The Art of Boudoir Photography: How to Create Stunning Photographs of Women [1 ed.] 0321862708, 9780321862709

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The Art of

Boudoir Photography How to Create Stunning Photographs of Women

Christa Meola

The Art of Boudoir Photography: How to Create Stunning Photographs of Women Christa Meola

New Riders www.newriders.com To report errors, please send a note to [email protected] New Riders is an imprint of Peachpit, a division of Pearson Education. Copyright © 2013 by Christa Meola Acquisitions Editor: Ted Waitt Project Editor: Susan Rimerman Production Editor: Lisa Brazieal Development/Copy Editor: Peggy Nauts Proofreader: Liz Welch Indexer: Karin Arrigoni Composition: Kim Scott, Bumpy Design cover and interior Design: Mimi Heft Cover Photographs: Christa Meola

Notice of Rights All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on getting permission for reprints and excerpts, contact [email protected].

Notice of Liability The information in this book is distributed on an “As Is” basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor Peachpit shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.

Trademarks Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book. ISBN-10: 0-321-86270-8 ISBN-13: 978-0-321-86270-9 987654321 Printed and bound in the United States of America

For every woman, with the courage to be vulnerable: You inspire me. For all artists, who expose and celebrate beauty: You strengthen me. And for our lovers, who adore and appreciate us: You free us to be real. Here’s to feeling great naked!

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Acknowledgments I am fortunate enough to be blessed with so many people to be thankful for, who love me, who support the work I do, who make my life and job easier, whom I’m better off for having known, who directly or indirectly contributed significantly to this book. Words cannot express the measure of my gratitude for the following people in my life, and I can’t possibly cover everyone here who helped birth this book baby. To the Peachpit family: Ted Waitt, for being the book’s big daddy and early supporter. I decided to say yes to this book-writing journey because of you. Um, thank you? Editor extraordinaire Susan Rimerman, whose helpful insight was so key in shaping this book’s content. I am so grateful for your guidance, determination, and patience. Marketing mastermind Scott Cowlin, whose enthusiasm for photography and this book made me giddy. Thank you for the continuing support, Scott. Copy editor Peggy Nauts, who’s as quick with words as she is adept at using them, and proofreader Liz Welch. Thank you for making me sound polished. Production editor Lisa Brazieal, who kept the book on track and whose smile I could feel in every email. Thank you, Lisa! Designer Mimi Heft, thank you for putting such lovely attention to detail into the book design, letting me fuss about more negative space, and for sexing up a photography manual. Thanks to Keely Hild, whose perception and PR efforts really reflected the core message of my goals for this book. And the book’s other contributors: supermodel, muse, and my dear friend Larva. Thanks for your

honest insight into a pro model’s intentions and desires. Tons more gratitude for your above-andbeyond ability to shine in front of my camera. You make me look good. Brilliant photographers and generous friends Robert and Katherine of Johnson Sarkissian, who made Chapter 6, “Creating Light that Flatters,” possible with their enthusiastic assistance with the equipment and behind-the-scenes work. I thank you, and my back thanks you. The best makeup artist I know and close friend Rachel Lund Olsen, you are as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside. Thank you for making the world a prettier place and for offering your makeup tips to Chapter 4, “Telling a Story with Styling.” Phenomenal designer and great friend Natasha Lakos, you keep my brand looking good, and the diagrams in this book are no exception. Thank you for giving so generously of yourself and your talent. Supercool stylist Grasie Mercedes. Thanks for lending your valuable advice to women on how to dress for their shape. I appreciate your efforts in helping us all look stunning as we are. Treasured friend and encyclopedia of equipment information John Cornicello. Thank you for sharing your insight during the book’s early stages. I value your friendship and kindness as much as your stellar advice. Those who make my work better and life brighter: My sponsors and partners, whose generosity and service have not only improved my work, life, and business, but also my community. Tons of gratitude to Paul Friedman and the Lensprotogo team, Doug Boutwell and his Totally Rad Actions, Leon

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Sandoval and the team of retouchers at Colorati, and Nate Grahek, founder of Sticky Albums. The best studio manager a photographer could hope for, Phil Ackley, keeps the Christa Meola Pictures ship sailing smoothly and keeps our team organized and our clients happy. You have been invaluable to the creation of this book. Thank you a thousand times over. The 20 beautiful and brainy women of Marie Forleo’s mastermind group, as well as Marie, the best support team on the planet. I’m grateful to be a part of such an incredibly positive, brilliant, and loving group. Your support and counsel is always wise, warm, and hilarious. Thanks to Kristen, Michelle, Merick, Dawn, Sarah, Holli, Danielle, Brianna, Jen Len, Elsner, Jenny, Kendrick, Jenna, Nathalie, Nisha, Margarita, Jill, Gry, Rachel, Laura, and Louise. My blog readers and online workshop students: Thank you for your enthusiasm and curiosity and for allowing me the honor of supporting you, challenging you, and celebrating your successes with you. I’m honored to share our passion for photography, and I deeply appreciate your support, kind words, and enthusiasm while joining me on this book-writing journey. My family: my dad for giving me my first pro camera as a kid, my first drawing desk and pencils, and my everlasting love of art. My mom for always cheering me on, believing in me, and cooking my favorite soup when things get tough. My older brother, Chris, for engaging with me in spirited debate about art and life and for suggesting that I “do something” with my photography. My younger brother, Christian, for helping get my business started by doing my first website.

Love of my life and partner in crime Costaki Economopoulos. The best teammate a woman could ask for. It would make us both blush if I were to truly express here how deeply grateful I am for your presence in my life and why. Your ever-present support and acts of kindness, understanding, and love throughout this book-writing process gave me the power to get it done. From holding a reflector and shooting behind-the-scenes photos to your brilliant words of advice and ongoing support, no job was too big or small. You’re such an incredible man, my inspiration and MVP. Thank you for making me feel beautiful and feminine and for celebrating my sensuality while I work hard to celebrate others’. Lastly, I give heartfelt thanks to every woman showcased in this book, who had the strength and courage to be vulnerable and share herself intimately with me. Thank you for bringing your body and spirit in front of my camera and for granting me permission to print the resulting photographs in this book.

50mm lens, ISO 400, f/2, 160 sec.

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About the Author Christa Meola is an internationally recognized photographer who travels the world for portraits, speaking engagements, and teaching. She believes that honoring our bodies, emotions, choices, and impulses through p­ hotography—whether in front of or behind the camera—is empowering and profoundly sexy. A self-declared sensualist, she has been infatuated with visual story­telling since childhood. She has enjoyed life behind the camera since the age of six, when playtime included dressing up with friends and taking pictures. Christa is on a mission
to empower women to adore their bodies. She offers
private one-on-one shoots in New York City and destinations around the world. She has a penchant for capturing sensual escapades, black and white bodyscapes, and adoration in motion. Christa has taught thousands of photographers the secrets of her successful boudoir business. She is the founder of the Boudoir Workshops, a six-week online course she designed for new and experienced photographers to ignite their creativity, sharpen their shooting skills, and create a successful business. She is also the creator of The Money Shots, a posing and coaching guide of the best-selling shots. Learn more about Christa on her popular blog at cristameola.com.

Photo by Carla Coulson



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Contents acknowledgments    v about the author    ix Introduction    xviii

Part I    before the shoot R

chapter 1

Working with Women  R 5 Models, Muses, and Real Women   6

Addressing Nerves, Fears, and Doubts  R 18

Professional Models  R 7

Planning the Creative Direction  R 22

Muses: Artists’ Figure Models and Dancers  R 11

Probe a Little Further  R 22

Real Women (Nonmodels) and the Girl Next Door  R 12

Important Policies to Discuss  R 24

Creating a Transformative Experience  R 15

Copyright  R 25

Take Her on a Journey  R 15 Make It an Event  R 17

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Model Release Forms  R 24 Nudity  R 25 Alcohol  R 25 Other Policies  R 25

T h e A rt o f B o u d oi r P h otog r ap h y: H o w to C r eat e S t un n i n g Photogr aphs of Women

chapter 2

Creating Sensual Movement  R 31 Sensuality and How to Cultivate Sex Appeal  R 33 Be Confident  R 34 Have Fun  R 34 Practice, Practice, Practice   R 35 Know the Innate Power of Attraction  R 35 Focus on Feeling  R 35 Take Your Time   R 35 Flirt!  R 37 Know the Tricks of the Trade  R 37 Coaching Actions to Create Natural Movement  R 38 Keys to Coaching Actions  R 40 Top 10 Actions for Stunning Results  R 42 Creating Authentic Emotion  R 45 Emotion Is in Her Expression  R 45 Shoot the In-Between Moments  R 46

C on t en t s

xi

chapter 3

chapter 4

Posing to Make Your Subject Shine  R 51

Telling a Story with Styling  R 75

The Principles of Sensual Posing   R 52

Working with Professional Stylists  R 78

Great Posture  R 52

The Advantages of Hiring a Pro  R 78

Extreme Posture  R 53

Tips for Working with Pros  R 78

Eyes and Eye lines   54

Where to Find Pro Stylists  R 79

Hands    54

Wardrobe Guidelines  R 79

R

R

Contrapposto and the S-Curve  R 55 Closer Is Bigger, Farther Is Smaller  R 58 8 Biggest Posing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them  R 59 The Five Boudoir Poses You Need to Know and Master  R 63 Why These Five Poses?  R 63 How to Use These Poses  R 64

Wardrobe Must-haves  R 82 Having Fun with Props  R 91 Getting Glam: Makeup and Hair  R 94 Makeup for Camera  R 94 Flattering the Face  R 96 A Gorgeously Styled Do  R 97

Before and After: Alison    100

My Posing System: Putting It All Together  R 72

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R

part II    on the set R

chapter 5

A Minimalist’s Approach to Equipment  R 107 Gear That’s Right for You   R 108 A Comparison of Lenses  R 111 Utility  R 111 Aesthetics   R 111 Lenses for Boudoir  R 113 24–70mm f/2.8  R 113 50mm f/1.2  R 115 85mm f/1.2  R 115 How I Use These Lenses on a Shoot  R 118 Other Lenses  R 121 Must-Have Accessories   R 121 Black Muslin Backdrop  R 121 Gray Seamless Background Paper  R 123 Black Gaffer’s Tape  R 125 A-Clamps  R 125

C on t en t s

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chapter 6

Creating Light That Flatters   R 127 Gear: Less Is More  R 128 Taking Advantage of Natural Light  R 130 Shooting in the Studio   R 132 Controlled, Dependable Light  R 132 Eight Ways to Flatter Women Using One Light  R 135 Mix It Up and Make It Your Own  R 136 What’s the Story You Want to Tell?  R 137 No. 1: Gorgeous Backlighting  R 138 No. 2: Sultry Low-Contrast Lighting  R 140 No. 3: Simple, Slimming Short Lighting  R 143 No. 4: Full-Length Flattering Lighting  R 144 No. 5: Sidelighting to Dramatically Enhance or Reduce Curves  R 146 No. 6: Sexy Noir Lighting  R 148 No. 7: Universally Flattering Clamshell Lighting  R 149 No. 8: Seductive and Flattering Feathering  R 151

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chapter 7

Use Limitations to Ignite Your Creativity  R 162

Capturing Beautiful Photographs  R 153

Remain Open  R 163

Shooting Techniques to Bring Out the Best in Women  R 154 Begin without Fanfare  R 154

Stay Inspired  R 163 Communicating Your Vision with a Camera  R 165 Intentional Framing   R 165 Align the Elements  R 167

Start with Easy Setups  R 154 Be Professional, Confident, and Take Control  R 155 Provide Constant Positive Feedback  R 157 Everything Works Great  R 158

Composition  R 168 Depth of Field  R 170 Shutter Speed  R 170

Shoot This for That  R 158

Capturing Variety  R 172

Give Her a Peek  R 158

Creating a Narrative  R 175

Cultivating Your Vision and Refining Your Voice  R 159

Make It Meaningful  R 175

What Is a Photographer’s Vision?   159

Have a Beginning, Middle, and End  R 175

Be True to Yourself  R 161

Putting It All Together  R 175

R

Think Cinema: Master, Details, and Close-Ups  R 175

Know the Why   R 161

Before and After: cynthia    180 R

C on t en t s

xv

part III    after the shoot R

chapter 8

Finishing with a Light Touch in Post-Production  R 187 The Art of Editing   R 188

Retouching Philosophy  R 198

What Do You Value?  R 188

To Retouch or Not to Retouch?  R 199

Choose the Cream of the Crop  R 188

Consider Your Art a Collaborative Effort  R 202

Realistic Expectations  R 190

Techniques in Adobe Photoshop  R 203

Workflow in Adobe Lightroom  R 190

The Top Photoshop Tools  R 203

Strategies for Choosing Your Best Photos   190

The Final Presentation  R 213

R

Making Adjustments to Light and Color  R 192 From Lightroom to Photoshop  R 198

xvi

Before and After: mrs. c    214

T h e A rt o f B o u d oi r P h otog r ap h y: H o w to C r eat e S t un n i n g Photogr aphs of Women

R

part IV   one boudoir session R

chapter 9

Behind the Scenes with One Subject  R 221 Before the Shoot  R 222 Creating the Experience  R 222 Planning the Creative Direction  R 225 During the Shoot  R 225 Styling  R 225 Photography Gear  R 230 Lighting  R 230 Lenses and Camera Settings  R 233 Sensual Movement and Posing   R 235 Bringing Out Karen’s Best  R 237 After the Shoot  R 239 Choosing Final Selects  R 239 Finishing with Post-Production  R 240 Karen’s Reaction  R 242 index   244

C on t en t s

xvii

Introduction Hey you. If you’re reading this book, you’re ready. You know what I’m talking about. You’ve been considering either having a boudoir photo shoot or photographing one. Either way, you’re in the right place. I’ve been photographing women for years. I received my first Canon film camera as a Christmas gift when I was a little kid. My friends and I would play dress-up and I’d take pictures. Considering my current career specializing in photographing women, those memories make me giggle, and those early photographs make me laugh even harder. In Chapter 1, “Working with Women,” I share with you the process I use for discovering how my subject feels about her body and sensuality. Hundreds of shoots have taught me a few things for certain about how women think and feel about their bodies. I’ve been moved to tears, audible awws, and cheers by their stories. I’ve been inspired and moved by each one of them. The women who are interested in being photographed are not just professional models, but also the everyday girls next door, the housewives, soccer moms, entrepreneurs, and business owners. Many of them have feelings of inadequacy, grief, and even sorrow regarding their body and their sensuality. But the overriding emotion I get from each woman I shoot is that she is ready. So ready. To make a life change, to celebrate her sexiness and being a woman—alive and joyful and happy with herself and her body. To get in touch with her core desires and bring back intimacy with herself or her partner where it’s been missing, and to move on in a big badass way! Most women will put their full heart and soul into this endeavor, and so should each photographer who’s fortunate enough to have a beautiful woman in front of her camera—a woman who may just need a little coaxing and direction along with a few tips and tricks to uncover and capture the genuine, unique, sensual woman inside. That’s where you, the photographers, step in. Boudoir photography is a fulfilling activity whether it’s a rewarding hobby or lucrative career. There isn’t anything really complicated about what I do or how I do it, and you can do it, too. My mission as a teacher is to create a brigade of boudoir photographers whose primary goal is to help make women look and feel confident, beautiful, and downright sexy! That’s why I created the Online Boudoir Workshop, and it’s why I continue to teach. I want each woman to have the feeling of being seen, felt, appreciated, and glorified. As well as feeling like a sexpot who can strut into a room and turn heads.

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T h e A rt o f B o u d oi r P h otog r a p h y: H o w to C r eate Stun n i n g P h otogr aph s of Wo men

It’s my goal for you to be able to photograph women more beautifully and easily. To have confidence in your skills, joy in your work, and creativity on all your shoots. Recently, I put up a post on my blog that invited women to write to me for an opportunity to have a boudoir photo shoot with me and share their story in this book. I wanted to show the transformative power of boudoir photography. You’ll see four women’s stories highlighting their experience and how the shoot has transformed their lives. I’m grateful to each of them, as well as all the women who reached out to share their stories, for allowing me into their lives and exposing their bodies, heart, and soul. Writing a book about boudoir photography has reminded me why I do what I do, and how much I love it. With lots of love and gratitude, Christa

In t rod u ct i on

xix

I 24–70mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.8, 250 sec.

before the shoot

24–70mm lens, ISO 400, f/4, 160 sec.

1 I

Working with Women

’ve been photographing females since I was six years old. As a photographer and a woman, I am endlessly fascinated with the complexity and beauty of women (­Figure 1.1). Each woman is sublimely unique, and it’s an absolute joy to collaborate with each subject to discover and capture her individual beauty, sensuality, and spirit. Whether your subject is a professional model, a friend who becomes your muse for the day, or a paying client, they are all women whose differences deserve celebrating. Every woman has a different level of comfort with sensuality and a different idea of what sexy and beautiful mean to her. Therefore, you

need to adjust the practices you use to prepare and coach a subject as well as the creative direction of the shoot to bring out a particular woman’s best. After photographing hundreds of women, from professional models to women who’ve never stepped in front of the camera before, it’s become clear to me which practices and techniques bring out the best in real women and which allow the professional model to perform at her best. One practice that should be followed no matter which kind of subject you’re shooting, though, is to get on the same page about certain policies before you begin (see “Important Policies to Discuss” at the end of this chapter).

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Figure 1.1  Shot in Big Sur with a professional model, a dancer, and a girl next door.

24–70mm lens, ISO 400, f/4, 160 sec.

Models, Muses, and Real Women We can categorize the types of women you’ll likely photograph into three groups, based on their comfort in front of the camera and facility with moving their bodies: professional models, muses (dancers, figure models, and other women who are skilled in moving their bodies), and real women (nonmodels who have no real experience in front of the camera). Each of these groups has different needs and abilities, and each will enrich your experience and education as a photographer as well as enhance your portfolio if you decide to make photographing women into a career.

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T h e A rt o f B o u d oi r P h otog r ap h y: H o w to C r eat e S t un n i n g Photogr aphs of Women

Figure 1.2  Shot in Italy with a model found on

Figure 1.3   This shot is a perfect example of why I hire pro-

­ odelmayhem.com, a great international resource for modm els as well as makeup artists, stylists, and photographers.

fessional models for my fine art work. I wouldn’t have asked a nonmodel to jump in an outdoor tub on a cold day.

85mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 500 sec.

24–70mm lens, ISO 400, f/3.2, 2500 sec.

Professional Models

doesn’t require as much coaching as real women do in order to find a flattering pose or produce a real moment. Models are confident in their bodies and abilities and show up to a shoot to work without the emotional element present with real women. Because you don’t have to worry about managing your subject’s nerves, you can focus your energy almost entirely on composing and capturing great shots (Figure 1.3). Since a model’s top priority is not usually to end up with amazing photographs for

Collaborating with pro models is rewarding and educational. I highly recommend hiring pros whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting started.

Advantages of working with pros Advantages are plentiful with this group. An experienced model knows how to pose, from her facial expression down to her toes (Figure 1.2). She

Ch a pt er 1 : W or k in g wi t h W omen

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Figure 1.4  I was shooting the model standing up playing with a scarf when she suggested lying on the ground with it. This wound up being one of my favorites from that session.

24–70mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.8, 80 sec.

Tip: Hiring Amateur Models I’ve had mostly great luck with hiring amateur models, but as in any industry, you may come across someone who turns out to be unprofessional and unreliable. When hiring amateur models, make sure to overbook for the same time slot in case one doesn’t show.

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herself, the shoot’s agenda is entirely up to you. Models also usually contribute fabulous creative ideas during the shoot and are likely up for whatever suggestion or direction you provide.

Where to hire them Models are great for practicing your skills, experimenting, staying inspired, building your portfolio, and doing jobs for some clients. Hiring models is also a wonderful way to get exposure to women of all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. I like to hire experienced models regularly to experiment with new equipment or techniques, express a creative idea, keep my skills sharp, and grow as an artist. You can find professionals at model agencies as well as on model community websites. The model communities consist of a mixture of professionals and amateurs, so a

T h e A rt o f B o u d oi r P h otog r ap h y: H o w to C r eat e S t un n i n g Photogr aphs of Women

distinction needs to be made here. Amateurs will not have the experience and skill of the seasoned pro, but many of the other advantages apply. Also, many amateurs will work Trade For Print (TFP) or Trade For CD (TFCD), meaning that instead of being compensated financially, the model will work in trade for your pictures provided in print or on CD. Since I do believe in keeping things on a very low budget, especially when first starting out, these types of models are extremely useful.

Bringing out their best In collaboration with dear friends of mine who are also professional models, I’ve developed a list of tips for photographers on how to allow professional models to perform at their best: 1. Communicate clearly Make sure to clearly communicate all of the broad as well as the finer details of the shoot: when, where, compensation (trade, cash, or otherwise), who else will be on set, what to bring, what’s expected of her, the creative direction you’re going for, and what the resulting images will be used for. 2. Confirm, confirm, confirm Triple-confirm that you and your model are on the same page, that she has the correct information, and that the shoot is on and she is expected there on time. 3. Have a plan but be ready to collaborate Yes, the shoot’s agenda is entirely in your court. However, you should be ready to collaborate and invite ideas and input from your model. Not only will it feel good for her to be asked for her contribution, but the result will undoubtedly be a finer product when each person offers her best to the process (Figure 1.4). 4. Provide acknowledgment and compensation Everyone loves to feel appreciated. Acknowledge your model’s hard work, creative contribution, and professionalism. Compensate her with not only the agreed-upon day rate, CD in trade, or the like, but also follow up with the unexpected. A print of your favorite image from the shoot, a batch of low-res images for her website, or a small thank-you gift are all tokens of gratitude for her talent and efforts. Such gestures foster a great relationship with a model and your reputation as a professional (Figure 1.5). 5. A safe atmosphere Extend efforts to provide an atmosphere of trust. My model friends tell me how much they appreciate a robe nearby and a warmed-up room if they’re posing nude, a pillow under their back if it’s a tough pose on a hard surface, little breaks for rest here and there, and simply the offer of a glass of water now and then. Old-fashioned thoughtfulness goes a long way in bringing out the best in any woman.

Ch a pt er 1 : W or k in g wi t h W omen

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Tips from a Professional Model One of my dearest friends, Larva, is a well-known and much-loved professional model who filled me in on the top goals of pro models. You’ll find working with models to be a smooth, successful, and rewarding process if you keep these in mind. Professional models’ goals are to: 1. Look good Not merely look good physically, but more importantly, look good in how they move and express themselves while giving you, the photographer, what they’re aiming for. 2. Make the photographer happy It helps to know that your model is working hard to please you. She’s happy when you’re happy, with both the process and results.

3. Create great art Models strive to create great art just as much as photographers do. This is fulfilling for all parties and transforms paying jobs into a rewarding career. 4. Get recognized by the community Everyone appreciates acknowledgment and recognition, and models are no different. They greatly appreciate referrals, publication, and a simple follow-up thank you. 5. Get rehired The ultimate goal of a shoot for a model is to get rehired. Every action she takes is toward that aim. It’s one reason I stay so loyal to the models I work with and who work so hard for me. I rehire them repeatedly, and it’s sparked some beautiful working relationships, deep friendships, and stunning photographs.

Figure 1.5   This model has become a valued friend and one of my favorites to

photograph. She thought of me when she purchased this jeweled scarf, knowing how much I’d love to photograph her with it. That’s one of the benefits of being a joy to work with and developing lasting relationships (opposite). 24–70mm lens, ISO 800, f/2.8, 250 sec.

Muses: Artists’ Figure Models and Dancers A muse is any subject who fascinates and inspires you, who seemingly eats up your lens and is a dream to photograph.

Advantages of working with muses This is an exciting category of women. These ladies know how to move their bodies exceptionally well. Artists’ figure models are those who pose for fine art painters and sculptors (Figure 1.6). They are wonderful to photograph, especially when you’re just starting out. They are exceptional at moving their bodies, finding really sensual,

Ch a pt er 1 : W or k in g wi t h W omen

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beautiful poses and posing for long periods of time, and they’re experts at small details such as placement of their hands. Dancers are of the same ilk— their career is all about moving their bodies with precision and aesthetic beauty.

Where to hire them I love to hire muses for personal projects, producing fine art, and keeping inspired. I highly recommend figure models for getting started, since they are much more likely than amateurs to happily pose nude and sign a model release for you, even if it’s your first time doing this kind of photography. You can find them at local art schools and art galleries in your area. For dancers, check out local dance schools.

Bringing out their best Although this group does not pose for the camera professionally, these women benefit from the same tips that bring out the best in professional models, as I’ve outlined above. Muses typically require much less direction in how to move their bodies than nonmodels; however, muses will also benefit greatly from some of the same strategies and techniques for bringing out the best in real women, laid out in the remainder of this chapter. With the exception of “Addressing Nerves, Fears, and Doubts,” all other preparation work discussed in this chapter will benefit muses and the final images tremendously, including “Creating a Transformative Experience,” “Planning the Creative Direction,” and “Before the Shoot: Dos and Don’ts.” Figure 1.6  One of my favorite figure models. She is exceptional at posing, and this is a classic. Her hand is perfect and really makes the shot.

