, can be a great way to learn with others, with demos, and by simply talking to other camera enthusiasts, can be a great way of learning.

5. Workshops, a lot of photographers provide workshop training this can be one on one training or in groups, another great way to learn in the field from beginner to intermediate right through to advanced skills.

6. Entering contests is another good way to learn photography as it is a confidence booster and can provide critique and feedback about your work which is always important.

7. Asking the your family and friends to rate or judge your images is a great idea, once they have finished judging them ask them why they placed your images in the order they selected you may be surprised at the results, this can be similar to wedding photography as your favourite images are never normally the same as what the Bride and Groom select.

8. Try to learn at least one photo technique at least once a week this way your learning skills will improve at a faster rate.

9. Be dedicated if you truly want to learn photography be committed and dedicated to it helps massively, by following the steps above will help to contribute to furthering the knowledge of your photography.

10. Learning photoshop or lightroom or both is the final step in the learning process before the more advanced learning begins, as a very large percentage of images today are edited to a industry standard, so learning editing skills is very important in having your images showcased, whether your selling your images or photographing weddings etc. Learning Photoshop and or Lightroom can take a good few months, in order to learn this process watching learning how to do it videos on youtube is the perfect way to self learn yourself.

Hi Welcome to my Blog.
This blog is aimed at photographers of all levels that are interested in becoming or even trying out their photography at a Wedding.

So why is it people tell us stay away from weddings, they are to stressful, theirs to much involved etc etc. I was was told this very same thing, however it all depends on your whole attitude toward your skill & mind set in photography.

Your Level.
Most of us think that we can take a perfectly good photograph of just about anything you like, and in most cases is correct, However understanding the concept of what you want to achieve can very different, For example you have just purchased your fist digital camera naturally you want to go out and shoot pictures, don't we all, However most of us in time learn what makes and looks like a good picture from bad or boring picture to something a little more thought out, In time and learning from others we can achieve our own personal goal of where we want to be in the field of photography, Whether we do weddings, portraits, landscapes, lighting & flash photography, travel, and many others, so after a set period of time and learning not only your technique but your equipment as well.

Why Weddings.

Why not it is after all still photography and is of a timed nature, but most importantly it's not something to be afraid of, the only level being that you feel that your not ready for it, this could cover many different aspects of why you think your not ready, Equipment, time spent as a photographer, attitude.. lets look at Equipment. you don't need super expensive Equipment to cover a wedding, I have read of people taking pictures of a wedding using there mobile, however the level of quality would be a factor, and whether or not you are delivery the final images to a would be client, I'm sure that this would be cause for concern for them, being paying clients etc.

So what Equipment would you need, I do have this deep belief of traveling light, keep equipment to a minimum for lots of reasons, but this is just my point of view, Of course a dslr camera is required along with a nice selection of lenses in my case 3x lenses would do a 70-200mm workhorse of lens a wide angle lens and something middle of the road 24-105mm or 85mm these would be more than enough to cover the entire venue.

Time Spent as a Photographer

You don't have to have 10 years as a photographer to start doing weddings or even 5years really there are photographers out there with far less years in the field, however coupled with attitude and passion, commitment this will drive you to cover weddings.
Only you yourself will know if you are ready for them, but remember never underestimate your abilities to achieve anything.

Planning

Planning is in my book is essential dealing with the clients direct, getting to know them so the day goes smoothly, is a very good start, visiting the location either by yourself or with the clients is also important in order that you know the location and can plan your photography on the day, as working out where you want to shoot, where you can shoot, as on the day there is a time factor to consider.
Will there be indoor pictures required, will you require a flash etc, these all come into consideration when planning, Of course planning takes time but its part of the whole wedding photography venue and excuse the pun but is married to it.
Prior to the big day I would concentrate on going over in your mind and using reference images of the location to remind yourself of the location and what photographs you want to achieve prior to the venue as this will help as the location recce could have been several months before the venue day. 

On the Day

The big has arrived and at time especially your first wedding you have nerves to the point that you think that your the one getting married, but on the whole keep thinking of what you want to achieve from your pictures, and remember that nothing ever goes to plan you may well have thought of everything that you need for the day and where to shoot, but 9 times out of 10 something will change and you will have to think on your feet, so having some back ups plans can help.

Conclusion
Never be afraid of shooting a weddings, as long as you have a well thought out plan and have all the information you need, it should run smoothly, remember things can change and seldom always do, so quick thinking can help, as well having someone with you it does not have to be a one man band having someone with you to hold your equipment or lighting is always a plus just remember in most cases weddings photography is a paying profession so pay your helper for there hard work.

I hope this is a helpful blog for all those who are considering taking on wedding photography.
and lastly enjoy it, it's not rocket science.

Many thanks for reading.

Simon
Simon Everett Photography Kent
www.simoneverettphotographykent.co.uk