Five types of Boudoir Photographs: explore what kind of images you'd like in your session!

Whether you are planning your first boudoir session or coming back as a returning client for your fourth session, there can be many creative elements to consider.

One of the first things clients tend to ask is “what do I wear?” so I’ve created a full boudoir wardrobe guide to help you plan out your dream outfit. Another aspect to consider is what boudoir style (or styles!) you want your portraits to capture. Your “boudoir style” refers to the mood, energy, and emotion your portraits convey - think bold and dramatic, strong and empowered, soft and sensual, effortless and everyday… Some clients feel most at home in one style, while some want to incorporate a variety of styles. I’ve put together a fun little quiz to help you narrow down which boudoir style(s) you resonate with most.  

But there’s one more element to consider: what type of photographs do you want in your boudoir session? 

The different types of boudoir photographs refer to the artistic photographic approaches I can take when composing and designing images. After all my years of working as a boudoir photographer in Minnesota, there are several distinct aesthetic approaches to boudoir photography that I love to create with clients. 

Of course, some clients prefer not to think about this element of boudoir planning and would rather trust me to make creative decisions on their behalf - and that's absolutely welcome. No worries if you'd rather not have to make more decisions :) 

However, I've found that many of my clients can look at examples of images and, even if they can't put it into words themselves, they have a strong sense of what types of photographs speak to them the most. So scroll down and explore away to help you discern your favorite type(s) of boudoir photographs! 

Let’s explore five types of boudoir photographs:

1. Classic boudoir

With a lot of eye-contact and sincere, natural portraits (often while you're lounging on a couch, stretching out on a bed, or gazing at yourself in a mirror),  this boudoir look is intentional and timeless – the focus is all on you and your radiance inside and out.

2. Lifestyle, storytelling images

This approach to boudoir focuses on capturing portraits that feel very real, candid, and lived in. These photographs will feature a lot of texture and everyday objects – think cozy couches, lamps, my studio kitchenette, the luxurious bathtub in my studio, or porches and picnic blankets if we’re outside – to tell a story and create a strong sense of place. 

3. Clean & minimal images

This approach to boudoir is the opposite of lifestyle portraits – here, less is more (less furniture, less texture, more open walls and spaciousess). Using simple backdrops like a clean wall or the silhouette panel in my studio, this approach feels modern and editorial, and it minimizes visual elements to focus on you and your body as the focal point. 

4. Fine art, sculptural photographs

This approach to boudoir tends to feel artsy, creative, abstract, and at times a little experimental, as the focus is all about creating art from you and your body lines by playing with poses, light, movement, and shadows. We may drape flowy fabrics over the rafters in my studio, or I might stand on a stool to capture a bird’s eye view of you wrapped in a sheet on the floor – these portraits can take a little more trust in the creative process, and they can turn out so artful and amazing. 

5. Figure details

This boudoir look zooms in on one distinct part of your body – like your hands, feet, or a favorite part of your face or hair – to accentuate the artful shapes, lines, and movement distinct parts of your body create.