24–70mm lens, ISO 1250, f/2.8, 640 sec.

Real Women (Nonmodels) and the Girl Next Door This group of women make up the bulk of my business. They vary the most in how comfortable they are in front of the camera.

Advantages of working with nonmodels Nonmodels are women who are not familiar with the fashion or modeling industries and are not pursuing a professional modeling career. They most likely have never posed this way in front of a professional’s camera before—or even an amateur’s, for that matter. These “real women” have normal insecurities about their bodies, are not necessarily adept at posing, and have no knowledge about what to do or how to move in front of your lens. Yet they desire beautiful, sensual, editorial-style photography for themselves. For me, photographing this segment of the population is the most gratifying and rewarding. Creating a transformative experience through a boudoir photo shoot for real women is the most fulfilling activity and career I can imagine.

Where to find them Depending upon whether you are just starting out, have been a pro photographer for years, or have a boudoir business and are looking to find more clients, the approaches and strategies to find boudoir subjects range greatly. One consideration is whether you’d like paying clients or willing volunteers. Getting into the paid business of boudoir photography with a robust clientele is a whole other book topic. For our purposes here, how to create stunning photographs of women, we must keep the conversation to procuring some willing and happy volunteers to step in front of your lens in the simplest, most straightforward, everyday way. Nonmodels are the amazing ordinary women that you encounter in your everyday life. I often approach women, from friends to complete strangers, to invite them to do a shoot with me. I say simply, “I’d love to photograph you,” and let them know why in particular (Figure 1.7). There are a myriad of reasons why I’d like to photograph someone (including ones that hire me), whether it’s the vibrancy in her smile, her distinctive hairstyle, the way she moves, or her comfort with who she is. Or maybe she strikes me as a shy wallflower I would love to draw out. Now, I know this approach seems easier for female photographers than male; however, it actually depends greatly on your personality. Some female photographers I know would rather be caught dead than approach someone for a shoot, whereas some male photographers I know are relaxed and comfortable with it and have great success booking women for shoots. What matters most is your comfort level. Lastly, yes, you will most likely need a portfolio to have women say yes to the invitation to be in front of your camera. I always show my portfolio (even if it’s on a mobile device) to women I approach, so they can see that I’m a professional and I begin earning their trust. I’m a big believer in not waiting for your portfolio to be “perfect” in order to begin. In fact, I started with only a handful of photographs of the same individual! All you need at minimum is a few shots that showcase your style and taste, so they can see that you are a serious photographer (even if you’re a beginner). In order

Tip: Getting the First One Some women get shy when hearing the term boudoir shoot. Take the edge off and call it a fashion shoot, a lifestyle shoot, a beach shoot, or something equally nonthreatening and creative. I had one client tell me she would never do a boudoir shoot but would love to do a swimsuit session! Girls are funny like that.

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Figure 1.7   This is a 40-something mother of two whose husband is a dear friend of mine. I approached her for a shoot by saying I wanted to shock her husband. She initially turned me down and said, “Never!” But I persisted, and she not only wound up with beautiful photos, she had an absolute blast.

50mm lens, ISO 200, f/1.8, 250 sec.

to build a portfolio, it may be necessary to start with models or very good friends, who will usually happily pose for you without seeing a portfolio. If you’d like to go deeper into the specifics of how to get started as a professional in the boudoir business, including building a portfolio and getting paid clients, you can find all that information at my website, ChristaMeola.com/artofboudoir.

Bringing out their best The information that follows in the remaining sections of this chapter focuses on preparing real women for a shoot, since they benefit the most from a large amount of preparation and encouragement. Could you practice all the same techniques with professional models? Yes, absolutely. However, the degree of preparation work discussed here is not usually as vital to bringing out the best in a professional model.

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Creating a Transformative Experience Why does anyone desire to be photographed? We want to capture the way we would like to be remembered. Each woman wants to celebrate her life and define who she is. Most women seeking boudoir photography aren’t 20-somethings looking to enhance their image. They’re women who want to reclaim their femininity. They want to recapture sexiness consumed by motherhood, celebrate their triumph over breast cancer, honor their recent hard work losing weight or becoming more fit, or any of a multitude of other significant life events. What I love most about boudoir photography is the transformative experience it becomes for every real woman I photograph. With each shoot, I strive to give the subject a unique and incredible experience and help her discover and create how she wants to define herself. Each shoot is a collaboration customized to suit the subject’s vision of herself combined with my artistry and point of view. Here are the ways in which you can help create a truly transformative experience for every real woman you photograph.

Take Her on a Journey Make the entire before, during, and after process of her shoot a journey of self-discovery. This is a rare opportunity for your subject to discover what she loves about who she is and to find out where her comfort zone is as well as how far she will happily push it. From our initial conversation planning the shoot to how she lets herself go in front of the camera, it’s all a wonderful journey of self-discovery. It’s deeply fulfilling to have a client say to me, “Wow, I didn’t know I could look like that,” but even more gratifying when she says, “Wow, I didn’t know I could feel like that!”

What gets her excited about doing a shoot? What’s the reason she’s excited and nervous about doing a photo shoot? Her first answer is probably not why she’s really doing it. It’s just the occasion that’s giving her an excuse to call you up. So if she says it’s a gift for her husband, dig a little deeper. Sure, her husband will love it, but what excites her? For example, one woman was doing a shoot for the upcoming 20th anniversary of her wedding, but when we talked further, she realized she was excited to return to the playful, flirty, sexually spontaneous, edgy, daring woman she was when she first met her husband. Many years of marriage and raising two kids had buried that part of her being. Now, with the kids grown and out of the house, she wanted to mark the occasion by redefining herself in this new way. The photo shoot was the catalyst and expression of that desire.

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What does she love about her body? Seems like a simple question, but many women have very strong, often negative or unhealthy feelings about their bodies. Many women don’t initially have an answer to this question, saying they never thought about it. I respond with “Well, let’s think about it right now.” Don’t let her off the hook. She will probably launch into what she doesn’t like, so be sure to respond with “I want to hear about the parts you love, because we’ll be focusing on that.” Make sure you get her to name at least five body parts and be specific (Figures 1.8 and 1.9). For example, when she says she loves her hips, ask what specifically does she love about them? The further you go and the more detail she gives you, the better your shoot will be (Figure 1.10).

If she has a partner, what does he or she love about her body? Figure 1.8   A woman who loves her curvaceous figure, enjoys being voluptuous, and believes being real and not perfect is sexy.

24–70mm lens, ISO 500, f/2.8, 80 sec.

This question is usually easier for women to answer. Make sure to ask for parts beyond breasts, bum, and legs. You also want to hear about features like her smile, hands, back of the neck, and shoulders. If my subject doesn’t have a partner, I like to ask what compliments she’s heard from friends or past lovers.

What personality qualities would she like to capture?

Figure 1.9   This young woman loves her “abs of steel.” She said she’s proud of her abs because all the work is her own. No one else can do it for you. That’s her version of sexy.

85mm lens, ISO 800, f/2, 60 sec.

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Regardless of what a woman is or isn’t wearing, boudoir photography is sensual—which to me means that you should be able to touch, taste, and feel the emotion of it. Women can be playful, joyful, raw, bold, shy, sweet, strong, soft, silly, and so on, and every single one is feminine and sexy. Our goal, as boudoir photographers, is to capture not only her physical beauty but also her distinctive personality qualities that she loves the most. I also ask what qualities she would like to aspire toward that we should focus on capturing—for instance, a normally shy woman who considers herself a “plain Jane” may

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Figure 1.10   This woman loves her laugh and that she’s known for the sound of her laughter. She thinks being joyful is sexy.

85mm lens, ISO 320, f/1.6, 200 sec.

want to project and capture bold, raw, and sexual. This is where real transformation begins.

Make It an Event Reinforce that this is a special occasion. Let her know that’s how you view this process right off the bat, and make sure to take care of her every step of the way. Milk every aspect of the shoot to make it a memorable, possibly even life-changing event. You’ve already done a great deal of this work with the aforementioned exercises to make it a journey of self-discovery. You don’t need to include a lot of pomp and circumstance, but one phone call and a photo shoot aren’t enough. Draw out the process.

She should have several ways to get invested in the shoot and have fun with it; for instance, fashion or props research beforehand, a bit of lingerie shopping, taking some time to think about what she finds sensual, kicking up her heels on the shoot or when seeing her pictures for the first time.

Try visualization Asking her to visualize her ideal result is a great exercise for her self-esteem, and it puts you a step ahead toward a successful shoot. The more she visualizes with specificity how she wants to be portrayed and depicted in photographs, the closer you’ll come to that final result.

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Make it an opportunity to be pampered and feminine A shoot is a rare chance for women to indulge in some real pampering. What better reason to hire a stylist to do her hair and makeup and spend an afternoon being a girly girl? It’s like playing dress-up as an adult, but way more fun.

Give her a project During your initial contact, ask her to find a handful of inspirational shots from magazines, the Internet, or photo books. These images should convey what she thinks is sexy and the type of mood and setting she loves. Not only is this a fun process for her, but it aids in the styling of a shoot.

Keep it secret Everything is more exciting when it’s a secret, right? Usually, the result of the shoot will be a gift for someone special. In this case, it’s essential to keep all the planning under wraps. But even if she’s doing the shoot for herself, keeping the process secret makes it even more intimate and fun. (A note to male photographers: This tip may not be for you. A male photographer making a point of secrecy to the subject may seem inappropriate.)

Celebrate! The shoot and the resulting photographs are all about celebrating who she is. I like to capture joyfulness in my images for this reason. It’s also why I like to mark the occasion with excitement, music, and a toast (nonalcoholic or champagne, depending on my subject’s preferences) at the shoot or afterward when she sees her pictures for the first time. (Please also see my note about alcohol later in this chapter.)

Addressing Nerves, Fears, and Doubts Boudoir photography is about revelation. Women trust us to help them reveal themselves in a way that is honest, artistic, emotional, and sexy. For me, sexy means a woman who owns who she is, feels comfortable in her own skin, and celebrates herself with a freedom and openness that epitomizes femininity (Figure 1.11). None of this can be accomplished without trust: your trust in yourself, which comes with experience, and your subject’s trust in you—your professionalism, your skills, and your ability to depict her at her best. A huge first step toward earning trust is letting your subject feel like you understand her even better than she understands herself. Most real women who approach me for a

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Figure 1.11   The definition of sexy is a woman enjoying herself and her body.

50mm lens, ISO 125, f/1.8, 125 sec.

shoot have similar fears and doubts. Make sure to address each of her concerns, keeping it light with a bit of humor; validate her feelings; and let her know what to expect. Here are the most common concerns I hear repeatedly.

“I’m really nervous.” Remember, she’s never done this before and has no idea what to expect. So first, let her know that everyone gets nervous and that the feeling usually disappears quickly, often within the first five minutes. Second, reassure her about who will be on set. In my case, it’s usually just my makeup girl and me; sometimes I also have a female assistant present. Last, focus on how much fun the shoot will be; that you’ll all be really silly and that most women have such a good time that they want to do it again.

Tip: Being Nervous Is a Good Thing! Try not to discourage nerves. “The more the better,” I say. Let her know that she doesn’t need to feel embarrassed about being nervous. Tell her that part of this experience is breaking through her comfort zone, and she’ll feel that much more amazing after the shoot when she’s triumphed successfully over her fear and nerves.

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“I don’t know how to pose.” Explain that you’ll coach her by giving her easy directions and that you’ll always demonstrate what you have in mind first. I take responsibility for the posing, reassuring her that we’ll take a bunch of shots and not to worry because we’ll delete any pictures we don’t love. This takes the pressure off and guides her to look to me for direction, already setting us up for success. Figure 1.12  Nudity can be subtle or implied by shooting from specific angles and with nuanced posing.

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“I need to lose 10 (or so) pounds.” I let the woman concerned about her weight in on the secret that all of the women in my portfolio said something similar to me about their weight before their photo sessions. I also remind her that it’s the photographer’s job to flatter women of all shapes

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and sizes, and that photographers are skilled at using many tools, such as lighting, ­posing, angles, and wardrobe choices to flatter different body types.

“Will you retouch my photos?” Most people are savvy enough these days to know about Adobe Photoshop and ask me this question. Make sure to distinguish between light retouching that will make her look like herself on her best day, versus major reconstruction that would make her look like someone else. This is also a great time to discuss your personal retouching philosophy.

“I’m bad at taking pictures.” In response to this, I say, “Then I’m glad I’m the one taking them.” You might want to confess to her that much of what you do together on the shoot may not work, but some of what you do will be incredible, so just leave it all to you. Taking pictures is your job, not the subject’s.

“I’m not sure if I want to do nude.” I never push someone beyond her true limits (­Figure 1.12). Wearing a sheer top, or being nude under sheets or behind sheer fabric (Figure 1.13), are just some of the ways to imply nudity, so your subject doesn’t have to feel naked or self-conscious but can still get tastefully nude pictures in a less scary way. On the shoot, I encourage my model to go as far as she is comfortable with, but I am careful to respect each individual’s boundaries. (See more about discussing nudity with your model in the “Important Policies to Discuss” section later in this chapter.)

Figure 1.13  Her body is visible through sheer fabric, but no nipple is seen.

50mm lens, ISO 100, f/4.5, 200 sec.

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For Male Photographers I admit that being a woman gives me a certain advantage when photographing other women. Here are some tips for male photographers to help women be more comfortable on a boudoir shoot. 1. Know your ideal subject Some women are simply more comfortable with a female photographer, and that has nothing to do with you or how you conduct yourself on a shoot. It’s the same with doctors—some female patients feel more comfortable with a female doctor, just as some men feel more at ease with a male doctor. The more easily you can accept that, the quicker you’ll find subjects who are right for you (Figure 1.14).

2. Professionalism goes a long way You can often put a woman at ease by being very professional and courteous. A little light humor can also help, as long as it’s tasteful. If you’re confident and handle everything positively and politely, she’ll respond to your demeanor. If you’re nervous or feeling uncomfortable, she’s going to pick up on your energy and feel the same way. 3. Be appropriate This is not a date and definitely not the context in which to invite a woman out or imply that you’re attracted to her. Remember that she feels vulnerable, so stay focused on the work. 4. Have a woman present Most importantly, plan to have a woman present at all times during the shoot. Whether it’s your assistant, makeup artist, or friend, having another woman on the set will immediately help put your subject at ease and will also protect you. Your female associate will witness your professional demeanor, which will help protect you from any possible accusations of inappropriate behavior. I also highly recommend encouraging your ­client to bring a friend so she feels even more comfortable.

Figure 1.14

50mm lens, ISO 500, f/3.5, 200 sec.

Planning the Creative Direction As I’ve mentioned throughout this chapter, success starts before the shoot. This is the time to not only discover your subject’s heartstrings and beliefs, but also to use that information and some additional insights to guide the creative direction of your shoot and your targeted shot list.

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Probe a Little Further I feel my number one job as a photographer is to make my photographs meaningful, make them personal, and make them unique to her. We’ve already begun to do that in preparing the subject, and now we’re taking the next step by exploring the creative direction of the shoot. Start by asking your subject the following questions.

What do you think is beautiful? Sensual? Interesting? Every woman defines these differently. I love to hear about beauty and sensuality from differing points of view, each one valid and true (Figure 1.15). This is one of the factors that makes every shoot creatively challenging no matter how experienced I am in photographing women. Instead of just a verbal answer to this question, I ask my subject to do a little research and send me images, whether from magazines or online, of what she thinks is beautiful, sensual, or interesting.

What are a few of your favorite things, ones that make you happy? The answers for this usually result in fun styling choices or props and can steer the context of the shoot (Figure 1.16). I’ve incorporated everything from dance, vintage clothes, and the ’40s to shoes, poker, and pet snakes.

What’s your fantasy shoot? The answer to this question can help steer the location choice, the mood of the images, and the styling of your shoot. I start off this conversation by chatting with my subject about my own personal dream shoot or previous clients’ ideas, which gives her permission to go crazy. I say, honestly, “I’d love to have a shoot at the Ritz in Paris while I’m still in bed looking out at a view of the city. It’s early morning, I have messed-up hair and am totally naked in the sheets with coffee and a croissant.” Get the idea?

Figure 1.15   What is sexy to some is not sexy to others. People have had vastly differing viewpoints on this one.

50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 500 sec.

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Figure 1.16   This woman loves vintage lingerie, so that was easy to incorporate into the shoot.

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Important Policies to Discuss Sensual photography is a personal and sensitive matter. To make sure it goes smoothly, you’ll want to discuss a few important details with your subject, whether she’s a real woman or a professional model, well before the shoot. It’s best to talk about model releases, copyright, nudity, and alcohol up front during your first contact in order to ensure confidence in your professionalism and pave the way for a smooth shoot. This way, you and your subject are on the same page about expectations and the whole experience of the shoot.

Model Release Forms Discuss the model release form with your subject during your first contact, especially when you are doing an unpaid shoot. You want to make sure you are indeed getting

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permission to use the photos before you spend further time planning or shooting. You can download a model release form for free at my resources page (www.ChristaMeola. com/resources). Make adjustments to the form regarding nudity based on your model’s comfort level. Finally, make sure to have your model fill out and sign the release before you start shooting.

Copyright Be sure to copyright your work—it’s fairly easy and inexpensive to do online. You are not protected without a copyright, and it’s surprisingly easy for someone to steal your work without prosecution. You can find links to copyright your work on my website (ChristaMeola.com/resources).

Nudity It’s important to discuss your model’s comfort level before a shoot in regard to nudity and what she’s happy with in terms of a release. Be very specific when it comes to exactly what type of nudity you’re getting permission to photograph. There are lots of ways to imply nudity in photography and many shades of gray in this area—so be as specific as you can; for example, “images where nipple is visible behind sheer fabric” spells out exactly what, how, and how much of the specific body part is being seen.

Alcohol Champagne at a shoot marks it as an event and a celebration; it takes the edge off and relaxes your model. It’s also a fun way to celebrate later, when your subject sees her pictures for the first time. However, you must investigate and consider liability issues in your local area. You may want to state that if a subject would like wine or champagne at the shoot, she should feel free to bring it. I set a two-drink maximum and allow alcoholic beverages only while prepping in the makeup chair beforehand, because of two important reasons: I want to avoid sleepy eyes, and I want her to make clear decisions regarding nudity. Yet another reason to discuss nudity before the shoot.

Tip: Avoid Red Wine Unless you want to spend an inordinate amount of time retouching red-tinted teeth, it’s best to stick with lighter beverages. I learned this one the hard way.

Other Policies If you have any further policies, such as printing preferences or social media sharing, make sure each client is aware of that vital information before booking a shoot with you. Also, it’s important to note that emailing a subject your policy information does not mean that she’s read it. In addition, reading it doesn’t mean she necessarily understood it. So, make sure to verbally review each policy with your subject and have her sign any relevant documents before shooting.

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Before the Shoot: Dos and Don’ts I’ve created the following list of dos and don’ts based on lessons learned from former mishaps and mistakes. You may have your own additions based on your experiences and preferences. Regardless of the items on the list, it’s important to share your list with your subjects well before the shoot and let them know how vital their cooperation is with your do/don’t items. Adhering to this advice will prevent some major disasters.

Dos These preparation tips for your subject will help ensure that your shoot goes smoothly, like butter. Let her know she must: 1. Get a good night’s sleep No amount of retouching can eliminate the exhaustion present in your subject’s eyes or spirit. This item is the most important one. Your subject will need all her energy and vitality to be coached and have fun while exuding sensuality. 2. Moisturize Whether being photographed completely in the buff or to some degree otherwise, supple skin is a must and appears gorgeous on camera. 3. Bring multiple wardrobe options Many times an outfit that we think will work doesn’t. Whether it doesn’t fit, isn’t flattering, is in disrepair, or just doesn’t work with the rest of the styling, we need to have options. I’ll discuss wardrobe must-haves in the next chapter in case your subject doesn’t bring options, but do encourage her to bring multiple outfits. I usually suggest bringing five or more along with accessories.

Figure 1.17  Hands or feet are in almost every shot, so well-groomed nails are essential.

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 125 sec.

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4. Get a manicure and pedicure shortly beforehand This is a simple one, but overlooked surprisingly often. It’s vital to have hands and feet well groomed and polished (Figure 1.17). Chipped polish, broken nails, or ragged cuticles will majorly detract from your shot, and it’s an expensive headache to get that retouched. Most often if we’re doing more than one setup, I like to keep it classic and simple and suggest neutral polish so that it works well with all outfits.

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5. Come early Tardiness happens to be my biggest pet peeve. A subject showing up late starts the shoot off on a bad foot. Ask your subject to arrive early to help set the tone of a relaxed shoot. 6. Bring her own music that she likes This one is helpful for some women who’d like the help of their favorite tunes to get them in the mood. I have my own favorite playlists, but it’s always nice to invite your subject to pop in her sexiest tunes that get her going.

3. No Botox or collagen injections a week before the shoot Cosmetic surgery is not natural in appearance, in my opinion. My advice to clients, however, is strictly aimed at the scheduling of such procedures, if they so desire them. Request that no appointments be scheduled Continued on next page

7. Show up to have fun! Let her know that the number one goal here for her is to have fun (Figure 1.18). Ask that she put any other agenda on the backburner. 8. Leave the rest to me once she’s on set Remind her that taking beautiful photographs is the photographer’s job, so she can focus on having a good time and performing the actions you direct without the burden and worry of “trying to look good.”

Don’ts Too often, I’ve had women show up in tears to a shoot as a result of either a new do they despise, a major tanning mishap, or a botched Botox or collagen injection job. All of these result in women not feeling like themselves or not feeling their best, or costly and time-consuming retouching that doesn’t solve what could have been prevented. 1. No new haircuts right before the shoot You can correct that as much as possible with great styling or wigs, but it’s far better to avoid this pitfall and discourage any new haircuts immediately before the shoot. Even “just a trim” can sometimes go awry, so make sure she schedules any planned haircuts for at least two or more weeks before the shoot. 2. No fake tans immediately before the shoot Personally, I prefer a subject’s natural skin tone, so I heavily discourage fake tanning. However, if a client says she likes how she looks with a fake tan, then make sure she schedules it at least four or five days prior to the shoot.

Figure 1.18  As we were switching subjects, I decided to shoot these two women together just to have a bit of fun. It dramatically brought the energy up and created laughter along with spontaneity—all good things to have on a shoot.

24–70mm lens, ISO 500, f/3.5, 60 sec.

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Before the Shoot: Dos and Don’ts, Continued within two weeks of the shoot. This should be enough time for any injection mishaps to have settled. 4. No negative self-talk allowed once on set Negative self-talk will not help a woman feel her best even though she may think she’s giving you information that’s helpful. Talking about what she “hates” about her body is only going to keep her focused there and away from falling in love with what does make her happy. Make the set a “Love Your Body” only zone, and everyone will be better off for it.

It may be tempting to skip all the aforementioned preparation work and just focus on sharpening your lighting, posing, and retouching skills. However, that would be doing yourself and your subject a huge disservice. The preparation work provided in these first chapters helps you bring out the best in every woman, which in turn shows up in your final photographs (Figure 1.19). The preparation work may not make you a better skilled photographer, but it makes you a better loved photographer.

Figure 1.19   The preparation work I did with this young woman revealed that she loves her heart and one of her favorite things is her heart ring. Can’t you just feel the authenticity and heart of this woman? This is not a shot I would have taken if I hadn’t done the prep work with her, and she absolutely loves this image.

50mm lens, ISO 400, f/2.8, 200 sec.

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50mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 500 sec.

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Creating Sensual Movement

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ensual movement is the distinct factor that takes a boudoir moment from good to great. Before we get to equipment, lighting, and shooting, it’s vital to take a step back and discuss how to create authentic moments with sensual movement. To me, this is the most important aspect of boudoir photography. You can learn simple lighting easily, but for many photographers, creating gorgeous movements that have sensuality, emotion, mood, feeling, and authenticity remains elusive. Gestures such as the ones in this figure are all that’s needed to create movement, which gives photographs emotion and life. Likewise, for the real woman who is interested in doing a photo shoot, choosing her wardrobe may be easy, but moving naturally

in front of the camera and communicating sex appeal may be her biggest struggle (­Figure 2.1). So let’s take a few pages to discuss the art of sensuality and sex appeal for any woman who wants to look and be stunning. The following section can serve as a great primer for all women on how to feel comfortable with their bodies and cultivate sex appeal, whether at a photo shoot or in daily life. For photographers, make sure to share this section with the woman who plans on stepping in front of your camera, and feel free to pass it along to all the women in your life. We could all stand to benefit from feeling great about our bodies.

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Figure 2.1   Shot in Los

Angeles with a 40-year-old nonmodel mother of two. I directed the fan toward her and coached her to “close your eyes, run your hands along your body, and make yourself feel good”—a simple yet powerful step toward creating sensuality. 50mm lens, ISO 250, f/2.5, 250 sec.

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Figure 2.2   Shot in downtown Los Angeles with a 30-something self-described shy girl. She told me

things about herself that I hear often before a shoot: very nervous about the shoot, doesn’t even get naked with the lights on, has no idea how to ”be sexy.” 28–135mm lens, ISO 1600, f/3.5, 80 sec.

Sensuality and How to Cultivate Sex Appeal Sensuality is in a woman’s attitude. She may be a beauty on the surface, but no amount of visual perfection can create sensuality and sex appeal. Whether you are a photographer striving to create stunning photographs of women or you are a woman who wants to look and be stunning, the foundation is a woman enjoying herself and her body (Figure 2.2). That begins with focusing on the unique body parts each woman loves and addressing her fears and doubts, which earns trust, as we’ve discussed in Chapter 1. For the image in Figure 2.2, I gave the subject the same tips I’m giving you here, and made sure our focus was on having fun.

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projecting Confidence I know being confident is easier said than done. As you move through the rest of these tips and techniques, being confident becomes easier. It’s a useful and effective habit to develop in all areas of life, whether you’re the photographer or the one being photographed. In truth, no one feels 100 percent confident, ever. We all have insecurities and fears.

A useful tip that has always worked for me is, if you don’t feel 100 percent confident, then fake it. Merely pretending to be confident will often be just what you need to manifest the real deal. Faking confidence begins with relaxed breathing, set shoulders, and a smile.

Now let’s take the next steps in cultivating sex appeal. In the process, respect your subject’s individual comfort level and taste (and your own). Remember that each person is different. Here are some of my favorite tips for the women I photograph. It’s best to talk about them well in advance of the shoot so your subject has time to try some of them out.

Be Confident Step one in creating allure is to brim with confidence. In fact, confidence is the sexiest thing a woman can wear (Figure 2.3). Confidence in how you move, how you look, how you feel, and what you do. If you feel like a fool, you’ll look like one. Remember to stay focused on your positive attributes and know that you can pull off nearly anything if you do it with self-assurance.

Have Fun Men (and women) are attracted to women who are genuinely enjoying themselves; that quality matters more than any individual physical attribute. Although this seems simple, it’s often neglected. Have fun! Enjoy being a woman. Enjoy being admired. Be playful. Have fun while strutting around.

Figure 2.3   Shot in Seattle with a gal who loves her curves.

She’s absolutely brimming with confidence, so we’re drawn to her expression and she looks stunning! 24–70mm lens, ISO 100 , f/2.8, 200 sec.

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Especially during a photo shoot, it’s important to remember to not take ourselves too seriously. After all, we’re posing in our underwear. Make sure any doubts or concerns take a backseat to having a good time. Once again, sometimes a shortcut to having fun is simply smiling. This woman’s inner beauty radiates through her brilliant smile and the sparkle in her eyes (­Figure 2.4). Yes, she has certain body parts that she feels aren’t completely gorgeous due to childbearing, but you can feel here that she’s playful and enjoys being a woman, and we’re both focused on what she loves.

Practice, Practice, Practice Comfort with your body takes practice. Get very familiar with your body, paying particular attention to the parts you love. Practice being naked. Walk around your home naked. Try posing in the mirror naked. Appreciate and admire your body from all angles. Make sure you focus on the good stuff, and be grateful for the gift of your body.

Know the Innate Power of Attraction Men and women have enjoyed looking at women since the dawn of time, certainly well before Photoshop. Stretch marks, cellulite, or some extra pounds are not going to change that. A woman’s attitude is the most important aspect of feeling and looking truly beautiful and appealing, not physical beauty. Trust that your viewer loves it all. Know that any boldness, playfulness, and enjoyment of your body will be appreciated and enjoyed.

Focus on Feeling When a woman feels sexy, she looks sexy. When cultivating sex appeal, make sure to focus on pleasure and feeling good. How you move and how you flirt, dress, undress, and touch yourself—even how you breathe—should be guided by what feels good to you. Sometimes putting on your favorite music or closing your eyes for a moment can help you focus on feeling good.

Take Your Time I was photographing a world-famous burlesque dancer in Los Angeles, and when I asked her to perform a few dance movements faster for me, she refused. Slower is sexier, she said. She’s right. Sensuality has a slow tempo. Take your own sweet time with your movements and gestures. Walk slowly and deliberately. Move your hands along your body languidly.

Tip: Taking Off Clothes Tease! Do it slowly, and take your time in between each piece. Hint at removing the item before removing it. Enjoy yourself! Teasing out your movements is not only more sensual, but also gives the photographer more time to catch a movement she loves.

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Flirt! Move like you can barely contain your desire. Be playful and allow a bit of shyness to come out now and again. Look at your viewer or the camera with a teasing glint in your eye. Let your inner good girl and naughty girl come out to play (Figure 2.5).

Know the Tricks of the Trade Finally, cultivating sex appeal is not about a crash diet or Photoshop. It’s about working what you’ve got and knowing a few tricks of the trade to enhance what’s already there. We’ll cover these tips and tricks on how to find flattering wardrobe, poses, and lighting in upcoming sections that enhance a woman’s sex appeal even further.

Figure 2.4   Shot in New

Orleans with a 20-something nonmodel mother of two. My direction was to cross her arms in her lap to create a bit of appealing cleavage, and when I playfully coached her to squeeze her arms in tighter for even more cleavage, she let out a laugh (opposite). 85mm lens, ISO 400, f/2, 250 sec.

Figure 2.5   Shot in New Orleans with a 30-something nonmodel and friend of mine, who truly

enjoys the art of flirtation. My direction to her was simply to let her naughty girl out to play a bit and flirt with the camera. 50mm lens, ISO 800, f/2, 160 sec.

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Coaching Actions to Create Natural Movement

Figure 2.6  The action I coached here was, “Close your

eyes and slowly pull down your strap, enjoying every moment of it.” 50mm lens, ISO 400 , f/2.0 , 160 sec.

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“Motion creates emotion,” according to Tony ­Robbins. I agree. I’m a big believer in the notion that how you move is how you feel. I would like to borrow that idea and apply it to photography. Movement goes a long way in communicating authentic emotion. That’s one of the reasons I enjoy coaching actions: big or small movements and tasks that I direct my subject to perform during the shoot (­Figures 2.6). With real women who have never professionally modeled before, offering an action to perform instead of asking for a pose makes it easier for them to be real and look natural. A nonmodel’s biggest challenge is most often her self-consciousness and the fact that she doesn’t know go-to poses that both flatter and look natural. In fact, many photographers also struggle with the fear of not knowing how to pose a subject. You can overcome all of these hesitations by simply giving your subject easy actionable directions, such as “toss your hair,” “shake your booty,” or “twirl” (Figure 2.7). The results look more emotive and authentic than when your subject is just standing there wondering what to do or striking a static pose where she seems disconnected from herself and the moment. For this image, the direction I gave her was to simply run across camera from point A to point B several times until I nailed the shot that created mood, mystery, and movement. There are further benefits to coaching actions as well, which all go a long way in bringing out the best in any woman who steps in front of your camera.

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Figure 2.7  The lovely swirl of her red dress helps

illustrate movement. 24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8 , 100 sec.

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First, you disable any self-consciousness by transferring her focus to performing the action instead of trying to look good. Second, you create natural movement to capture instead of a lifeless pose. Third, you begin to exhaust her nervous tension by keeping her in motion and repeating the action. This gets her blood flowing and revives her expressions when her energy has waned. The following are four essential techniques to maximize the effectiveness of coaching actions:

Keys to Coaching Actions 1. Demonstrate the move If your subject is unsure of how to perform the action you’re coaching, always provide her with a quick demonstration. While you’re shooting, without putting your camera aside, briefly demonstrate the action you’re asking her to do. By seeing you perform it first, she’ll feel less silly doing it herself and will be more likely to commit 100 percent to it. 2. Repeat as needed When you ask your subject to repeat an action over and over again, it gives you multiple opportunities to capture something gorgeous (Figure 2.8). The action I coached for this image was to hold the scarf taut over her head and shimmy it back and forth. I had her do this multiple times until I lucked out when all the pieces came together: her breast, lips, and eye were visible, the scarf ’s fringe showed movement, and her legs were crossed, forming a nice curve at the end of frame. By doing an action several times, your subject will embrace it more, relax and get into it, and laugh when she messes up. Each of those are unique and awesome captures. Repetition is also a secret ploy to consume her nervous energy. It’s hard for someone to be nervous when she’s tired out. 3. Commit fully Ask your subject to commit 100 percent to the action. Leap high, laugh big, sigh deeply. Then coach her to push the action to the extreme. Coach her to “kick your leg higher” or “toss your hair with more abandon.” 

Figure 2.8   Shot in Big Sur at

Edward Weston’s estate, Wildcat Hill, with one of my favorite nude models (opposite).

4. Use in tandem with posing guidelines Coaching actions guarantees that you create natural, authentic movement, even without knowing additional posing guidelines and even with a woman who has never stepped in front of a pro’s camera before. In the next chapter, we’ll discuss how to incorporate posing guidelines into coaching actions, a powerful combination of techniques.

24–70mm lens, ISO 400, f/3.2, 60 sec.

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Top 10 Actions for Stunning Results 1. Brush your hair out of your eyes This is a great one to start with. Even though it’s a natural, everyday action that will be supereasy for your subject to perform over and over again, some nonmodels are hesitant to do something as simple as brushing their hair out of their eyes without the photographer’s permission. So go ahead and give her this little direction from the beginning. In fact, it will be a necessity when you direct the fan at her, ask her to toss her hair, or have her moving a bunch. 2. Shake out your hair This is the easiest direction to shake the nerves loose and have some fun, so it’s another great action to begin with. I like to ask my subject to shake her head side to side with her eyes closed and a slight smile (Figure 2.9). An alternative is to have her look directly at the camera and mess up her hair with her hands. 3. Jump, run, skip, or bounce Any of these actions will help deplete her nervous energy when she’s asked to repeat it over and over again, helping her relax. So these are actions that I like to coach early in the session. Depending on the location and wardrobe, I have my subject either jump (Figure 2.10), run toward or away from the camera, skip toward me, or bounce playfully on the bed. Here, I asked the model to do a silly cheerleader jump. We repeated it a few times, and I was thrilled that we captured a genuine and joyful emotion. 4. Play with your clothing Suggest to your subject that she simply play with an item of clothing that she’s wearing, whether it’s a bra strap, garters, shirt collar, or a hat. This is

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Figure 2.9  The simple instruction “Shake your hair and

head side to side with your eyes closed and a slight smile” works with every woman I’ve shot. It’s a brilliant tool for easing nerves while creating authentic emotion and sensual movement that looks stunning. 24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 200 sec.

easy, flirtatious, and a great way to get partially dressed shots with some natural movement. Directions could include: Pull down your strap a bit (­Figure 2.11), flirt over your collar, peek out at me from under your hat, unzip your dress, and so on.

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Figure 2.10   Shot in Florence with a young model, who was struggling to give an authentically joyful expression. I wanted to loosen her up a bit and create a happy mood that matched the flirty and fun dress.

50mm lens, ISO 200, f/1.8, 2000 sec.

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sometimes showcasing a gorgeous pair of high heels or a sexy peek of thigh and bum. Plus, this is another fun action for your subject to perform and another nervous energy buster. 7. Yell “Hey!” Ask your subject to vocalize and really let it out. She’ll release some tension and probably laughter along with it. It’s a great way to loosen her up, get the blood flowing, and keep her present on the shoot. I also might direct this action if I see my subject’s energy is waning in order to wake her up a bit. 8. One, two, buckle your shoe Most women love shoes, and any action involving women’s shoes is generally a good idea. Taking one off, buckling the sides, running her hands along them—these are all actionable directions that are easy for a nonmodel to perform and that elicit fun shots. Figure 2.11   Shot in New York City with a young aspiring model. I coached her to lift her shoulders a bit and slowly pull down both straps while looking down her body. I coached my subject to continue pulling down the straps of her dress (or lingerie), revealing as much or as little as she likes depending on her comfort level.

85mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 160 sec.

5. Shake it Turn on some music and ask your subject to jam. This is mostly to loosen things up and have some silly fun. I like to coach my subjects to shake it if they’ve got it because it usually creates a fun atmosphere and some laughter and lightens everyone up. It also leaves it up to your subject how creative or daring she gets with it. 6. Twirl around This action can be useful, depending on your subject’s wardrobe. Whether she’s wearing a dress, skirt, nightie, or silk robe, it’s easy to get a shot of movement and a twirl of fabric,

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9. Run your hands along your body This action is my favorite, and I direct this one on every shoot whether it’s with a model, a muse, or a real woman. Since it’s a little more intimate, you may want to do this one once the shoot has progressed a bit. Direct your subject to use an elegant touch with her fingers barely touching her skin and to keep her hands moving slowly. I also often coach her to not move her hands parallel to each other, but to have one up and one down. It’s important to note that wherever the model places her hands is where the viewer’s eyes will go. So be specific about where you ask her to place and move her hands. 10. Close your eyes and… I let this direction be more of a suggestion that trails off so she can fill in the blank. Usually, this action provokes either a blush, a sigh, a smile, or some other genuine expression unique to your subject.

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Creating Authentic Emotion Photographs that depict emotion have become my trademark. Before we get into flattering lighting and composition, let’s focus on nailing a wonderful expression. Cultivating sensuality and sex appeal, as discussed earlier, is the first step in creating sensual movement. Coaching actions, the second step covered, is geared toward generating natural movement regardless of a woman’s experience in front of a pro’s camera. Now, the third step puts the icing on the cake. This is how you ensure that each movement and emotion captured is authentic.

Emotion Is in Her Expression Step one in creating authentic emotions is recognizing the real deal when you see it. You can always tell an authentic smile if it rings true in her eyes, as in Figure 2.12. Other emotions could get a bit trickier to suss out, but more often than not, you can feel authenticity by looking at her expression. Ask yourself: Is your subject connected to the moment and what’s happening? More often than not, I feel more authentic emotion when a subject is looking down at her body, at the light source, or has her eyes closed rather than directly at the camera (Figures 2.13, 2.14, and 2.15). Although this is a matter of personal taste, I feel that eyes looking directly at the camera take the viewer out of the voyeuristic feel.

Figure 2.12   Shot in my Los Angeles studio with a young and curvy nonmodel. You can always tell real laughter when you see it. The curl over her face adds to the impromptu little giggle from a nervous subject whom I was just warming up.

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 200 sec.

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Figures 2.13–15   Shot with a nonmodel in New York. This woman was a bit nervous, so I started by asking her to let her hair down and mess it up, which prompted some real giggles, as in 2.13. Then I coached her to flirt over her shoulder, imagining her biggest crush (2.14). Well that provoked genuine laughter and blushing (2.15). It’s up to you to direct, evoke, and select the genuine moments.

85mm lens, ISO 160, f/2, 100 sec.

Tip: Capture Real Laughter The more you laugh and crack yourself up, the more she laughs. Use her nervous energy to work for you. Tease your subject. Ask for fake laughter and it usually ends up in real laughter. Nobody can fake laugh without feeling like a total ass, so it always provokes real laughter from both of you. Just make sure you press the shutter while you’re doubling over.

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Shoot the In-Between Moments Unplanned outtakes are awesome (Figure 2.16). That’s the good stuff. When your client falls over or cracks up, make sure to capture it (Figure 2.17). Those are often the most beautiful, honest, and emotionally true moments. You can even try telling her that you’re just shooting a light test so she drops her guard and can move and feel more truthfully. Cultivating sex appeal, coaching natural movement, and creating authentic emotion is the essence of what boudoir is all about. Without these essential ingredients, your photographs will lack the sensuality that is the foundation of this genre. By sharing with your subjects the keys to sensual movement, you will not only bring out their best, but you’ll bring out your best as well. It’s so exciting and rewarding for both photographer and subject to experience a woman really opening up and enjoying herself and her body, as well as the shoot and resulting pictures.

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Figure 2.16   The flower kept falling out of this woman’s hair. Even though she was still prepping and wasn’t ready, I grabbed this in between moment because of her joyfulness and authenticity. 

50mm lens, ISO 400, f/3.2, 100 sec.

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Figure 2.17   In a 30-minute mini-session shot in Italy with a 40-year-old nonmodel, I directed her to shake her hair from side to side. I asked her to do it again and again until she busted out laughing. Is the composition perfect? No. Do I love the emotion, spirit, and beauty in her and this picture despite that? Yes!

85mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.0, 160 sec.

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Action Plan: A Cheat Sheet to Create Emotion If your client is overwhelmed by nerves, can’t relax, and is therefore unable to provide different emotions, here is an action plan: 1. Ask her to regroup and reconnect Ask her, “Close your eyes, relax, breathe, and reconnect with yourself. Run your hands along your body and let it feel good.” This action alone provokes loads of different emotions and great shots. 2. Get her moving a ton Coach a series of actions to exhaust and annihilate her nervous energy. Have her jump up and down on the bed, twirl her skirt, flip her hair, and more until she laughs, which happens sometimes after only a few minutes. 3. Give her a prop This will get her to immediately transfer her focus from herself to the prop. Often, women feel safer “hiding” behind a prop. Plus, playing with it is fun and can be silly, which is just what is needed to take the tension out of a situation. 4. Turn on some tunes Music can make some women feel sexy in an instant. The type of music is up to her individual taste. Some women prefer slow and sultry, whereas others go for fast and funky. Try both, and choose the songs that will evoke the mood you are going for. Every woman should have a playlist of songs that

5. Change up the energy Sometimes, the energy in the room just needs to change in order to effect a change in your model. I will sometimes have someone either enter or leave the room. For instance, I’ll ask the makeup artist to come to the set to do a touch-up. Or conversely, if friends or assistants are present, have one exit to grab a cup of coffee so the energy in the room changes. Often, this is all that’s needed to get the subject to relax. 6. Add the fan! The fan is an absolute must-have on set. Okay, I admit this one is the biggest cheat. It’s the most foolproof way to add emotion when all else fails. Turn a fan on, blow it toward your client, and watch the emotion pour out of her—or just look like it is. Try it. The fan creates motion and sensuality, even when sometimes it’s not there.  7. Shoot body shots If nothing you try is working, and your subject still won’t give you anything but a stiff pose, try focusing on shooting body shots and details for a period of time. Wait until she gets more comfortable with you or you can show her a good shot on the back of your camera so she can breathe a sigh of relief and perhaps relax a bit more.

make her feel instantly hot. Ask her to bring her tunes, and if she doesn’t have any, give her the assignment of finding some. My current favorite playlists and recommendations are on my website, www.ChristaMeola.com/resources.

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24-70mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.8, 60 sec.

3

Posing to Make Your Subject Shine

F

or nonmodels, one of the biggest concerns is not knowing how to pose. The guidelines and tips covered in this chapter are essential to boudoir photography when photographing women without experience in front of the camera. Most professional models, on the other hand, know how to move, and you can learn a lot working with them, as I have. I’m including the principles of posing in the preshoot section because before we take a camera out and get distracted by our equipment, we need to really see the woman in front of us. Also, as a female, it’s fabulous to know how to hold your body in flattering postures. Am I right, ladies? The easiest way to flatter women is by focusing on the body parts they love as well as the personality traits they adore, as we discussed in Chapter 1. You can go far on just that information alone, without

knowing much about posing. Add the technique of coaching actions, as we discussed in ­Chapter 2, and you’re mostly set on how to create stunning photographs of women. Also, posing should look and feel natural and not forced. I believe we can help create relaxed sensual movement and authentic moments without feeling like we’re “posing” a woman. Nonetheless, certain posture guidelines and principles of posing can immediately and drastically alter the appearance of a person’s body and the mood her body communicates. For instance, certain posing tricks can beef up a nonexistent bum, take off 20 pounds or more, and alter expression from insecure to confident. In the process, though, we just want to make sure we don’t sacrifice spontaneity and creativity. Sound exciting? Let’s get to it.

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The Principles of Sensual Posing The following elements of posing are simple and subtle but make a dramatic impact. These fundamentals will help you showcase your subject at her best, lead the viewer’s eye through the photograph, and enhance the mood and message of your picture. Women who just want to look great naked can also use these principles!

Great Posture Good posture can take you a long way and is another instant fix to looking fabulous naked (or in clothes, for that matter). Poor posture sends the wrong message (­Figure 3.1). Excellent posture not only makes you look taller and leaner, it makes you feel and appear more confident. As we discussed in Chapter 1, cultivating sex appeal is all about confidence, so if you need to fake it at first, practicing great posture is a fine way to start. Excellent posture is easy to achieve but difficult to sustain without constant reminders. Unfortunately, most of us go through the day with poor posture. So make sure you continually remind your subject of the following elements of good posture (Figure 3.2). Practice them yourself while standing in front of a full-length mirror and see how dramatic the difference is! 1. Stand up straight. 2. Pull your shoulders back and down. 3. Elongate your neck. 4. Tilt your head and chin slightly out and down. 5. Pull your stomach in and up. 6. Let your back settle into a natural but extended arch that pushes out both the chest and bum.

Extreme Posture Going beyond the great posture described above, a pose can be even more seductive and emotive when it’s pushed to the extreme. This is useful to demonstrate to your subject at the beginning of the shoot. Standing simply with normal everyday posture looks a bit unremarkable. In contrast, when your subject really stretches, extends, and elongates, then it’s suddenly a lot more flattering and significantly more dramatic. In any pose or action (Figure 3.3), I coach my subject to push it by saying, “Extreeeeeme posture. Keep going!” to her as she keeps stretching, arching, and elongating (Figure 3.4).

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Figure 3.1   Poor posture is unattractive

Figure 3.2  Small changes make a

on any size or shape.

dramatic difference.

50mm lens, ISO 400, f/2, 100 sec.

50mm lens, ISO 400, f/2, 100 sec.

Figure 3.3  Great posture, but I wanted

Figure 3.4   Being coached to go even

it even more extreme than this.

further than she thinks she can.

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 125 sec.

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 125 sec.

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Eyes and Eye lines Yes, eyes and eye lines belong in the posing chapter! Eyes are usually the number one thing affecting the impact of your photograph. It’s vital to use your subject’s eyes and eye lines to communicate your message. Eyes looking down even just a little bit versus halfway down her body are vastly different. Think about which one conveys the mood you’re going for. Eyes are the first and last thing I look at before I snap the shutter. The first thing a nonmodel will ask when she steps in front of your camera is, “Where do I look?” To make it easy for her, keep to four simple directions. I give her my favorite three eye lines right off the bat. One, look at the light source. Two, look down your body. Three, look at me. I usually coach them in exactly that order. I also coach “eyes closed” as the fourth option. When coaching for emotion, I like to offer a few suggestions regarding eyes. First, I like to suggest Figure 3.5   “Smile with

your eyes” usually creates a spark in the eye, raised cheeks, a wider smile, and little crinkles next to the eyes. 24­–70mm lens, ISO 640, f/2.8, 1250 sec.

to my subject “Smile with your eyes,” which is just enough of a direction for her to focus her awareness on communicating with her eyes, and that’s all you need (Figure 3.5). The second suggestion I make is for my model to “talk with your eyes. Without saying anything verbally, tell me all about your secret crush,” or “What is the naughtiest thing you’ve ever done?” This usually elicits honest emotional reactions in the eyes.

Hands The second thing a nonmodel will ask you is, “What do I do with my hands?” There are many ways you can engage your subject’s hands that make a significant difference in the impact of your photographs. 1. She should place her hands where she wants attention to go. If she likes her hips, décolletage, or face, coach her to put her hands there.

2. Make sure your subject has relaxed hands, with separation between fingers, often called “ballet hands” by photographers (Figure 3.6). If she has a hard time executing “ballet hands” when you coach her, ask her to touch her middle finger to her thumb, and then detach slightly and extend. 3. The side of a woman’s hand appears more feminine than the broad side or back of her palm (Figure 3.6), so consider adjusting your subject accordingly. 4. Coach your subject to touch her body with relaxed hands, her middle or ring finger making contact with her skin, and to keep her hands moving along her body. She can touch her body, shoulders, hips, legs, bum, or face or play with her hair. 5. Ask your subject to trail her hands along her body slowly and to repeat the action several times. Coach her to consider touching her body to be a seductive invitation or flirtatious toying. 6. Ask her to keep changing and moving her hand placement. Each placement creates a dramatically different picture. This is a quick and easy way to capture a great number of stunning shots with variety. And variety is the key to selling—but that’s a whole different book.

Figure 3.6   This is a perfect example of points 2 and 3. The

model’s left hand is beautifully relaxed “ballet hand.” Her right hand, in contrast, has stiff fingers, and you can see how the back of the hand isn’t as feminine or attractive as the side. 85mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 320 sec.

7. You can also use hands to create a little trompe l’oeil. She can accentuate her curves by putting a hand at the peak of a hip, or cinch in her waist by placing her hands further in toward the body rather than directly on the sides (Figures 3.7 and 3.8). Figures 3.7 and 3.8   This comparison shows how important

hands are in influencing the viewer’s perception of scale. Moving her hands in toward the navel creates the appearance of a smaller waist. Add to that a turn to the side, and you’ve taken off about 20 pounds and created a feminine waist on an athletic, slightly boyish body (right). 50mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 125 sec.

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Figure 3.9  A back view

of contrapposto, a classic and beautiful pose. 24–70mm lens, ISO 1250, f/2.8, 3200 sec.

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Contrapposto and the S-Curve Contrapposto is an Italian art term that means counterpose. The most famous example of contrapposto is Michelangelo’s David. It is an arrangement of the body on a curving axis that provides asymmetrical balance, where your subject is standing with most of her weight on one foot so that her shoulders and arms twist off-axis from and counter to the hips and legs (Figure 3.9). To create a contrapposto pose, ask your model to stand and turn a bit sideways (always avoiding head on), shift her weight to the back leg, and put the other leg out in front, knee slightly bent, and toe pointed, lifting her heel. The S-curve is a more emphasized and dramatic pose (Figure 3.10) than contrapposto. Both enhance your subject’s natural beauty. When seated, she can sit on a diagonal (again avoiding head on) with a slight twist at the waist. This will naturally cinch in her waist. Figure 3.10   The axis of the upper torso and the axis of the hips and pelvis are in extreme opposing directions, creating an S-shape. (This example happens to be a backwards S.)

24–70mm lens, ISO 640, f/3.2, 800 sec.

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Closer Is Bigger, Farther Is Smaller This effect is more noticeable the closer you are to the subject. Body parts closest to you (and your ­camera) appear larger, while those farthest away appear smaller. This seems obvious but is sometimes forgotten when in the middle of a busy shoot. It holds true for any body part. For instance, to create the appearance of a bigger bum, have your model recline with her head away from the camera and bum closest to the camera (Figure 3.11). To reduce its size, have your model recline the opposite way, toward the camera. When your model is standing, have her stand with her weight on the back foot and push her hips further away from you to slim down wide hips (Figures 3.12 and 3.13). You get the idea.

Figure 3.11   This petite woman has a very slim lower body, so I photographed her from the position closest to her bum to amplify the size of her bottom.

50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.2, 160 sec.

Figures 3.12 and 3.13  Even on a tiny frame, you can see a significant difference in the appearance of the size of her hips. Simply by changing the postion of her pelvis from toward the camera to away from the camera, you’ve subtracted pounds from her figure.

24­­­­­–70mm lens, ISO 500, f/3.5, 60 sec.

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The Secret to Creating a Curvy Bum Give a “wedgie” Any time I’m photographing a woman in her panties, I give her undies a little tug to create a wedgie. (Male photographers will want to request that the model do this adjustment for herself.) It enhances the appearance of roundness and flatters every size bum. Coaching your subject into an S-curve stance, shooting from a low angle, and choosing side lighting will all also help create a juicy bum, but the real secret is the “wedgie.” Take a peek at the before and after (Figures 3.14 and 3.15).

Figure 3.14 and 3.15   The quickest, easiest way to go from ho-hum to

ka-pow! 50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.2, 160 sec.

8 Biggest Posing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them It’s been a privilege to have taught hundreds of photographers, both newbies and pros, how to photograph women. I have a Facebook group where students share their images to get critiques, support, motivation, answers to questions, and access to my latest tips. I have done hundreds of portfolio reviews, been a print competition judge, and seen thousands of boudoir pictures. It’s become fairly evident what the most common mistakes are that separate a good image from a great one. Here are the most common mistakes: 1. Eye line errors I most often see three mistakes with eyes and eye lines: a) too much of the white of the eye is seen (Figure 3.16), b) the eye line is too high and looks strained (Figure 3.17), and c) the subject’s eye line looks down her body too closely, resulting in a double chin even on the thinnest models (Figure 3.18).

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The fix in each case is easy: Make sure your subject’s eye line a) shows her pupils (Figure 3.19), b) is cast down enough so that her forehead, eyebrows, and eyelids are comfortable, soft, and relaxed (Figure 3.20), and c) “cheats” when looking at her body (actually looking at the furthest point out or even the floor in front of her), so that her head is out and her chin is down (Figure 3.21).

Figures 3.16–3.18   The three most common eye line mistakes nonmodels and inexperienced photo­

graphers make. I zoomed in and exaggerated the problem in each instance, but even a smaller version of these mistakes can ruin an otherwise stunning photograph. 50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.

Figures 3.19–3.21   The simple fix in each case is to adjust your subject’s point of focus.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.

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2. Nonsensual pose or expression I often see boudoir pictures where the model appears either insecure or in pain rather than confident or sensual. There’s a fine line between agony and ecstasy, but a subtle change can take a moment from one to the other. Here are the two nonsensual poses I notice most often: “the migraine” (Figure 3.22) and “the hand bra” (Figure 3.23). To infuse confidence and sensuality into a pose while still covering up nudity, be creative and make sure you pay attention to the subtlety of posture and expression. Rather than simply placing hands to cover up breasts, create a sensual moment by simply shifting posture to the side, obscuring breasts indirectly, and focusing on a more flirtatious expression (Figure 3.24). Slight changes in the hands, shoulders, and face (Figure 3.25) do wonders to change a don’t to a do! 3. Tension in the hands Such tension is a very common occurrence with nonmodels. The inexperienced photo subject will hold her hands in either tensed fists, claws, or straight fingers side by side, particularly when playing with her clothing, holding a prop, or touching her body. To fix, watch carefully for any bit of tension in your subject’s hands before snapping your shutter, and make sure to coach her as described earlier in this chapter. Remember that the side view of hands appears more feminine, and separation of fingers into “ballet hands” is more desirable.

Figure 3.22   The migraine.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.

Figure 3.24   This is essentially the same exact pose. A minute adjustment can transform a headache into bliss.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.

Figure 3.23   The hand bra.

50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.2, 160 sec.

Figure 3.25  A sexier way to be

modest. 50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.2, 160 sec.

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Figure 3.26  I took this shot from the first rung of a ladder, about 4 inches higher than my normal height.

Figure 3.27  I shot this from a kneeling position, well below the model’s waist. You can see how much more flattering this angle is.

24–70mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.8, 125 sec.

24–70mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.8, 125 sec.

Figure 3.28   This may be a mat-

ter of personal taste, but I think the stumpy appearance is less attractive than the “do” version of this shot. 50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 500 sec.

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Figure 3.29   A simple adjustment makes a world of difference. You don’t even have to turn your model this far to see the sides of her legs and feet.

4. Awkward limb placement This mistake takes many forms, most often when an arm or leg is uncomfortably bent, resulting in a clumsy appearance. To prevent this, make sure that your model is comfortable and that you adhere to the posing principles listed above. If you feel something about a pose is “off,” it’s most likely an awkward limb. Stick with the core of the pose and try a few different positions with the offending limb to find a posture that looks and feels better. If it’s not working, change your angle or point of view. If it’s still not working, go ahead and move on. There are a lot of hot poses in your future. 5. Out-of-proportion body I see this mistake frequently with the photographs students take for my Online Boudoir Workshop. The appearance of the woman’s lower half is grossly out of proportion with the rest of her body, resulting in short stumpy legs and a larger head and torso (Figure 3.26). Here’s another easy fix! Just change your placement and angle so that you’re shooting from a low angle, at the waistline or well below the waistline (Figure 3.27). Never shoot a woman’s full body from above. You’ll see a dramatic difference. 6. Appearance of stumpy legs If a woman is kneeling and facing the camera directly, an unappealing illusion will result, making her limbs look like stumps (Figure 3.28). To remedy this, you can move slightly to the side or have your subject angle herself slightly to the side so that her lower legs and feet are visible (Figure 3.29). This will prevent the stump effect.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 500 sec.

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Figure 3.30   Both pro models and nonmodels alike can appear disengaged. It’s vital that you recognize this when it occurs, whether during the shoot or while selecting your best edits.

Figure 3.31  Asking my model to be present and engaged results in more than just a genuine smile. She also has an engaged body, particularly her hands, and feeling behind her eyes.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.

7. Loss of spontaneity! Depicting a subject who lacks life or is not engaged is one of the worst mistakes a boudoir photographer can make. Rather than conveying a sensual posture, the subject appears posed (Figure 3.30). The prescription for avoiding stale postures is to coach some life into your subject. Ask for a pose, but then create a bit of movement, even if it’s as simple as having her move her hand, exhale deeply, or turn her head (Figure 3.31). Give her a direction and tell her to come back to this posture. 8. Stereotyped poses without your signature Many boudoir poses you’ve seen before are a wonderful place to start a picture or posture. A mistake many photographers make from time to time, though (and I include myself in this), is to duplicate a posture that they love, rather than letting it inspire a different creative moment. To avoid this mistake, allow yourself the freedom to explore a posture. Mix it up and coach different actions while in the same pose or try an alternate angle to see what you like best. Go ahead and break the rules. Lastly, make sure to really look at the woman in front of you and ask if the pose truly affects you and what’s interesting and attractive about it to you. Then make your own adjustments according to what’s meaningful to you and your style.

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The Five Boudoir Poses You Need to Know and Master I like to focus on the uniqueness of each individual and find poses that feel natural to her and communicate who she is, but I also make note of my favorite poses that are universally appealing and flattering and are sure hits with the women I photograph. When it came time to write about specific poses, I knew I had very limited space and only a certain number of pages to help communicate effective posing. I thought about it for months, and it was in the back of my mind on every one of my boudoir shoots. I asked myself repeatedly, What are the most helpful poses to know? What instruction would you get the most mileage out of as a boudoir photographer and artist? I kept that in mind when scouring my archives for the critical poses that I couldn’t do without: the ones that bring me the greatest amount of success on a shoot.

Why These Five Poses? After I went through my archives of favorite shots a few times, it became quite clear which five poses I was using to create stunning results again and again. These five are the most useful on a shoot. They are:

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Most flattering to the widest variety of women



Offer you the ability to create the most variety out of a single pose



Easiest for nonmodels and pros alike to perform



Easiest for the photographer to manipulate

How to Use These Poses I use these five poses as a starting point or as a quick solution when I’m in need of ideas. I begin by putting the subject in one of the following “root poses,” as I like to call them, and then coach different actions from a single posture. I walk around my subject, finding and capturing a number of different shots from a variety of intriguing angles. Just by changing your position or making slight adjustments to the model, you can create so much variety and every shade of modesty. For example, in a standing pose, you can coach: “Pull your hair up from the nape of your neck with both hands; now, run your right hand along your hips; now, look down your body and appreciate your curves; now, look over your shoulder at the c­ amera.” Your subject will remain in the same basic root posture, but these minor changes make significantly different photographs. Add to that the variety of focal lengths you can use, and we increase the possibilities even more! For the following five poses, you’ll see the root pose first and two additional shots of essentially the same posture. I walk around each pose and make sure to capture at least one of each: a full-length picture, a three-quarter portrait, and a close-up—all from the same root. I adjust limbs, hand gestures, and eye lines to communicate different elements of the story and to complement the angle I’m shooting from. (You may notice you’ve seen some of these elsewhere in the book, but I wanted to compile them into a handy reference here.)

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I made these five poses and the resulting 15 pictures you see in this section available to you as a download on my site so you can take them with you on a shoot on your mobile device. Go here to download them: ChristaMeola.com/artofboudoir.

No. 1: The Artist’s Muse The main characteristic of this root posture (Figure 3.32) is that of a contrapposto pose. Ask your model to stand, shift her weight to her back leg, and put the other leg out in front, knee slightly bent and toe pointed, lifting her heel. This pose works because, as I mentioned in the previous section, it’s extremely flattering and feminine, enhancing curves and creating that beautiful S-curve shape. I like to start by having her arms up and hands above her head. It lifts the breasts, so it works with a variety of sizes, and it puts the focus on the curve in her body. You’ll see that these three shots (Figures 3.32–3.34) are the same root pose.

Figure 3.32  A classic contrapposto pose from behind creates a divine and feminine shape.

Figure 3.33  We pushed the contrapposto pose even further to create a more dramatic reverse S-curve here.

24–70mm lens, ISO 1250, f/2.8, 3200 sec.

85mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 320 sec.

Figure 3.34  Having her peek over her shoulder and getting in close creates an entirely different shot from essentially the same posture.

24–70mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.8, 500 sec.

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No. 2: The Cat This is a fun pose, but it requires a lot of reminders to the model to maintain this extreme posture (Figure 3.35). Ask your subject to lie on her back, and make sure to coach her to arch her back even more than she thinks she can to really lift her chest up and out and create a pleasing arc. It will require some effort on her part, so be enthusiastic and keep encouraging her. Coach one foot out farther than the other and make sure her toes are pointed. If she’s wearing heels, ask her to “cheat” one heel down onto the surface,

which feels slightly awkward on the ankle but looks more attractive than an unpointed toe. Have her put her arms above her head and really stretch out, like a cat in the sun. Move in for a medium close-up of her body (Figure 3.36). Then move above her to capture a nice close-up of her face. You can coach her to run her hands through her hair; run her hands along her neck, shoulders, and chest; and either flirt with the camera or close her eyes and enjoy herself (Figure 3.37).

Figure 3.35   This pose can work on a bed, a couch, a chaise longue, or the floor. You could use pillows to make her more comfortable and to help her arch her chest out.

24­–70mm lens, ISO 400, f/2.8, 250 sec.

Figure 3.36  You can maintain the same essential arc of the back, but vary the arms slightly to keep

her propped up in a flattering posture. Here, she’s actually leaning a bit on her elbows. 24–70mm lens, ISO 400, f/2.8, 400 sec.

Figure 3.37  Don’t be shy about getting in close, but make sure to let her know in advance that you’ll be standing on the bed above her and get permission first, especially if you’re male.

50mm lens, ISO 200, f/1.8, 250 sec.

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No. 3: The Mermaid This one is a hybrid of a seated and kneeling posture (Figure 3.38). Ask your model to kneel and then be seated, leaning onto one side of her hip and bum. Scoot her feet and calves out a bit from under her with the top leg out a little farther than the other. Depending on how modest she would like to be, you can have her arms crossed in front of her or open at her sides (Figure 3.39). This is another pose that could be completely modest even if nude (Figure 3.40).

Figure 3.39   This is a great pose to feature a woman’s shoes, which many women love!

24–70mm lens, ISO 400, f/2.8, 400 sec.

Figure 3.38   “Run your hands through your hair or along your body”—or both—are always great actions to coach in this posture.

50mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 500 sec.

Figure 3.40  With a slight shift in her torso, she creates modesty.

24–70mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.8, 320 sec.

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No. 4: The Serpent Oh, this is such a sexy and slinky pose, and it’s a great one to start with because women feel relaxed and safe in this position (Figure 3.41). Again, it will take some coaching and reminders for her hold this extreme posture. I keep encouraging her to push that hip up and arch the back even more, to create what I call the “triangle of awesomeness” between her hip, upper thigh, and lower abdomen. Ask for the arm facing the camera to be moved out so that we see the side of her breast. This creates gorgeous and symmetrical curves, and it’s stunning yet can be entirely modest, depending on your angle (Figure 3.42). There are so many incredible angles for this pose. Shooting from where her feet are gets more saucy, since you’re featuring her bum. You can have her peek over her shoulder at you, and then walk around to the opposite side and capture some gorgeous close-ups (Figure 3.43).

Figure 3.41   The Serpent is easy, and I include it in every shoot. It can be completely modest, as you see here, even if she were nude.

24­­–70mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.8, 125 sec.

Figure 3.42   To really see that “triangle of awesomeness,” you must be on a surface that’s at least slightly firm, whether it’s a bed, a couch, or the floor. If it’s too soft, her body will sink into it.

24–70mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.5, 125 sec.

Figure 3.43   With just slight variations in her hand placement, you can create different moods and messages.

85mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.

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Figure 3.44  A pleasing posture from the back and a nice way to create a picture of her entire body, yet with anonymity.

50mm lens, ISO 640, f/2, 320 sec.

No. 5: The Courtesan The Courtesan is another posture that is great to begin a shoot with, since it’s easy for nonmodels to hold and offers you a lot to work with. Ask your subject to lie on her side, extend her lower leg, and bring in the knee of her upper leg (Figure 3.44). This creates a pleasing curve and enhances her hips. Have her either lean on her hand to support herself (­Figure 3.45) or remain on her elbow. Her other hand should be placed on her hip, with her elbow dropped behind her back (Figure 3.46). Again, this enhances the curve of her torso even more. Knowing these five poses and why they work will make you more confident, and I think that confidence brings artistic freedom along with it. Figure 3.45   Coach your subject to keep in motion. Here, I asked her to run her hand along her upper thigh, pulling her dress up.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.

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My Posing System: Putting It All Together To recap and apply what we’ve learned thus far to your process during a shoot, let’s look at how to direct your subject by incorporating your research on her, coaching actions, and the posing principles we’ve covered here. Here’s my approach to posing, and the simple system I use to put it all together on every shoot: 1. Approach each woman as the unique beauty she is. Focus on the body parts and the personality qualities she loves. 2. Choose a posture that focuses on her favorite body part(s) and start there. Walk around her, viewing her from all angles and heights.

Figure 3.46  She can be more or less modest depending on how much she bends the knee of her upper leg and brings it in to cover or uncover herself.

50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 640 sec.

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3. Coach an action, and ask her to repeat the action as often as you need to to nail a variety of great shots. Make sure to demonstrate the movements you desire. If your subject is unsure of what action you’re coaching, quickly show her yourself. With my camera in hand, I go comically overboard with my demonstration so she doesn’t feel silly replicating it. Tip : Have a Look-book Nearby Some people are visual creatures and respond better to seeing the posture or action you are trying to coach. Look-books are also great if you run out of ideas, are shy, or are male and would just rather not demonstrate a hair flip.

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Enhancing Breasts with Posing There are many ways besides push-up bras and Photoshop to enhance breasts. Try these tips to make the most of what your subject was born with. Chest up and out Great posture here flatters all women. Tell your model to imagine a string attached to her sternum lifting her chest to the heavens. Hands crossed in lap In this position, the arms press the breasts together, enhancing cleavage for those desiring it and creating a nice curve at the end of the frame (Figures 3.47 and 3.48). Arms overhead This position is a flattering pose for women whose breasts don’t defy gravity. Pressed against a suface Small breasts can be enhanced, if desired, when pressed against a surface, such as a couch or bed.

Figures 3.47 and 3.48   A side-by-side comparison shows just how happy cleavage can make a woman.

50mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2, 125 sec.

4. Keep asking yourself if your choices flatter her and if any adjustments are needed. Allow your eye to gaze upon her entire posture and expression. Pay attention to every element of her body, particularly her eyes and hands.

6. Create variety in each posture by coaching alternate actions, hand placement, and eye lines, as discussed previously.

5. Make adjustments and refinements as necessary. For instance, you might coach her along by saying: “OK, slower, one more time, move your left shoulder more toward me,” and keep checking back in with her hands and eyes. Remind her to have good posture and keep her shoulders down, neck elongated, head out, and chin down.

8. Don’t force a pose. Move along if it’s not working for her or you.

7. Flow through poses that are standing, then seated, then reclining, and so on.

No matter how hard you’re concentrating on posing, please don’t forget to encourage your subject. It’s not easy being a nonmodel! Keep things moving and keep it positive. Everything works great! And we’ll discuss this concept more in the upcoming chapter on shooting.

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24-70mm, ISO 100, f/2.8, 100 sec.

4

Telling a Story with Styling

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here is no rule that boudoir photos must be of a woman in lingerie, so be creative when styling your subject. Your subject’s preferences are vital, but keep in mind this is a creative collaboration. Use your taste and knowledge of what works best to counsel her honestly and guide the creative styling of the shoot with your aesthetic. In regard to wardrobe, hair, makeup, and props, everything in your frame is important, so it’s essential to ask yourself, “What’s the story here that I want to tell?” Is the story about the curve of her hips, a vintage necklace, wild abandon, playfulness, or the morning after in a hotel room? The answer will direct all of your choices about what is included in the frame and how it is styled.

Remember in Chapter 1, we discussed preparing the model and beginning to plan the creative direction of your shoot? Now that you’re armed with the answers from all of those discussions with your subject, you can translate that information into creative decisions about styling. For instance, maybe your subject told you she’s most excited about doing a boudoir shoot because she wants to transition from feeling like a girl into feeling like a woman. The story you’re choosing to snap is simply womanhood, which could be a more mature outfit that creates the illusion of curves, a look in her eye enhanced by makeup, as well as a confidence present in her posture.

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Figure 4.1   The story here is all about lines. The lines cre-

ated by the back of this lingerie piece, the lines of the curtains, the rug, the overhead lamp, as well as the lines created by the curve of her back and bum. 50mm lens, ISO 800, f/2, 80 sec.

If you’re photographing a professional model you did not do that prep work with, you’ll make your own styling choices based on who you are, how you see the world, the woman in front of your camera, the knowledge you have on how to flatter this particular woman, and the resources on hand. I like to start with creative inspiration from a painting, cinema, burlesque shows, perfume ads, and of course the woman in front of my camera. I survey my inspiration, the setting, and the subject, and then invite collaboration from the model and stylists. During this work, there will be something that speaks to me, that sticks out, and I’ll put my focus there. Maybe it’s how striking red lips are against alabaster skin, the movement of the subject’s hair, or the symmetry and lines created by the back of an outfit (Figure 4.1). These things that stand out to me become the story. The clearer you are on the story, the easier it is to make individual styling choices. Each element should work toward the same goal and not compete for attention or foster confusion (Figure 4.2). Keep it simple. Especially when you’re on a budget or just starting out, it’s far preferable to have fewer items in the frame than several that you don’t know what to do with. Simple is sophisticated and has impact. It’s easier to work with. It costs less. If excessive is your message, though, that’s fine; however, sometimes it’s helpful to consider not only what you would like to include in your frame, but also what you may want to edit out. When putting an outfit and styling together, ask yourself if each element is absolutely necessary to communicate your message. Does it add to the story’s mood or make it more meaningful? Figure 4.2   All the styling elements are aligned here. The

ruffles on her dress echo the ruffled collar in the painting as well as the ruffles of the flowers in her hair. The styling elements and the color palette are kept simple (opposite). 85mm lens, ISO 400, f/2, 500 sec.

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Working with Professional Stylists Regardless of whether your subject requests professional hair, makeup, and wardrobe styling, there are many reasons why you’ll want professional stylists on set to translate your vision into reality.

The Advantages of Hiring a Pro First, it’s essential that your subject simply enjoys herself and is not concerned about whether she needs her makeup touched up or her hair fixed. It’s also ideal for you to be able to focus on your job of creating and capturing moments rather than touching up lipstick. Having an hour or two in the makeup chair will not only enhance your subject’s experience but will also give your nonmodel time to relax and get comfortable being half-naked with a camera in the room. Professionally applied makeup will enhance your subject’s expression when seen through your lens, so it will communicate better in the final photograph. You’ll also save yourself time and effort in postproduction attempting to fix a poor makeup job or hairstyle or wardrobe issue. Stylists are truly artists in their own right whose talent will bring your work to the next level. They know how to flatter women, bring out their best features, and help you communicate your vision.

Tips for Working with Pros Tip: Keep on Schedule Every artist wants to do their best work, and often a stylist will keep styling makeup or hair, trying to perfect every last piece but going overtime. It is your responsibility to make sure you keep an eye on how much time your stylists take to complete their job as well as making sure your subject loves how she looks.

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The best thing a photographer can do when working with stylists is communicate. Knowing exactly what to expect when going to a job is key for all stylists. For instance, if there are any special needs, it is always best to know ahead of time because problems can most often be avoided if given advance notice. For example, if you opt for false eyelashes when photographing an Asian woman, it requires a unique type of false eyelashes made especially for Asian eyes that are not in every make-up artist’s kit. So whether it’s needing a special make-up product or dealing with particularly unruly hair, it’s always good to give the artist a heads up. Sending pictures of the model to the artists is also a good idea, even if they’re just snapshots. It gives them time to visualize before the shoot what they would most like to create or what would work best for that model. They can get an idea of her personality and know what fits her needs. Stylists also like to see the outfits the model has in mind. A sexy bustier calls for much more sultry makeup than a white cotton bra and panties do.

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It’s also useful for stylists to make a small library of select looks they think would be good for that subject and show them to you and the model before the shoot. Then you, the artist, and the model will all be on the same page and it is sure to be a great session. That said, some of the photographers reading this book won’t be able to afford a stylist at this point. If you can’t, study magazines or other print media related to your photography. What works and what doesn’t? Check out books and resources to help you learn the basics of styling. Look fearlessly at the results of your shoots—what could you have done differently in terms of styling to make the images more successful? Finally, once you can afford it, spend some money on a stylist! It will elevate your images, even if it costs you in the short run.

Where to Find Pro Stylists Hiring stylists varies depending on where you are located. Smaller cities do not have the same market as bigger cities do. The main thing to look for in a stylist is a good reputation. Is she (or he) reliable, experienced, and talented? You also need to see her portfolio to see if her style fits your needs. Makeup artists work in a lot of different industries, so make sure the stylist has experience in print work. Regardless of your location, there are communities online, such as Model Mayhem and Facebook, where you can get referrals, or you can simply do a Google search for stylists in your area. For me, the best way to find good artists is by word of mouth or a referral from a trusted friend or colleague.

Wardrobe Guidelines Wardrobe selection is a huge component of storytelling and should be given deliberate consideration before the shoot. There is no standard or official boudoir wardrobe. Any outfit (or lack thereof) can fall into the boudoir category, and the right clothes can transform a shy girl into a sizzling siren. Choosing wardrobe pieces or shopping for outfits is often a nonmodel’s favorite part of the planning process and a big part of the excitement of doing a boudoir shoot. As I plan the wardrobe selection with a nonmodel client, I consider the woman, her body type, my personal wardrobe guidelines (included below), and the context of the story. Together, we outline a few wardrobe options that enhance our vision of the shoot and that flatter her skin tone and body type (Figure 4.3). I also like to plan for a variety of looks, so that we can go from fully dressed to undressed or from formal to casual. Once she arrives at the shoot, we go over all the options she’s brought, the ones I’ve taken from my boudoir shoot trunk, and any other items the stylist suggests. We choose our favorites that we’ll focus on shooting as well as a couple backups in case we have more time or one of our choices just doesn’t work. If

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there’s a disparity in taste, I aim to choose an outfit where her style and mine intersect. However, no matter how much she loves an individual item, if it doesn’t flatter her, I insist we do not shoot with it.

Make it meaningful Each article of clothing should be purposefully communicating mood or message. In some cases, I want the woman to shine and not be upstaged by an outfit. Other times, my focus is on a particular item. For instance, it’s great when wardrobe also has some personal relevance for the woman you’re shooting, whether it’s a vintage necklace that’s a family heirloom or hot heels she wore during an amazing night in Buenos Aires. Figure 4.3   We selected black

and white striped undies to mimic the tiger’s stripes. The simple white tank and wig rounds out this kitschy look. 24–70mm lens, ISO 200, f/8, 200 sec.

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Limit wardrobe changes I’ve found that one wardrobe selection per half hour of shooting time works best for most nonmodels, who require more time than professional models to vibe in each outfit. Several wardrobe changes can quickly get out of hand, and you want to be sure not to sacrifice quality for quantity. I let nonmodels know that we can shoot three to five outfits in a two-hour session.

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Tips from a Wardrobe Stylist My friend Grasie Mercedes is a pro stylist whom I’ve worked with on numerous occasions and trust. Here are some of her best suggestions for photographers:

color. Busy patterns are terrible on camera and so are items that are too loose. Items the color of the model’s skin tone should also be avoided.

What are your must-have items for every shoot?

How can photographers be better at working with

My on-location kit always has small scissors, safety pins, binder clips, double-sided tape, and a tape roller. All necessities for quick fixes on set.  What looks great on camera versus what doesn’t read well? Structured pieces and solids look great on camera as well as items with texture, those that fit snugly, and those with

Choose differing looks It’s best to have a selection of outfits that come from varied parts of the spectrum, in terms of color, formality, texture, and simplicity, to name just a few factors. A nice selection of wardrobe changes can be simply a thong and heels, a tank top and jeans, and a little black cocktail dress. Just remember that five black bustiers does not equal variety.

Bring backups I suggest to all women I photograph to bring a number of outfit choices; some will serve as backups just in case an item or two doesn’t read well on camera, is ill-fitting, or doesn’t flatter. This does not mean she should bring her whole wardrobe, just a few basic alternates.

Go for classic favorites You can never go wrong with simple, classic, and timeless. A strand of pearls, a pair of high heels, or a man’s white button-down shirt (Figures 4.4 and 4.5)

stylists? Request in advance that your stylist remain on set during shooting. If you have a detailed-oriented stylist on set, you will save precious time in post editing. Particularly when your models move and are having fun, you’ll want the stylist to pay attention to whether the outfit is working and reading well and, more importantly, whether anything becomes exposed that shouldn’t be.

works on every shoot. Maybe her broken-in pair of jeans fits like a second skin or she feels her best in a sundress. Each woman has her own idea of “­classic.” Embrace this as part of her personality and let it guide your vision.

Avoid wrinkled items I request that each woman arrive with her outfits steamed or ironed and hang them up immediately upon her arrival to set. Wrinkles are costly to eliminate in post. Make sure your stylist or you also have a steamer handy just in case.

Make sure it flatters Whatever fashion choices she makes, the fit should enhance her shape and the color should complement her skin tone. Most importantly, she should feel amazing in it. Trends come and go; what matters most is that a woman feels confident in what she’s wearing. Skin and a smile are always in fashion.

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Figures 4.4–4.5   A man’s white

button-down is a fun item to have in your boudoir closet that flatters everyone. This nonmodel is a 40-year-old soccer mom, whom I coached to just play with the shirt and slightly cover and uncover herself repeatedly. 85mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 250 sec.

Wardrobe Must-haves Here are some of my favorite items in my boudoir trunk. Most of these are superfun to shoot with, help foster creativity, and flatter nearly every woman. You’ll also find boudoir staples, best pieces for curvy gals, and must-have items that are perfect in a pinch to have on every shoot. 1. Men’s shirt This is a no-fail crowd pleaser, and every girl looks good in a man’s white buttondown (Figure 4.4). There are so many ways it can be styled, and this is a wonderful option for mature women or curvy girls. With a bra or without, my favorite way to style it is to leave the shirt unbuttoned with the sleeves casually rolled up and the collar left a little loose and unkempt (Figure 4.5). 2. Sheer teddy The sheer teddy is a beautifully feminine lingerie option that most women feel comfortable in. Again, the sheer fabric is key for those ladies who want to pose nude without feeling like they are exposed entirely.

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Flattering Figures with Wardrobe I believe that all bodies are beautiful, so this is by no means a figure-fix list, but rather a list of a few key items and tips that enhance the beauty of each individual. Across all shapes and sizes, the most enhancing component of wardrobe is that it is cut well and fits well.



Curvy bodies Corsets work wonders to play up a woman’s curves and hourglass shape. Well-made undergarments are essential. Typically, wardrobe items with a retro vibe from an earlier era that were built in celebration of curves are good choices. Robes are also great for women who may want more or less of their curves exposed, because they can control how much is seen or not seen. The one thing to avoid is loose-fitting clothing, which makes women appear larger without enhancing the beauty of proportionate curves. The trick is to wear fitted clothing that does not drown curves in excessive fabric. She should go for snug but not tight—clothing should hug her body, not squeeze her to death.

 Shorter legs Obviously, high heels make a shorter woman appear taller (and therefore slimmer, if that’s her goal), but shoes with a slender heel that’s at least 2 inches high also make the calves appear muscular and much more defined. Nude shoes that match her skin tone are a fantastic choice to make her legs look even longer. However, avoid shoes with ankle straps, a square toe, and chunky shoes, all of which make legs look wider. For clothing, high-waisted skinny jeans are an excellent choice. The higher waistline makes legs appear longer.

 Flat bum Suggest frilly panties to the woman who wants to create the illusion of a bit more pow in her bottom. Most importantly, regardless of the style of undies she has on, make sure to give her a little wedgie. (Give her a heads-up first, and if you are male, ask her to do this herself.) This trick works like magic to create a juicy, curvy bottom.

 Small chest A woman with a smaller chest should focus on the elegance of her torso and the beauty of petite breasts. Suggest taking advantage of all the high-fashion tops these ladies can wear without a bra. There are many gorgeous blouses that have plunging necklines, which make it difficult to find a bra that works. Going braless is an extremely sexy look, but if cleavage is what she craves, then she can throw on the best push-up padded bra she can find and go for V-neck collars that accentuate the bust. Bra inserts, such as “chicken cutlets,” are essential to have in your bag of tricks if filling out a cup size or two is needed (Figure 4.6).

 Thin, no curves Once again, a corset comes in handy. A well-seamed corset works like magic to create the illusion of an hourglass shape. If she doesn’t have a natural waist, she can provide the appearance of one. When wearing a dress, a waist belt at her natural waistline gives her more of a curvy look.

Figure 4.6   Bra inserts come in handy to fill out

lingerie pieces that don’t fit. 50mm lens, ISO 400, f/2, 400 sec.

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Figures 4.7–4.11  Even if you just have a simple scarf to use on a shoot, you can still create a great deal of variety by being creative. Here are a few ways to change the look depending on her comfort level with nudity and the mood you’re going for.

85mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 320 sec.

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3. Printed scarf or shawl A printed scarf that has a nice drape or a shawl with fringe both offer many options for differing amounts of nudity as well as beautiful shots and lots of fun (Figures 4.7–4.11). 4. Hot heels You do not want to be caught on a boudoir shoot without some sexy high-heeled shoes (Figure 4.12). Not only is this an essential wardrobe staple, but they can also be used as props or set dressing. Sometimes a hot pair of heels is all the wardrobe you need. Make sure to have a pair of black heels in a size 7 or 8 in your boudoir trunk; they fit nearly everyone and go with almost everything. 5. Sheer fabric A few yards of sheer fabric can be such a beautiful addition to a shoot. It’s easy to direct a model by asking her to play with the fabric, stand behind it, or move it slowly in front of her (Figure 4.13). It offers a sensual yet modest way for a nervous subject to pose nude. You can purchase any inexpensive wrinkle-free fabric with some drape. I think navy is the most versatile and universally flattering. 6. Jewelry statement pieces A piece of jewelry that makes a statement and stands alone is a great accessory to play with when shooting nudes (Figure 4.14). Figure 4.12  Most women love shoes, and a pair of high heels has become a symbol of sexiness for both genders. Make sure every boudoir shoot has a shot or two that features the shoes!

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7. Black lace panties Always ask your model to bring black lace undies. Almost every girl has these in her lingerie wardrobe, and it’s the easiest to style around and a universally flattering undergarment. I’m surprised, though, how many women forget to bring extra panties as wardrobe options on a shoot. So I always have a brand-new pair (a hanky-panky brand in one size fits all) that the model can take home.

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Figure 4.14   This subject owned a body chain and bangles that look great against her tan skin.

85mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 640 sec.

Figure 4.13   A model plays with sheer fabric in the studio. I love the drama,

lines, and mystery it creates. The fabric seen here is a navy sheer polyester. Your subject will feel less exposed when photographed nude behind sheer fabric. This is an excellent option for the more modest woman. Experiment with a fan blowing onto your subject so the sheer touches her skin, as well as having your subject move the sheer all around her. 24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 200 sec.

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8. White tank top or t-shirt A simple white cotton tank top or T-shirt is another universally flattering, classic, and sexy wardrobe staple (Figure 4.15). I like tanks that are more feminine in style (i.e., have thin straps, a V-neck, or lace trim). This is a great girl-nextdoor option, and it can be easily sexed up by ­having your subject go braless—or just add water. 9. Thigh highs and garter belt There’s a reason why thigh-high stockings have a reputation as a supersexy wardrobe item. They flatter every woman’s legs and are identifiable as a symbol of sexiness. Try pairing them with garters, which come in a multitude of designs and colors, or lingerie with garter attachments (Figure 4.16). You may be surprised at how many women don’t know how to put them on, so make sure you do. 10. Nipple covers A bold choice for a daring subject. I love the playfulness of nipple covers. They come in a wide variety of styles, with and without tassels and shaped in a variety of objects, such as hearts and stars. They can be simple or as intricate as a delicate rhinestoned decal. 11. Personal item There’s nothing sexier than what a woman feels best in. Many women have that one killer outfit in their wardrobe that they feel amazing wearing. A sentimental item is also a great way to personalize your subject’s shoot and make it meaningful.

Figure 4.15   This is an item most women have in their wardrobe already. It’s classic and simple, and sometimes there’s nothing sexier than a plain old white cotton T-shirt, especially when worn without a bra.

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Figure 4.16   This lingerie bodice comes with garters attached to it. The tension in the garters enhances her curvy hips.

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Figure 4.17  My favorite mask.

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Figure 4.18–4.19  Props are so fun to

create a little series or story with. I use this on different women. 50mm lens, ISO 100, f/4.5, 200 sec.

Having Fun with Props There are multiple advantages to using props. First, they are a great choice to start off a session with a jittery nonmodel. If your subject is nervous at the beginning of a shoot, give her a prop. It’s almost impossible to not have fun with one. Most props engage play and are inherently silly. Immediately after you hand a woman a prop, she’ll start focusing on the prop rather than her nerves, alleviating her self-consciousness. The fun that ensues most often relieves any leftover feelings of nervousness. Using props is also a great way to cultivate a series or collection of images that have a similar throughline (Figures 4.17–4.19). If you enter the business of selling boudoir photos, executing a series is great for sales since they work so well together as a set that they are often sold as such. There is no right or wrong way to use a prop, which is what I tell women I photograph when I hand them one. I tell my model to just have fun, suggest things to do with the prop if she runs out of ideas, and continually urge her to keep going with it for a good 10 or 15 minutes. I keep shooting to build her confidence (more on this in ­Chapter 7), and it’s easy to select the ones that stand out as awesome.

Tip: Enhance Your Style Props are also useful to enhance your style, and there is no need to keep finding new ones for every different woman you shoot. Find your favorite prop and become known for it, such as a distinctive crown or mask. Use one item on different models to create a fun series.

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My Top Five Favorite Props 1. Masks Put a mask on a woman, and you may see a dramatic transformation. Masks can allow a nervous subject to feel safely hidden, immediately playful, and as mysterious and flirtatious as she wants to be (Figure 4.20).

4. Flowers Flowers can be worn in the hair, pinned to the subject’s wardrobe, played with flirtatiously, or thrown in the air (Figure 4.21). They are inexpensive and easily available, so they come in handy in a pinch.

2. Beverages A bottle of champagne, a glass of wine, or a colorful cocktail all make great and easy props on a set, even if your subject plans not to drink.

5. Whatever happens to be on set It’s fun to be resourceful and creative when shooting. Look for props everywhere around you and don’t be afraid to be silly and try something out for a shot or two (Figure 4.22). It may be just what you need to revitalize a tired-out model or spark a new concept.

3. Little signs These little signs are a recurring favorite of mine that I use on almost every shoot. I get them printed with dozens and dozens of sayings, so my subject can pick her favorite one and then keep it as a memento.

Figure 4.20  It’s fascinating to see how different women respond to putting on the same mask.

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Tip: Shopping for Props Always be on the lookout for props for your boudoir trunk everywhere you go. My favorite sources are costume stores, vintage shops, flea markets, and online party suppliers. If you keep your prop needs in the back of your mind, you’ll discover exciting possibilities every time you walk out your door!

Figure 4.21   An assistant ran down to the corner market for these peonies, which were nice to photograph for a shot or two before they quickly wilted and fell apart. Instead of being bummed that we couldn’t shoot with the entire flower intact, we threw the petals in the air for an even more joyful set than we originally had in mind. A great lesson in going with the flow and using what you’ve got.

Figure 4.22  I spotted these grapes on the craft service table and thought it would be fun to play with them for a shot or two. Shooting with props needn’t be a time-consuming or elaborate affair.

85mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 320 sec.

85mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 400 sec.

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Getting Glam: Makeup and Hair Professional stylists are adept at evoking the era and mood that you’re going for. But when you’re photographing nudes, professional makeup application and hair styling might be the only styling that happens (Figure 4.23). It’s important to communicate your vision and what your priorities are to your stylists as well as invite them to collaborate. As mentioned before, I’ve found that it’s helpful to get on the same page well before the shoot. We discuss how I want the women I shoot to look like themselves. But in addition to this more natural look, I like to request that we then do a more fantasy-based or glamorous look for another set. I love evoking another era, and I often encourage my stylists to get creative. Suggest that your stylists stick around during the shoot, so you can change it up and have a few different looks at every session. It’s helpful to create variety and make sure each look has a distinctly unique mood. Explore the entire spectrum, say from natural and clean to smoky and dramatic. Make sure you do a test shot, so your makeup artist and hair stylist can assess if any tweaks are necessary before progressing with the rest of the shoot. One thing that a photographer should always have on hand is a look-book, a catalog of looks that caters to their taste. If you have a specific look in mind, it’s much easier to show your artist a picture than to describe it. Create a library on your multimedia device of the looks of makeup and hair so that your artists can precisely create what you have in mind.

Makeup for Camera

Figure 4.23  Since we were shooting nude outdoors with a gritty exterior, the styling for hair and makeup as well as accessories was chic, simple, and elegant (opposite).

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When hiring a pro makeup artist (MUA) for your shoot, make sure that the individual has experience with doing on-camera makeup. A professional makeup job helps enhance the model’s features that communicate expression (brows, lashes, lips), and a pro knows what works on camera and how to tailor makeup application to suit color or black-and-white photography. For instance, deep contouring and highlighting may look heavy and fake to the naked eye, but in photography, especially when shooting black and white, it looks incredibly flattering. Even when working with an artist skilled in on-camera makeup, it’s still important for you to do a test shot so the makeup artist can see the makeup through the photographer’s camera and light. That will let him or her know where to adjust.

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Tips from an MUA Rachel Olsen is my trusted MUA whom I hire repeatedly. I asked her a few important questions, and here are her best suggestions for photographers. What’s the most universally flattering item? A good red lipstick is sexy and flattering on everyone, and no boudoir session is complete without a red lipstick shot. The key is getting the right red undertone for the skin tone. What’s the most common makeup mistake to avoid? One thing that is never flattering on anyone is a bold lip liner. What looks nice if you want a lip-lined look is a blended line a shade darker than the lip color, never a dark lined look.

Tip: Use Individual False Eyelashes Every photographer should request that their artist bring false eyelashes. One thing every woman wants more of is eyelashes! Lashes need to read on camera so every flirtatious move of her eyelid is exaggerated and seen. I think individual lashes look much more believable and natural than rows. In a pinch, have your MUA cut up the rows into individuals.

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Makeup tips for mature women? When working with mature skin the key is no harsh lines and never too much shine. Shiny, sparkly products never flatter mature skin. Products with glitter tend to settle into lines, and the last thing you would want to do is highlight a wrinkle or fold. Another thing to avoid on mature skin is definite lines. A wing eyeliner would never be appropriate on a mature-skinned client; stick to matte hues and blended, soft looks. What do you wish photographers knew about makeup? Other creative ways we can work with makeup, such as writing on bodies or spray-painting.

Black and white is all about the lines, contour, and highlighting. Contouring and highlighting means bringing things forward or receding back. With B&W photography the artist should always work in natural skin tone colors so that he can see exactly how saturated a certain hue is. This is not always easy to do with color. He may want to exaggerate the contour and highlighting a bit more with black-and-white photography since the photograph is grayscale and is all about contour and highlighting.

Flattering the Face The top way to flatter a face is contour and highlighting. That’s what makeup is all about. A makeup artist is really an illusionist; whether he is deepening the eyes, making a nose appear thinner, or brightening a lip, he’s ultimately creating an illusion. There are basic rules to contour and highlighting; they consist of carving out the cheekbones, defining the eye, plumping the lips, trimming the jawline, and defining the nose. While these are the basic principles, every face is different and the artist needs to be able to adapt to each. For example, a long face is a lot different than a round face, and a good artist is going to know how to best flatter each individual face shape and know exactly where to place product. Makeup isn’t just for flattering the face; it can also be used for creating illusions on the body, whether it’s camouflaging flaws (covering up veins or stretch marks) or creating contours (enhancing cleavage). A good pro has all of these skills and tools in her kit.

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Figure 4.24   We wanted to communicate strength in this shot. The updo with a knot, held in place with stark metal pins, not only exposes her muscular back but adds to the tension in the picture.

24–70mm lens, ISO 500, f/2.8, 80 sec.

A Gorgeously Styled Do There’s a reason women feel amazing on a good hair day. Sometimes, all you need for a great picture is a gorgeously styled do. As when working with professional makeup artists, it is important to collaborate with your hair stylist by communicating the story you’d like to tell or the mood you’re going for and invite her to give ideas that help you create that look on camera (Figure 4.24). I often ask for hair extensions and to lay off the hair spray. I like to use the fan on shoots to blow hair around a bit and to have women run their hands through it (Figure 4.25).

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Tip: Show Up with Slightly Dirty Hair Make sure your model doesn’t shampoo her hair that morning. Stylists find it easier to work with day-old dirty hair.

When a subject tells me she loves her hair, I ask what she loves about it and choose my creative direction from there. Is it because she has a unique afro, or a shockingly vibrant red color? Or is it the bounce and move of her curls? I also enjoy working with wigs and encourage my stylist to bring those options as well. Wigs are great because you have gorgeous style in an instant (­Figure 4.26). Many times, you can use a wig and forgo a hair stylist altogether if you’re in a pinch or on a tight budget. Wigs also are great for creating variety and hair styles from a different era or styles that are impossible with the subject’s own hair.

Figure 4.25   The vibrant color and movement of her hair is enhanced by the fan here. I keep hair spray to a minimum on shoots because I like hair to appear soft and touchable, with movement.

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Figure 4.26   The model’s real hair was too long and thin to achieve the style we wanted on this shoot. So we opted for this gorgeous wig and had the perfect style in moments.

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Before and After: Alison Before the Session Alison and I did in-depth planning for her shoot using all of the questions discussed in the early chapters of this book. During our first call, Alison shared that she’s always been painfully shy and that she wanted to bust free of that once and for all. Here are some highlights from a conversation after the shoot. How did you feel before the shoot? I was feeling insecure and a little paranoid about my body. I was worried I was going to break out. I thought it was going

to be a really hard shoot to pull off. I had had my photos taken by a professional before for head shots, and by the end my face felt tired from all the fake smiling. Why did you want to do a boudoir shoot? I knew there was something inside me that was bottled up. I was getting married in a few months, and it felt like this would be an initiation ceremony to really tap into my feminine self. I felt like I was still a little girl, and I was ready to become a woman.

Before. Photo by Katie Refling.

After. We started Alison’s session with simple directions to move her hands along her body and imagine flirting with her man off camera. 50mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2, 160 sec.

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There’s nothing “painfully shy” about getting naked in a hotel hallway, which required trust in me and an openness to go for it. 50mm lens, ISO 3200, f/2.2, 160 sec. I asked Alison to lift her panties so the viewer’s attention goes there and the moment becomes even saucier. 50mm lens, ISO 3200, f/2, 250 sec.

During the Shoot As is the case on every shoot, we had challenges and advantages. I love the challenges because they’re what guide my creativity. Alison is a “girl next door” and therefore had all the expected nerves and fears going into the shoot. She also had no prior training in how to move her body during such a session. The space we shot in was very small and dimly lit by a small window.

The advantages we had were significant: Alison showed up to the shoot with all she had. She trusted me and gave 100 percent to every action I coached and every idea I suggested. She was willing to be silly, to try anything and let herself go. Equipment used: 50mm f/1.2 lens, 85mm f/1.2 lens, and a 6-in-1 reflector.

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How did you feel during the shoot? I was definitely still nervous immediately before the shoot, but once we started that just faded away. The shoot was really fun and playful, and I felt like I found my groove. During the whole experience, you guided me. [For the image on the left, I asked Alison to put her weight on her left leg and bend her right knee, which creates a flattering pose. Then I gave her a wedgie to create a curvaceous bum. —Christa] I felt like I was learning the secrets of what it is like to be a beautiful woman, as opposed to cute or sweet. One of the most helpful things that you did was just make me feel comfortable, crack jokes, and compliment me when I was in the groove. I have to say that shooting in the hallway while there might be guests walking by was pretty exhilarating. I felt like a supermodel by the end of the day, and your encouragement was a big part of that! The whole day was magical and truly transformational.

After Seeing the Photos I’m thrilled that Alison’s pictures have created a shift in her life and positive momentum. She’s truly beautiful on the inside and out, and some of her pictures are my favorites in this book. How did you feel after seeing your new photos?

Stepping out of one’s comfort zone can be a heck of a lot of fun! 50mm lens, ISO 3200, f/2.2, 60 sec.

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My first reaction was “Is this really me?” and then I recognized myself. I could see myself through the eyes of someone else for the first time, and wow, it was amazing. My fiancé said to me after seeing the photos: “Now you finally see how beautiful you are, the way I’ve always seen you.” There were definitely tears from both of us. How has your life been transformed? I think this boudoir shoot has had a domino effect in my life. I feel more confident in every situation, from walking down the street to talking to new people at a party to getting dressed in the morning. It’s shifting the way I think about myself, and now when I get a compliment I can actually receive it and believe it on a deeper level. I feel like that part inside of me that I was guarding had the safe space to come out and play. I really do feel like a woman now.

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Alison’s direct gaze and nakedness convey a confidence and comfort with who she is. 50mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2, 125 sec.

B e f ore a nd Af ter: Alison

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on the set

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 200 sec.

50mm lens, ISO 400, f/2, 400 sec.

5

A Minimalist’s Approach to Equipment

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have a confession to make. I started shooting professionally with a Canon Rebel XTi (not a full-frame sensor) and a kit lens, and some of those images are my favorite to this day, such as Figure 2.2 in Chapter 2, “Creating Sensual Movement.” It doesn’t take several thousand dollars or lots of high-end gear to produce compelling photographs. It’s truly not what you shoot with but how you shoot, which is why I didn’t start writing about equipment until Chapter 5. Connecting with the woman across from you and creating an atmosphere that brings out her best, as well as creating authentic moments, movement with sensuality, and flattering poses, all come well before equipping yourself with gear. A couple of years after shooting with that Rebel and kit lens, I was told to toss that “crappy lens” by a photographer friend. I tried out a bunch of different lenses that weekend,

and I really learned what those different lenses can do! I purchased one, the 24–70mm, but I stuck with that Rebel for another year and didn’t purchase additional lenses until another few years after that. I still enjoy keeping it simple, working as much as possible in natural light, with the bare minimum of equipment to create the look and feel that I am going for (­Figure 5.1). I like to be able to work independently and enjoy traveling light with lean gear (­Figure 5.2). For me, connecting with and focusing on my subject are the highest priorities, and not having too many gear constraints when I was first starting out freed me up to do that. I have also found that lean gear is less intimidating to the “girl next door” who isn’t a professional model and is already nervous about stepping in front of the camera with little or no clothing on.

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Figure 5.1   Shot on the streets of Florence, with the lean gear you see me holding in Figure 5.2.

24–70mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.8, 800 sec.

Gear That’s Right for You I know firsthand how easy it is to feel overwhelmed when it comes to gear and lighting. The numerous options that lie in front of you, not to mention the constant ongoing upgrades, can seem like an obstacle rather than an opportunity. To avoid getting intimidated when it comes to selecting your equipment, keep in mind that there is no right or wrong gear. Your gear has to suit you, your rhythm, your needs, your budget, your style, your preferred subjects, and your shooting environment (Figure 5.3). I can give you insight into what I shoot with and why, but only you can choose what you prefer.

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Toward that end, here are some guidelines to help you keep it simple, avoid being overwhelmed, maximize the effectiveness of what you do own, and help you invest wisely. 1. Choose one body and one lens Start with the best camera body and lens that you can afford instead of trying to create an arsenal of different bodies and a bunch of lenses. Using just one lens will help you develop and flex your creativity and resourcefulness muscles as well as your skill in creating variety with less. You will have to hustle—which is good. 2. Know your equipment inside and out Read the manuals! I know a lot of people hate to read manuals, so it may help to take it section by section. Learn one feature per day until you know your gear like the back of your hand. It’s the simplest and best way to shorten your learning curve and get the most out of your equipment. Even if you’ve lost your manual or thrown it out, all gear manuals can be found online these days.

Figure 5.2  All you need is one body and one lens. Keeping it

light, working in natural light, traveling around Italy shooting up a storm, and loving it.

3. Rent before buying The only way to determine what gear is right for you is by trying it out. You have to hold it in your hands, use it in the kinds of situations that you’re testing it for, and compare it with other options. Take the time to see what works for you. I rented equipment for a couple years before deciding on and investing in the gear in my bag and lighting kit. There are a lot of camera rental houses out there; check my site for the one I use and recommend at ChristaMeola.com/artofboudoir. 4. Practice, experiment, and make mistakes My best advice for learning new equipment and lighting scenarios is to spend time with each piece to practice and play. Watch some online tutorials or ask for a demonstration when renting or purchasing. You can only know what a piece

Figure 5.3   Perhaps the pace of shooting with film, or the

immediacy and fun of a Polaroid, suits your needs, preferences, and style. I bring these cameras along to client shoots sometimes for something fun and different for a few frames. 24–70mm lens, ISO 640, f/2.8, 320 sec.

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What’s in My Camera Bag? If you want to look at my full camera gear (lighting, lenses, accessories, and so on), stop by my blog at www.­ christameola.com/artofboudoir. Here are my key components (Figure 5.4).



BBP Camera Paddy Insert

 Canon 5D Mark III and its manual  Battery charger and two batteries  24–70mm f/2.8 lens  50mm f/1.2 lens  85mm f/1.2 lens  Tiffen 77mm Neutral Density 0.9 Filter  72–77mm step-up ring  SanDisk 32GB Memory Cards

Figure 5.4   My camera bag is actually a padded camera

insert that I can put into any sexy purse or tote that I like. This way, I never look like I’m carrying gear, and I’m styling for under $30. 50mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 160 sec.

of equipment can and can’t do for you by using it. Count failures and missteps as progress! They mean that you are closer to finding out what works for you. 5. Master each piece before moving on Start with the basics and learn each piece of equipment inside and out before adding more gear to your arsenal. I encourage you to use only the equipment that is absolutely necessary to create the mood you’re going for and not another piece more. There will come a time when you’re sure that the lack of a certain piece of equipment is holding you back from creating a look you desire. Until that time, keep working what you’ve got.

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6. Know your priorities Photography can quickly become an expensive endeavor, and depending on your priorities, you likely have more important things to spend your money on than extra equipment when it comes to becoming a great photographer and making shooting boudoir into a career. 7. Practice good habits There’s a discipline to doing a job well. Format your memory cards the night before and bring extra cards and extra batteries. Charge and pack everything the same way each time, so you know exactly where everything is and you don’t forget anything . Keep your gear safe, protected, and clean. Bring your manuals with you on set.

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A Comparison of Lenses There are two categories of lenses: primes (or fixed-focal-length lenses) and zooms. As I mentioned earlier, there is no “right” choice here regarding zooms or primes. You will find photographers who vastly prefer one or the other, as well as those like me who enjoy both. One of the advantages of prime lenses is that they offer more sharpness and have wider apertures than zooms. The disadvantage is that you have to fill your kit with a whole collection of primes to get the focal lengths of just one or two zooms. So you could wind up spending more money, carrying more, and spending more time switching lenses if you use just primes. Each lens has its place, and there is no one perfect lens. I think two of the biggest factors (besides price tag) to help assess and choose your lens or lenses are utility and aesthetics.

Utility Regarding utility, please allow me to make an analogy: I like to think of lenses like shoes. Everyday use. Zooms are like a great pair of boots. You can dress them up, dress them down, and pretty much wear them anywhere, and you’ll look good and be appropriately dressed. Plus you’ll be comfortable—they’re easy to wear. Special occasions. Primes, on the other hand, are like a high-end brand of 4-inch high-heeled shoes. They are absolutely gorgeous, look sharp, and are super sexy. However, they are not appropriate for every occasion, and they aren’t the easiest shoes to walk in. You may wonder why you spent so much money on shoes that don’t get daily wear. What’s your priority? So when deciding which category of lenses to purchase, know your priorities in terms of utility and versatility. What do you need that lens to do? What shooting situation are you in most often? Will you need to get around on a daily basis with it?

Aesthetics It’s vital to know what aesthetic effect different focal lengths have on your image. Put simply, each lens has a certain amount of distortion, either extension or compression (Figures 5.5–5.9). It’s also important to note that your distance to the subject will affect the amount of distortion. 50mm focal length. This is said to most resemble the way our eyes see, without compression or extension. Pictures captured with this focal length represent most faithfully what we see in front of us. For instance, in Figure 5.5, this shot of a model on the street in NYC represents most accurately the proportions of what I was seeing that day.

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Figure 5.5   Shot with the 50mm, most

Figure 5.6   Shot with the 70–200mm at

Figure 5.7   Shot with the 24–35mm at

often my preferred lens to start with since it’s the most faithful. Depending on my needs, I either stay with the 50mm or switch to a different focal length.

100mm. The background (the restaurant and even the man-hole cover) is much closer to the subject. I had to step way back into traffic to simulate the same size of subject; you can even see a street pole, caution sign, and rearview mirror entering the frame.

20mm. The background appears much farther from the subject.

50mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2.8, 80 sec.

20–35mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2.8, 80 sec.

70–200mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2.8, 80 sec.

Focal lengths longer than 50mm. The longer the focal length, the more compressed the image— the blurrier the background, the smaller an object in the foreground looks, and the closer the background appears to be to the foreground, as you can see in Figure 5.6. This compression effect is the reason many photographers love shooting portraits with the 85mm, the 100mm, and the 70–200mm. These focal lengths are extremely flattering if compressing the subject (for instance, slimming down the face) is desired (Figure 5.8). Focal lengths shorter than 50mm. These have an opposite distorting effect. Objects closer to the

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camera appear larger, and the distance between the forground and background appears greater. Most often, you won’t want your subject to appear larger when photographing boudoir portraits, which is why I’m rarely shooting from these shorter focal lengths. What’s your preference? In addition to your needs and preferences regarding lens compression or extension, lenses have different aperture ranges. So if you would prefer the look of a wider aperture— such as f/2, for instance, which gives you a narrower depth of field—then you’ll have to select a lens that can open that wide.

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Figure 5.8   Shot with the 70–200mm

Figure 5.9   Shot with the 24–35mm at

at 200mm. The subject appears slimmer and the background is soft—a beautiful look, no?

20mm. The model’s body and face appear bigger and the background is significantly sharper—not a look I typically go for in boudoir.

70–200mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2.8, 80 sec.

20–35mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2.8, 80 sec.

Lenses for Boudoir So, considering my priorities in terms of utility and aesthetics preferences, as we just discussed, I am happy with the three lenses that are currently in my bag (two primes and one zoom). The following details the reasons why each is in my bag as well as how I use them on a typical boudoir shoot.

24–70mm f/2.8 For many years the 24–70mm was the only lens I used, and I love working with it. It’s the most useful when you’re in a pinch. When you’re short on time and/or you’re in a really small shooting space, this lens is going to give you the biggest bang for your buck (Figures 5.10–5.13). With the 24–70mm, you’re able to shoot a large variety of images quickly. Now that I’ve added two primes, the 24–70mm doesn’t get as much use. If I can get the shot in a more flattering way with one of the primes, that’s my preference.

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24–70mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2.8, 1000 sec.

24–70mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2, 1250 sec.

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24–70mm lens, ISO 1250, f/2.8, 125 sec.

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Figures 5.10–5.13  I often shoot in small

interior spaces, but shooting inside a car has to be one of the tightest. I could never have shot this with the 85mm or 50mm, as there simply isn’t enough room. So on this occasion, the 24–70mm was the perfect lens. Whether shooting from inside the car or just outside of it in a tight alleyway, this lens did the job beautifully.

50mm f/1.2

24–70mm lens, ISO 1250, f/2.8, 50 sec.

I pick up the 24–70mm now if I need the wider angle or I’m shooting boudoir sessions in under 20 minutes and I’m pressed to capture a ton of variety in this short amount of time. The 24–70mmm lens opens up to f/2.8, which provides beautiful depth of field options (more on that in Chapter 7, “Capturing Beautiful Photographs”). I think it’s worth every penny of its price tag, since it’s the workhorse of the group. It can go anywhere and shoot almost anything. The only cons are that you can’t be very close to your subject or the distortion is quite unflattering, and it isn’t as sharp as the prime lenses. Also, it’s bulkier and heavier, and it’s pricey. But if I were going to choose just one lens for boudoir shooting, I’d go with the 24–70mm.

Sometimes I do an entire shoot now with the 50mm f/1.2 on my camera. This one is quickly becoming my favorite lens, as it has the least amount of distortion and duplicates most purely how your eye sees (Figures 5.14 and 5.15). I feel like it suits my natural style and “keep it real” philosophy. It’s also fast and can shoot in low-light situations. It offers the perfect blend of utility and aesthetics. The only cons are that it is expensive, you have to “zoom with your feet” (meaning hustle toward or away from your subject to get your desired elements in frame), and you won’t benefit from any lens compression should you desire that in a particular shot. The 50mm f/1.4 is also a fabulous lens for all the same reasons listed above and is more affordable than the f/1.2. If you’d like to start with only one prime lens, I recommend the 50mm, either the f/1.2 or f/1.4.

85mm f/1.2 This lens is my go-to for shooting close-ups (Figure 5.16). It takes such gorgeous pictures, it’s almost like cheating. It gives you a bit of lens compression, and the resulting images are like butter (Figure 5.17). The only cons are that you have to have enough studio or location space to get more of your subject in frame beyond a close-up, and that this lens is on the pricier side. The 85mm f/1.8 is a great alternative lens and lower-budget option.

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Figure 5.14   Shot in the backyard of my Italian family’s villa in Tuscany. If I have plenty of space and time to “zoom with my feet,” I usually shoot with the 50mm.

50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 1000 sec.

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Figure 5.15   Shot in the same location as Figure 5.14. The 50mm is a perfect all-around lens that produces crisp and beautiful pictures.

Figure 5.16   This lens is always on my camera for close-ups. It’s sharp yet soft as butter at the same time—just gorgeous!

50mm lens, ISO 400, f/1.8, 1000 sec.

85mm lens, ISO 400, f/2, 500 sec.

Figure 5.17  I use the 85mm for shooting close-ups of body parts as well. The shallow depth of field created by shooting at f/1.2 makes skin appear flawless and sensual (right).

85mm lens, ISO 400, f/1.2, 40 sec.

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How I Use These Lenses on a Shoot

Figure 5.18   Shot in the bedroom with the headboard fabric as our background. I was standing on the far side of the room on a chair to achieve the right height and distance.

A recent shoot I did in New Orleans with a 39-year-old mom and business owner, Mrs. W, represents a typical shoot and how I use equipment. We were in the beautiful hotel room where she was staying, and there was plenty of natural light coming in from two large balcony windows in the bedroom and separate living area. I used an assistant to hold the reflector for me in nearly every shot we took indoors. (Details regarding how I use a reflector can be found in Chapter 6, “Creating Light that Flatters.”) After the makeup artist was done with Mrs. W, I began by shooting close-ups with the 85mm, my preferred lens for this type of shot (Figure 5.18). I typically like to shoot these tight shots first, when the makeup is still fresh, so it hasn’t smeared or worn off. (In the long shots, less-than-perfect makeup isn’t so apparent and doesn’t require as much, if any, retouching). So if I have enough room, I’ll use the 85mm for close-up shots. After the close-ups, I typically switch to the 50mm and do the bulk of shooting for the rest of the session with that lens—again, if I have the room required (Figure 5.19). I love how lightweight the 50mm is and how what you see in front of you is pretty much what you get—you see how it will look when captured. For Figure 5.20, I shot a bunch of different setups and outfits with the 50mm and switched to the 24–70mm when I didn’t have enough room to frame what I wanted with the 50mm.

85mm lens, ISO 400, f/2, 100 sec. Figure 5.20  I was backed up as far as I could go against the bedroom dresser shooting this, but it just wasn’t far enough to get her whole body into frame, so I had to switch to the 24–70mm.

24–70mm lens, ISO 400, f/2.8, 400 sec.

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Figure 5.19  I was just barely able to fit her full body in this shot with the 50mm, but I much prefer the gorgeous results of using this prime versus an alternative.

50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 500 sec.

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The Fan An absolute must for a hot, sexy shoot. The fan adds a sense of energy and movement—a slight breeze will do wonders (Figure 5.21). Plus, models love it because it feels cool and relaxing, helping evoke great expressions. A small portable fan is all that’s needed to blow some hair around. Hair looks fun, full, and sexy. The Bowens brand fan seen on many high-fashion shoots runs over $1,000, but you can use any household fan to ­create sensuality and movement in your pictures. I

generally avoid the music video full blow-out look and use the fan to just lightly hit the tips of the hair. I’d rather have the fan than any other extra piece of equipment. Using it is the biggest trick to create emotion when sometimes it isn’t there. I like to place the fan blowing from the same direction as the light source. I try it at different wind levels but mostly keep it on low. The Blowit brand has a great mounting clamp, which can clip onto your light stand and move in any direction.

Figure 5.21   This fan, purchased at a home goods store, is used more as a prop to give a feeling of a hot summer day in the city.

50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.5, 500 sec.

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Other Lenses A few other lenses are also worthy of checking out for yourself: The 24mm and 35mm are wider primes, so if you prefer working only with primes and need a wider angle, these two are excellent choices. The 70–200mm is another zoom that has gorgeous lens compression. On most boudoir shoots, though, I’m usually in too small a space to take advantage of it, and when I’m outdoors on location, I’d frankly prefer to work with the lenses I already have than spend more to carry a lens that is as heavy as a brick.

Must-Have Accessories Creativity will always be the number one item in your tool bag. You’re going to need every ounce of resourcefulness and creative problem-solving smarts, whether you’re shooting in the studio or going on location to arrange a beautiful set, work around immovable objects, find the best light, and make the location look like you spent thousands in production design. So in addition to making sure your mind is sharp, be sure to include some of the more expected accessories, such as your camera manual, extra batteries and a charger, extra memory cards or film, and extension cords. Additionally, throwing the following items into your bag will help ensure that your shoot goes as smoothly as possible.

Black Muslin Backdrop Bring a black muslin cloth background with you wherever you go (Figure 5.22), particularly when shooting boudoir and fine art nudes. It doesn’t actually have to be muslin— any black fabric that is solid black (no prints or textures), opaque (can’t see through it), and crease resistant (so you’re not ironing it all the time) will work fine. A large black polyester tablecloth is a great budget alternative for this purpose. It’s lightweight, inexpensive, easy to carry, and has a multitude of uses. I use it to cover up anything distracting on a set (Figure 5.23). Bring along gaffer’s tape and A-clamps to hang it up to instantly create a studio backdrop anywhere. I usually set it up next to a natural light source, like a large window at the hotel. This is your no-fail backdrop if you run into anything unusable and unmovable on a set. I’ve used it to cover horrendous wallpaper, bad hotel art, and a multitude of other distractions. Almost anything looks great against black. Just hang it taut, and make sure you don’t see any drape.

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Figure 5.22   This fine-art nude was shot outdoors at Edward Weston’s estate in Big Sur. I had a couple students holding the black muslin behind the model and in front of the rest of this gigantic cactus to give us stark contrast and no distracting lines.

50mm lens, ISO 800, f/3.2, 5000 sec.

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Figure 5.23  I most often use the black muslin to cover a distracting headboard. Against the stark contrast of white sheets, the dramatic backdrop of black is stunning.

50mm lens, ISO 400, f/3.2, 320 sec.

Gray Seamless Background Paper For me, a roll of 4-foot seamless background paper in dove gray (my personal preference because of its warmth) is a must-have for shooting portraits (Figure 5.24). Gray is a classic choice for fashion, and I love using it for boudoir because it flatters every ­ethnicity, has a richness and depth without the extreme drama of black, and is supereasy to work with. It’s very forgiving when you’re using a one-light setup, which I’ll cover Chapter 6.

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Figure 5.24   Shot in my studio in L.A., this one-light setup with the gray seamless hanging from a portable backdrop stand is an easy scenario and has amazing versatility.

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 200 sec.

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You don’t necessarily need to light the background, as you may with white, or have a hair light, as you might have to use with the black. You can set up the gray background paper just about anywhere (Figure 5.25). You can use a portable background stand for under $100, or simply tape a portion of the paper to the wall. I’ve set it up right on top of a front door entryway, a small office, a bedroom, and many other tight spaces.

Black Gaffer’s Tape This powerful black tape is essential on a shoot, and you can tear off a piece easily with your hands. I’ve used it to hold up my backdrop by taping the muslin to the wall, hold equipment together, and fix rips in furniture. It even comes in handy for wardrobe fixes in a pinch (making hems or tightening straps). I couldn’t do a location shoot without it.

Figure 5.25   This small section of the gray seamless is hung in the small master bathroom of a hotel. You don’t need much room to create a studio look.

85mm lens, ISO 100, f/5.0, 200 sec.

A-Clamps These clamps are useful for pulling back curtains, holding up the muslin when the tape isn’t an option, pulling in a dress at the back, clamping your reflector to a boom arm—basically, they’re handy in any instance where an extra pair of hands would be useful but isn’t available. Tip: Body Oil OK, this one isn’t essential, but I wouldn’t want to do a shoot without sesame body oil. Moist skin amplifies highlights and photographs really well. It also helps water bead up on the body when shooting a wet look. This can get messy quickly; just a drop or two will do the trick.

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50mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 1600 sec.

6

Creating Light That Flatters

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hotography literally means drawing with light, and harnessing light is one of your primary tools in telling a story and creating visual impact. Lighting conveys mood, from dark and dramatic to joyful and bright, and everything in between. Additionally, the lines you create with light and shadow affect composition and further influence how viewers experience your photo (Figure 6.1). The skillful use of lighting can also highlight and flatter specific areas of the body and minimize or hide others, amplify curves

where they barely exist, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and even slim down a silhouette. When I’m shooting boudoir, I want my light to flatter the woman in front of my camera. And I want my lighting gear to be simple, budget-friendly, and portable, and produce beautiful light. That’s what we’ll be focusing on in this chapter. We’ll discuss low-budget gear that’s easy to use and transport and how to use one main light to create eight different looks that flatter women.

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Figure 6.1   The light here “draws” the lines on her body that lead the viewer’s eye around the frame.

85mm lens, ISO 1250, f/2.8, 500 sec.

Gear: Less Is More I like to invest in quality budget gear that’s simple, reliable, and easy to use, and lets me create a ton of variety with as little as possible. Maybe I like to work with less equipment because for many years I was working on my own. After hauling bags of lighting gear through airport after airport, I’ve come to value being able to do things easily. Every single photograph in this book was created with just one light, either the sun or my strobe. The strobe I own and used in this chapter is a great value; it cost less than $550. Plus, it has a wireless transceiver built in, so you don’t have to pay for a separate one. I used only two different modifiers—great quality but not the cheapest ones— which cost around $500 total.

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A Few Light Exercises Take a figure-drawing class. A figure-drawing class really trains your eye to see how light and shadow affect the appearance of a body (Figure 6.2). I was fortunate to have been taught to see light and shadow since I was a kid, when my dad taught me how to draw, and I keep my skills sharp by continuing to draw from time to time. So when I look around, I can’t help but notice the shadows, shapes, and lines that light forms. Start shooting in black and white. Subtracting the distraction of color makes it easy to see how light and shadow affect your image and your composition, where it’s leading your eye, and what story you’re

telling. Black and white also makes it more apparent whether the light is flattering on your subject’s face and what it does to her body: Does it make her slimmer or bigger? Does it enhance curves or de-emphasize curves? Practice the four basic portrait lighting patterns. Get familiar with butterfly, loop, split, and Rembrandt lighting. By doing so, you’ll learn which go-to scenarios are great to flatter certain face shapes. Set up a mannequin or foam head to practice, so there is no movement or change in expression. In addition, practice broad lighting and short lighting, which are not so much patterns, but styles, both of which we’ll cover later in this chapter.

Figure 6.2   A figure drawing in charcoal by talented fine artist Michelle

Dunaway. I enjoy drawing as a Zen activity for creative relaxation, but it informs my work greatly as well.

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Granted, you can also do really cool effects and awesome looks using multiple light setups. But if you don’t want to spend a ton of money, you’re mostly photographing one person at a time, you don’t have assistants, and you enjoy keeping it simple, then I suggest investing in one light first and seeing how far you can take it. A great exercise in keeping gear to a minimum is to ask yourself what mood you want to create and how you can best do that with the available light only and leanest amount of gear possible. Sometimes it’s really just as simple as changing your angle and point of view. I also believe that by keeping the lighting setup simple and gear lean, it’s more effective when working with nonmodels, who may get even more nervous when surrounded by lots of equipment. Also, when working with real women, you’ll need to focus heavily on coaching and directing, so it’s nice to have easy lighting setups so your remaining energy can be mostly focused on giving her what she needs, creating an authentic moment, and composing a beautiful photograph.

Taking Advantage of Natural Light

Figure 6.3   Because I didn’t

have enough light on the ­model’s face and no reflector with me, I turned her face to the side, so the story became about the diamond shape between her legs (opposite). 50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 640 sec.

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There are natural-light photographers who have achieved icon status, had extraordinary careers, and made quite a living by shooting only with available light. It’s beautiful, it’s free, and you don’t have to lug it around with you. I get juiced up when it comes to using whatever light is available, and I love seeing what the day brings and what the setting brings and problem solving in order to make it work (Figure 6.3). For instance, I wasn’t planning on shooting this model backlit, but when she stood in front of the window, I thought her silhouette was striking. A big part of me really loves going with the flow and harnessing what’s available, and I consider it an exciting challenge to make it work with what I’ve got. When shooting with all-natural light, whether inside or outside, the first thing I do is find the best light. The best light isn’t necessarily the most light, it’s the quality of light. Most often, I’m looking for soft, diffused light, which is most flattering to women. A window or doorway sidelight (which doesn’t hit the subject head-on) that creates soft shadows is my favorite when shooting indoors (Figure 6.4). Try placing the model at least a couple of yards from the window, which ensures that the light isn’t too harsh or too high contrast, or you can put up a diffusion panel. I’ve included two of my favorite indoor lighting scenarios and behind-the-scenes diagrams later in this chapter. When outdoors, I’m most often looking for a well-shaded area for that beautiful soft light, or a spot in direct sun to be used as dramatic backlighting, depending on which mood and effect I’d like to achieve. Once I find my best light, I tweak accordingly. I

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will decide whether or not I would like additional fill light or if need catchlights in the eyes. If so, I will choose either one or both of my reflectors. Often, I try a shot with and without reflectors to see which look I like best. (See the sidebar “Working with Reflectors” for more information on how I use them.)

Shooting in the Studio You don’t have to own or even rent a studio space to create the look of a studio with a simple backdrop and one light.

Controlled, Dependable Light

Figures 6.4   This was shot indoors with available light—all

natural, soft light through one window, which created beautiful shadows and shapes on the body. 50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 640 sec.

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Although I love shooting in natural light, there’s another part of me that really enjoys the comfort and reliability of controlled light in a studio setting, which is why I started shooting with a strobe years ago. I also know that I need to serve my client and capture a certain shot lit a certain way even if she is only in town and available for a couple of hours, when the sun might or might not be shining. (Quick aside: No lighting or equipment or situation is 100 percent reliable, which is why resourcefulness is the number one tool a photographer must have in her kit. Now back to strobes…) Strobes , or flashes, come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and power (wattage) and provide a brief burst of motion-freezing light. They have a cool running temperature and work with a wide variety of lighting modifiers, which offers you incredible versatility as well as control.

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Working with Reflectors Although you may not have control of Mother Nature and available natural light, you can harness it, mold it, and become a master at finding and creating light with just the sun and reflectors. Try large, 5-in-1, collapsible reflectors that are lightweight and portable to simply bounce or reflect light from the main source back into the shadow areas of your subject or to block light (Figure 6.5). Here’s how I use each side: Diffusion screen Used to diffuse harsh sunlight and create softer light when I’m shooting in full sun with no shade or when indoors and

Silver Reflects the most light of all of these, provides higher contrast light, and doesn’t change the color of studio lights. White Doesn’t bounce nearly as much light as silver and is much softer, which is why I find myself using this one the most. Gold For shooting outdoors. Matches the warm color of the sun but is not good in the studio because of the different color temperature.

the window light is too harsh or high contrast. Black I use it to block reflections when shooting near glass or a window. I also use it with my strobe, most often positioned between the light and the set to block the light from spilling onto the background when I’m using certain techniques demonstrated in this book. (Note: You don’t have to use the black side; just make sure the reflector is opaque so no light can pass through it.) The following three sides can fill in shadows and provide fill light. I also use them for providing catchlights in the eyes. Figure 6.5   On this overcast day we used the 72" x 42" silver reflector because we needed more light than the white side provided.

Monolights are easy to use Strobes come as either monolights or pack and head systems. I find it much simpler to work with a monolight, which contains all the necessary flash controls within the strobe itself, instead of pack and head systems, which consist of two parts: a power pack and flash head.

Low wattage is all you need Whether you use a pack or monolight, you won’t need high wattage. I think 500W is more than enough for boudoir portraiture (Figure 6.6). Most of the time, I run my strobes at the lowest power. In fact, I occasionally use just the modeling light. (Strobes come with a built-in modeling light, a dim light that allows your camera to focus.)

Tip: “Cheating” Toward the Light When you position your model very close to the light, it’s helpful to direct her to “cheat” toward the light, particularly with her face. Depending on what you want to feature, know that anything on the other side will fall into shadow.

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Every shot in this book using a strobe is set at my strobe’s lowest power setting. Unless you’re shooting to overpower the sun, lower wattage works better, especially since your light will be so close to the model.

Go wireless You fire your strobe either with a sync cord tethered to your camera or wirelessly. Sync cords tend to fail and be fussy to work with, as well as shackling you to your lights, making it harder to move around freely. So, although sync cords are a great budget option, I suggest springing for a wireless transmitter. The transmitter fits into the camera’s hot shoe and transmits a wireless signal to the receiver, which is plugged into the sync input on the strobe. However, certain brands of strobes have the receiver built in to the unit, as previously mentioned, so you only have to buy one transmitter.

ISO and shutter speed won’t change

Figure 6.6  Even with my strobe’s power setting at the low-

est, I had to turn the light mostly away from my subject here (a technique called “feathering”) to avoid the light being too bright on her pale skin. 50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 160 sec.

When using strobes, your ISO and shutter speed won’t change once set, which is very freeing. My ISO is always set at 100 because that’s the least sensitive to light and the “purest” setting, producing the cleanest image with no noise. For strobes, the fastest shutter speed you can use is 1/200 of a second. Choose any speed faster than 1/200, and you’ll start to see a dark gradient appear across one side of your picture because your shutter is faster than the light. Once you’ve decided on your settings, you are free to focus on creating, composing, and capturing a great photo and connecting with your subject.

You can’t go wrong choosing an aperture I usually like to shoot between f/2.0 and f/2.8. However, even with the 500W set at the lowest power setting, it’s sometimes too much light to expose correctly at the fastest possible shutter speed setting of 1/200. So I opt to attach a neutral density filter to

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What’s in My Lighting Kit? I’ve included a list of all the gear I used for these lighting setups, but you can substitute your brand. In the past I’ve used a variety of brands, and I’ve settled on the ones listed here as my current favorites at this price range, but it’s not the brand of light that makes the most impact, it’s the modifier and how you use it. For a more detailed list of the current gear I’m using and links, swing by my website: christameola.com/artofboudoir. Elinchrom BXRi 500 Monolight A really great value and superb quality. It comes with a built-in skyport, so you don’t need to buy a receiver! It has a short flash duration and great recycle time (the time it takes for a flash to recharge its capacitor), which is an important thing to consider when choosing a strobe. Elinchrom EL Skyport Speed Transmitter This transmitter triggers the strobe wirelessly, which has the receiver built in. Super inexpensive and easy to use, it lets you control your lighting power from the transmitter itself so you don’t have to walk around the studio and get up on a ladder to change your power setting on your strobe. Quick, convenient, cheap, and reliable—what more could you ask for?

Elinchrom 53-inch Rotalux Octabox They say you should spend more on modifiers than on your flash unit, just as you should spend more on lenses than on the camera itself. I agree. Lighting the body is almost as important as lighting the face in boudoir photography, so I use the biggest softbox that I have the room for. I use the 53 inch, which creates soft, beautiful light and is great for the one-light setup because it’s often all you need to light the face and body and even the background. Elinchrom 27 x 27-inch Rotalux Softbox This square softbox is much smaller than the 53-inch and is great to have in my kit when I don’t have room for the bigger one, don’t need to light a full-length portrait, or don’t want to spread the light as much. Impact Multiboom Light Stand This lightweight multiuse light stand costs less than $100 and is extremely portable. I have two in my kit, and along with supporting my strobe, they’re handy to attach my fan to and to hold my reflectors or flags. Impact 42 x 72-inch and 42 x 42-inch Collapsible 5-in-1 Reflectors An essential on every shoot, these reflectors can be used in tandem or separately, as described in the sidebar “Working with Reflectors.” If you don’t have an assistant to hold the reflector, you can buy the light stand with boom arm listed above for under $100.

my lens, which will darken the light coming into the camera by up to several stops (depending on which ones you use). There is no right or wrong aperture setting—it’s a matter of preference. Going up to f/11 will keep all of your subject in focus. I like the eyes to be in focus and the rest to gradually soften, including the cheeks, sides of face, and hair. Because of this, I mostly shoot wider than 4. The only time I go to a higher f-stop is

when I don’t have an ND filter or I want more of the subject’s body in focus.

Softboxes for soft, beautiful light I like to spread and soften the light from my strobe using a softbox, which I find to be more directional than an umbrella. My choice is an Octabox, which is like a traditional softbox but with eight sides instead of four; it has a rounder appearance than the

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Tip: Buy a Light Stand with Wheels Your shoot will go smoother, faster, and easier. You’ll have more energy and will most likely experiment more, since it’s so effortless to move your lights. Anything you can do to make your job easier without affecting the quality of your work should be a choice you make.

rectangular softbox. There’s virtually no difference in the power or quality of the light between the two, but the Octabox creates rounder, more natural-looking catch-lights in the model’s eyes, so I love it. When you start using strobes and modifiers, it’s good to know a few rules of thumb to help guide you and shortcut your decision making. 1. The larger the light source, the softer the light. The bigger the softbox, the more beautiful and wrapped the light will appear. If you have the shooting space and budget available, choose a 53-inch or larger softbox for the softest, almost velvety looking light. 2. The closer the softbox, the softer the light. For extremely soft and beautiful light, position your softbox really close to your subject—as close as possible without it being in your frame.

Eight Ways to Flatter Women Using One Light I often work outdoors with just the sun as my one light source or in very tight spaces, with little room for more than the model, me, the makeup artist, and one strobe. There are many wonderful ways you can use one light source to flatter the women you photograph, and it’s nice to have a handful of go-to lighting scenarios that are easy to execute, consistently reliable, and flattering to the majority of women. I have included eight looks that are just that, which I think are particularly useful for boudoir photography.

Mix It Up and Make It Your Own The following scenarios are techniques that you can borrow to inspire your own work. Think of them like recipes and trust your inner artist to add, subtract, or tweak them to your taste. Within each of these looks are many alternatives. With just this single light source, it’s possible to create a wide variety of looks, even with just slight adjustments. You can vary the height of the light, the angle of light, the distance of light to subject, the distance of camera to subject, the position of camera in relation to the subject, and your choice of ­accessories—not to mention changing your exposure settings, background color, her wardrobe color, and so on. Experiment with each lighting scenario, have a good time with it, and make it your own. Take it a step further and add your own creativity. You can also use these setups as a base and then start adding on additional lights if you like, such as a hair light, a second fill light, or a light pointed at the backdrop. But for me, simple is usually the way to go (Figure 6.7).

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Figure 6.7   I had my entire lighting kit with me on this shoot, yet I chose to use an all-available-light setup—I didn’t even use a reflector—because I loved the deep shadows, shapes, and lines created by the window light.

50mm lens, ISO 500, f/3.2, 160 sec.

A couple of small but important technical details: All setups with strobes were at the lowest power, 2.3—about 30W. In most cases, a higher- or lower-wattage strobe could produce a very similar look, as would continuous lights. (Continuous lights are different from strobes in that they stay on all the time. For simplicity’s sake, I don’t cover those in this book, but you could easily do any of these lighting setups with continuous lights instead of a strobe.) Because describing it is nothing like seeing it, I’ve included demos at christameola.com/ artofboudoir.

What’s the Story You Want to Tell? When creating a lighting setup for a shot, I ask the following questions to help guide my decisions. The first is one I’ve emphasized previously: What is the story I want to convey and what is my focus? Is it her facial expression, the curves of her body, her clothes, the setting? Which lighting setup will help me communicate that and pinpoint the focus there? And most important: Is it flattering to the subject? Do we want to enhance or deemphasize certain body parts? Keep these questions in mind as you read through the following lighting scenarios and consider how you would use each one with the women you would like to photograph.

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No. 1: Gorgeous Backlighting Shooting a subject backlit is one of my favorite techniques and is an extremely easy setup. Whether using the sun as the main source or an artificial light, this scenario is great for flattering women of all body types and for creating a striking image with a feeling of luminosity and joyfulness. When shooting indoors and only with natural light, I place my subject in front of a window (the main light source), and then make a few different choices depending on the following:

Figure 6.8   This woman had recently had a baby and told me she still was still losing a bit of “baby

weight.” To make her appear slimmer, I fooled the eye by creating a darker outline of her body where the fabric touches her skin. 24–70mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.8, 250 sec.

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If my model is modest, I like to try a few shots placing her behind sheer fabric or sheer curtains (Figure 6.8), so she feels and appears less exposed, as we discussed in the “Styling” chapter. Then I decide whether or not to add one or two large white reflectors just to the side and in front of her to act as fill light, depending on my focus and the amount of light in the room. For Figure 6.9, I did not use a reflector since the available light in the room was enough and what I’m focusing on here is her form, not necessarily her face or catchlights in her eyes. You can also experiment with the model in front of the sheers (Figure 6.9). Here, since we see her face and the room was fairly dark, I did use a reflector just to the side and front of her to bounce light back onto her body and face (Figure 6.10). Finally, I consider my model’s modesty level as well as what she loves about her body and adjust my exposure accordingly. By varying exposure, we can control how much of the model’s body we see or don’t see. If your subject is modest or unsure about how much nudity is too much for her, you can give her a few options by capturing this shot at different exposure levels. You can see nothing but a silhouette by underexposing, her entire body by overexposing, and every level in between. There are two additional benefits to overexposing. First, you can blow out unattractive or distracting backgrounds. Second, you can give her a slimmer appearance if she so desires by blowing out the edges of her body, as in Figure 6.9, so its outer edge cannot be detected.

Figure 6.9   By overexposing this image, we blow

out the outer edge of this young woman’s belly, back, bum, arms, and upper thighs, giving her an even slimmer appearance. 50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.2, 50 sec.

Equipment 42 x 72-inch and 42 x 42-inch white reflectors (­Figure 6.9) Multiboom light stand (Figure 6.9) Figure 6.10   This behind-the-scenes shot shows the placement of my two reflectors used together and how close they are to the model.

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The 3 Biggest Lighting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them The biggest mistake my students make in terms of lighting is neglecting to pay attention to how the light is falling on the model’s face. Make sure you know where your main light source is and that, in particular, it does not fall below her face, which casts very unattractive shadows I call “­horror lighting.” Light her intentionally. Any shadows should be “drawn” for a reason, and make sure that if your assistant is holding the reflector, she doesn’t inadvertently lower the reflector as her arms tire, causing the fill light to come from below your subject’s eye level. Another misstep I often see is that the subject is lit so flatly that there are no pleasing shadows creating interest, depth, or flattering curves. Make sure you angle yourself or your

light to create some depth with shadows, and experiment with not using a fill light, unless a flat look is what you are intentionally going for. Lastly, some students become so preoccupied and distracted by their lighting equipment that they forget to engage with their subject, resulting in a moment that lacks interest. Keep in mind that connection with your subject takes priority; it shouldn’t be sacrificed to fiddle with gear. Find your best light, tweak it, and then practice bringing your focus and attention to creating a rapport with your subject. Gently remind yourself of this throughout the shoot.

No. 2: Sultry, Low-Contrast Lighting For this setup, I wanted a subtle look and sensual mood, so I went for a low-contrast, low-light effect, something seductive that will flatter the woman who wishes to de-emphasize certain body parts, such as her stomach, arms, waist, chin, or even legs, depending on how you position her (Figure 6.11). For this look, I placed a single strobe fitted with a medium softbox overhead and a large white reflector about a foot away from the model and slightly to the side (Figure 6.12). The reflector is just enough to cast a soft, even light across her whole body. Set your camera to underexpose by a couple stops, and you’ve got a beautiful shot with sensual mystique. You can experiment with this setup by adjusting her proximity to the light (Figure 6.13). Inching your subject forward or back a few inches

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dramatically affects the result, and the reflector adds just a bit more information to evenly light her body so you don’t get a disconnect. Her tummy and back of arms are hidden, disappearing into the shadow. You can further experiment if you’d like to see more of your model’s body outline by choosing a lighter backdrop, lighting the backdrop, selecting lightercolored clothing, or increasing your exposure. Equipment Elinchrom BXRi 500W Strobe Elinchrom 27 x 27-inch Rotalux Softbox Elinchrom Skyport Speed Transmitter 42 x 72-inch white reflector Two multiboom light stands Black muslin backdrop

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Figure 6.11   Whether your subject is standing or sitting makes a significant difference in how much light hits her legs. Here, I have her slightly seated to push her legs forward toward the light, since she loves her legs (left).

50mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 160 sec. Figure 6.12   You can see just how close the reflector and the light are to the subject (below).

black muslin backdrop

(really just a $20 tablecloth)

Figure 6.13   It’s important to make sure your model doesn’t end up directly under the light, in which case the light would be strong and entirely on her head, blocking the light from reaching the rest of her body.

2’ keep these SUPER CLOSE!

lovely model

ST ROBE with 27” x 27” softbox 42” x 72” white reflector with light stand light stand with boom arm, raised 7” high me + 24-70mm

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No. 3: Simple, Slimming Short Lighting Short lighting and its opposite technique, broad lighting, are excellent techniques to flatter faces and bodies by creating the appearance that they are either narrower or wider, respectively, than they truly are. Short lighting occurs when the main light illuminates the side of the face or body furthest from the camera, which means that the majority of the subject’s face or body is in shadow (the side closest to camera), thus giving the appearance of a slimmer face or body (Figure 6.14). Broad lighting is the exact opposite, where the majority of the subject’s body is in brighter light, creating the appearance of a wider body. So just by choosing which side to photograph your subject from and which side of the light to place her on, you can affect how wide or narrow she appears. When shooting indoors and shooting with natural light, my subject is positioned to the side of a window (the main light source) with black muslin behind her, either taped to the wall or on a background stand (Figure 6.15).

Figure 6.14   This curvy gal’s face and body appear slimmer with a classic short-lighting setup (opposite).

85mm lens, ISO 400, f/2, 80 sec.

Equipment Black muslin backdrop Household fan

same black muslin taped to wall

6’

stunning subject

me + 85mm *shooting from the shadow side is

slimming

the FAN is a must !

west-facing window, with no curtains to let in as much light as possible

Figure 6.15  Vary your s­ ubject-to-light distance according to how strong the light is and whether or not you have diffusing material. I like to start about six feet from the window and then tweak it from there.

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No. 4: Full-Length Flattering Lighting For more fashion-style boudoir and full-length portraits, I love the ease of a big Octabox. Placing your main light slightly above eye level, angled down, and just off to the side in front of your model is my preferred position (Figure 6.16) to add a touch of shadow and dimension to her body and create a pleasing shadow under her chin (­Figure 6.17). Placing the fan directly under the light will create wonderful movement in her hair and clothes (if she’s wearing any). Since we were shooting a full-body shot in Figure 6.17, we chose the 53-inch Octabox, which creates some of the softest and most beautiful light. This is plenty

Figure 6.16   The fan and the Octabox are as close as possible to

Figure 6.17   This is a flattering look that works well with almost

being directly in front of the model without getting in my shot.

everyone. 50mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 160 sec.

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to light a full-length subject as well as the background if you bring your model close enough to the backdrop. Here, the model is about four feet from the background (­Figure 6.18). Equipment Elinchrom BXRi 500W Strobe Elinchrom 53-inch Rotalux Octabox Elinchrom Skyport Speed Transmitter Multiboom light stands Gray seamless backdrop

gray 9’ seamless Figure 6.18   This behindthe-scenes shot shows how high the light is and its slight downward angle, as well as the low angle I shoot from to flatter full-length bodies.

4’ model strobe raised just above eye level + angled slightly downward the light is as close as possible to me without getting in my frame

53” Octobox Impact light stand

kneeling down with the 24-70mm

FAN * I always prefer the wind to come from the same direction as the light source

10/8/12 1:49 AM

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No. 5: Sidelighting to Dramatically Enhance or Reduce Curves

but highlight her great curves. This results in a very dramatic look, especially when shot on a black background. To make sure the light doesn’t spill onto the background, move the subject, light, or both farther away from the background or if you don’t have the room to do so, use a flag. Try the gray background if you want to see the outline of your model’s form, as in Figure 6.21. Placing the light with the 27-inch Softbox directly to the side and a touch in front of the model (Figure 6.22) produced this result. For this high-contrast, curveenhancing sidelight, we took diffusers off the softbox, raised it up, and pointed it down to create a certain look with the light and shadow on her face and chin. In this shot, I didn’t want any of her body outline to disappear into shadow, as in Figure 6.20, where we used a black backdrop and kept the light a bit behind her.

This dramatic look is extremely flattering to bodyconscious women, whether they are looking to create curves or de-emphasize them. By placing the light source directly to the side of the subject (and either slightly in front of or behind her) and moving yourself on an arc in front of or opposite to the light (Figure 6.19), you can create a number of looks. Here are two. For Figure 6.20, we used a smaller softbox (27 x 27-inch) since we weren’t exposing the whole body and placed the light directly to the side and slightly behind her. The light catches one side of her body with the rest falling mostly off into shadows, since she wanted to de-emphasize her size

black muslin backdrop

6’ from the model lovely model,

angled toward the light

27” x 27” softbox

on light stand, slightly behind the model

MORE shadow + curves! 24-70mm

LESS shadow + curves!

* moving along this arc results in significantly different looks Figure 6.19   This diagram shows the arc that you can position yourself along to have

either more or less of your subject’s body fall into shadow.

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Figure 6.21  Sidelighting to give a petite and slender model some curves and a dramatic look.

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 200 sec.

Figure 6.20   The subject had recently lost over 40 pounds and wanted to celebrate her hard work and new-found appreciation for her body, but she was still losing weight and wanted to appear a little slimmer. We photographed her lit only by one sidelight so her body falls off into shadow.

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 200 sec.

Equipment Elinchrom BXRi 500W Strobe Elinchrom Skyport Speed Transmitter Multiboom light stand Elinchrom 27 x 27-inch Rotalux Softbox Black muslin backdrop (Figure 6.20) Gray seamless backdrop (Figure 6.21)

Figure 6.22   I love the triangle shadows under her

rib, belly, chin, and cheekbones produced by raising the light up high and a bit in front of the model. angled down as you see here.

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Figure 6.24   This behind-the-scenes photo shows how close together the flags are (only a couple of inches apart).

No. 6: Sexy Noir Lighting The deep shadows and strong highlights of film noir are a natural fit for boudoir photography. This look is a fun one for women looking to evoke a certain era or who love the extreme chiaroscuro look and drama of the darkest blacks and lightest whites (Figure 6.23). While there are a multitude of ways to create this look with other equipment, I thought it would be great to show this setup using the same gear we’ve being using for the rest of this chapter. Using the medium softbox off to a 45-degree angle, we aimed it at our model. To narrow the light and keep it from spilling onto the backdrop, except where we desired, we put two flags in front of the light (Figure 6.24). Figure 6.23   I kept the model bright and the background

dark without blowing everything out by exposing for her fair skin. 50mm lens (with .9 neutral density filter), ISO 200, f/2, 160 sec.

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Equipment Elinchrom BXRi 500W Strobe Elinchrom 27 x 27-inch Rotalux Softbox Elinchrom Skyport Speed Transmitter Multiboom light stand Two flats used as flags Gray seamless backdrop

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No. 7: Universally Flattering Clamshell Lighting Clamshell lighting is very popular for beauty closeups; it’s super easy and simple, and it flatters everyone. The main light is raised above the model and angled 45 degrees downward, and the silver reflector acting as fill light is at her waist level, angled 45 degrees upward (Figure 6.25), which looks like a clamshell from the side. This is a quick, no-fuss setup. The light is soft and wrapping, great for women of all ages. You can do this with an umbrella, a beauty dish, or even natural light. It’s a good trick to reduce the appearance of blemishes, undereye shadows, or bags, as you can see in (Figure 6.26). You still see light shadows, which I love, but they are so subtle, and this woman seems to glow from within.

Figure 6.26   The silver reflector eliminates deep shadows, creating a luminous glow.

50mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 160 sec.

Just make sure your subject doesn’t lean too far into the shot, or she will be more lit by the silver reflector, which will create that upward unflattering horror effect—not good on anyone! You want to make sure the top light is brighter than the lower fill.

Figure 6.25   You can see how the reflector is positioned on her lap.

Equipment Elinchrom BXRi 500W Strobe Elinchrom 27 x 27-inch Rotalux Softbox Elinchrom Skyport Speed Transmitter Multiboom light stand Gray seamless backdrop 42 x 72-inch silver reflector

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Figure 6.27   The light is soft and gradually falls off into shadow.

50mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 160 sec.

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No. 8: Seductive and Flattering Feathering I love the look and mystery of a form disappearing into the background. This is another technique to flatter women of any size, since you can’t see where the body ends (­Figure 6.27). It just disappears into luscious shadow. Place the light with softbox on a 45-degree angle from the model and turn the softbox away from the subject so she is lit only by the edges, where the softest light is. This technique is called feathering the light and provides a supersoft, even light. You will likely have to place a flag between the light and the background (Figure 6.28) so the light doesn’t spill onto the backdrop, especially if you are using a larger softbox. Equipment Elinchrom BXRi 500W Strobe Elinchrom 27 x 27-inch Rotalux Softbox Elinchrom Skyport Speed Transmitter Multiboom light stand Black muslin backdrop 42 x 72-inch black reflector used as a flag

black muslin backdrop

Figure 6.28   The softbox is aimed almost entirely at the background and away from the subject.

6’ or as much distance as possible 42” x 72”

reflector used as a flag to block light from hitting backdrop

model has favorite features turned toward the light 24-70mm

27” x 27” softbox on light stand,

raised a couple feet higher than model, angled down

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7

Capturing Beautiful Photographs

W

e’ve reached the chapter where we’re going to start clicking the shutter! I know this is probably the most fun stage in the process for most of us. Hopefully all the work we’ve done up to this point will make shooting a breeze. We’ve prepped our sub­ ject, discussed the creative direction, chosen flattering lighting that’s going to support our message; we have all the right equipment to make sure that the shoot will go smoothly as possible, plus we’ve got some hot poses in our hip pocket. Right about now is when your nonmodel is going to be really nervous, so it’s even more important to continue to help her feel

comfortable and relaxed and trusting in you so that you can capture her at her best. It’s at this stage when you’ll also trans­ late your concept into a concrete captured moment and turn what you envisioned into a reality. You’ll be making many decisions during the shoot that will communicate your vision. We’ll cover a few of them: framing, crop, composition, depth of field, and shutter speed. For boudoir subjects, my goal is not to create just one stunning photograph. I enjoy creating a series of pictures throughout the session that work together to provide a multi­ dimensional story, with a beginning, middle, and end.

50mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.2, 40 sec.

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Shooting Techniques to Bring Out the Best in Women The most important aspect of photographing a nonmodel is making the woman feel comfortable and trust you, so that you can bring out her absolute best. We’ve already covered how to do that leading up to the shoot by addressing her fears and doubts. Let’s continue the process while on set. Here are my best tips and techniques.

Begin without Fanfare Your subject should not be able to detect the beginning of the shoot. By that I mean she shouldn’t ever feel like there’s a drum roll going on while she’s about to take off her robe because the photo shoot is about to begin. I like to start chatting with her and shooting matter-of-factly while she’s still in the makeup chair. I’ll say that I’m just doing lighting tests. Meanwhile, I’m really just giving her time to warm up and get used to having a camera in the room while she’s half naked. I keep shooting while moving her onto the set, saying that I’m still testing light or doing a makeup test. So my rhythm is continuous shooting, and I never utter a nerve-racking statement like, “OK, let’s start!” Set yourself up for a successful, fun, and easy shoot by engaging her without her even noticing that the session has started.

Start with Easy Setups If your subject needs some time to warm up and release some nervous energy, which most nonmodels do, start with the easiest three setups. 1. Prop shot Give your subject a prop to take her focus off herself and help her start having fun (Figure 7.1), as discussed in Chapter 4, “Telling a Story with Styling.” 2. Modest outfit Shoot one of her more conservative wardrobe choices, like a dress, and have her start by coaching a simple action, like flirting with the dress straps. 3. Easy pose Shoot with her lying down, which most women find to be a much more relaxing and less self-conscious position than standing up. Choose either the Serpent, the Courtesan, or the Cat from Chapter 3, “Posing to Make Your Subject Shine.” 4. Coach exhausting action To release her nervous energy, coach a few rigorous actions, like “Shake your hair back and forth” (Figure 7.2) or “Jump up and down on the bed.”

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5. Body shots If your subject is still nervous or stiff, take some pictures of just her body or details of her ward­ robe, since viewers can’t usually tell if the subject is nervous when her expression is not in your frame (Figure 7.3).

Be Professional, Confident, and Take Control Your model will play off your energy, so make sure to bring the type of energy you’d like her to match, as well as confidence. For instance, keep your energy high, and you’ll get fun and lively images. Most importantly, be confident and professional so she will trust you and let herself be vulnerable in your hands. When she feels your confidence, she will feel safe being bold and experimenting with new and different things. She is looking to you for guidance, so it’s important to take charge. Even if you’re feeling slightly unsure about a creative choice or your equipment, exuding confi­ dence in your authoritative role is a must even if you have to fake it. Sometimes on a shoot, I might be concerned because I haven’t nailed any shots yet, but I try my best to exude calm, authoritative, confident energy so my client remains at her best and doesn’t look doubtful or cautious.

Figure 7.2  One of the easiest, sexiest, and most nerve-

releasing actions for a subject is to shake her head back and forth. I also love the blurred-motion effect shot with a slower shutter speed. 24–70mm lens, ISO 200, f/3.5, 125 sec.

Figure 7.1   Cheeky props are fun, and most subjects find them easy to

begin a shoot with. 24–70mm lens, ISO 800, f/3.2, 60 sec.

Figure 7.3   When your

subject needs more time to warm up to shooting with you, take advantage of every moment by shooting details and close-ups that do not rely on her emotions. 24–70mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2.8, 500 sec.

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Provide Constant Positive Feedback Maintain constant positive feedback. You can’t go overboard on this one: It keeps the momentum going and builds her confidence. Even the briefest moment of silence can be awkward and cause her to doubt what she’s doing or how she looks. I shoot what I call “confidence-building shots.” When shooting digital, I take pictures that I know I may not use but shoot only because it keeps her moving and feeling positive and encouraged (Figures 7.4–7.7). As I’m shooting, I’m also coaching her with a neverending litany of “Good—keep going. Lift your hip higher… yes! That’s amazing… sooo beautiful… OK, now flip your hair—perfect! Yes, do it again… great!” And I continue like this, all the while adjusting for my needs but clicking and talking to fulfill hers.

Figures 7.4–7.7  You can see the subject

go from somewhat self-conscious to happily confident here. I move past the initial nervous looks, the “posey” stances, and the unflattering posture while clicking to increase confidence, until I reach an authentic, happy, confident, and flattering shot. 85mm lens, ISO 400, f/2, 250 sec.

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Male Photographers, Take Note Ask for Permission If you need to approach your model in any way to either adjust her wardrobe, fix her hair slightly, or just get in really close, make sure to ask permission first. Professional models are used to being touched by everyone on set, but with a nonmodel you want to be especially considerate of her boundaries.

Use Safe Terms While coaching your model, stick to safe terms such as “beautiful,” “great,” and “perfect” instead of phrases with sexual overtones.

Everything Works Great You don’t want to kill the energy or embarrass your model. Most of what you shoot together may not work, but she doesn’t need to know that. So say “Great” and move on swiftly to something else when it’s not really working for you. You don’t ever want to furrow your brow when you check the back of your camera or look at her in a pose and say, “Nah, that doesn’t look good.”

Shoot This for That

Tip: Overexpose After I grab a beautiful shot that I know she’ll love, I quickly shoot another, purposefully overexposed, and show it to her. I find that when showing an unretouched image on the back of my camera, it’s much more flattering when overexposed.

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To help bring out real moments with nonmodels and models alike, I often use a tech­ nique I call “shooting this for that.” I will coach a certain action, such as “while kneel­ ing, bounce up and down on the bed,” just to capture the moment afterward, when she lands with authentic laughter and an engaged, lively expression and posture. I’m not interested in catching her bouncing at the height of the bounce, just the good stuff afterward. You have to really tune in to her to notice the genuine moment. I use the same technique when asking a model to give me a fake laugh, in order to capture the real laughter afterward because no one can do a fake laugh without feeling like a silly goof and laughing at themselves. As you get more practice shooting this for that, you’ll get better at finding the most engaged, honest moments and be ready to capture them.

Give Her a Peek A quick way to put your subject at ease is to show her a shot or two that look amazing. As soon as I’ve nailed a beautiful shot, I will give her a quick peek at it on the back of my camera. This immediately helps her relax and, more importantly, trust you. Gaining her trust will allow her to reveal herself even more to you.

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That said, for the remainder of the shoot, it’s best not to continually show pictures to your subject. Doing so often kills the momentum, wastes time, pulls your focus off of creating and onto critiqu­ ing, and in general is not a good idea. If you want to show her one or two more peeks, that’s fine, but the more you can save to reveal until after the shoot is complete and you’ve gone through selection and post-production, the bigger the positive impact your images will have on her.

Cultivating Your Vision and Refining Your Voice I’ve kept this book geared toward practical tips, actionable techniques, and step-by-step instructions that are proven to work consistently in creating stunning photographs of women. But to leave out a discussion of the photographer’s vision during the shoot and go from concept to in-camera capture would be a serious omission.

What Is a Photographer’s Vision? Vision is the way you see things in the world, how you feel about what you see, and how you interpret its meaning. Then, what you choose to say about its meaning is the message. Your message doesn’t have to have worldwide implications. Sometimes, it’s as simple as noticing simple shapes with a sense of humor (­Figure 7.8).

Figure 7.8  The styling choice I made here with the striped

stockings, plus the decision to make this picture black and white, are just two of the ways in which I communicate my message clearly. 50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2, 100 sec.

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Finally, how you communicate the message (your voice) is determined by how you use all the tools you have at your disposal. We’ve discussed some of them already— lighting, lens choice, styling, gestures, posing, and eye lines, to name a just a few. The following practices to help cultivate your vision don’t constitute an exhaustive list by any means, but these are the ones I find most essential to the work I do.

Be True to Yourself As long as you stay with what interests you and how you see it, you can’t help but bring yourself to your photography. Honor what you’re attracted to, what’s meaningful to you, what you notice about what’s in front of you, and what you think and feel about it. Next, what do you want to say about it, and what do you want to share with the world, celebrate, and or communicate about it? For example, I’m a fine art lover, and I tend to put works of art into my shots. Here, I was struck by the timelessness of the nude figure being appreciated in art and I wanted to celebrate that (Figure 7.9). Stay committed to your own unique voice. In fact, the more personal your message, the more striking your image, the more we as an audience are interested, and the more distinctive your voice. These questions can be answered only by you. There is no right or wrong. But the more you can communiate your point of view with clarity, intention, specificity, and skill, the clearer your vision and voice will be, the more evident to viewers, and the greater your photograph will be.

Know the Why Since creating a photograph entails a series of decisions, each decision you make, such as the action, pose, eye line, wardrobe, light, lens, and settings, should all be commu­ nicating the same message (Figure 7.10). Nothing should be arbitrary. If you know the why behind all of your choices—why the 50mm lens, why f/2.8, why coach her to look off-camera, and why shoot in black and white—you’ve taken a step in the right direction. Continually ask these questions of yourself to make sure that you’re tapping into what you feel is important and meaningful and what you put out in the world can’t help but have your stamp on it.

Figure 7.9  The symmetry between the model’s and the

painting’s subject’s legs drives home the parallel worlds of these two muses (opposite). 50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2, 160 sec.

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Figure 7.10  The low angle I chose to shoot from helps emphasize the straight lines in this picture (in the carpet, her scarf, and the curtain) to contrast with the great curve of her hips.

24–70mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.8, 80 sec.

Use Limitations to Ignite Your Creativity Be resourceful, and use limitations during a shoot to force your creativity (Figure 7.11). When you run up against a snag, or there’s some obstacle in your way, consider those guideposts leading you in a better direction—you only need to find one. Isn’t that the exciting part, though? For instance, if it’s stormy on the day I shoot and there’s little natural light, or the model’s clothing isn’t what I expected, I remind myself that those challenges aren’t

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going to detract from my result but instead are the blessings and the guiding forces to push me toward a result that’s going to be even greater than the one I had envisioned. So I use limitations to force me to be creative. Don’t shoot wishing something were differ­ ent; move to the side, go up high, change your lens, make it work, or choose not to shoot it.

Remain Open There’s what you envisioned as you were prepping and planning the shoot, location, wardrobe, and then there’s what happens once you’re on set. It’s important to stay present and interpret what hap­ pens in front of you. Even though you may show up with a plan in mind and shots you want to cap­ ture, make sure to say “yes” to spontaneous ideas (­Figures 7.12 and 7.13). Go with what’s working and just move on if it isn’t. Keep the creativity and momentum up without trying to force anything. Recognize the blessings in disguise. Things will often not go as planned, and that’s usually what inspires unanticipated yet amazing shots. Your vision can remain intact, but recognize that the tools you use to communicate it may change.

Stay Inspired Even when you’re not actively working, spend time staying inspired by life and other art. If you don’t feel curiosity or passion for women, femininity, the human body, art, form, line, shape, or light in a given moment, then it’s time to put down the camera and feed your creative soul. Stay inspired by other works of art, music, cinema, nature, faces, whatever intrigues you on the deepest level—but make sure to look beyond photography. Life feeds your art if you’re paying attention.

Figure 7.11  After initially attempting to remove this piece of artwork from the wall while I was teaching a workshop, I soon decided to leave it and incorporate it into the shot as a lesson in letting limitations guide your creativity.

24–70mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2.8, 500 sec.

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Figures 7.12 and 7.13   Shooting in Italy, at first I thought I’d use a blank space of this villa wall as my backdrop and wanted to move this potted plant. But then, I thought it would be hysterical for her to sit and “wear” it as a headress, and titled the shot Tuscan Showgirl—which made her crack up for a unique shot that feels totally our own.

85mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 200 sec.

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Communicating Your Vision with a Camera OK, let’s get back to practical techniques and strate­ gies that are actionable and will help you communi­ cate your vision.

Intentional Framing Everything we choose to include in the frame is what we are saying is important. Therefore, everything in your frame should be intentional. Each element is there because you chose for it to be there (Figure 7.14). This may sound obvious, but when you’re coaching your model and working really hard, and you’re focusing on your gear and there’s a lot going on, sometimes things will creep into your camera frame when you’re not paying attention. For example, the cord on the floor lamp or the funky end table. You may just kind of ignore the background because the foreground is so interesting, or you might get distracted by her hand gesture and neglect to notice that her foot moved out of the shot. So it’s important to continually scan your entire frame to make sure that everything is there because you want it to be there. I always think that it’s easiest to start with nothing and build instead of removing. I do like to minimize things in my frame to make it easy to compose and easy for my story and mes­ sage to shine through because there is so little other distraction (Figure 7.15). If something is in your frame that isn’t meant to be there, you may be able to make a slight shift— change where you’re standing or how you’re tilting the c­ amera—to eliminate it from view. I often find myself shooting from up high, looking down onto the floor or a bed or a couch to eliminate distractions in the background (Figure 7.16).

Figure 7.14  It’s not an accident that the model is positioned right between two of the foreground flowers, and all the stems are on the same axis as her spine.

24–70mm lens, ISO 400, f/2.8, 800 sec.

Tip: Creating Voyeurism A simple way to create a voyeuristic feel to your photographs is to include elements in your frame that you can blur in the foreground. This lends a peeking-in-on-yoursubject feeling.

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Figure 7.15  Almost every picture I make has just one to three elements in the frame, which makes composing easier and is more likely to result in an image with clear, powerful impact.

24–70mm lens, ISO 1250, f/2.8, 640 sec.

Figure 7.16   Working in a very small hotel room, I couldn’t shoot from any direction without distracting elements showing up in the background, so I chose to shoot from a high angle for this close-up, making the carpet a beautiful background.

50mm lens, ISO 250, f/2.5, 160 sec.

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Align the Elements Not only should everything in your frame be intentional, but it should be in align­ ment. Everything from the colors of the background, the wardrobe, the hairstyle, and the movement or the gesture of the model should be fufilling the same message (Figure 7.17). Standard dimensions exist for a reason, and it’s that the proportions are universally appealing. If you are not editing in camera and choose to do some cropping in post, make sure to lock your aspect ratio or use an alternate standard dimension. Please do

Tip: Avoid cropping at the joints This is an easy rule to keep in mind. When framing in tight, be careful not to cut your subject off at her joints: shoulders, knuckles, wrists, waist, knees, or ankles.

Figure 7.17   We wanted to create a retro look for this shot, so everything from styling to post-production was geared toward that aim: the weathered chair; the old-­fashioned spats, panties, and garters; the hairdo, the cigarette, and the faded color treatment.

50mm lens, ISO 400, f/1.8, 500 sec.

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not take your frame and arbitrarily adjust it to your taste in post. It’s jarring to the viewer, since we all have an innate sense of pleasing proportions when we’re shooting. In addition, watch carefully where the edge of your frame cuts your subject’s body off. I choose to enhance curves and make a point to cut off thighs where the legs are crossed and curving in (Figure 7.18), and the same can also apply to arms.

Composition A significant element affecting your photograph’s impact is composition, which means where every­ thing is located in the shot. Consider the following guidelines when composing your shot. Even though rules are meant to be broken, you should know when and why you’re breaking them.

The rule of thirds Dividing your viewing area into equal thirds, both vertically and horizontally, results in four intersect­ ing points. According to this principle, if you place your point of interest at one of those intersection points or along a dividing line, your photo becomes more interesting. Since eyes are more naturally drawn toward those points of intersection, you can see how putting the point of your message on one of these points would give it more importance (Figure 7.19).

Negative space Figure 7.18  I often have my subject cross her legs when cropping off at the thighs. I most often prefer to have the frame cut her off midcurve.

50mm lens, ISO 640, f/2, 125 sec.

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Including negative space, a neutral or contrasting background that draws attention to the main subject, also helps lead the eye and create balance in your image. Used in conjunction with the rule of thirds, a mass of negative space will lead the viewer’s eye toward the concentrated point of focus on one of those points of intersection (­Figure 7.20). When

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Figure 7.19  Not only does this

subject’s face fall on one of the intersection points, the river and banks create leading lines further directing the viewer’s eye toward her face. 50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.5, 320 sec.

Figure 7.20  The great expanse of sky and river is a nice rest that, in contrast, leads our eye toward the subject.

50mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.5, 250 sec.

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you give your subject some space, the story has somewhere to go; keep the subject’s eye line or energy focused toward the negative space. (Again, this is just a guideline. Once you understand it, you may choose to ignore it at times.) Negative space is also essential for design and layout purposes when creating an album spread or promotional piece that needs to have clean room for text.

Here’s what depth of field can do specifically for a boudoir image: 

A narrow depth of field adds softness and sensuality to an image.



Depth of field can help the viewer understand what’s important and what to focus on. The blur from shallow depth of field can de-emphasize certain body parts, and conversely, whatever you chose to be in sharp focus in your frame will stand out and attract the viewer’s eye because of the contrast between blurred and sharp (Figure 7.21). For instance, if I’m focusing on the lips, and her glossy lipstick is sharply in focus, with a wide aperture, everything else falls out into beautiful blurred background.



Narrow depth of field is also a tool you can use to blur out a distracting or unattractive background.



Lastly, the blur from a narrow depth of field can be extremely flattering to skin. You can smooth out stretch marks, eliminate blemishes, and mask other skin problems with some blur.

Depth of Field As you decrease the aperture, you decrease the depth of focus, thus, there’s less in focus, which is also called a narrow depth of field. As you increase your aperture, more elements in the frame will be in focus. So at f/2, there will be much less in focus than at f/22. For portraits of women, I usually shoot at a low aperture: f/2 to f/2.8 is where I live most of the time. Besides the fact that a wider iris lets in more light, I make this artistic choice for the following reasons.

Shutter Speed I believe that emotion comes from motion, and that sensuality and movement go hand in hand. Whether you choose to set your shutter speed fast enough to freeze action at the height of emotion (Figure 7.22) or to slow it down to create motion blur (Figure 7.23), you can communicate movement and action, but the two approaches result in very different photographs.

Figure 7.21  Here, the subject’s hand touching her face is in sharp, stark contrast to the blurred-out sheets and the rest of her body, emphasizing her enjoyment of her body.

24–70mm lens, ISO 800, f/2.8, 160 sec.

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Figure 7.22   For this shot, I wanted to capture a beautiful swirl of silk scarf that complemented the subject’s posture. I set the shutter speed to 320 sec. so the gesture and scarf movement would be frozen.

50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 320 sec.

Figure 7.23  Here, I slowed the shutter speed way down to .04 sec so her robe, her laugh, and her shoulder shrug would all create motion blur. I wanted to communicate the naked and energetic vibe of the city of New Orleans, where this was shot.

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/22, 0.4 sec.

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Capturing Variety The professional photographers who take my online workshop benefit most from this single tactic. Capturing a nice variety from one shoot will increase the number of musthave shots and affect not only the number of shots that you love, but also the number you can sell, significantly. We all find ourselves stuck shooting one thing at times, because wow, it’s working and looks so great! So we keep snapping away and burn up our whole session time on only a few setups. There are many wonderful and easy ways to create and capture variety on a shoot. Try some slight adjustments to hand gestures, eye lines, and actions (Figures 7.24–7.29), Figures 7.24–7.29  These

were all shot with the same focal length from the same location within moments; the only differences were in hand gestures and eye lines. Get in the practice of creating variety in quick, easy ways like this, and you’ll not only create more gorgeous images but also sharpen your problem-solving skills. 85mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 320 sec

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Variety Checklist: What to Capture on Every Shoot 1. Varied emotions, moods, and personal qualities, including joy, confidence, vulnerability, triumph, elation, contemplation, coyness, strength, sweetness, playfulness, bravery, and femininity 2. Different body parts highlighted, depending on the woman 3. Different sets and backgrounds 4. Action and still poses

5. Every stage of dress and undress (depending on the client’s comfort level) 6. Masters, close-ups, and details 7. Full length, three quarter length, medium close-up, and close-up 8. Props 9. Different camera body and/or lenses

plus some bigger changes such as varied lighting, the gear you shoot with, set changes, and how you coach your model. I guarantee variety will result in more images sold to the client. The simplest way to create variety on a shoot is to change up your point of view. Deciding where to put yourself, your subject, and your camera is a significant part of your artistry and creativity. The slightest shift of any of these elements will dramatically affect what is in frame and your composition. Don’t just shoot from the first angle you start with. Move around. Change your position, stand on a chair, squat down, lie on the ground, and make sure to walk around your subject. Even if you think you love the angle you’re shooting from, make yourself get in the habit of moving on and changing it up. You may just find a better angle than you first had in mind. The only way to know is to move.

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Figures 7.30–7.33  I wanted

more than the “album cover,” so we went on to have fun, play with the “whipped cream” (which was actually shaving cream), and shot more variety into this session. 24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 200 sec.

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Creating a Narrative A great photograph tells a story in just one frame, and when combined with other shots captured throughout the session, can create a powerful and emotional narrative. Developing that narrative and shooting a storyline is easy, especially if you think in terms of movies. The only difference is that you’re telling your story in stills. With a little practice in shooting for the story, seeing the narrative unfold in stills will become second nature to you.

Make It Meaningful Collaborate with your subject to create a narrative that is personal and meaningful to her (Figures 7.30–7.33). It can be very simple, like a girl getting dressed to go on a date, or as wild and intricate as a woman preparing for a clandestine tryst. The only limits are your imaginations. One woman approached me with a very specific request. She was newly engaged and wanted to give a gift to her fiancé on their wedding night. He had told her how enamored he was with the girl on the cover of Herb Alpert’s “Whipped Cream and Other Delights” album when he was a 13-year-old boy, and how she reminded him of her. So she asked if we could duplicate that album cover, to which I obliged, as you see in Figure 7.30.

Think Cinema: Master, Details, and Close-Ups Think of your shots in cinematic terms. Masters are wide, establishing shots that tell us where we are and who this is, giving you a context for the story (Figure 7.34). Close-ups are tight shots that let us in on what our subject is feeling and thinking (Figure 7.35). Details are all those luscious little elements that give us additional information about the story (Figure 7.36).

Have a Beginning, Middle, and End Choose a shot or a few shots that will open the story and set the stage, telling us where we are and who this is. Capture the meat of the story in actions and make sure it progresses and actually goes somewhere. Finally, shoot a couple of shots that make good closers and tell us how this story ends or makes it trail off with a bit of mystery.

Putting It All Together I’ve outlined the important building blocks for capturing a successful boudoir session. In the next chapter, we’ll look at a single shoot and how to pull all these elements together.

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Figure 7.34  An establishing shot introduces the story and is typically the widest shot. I normally shoot these with the 24–70mm (opposite).

24–70mm lens, ISO 250, f/2.8, 160 sec.

Figure 7.35  Here, we are much more in tune with the subject’s mood and emotion than is evident in either the master or detail shots.

Figure 7.36  Details are a fun break from shooting portraits. They help advance the story and are great additions to a session.

85mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 100 sec.

85mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 160 sec.

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An Exercise in Creating a Narrative Every story has a beginning (Figure 7.37), a middle (Figure 7.38), and an end (Figure 7.39). Think of a narrative, or a simple action like smoking a cigarette, taking off a dress, or mixing a drink, and

develop a three-frame shot list that includes what your opening shot would be, the middle, and the closer. This will sharpen your storytelling skills as well as building variety in to every session.

Figure 7.37  Primping and getting ready for her big performance is a natural beginning to this burlesque shoot.

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 60 sec.

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Figure 7.39  Closing shots can be more arbitrary. An example could be her backstage, satisfied and exhausted, or simply her shoes dancing away.

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 100 sec.

Figure 7.38   Shots that include moments during her striptease act are the “meat” of the story’s action.

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 100 sec.

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Before and After: Cynthia Before the Session As with Alison, Cynthia and I went through the same planning process as was outlined in the early chapters of this book. I give Cynthia much credit for being so vulnerable and honest, not only during our planning consultations and the photo shoot but also in the follow-up interview below. Why did you want to do a boudoir shoot? I had survived massive doses of chemotherapy and multiple surgeries accompanying a double mastectomy. As I was recovering, my mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Four months later she was gone, and I was suddenly in the world without my best friend. My marriage unraveled during that period as well, while neither of us made a move to change it. Five years later, I found myself still stumbling around within the parameters of my life, where I had been existing in low-grade loss and grief. My body was different. My views of life were different. And I wanted to do something to document that. How did you feel about your body and self before the shoot? I chose not to tell anyone at work that I was undergoing treatment because I didn’t want them to treat me

After. I told Cynthia I would expose the picture so we would see nudity in a modest way. Before. Photo by Domini DiMarco.

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24–70mm lens, ISO 400, f/3.2, 160 sec.

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differently. Since I had lost such a physical part of my femininity, I wondered if I was still sexy. I still felt sexy (occasionally, on those good days!) but wondered what I actually looked like. I was scared to really see myself—scared that those sexy feelings were born of imagination and youthful memories. I wanted to feel whole, raw, and feminine.

During the Shoot Cynthia is a woman who loves clothes and accessories, dressing up, and evoking past eras. We did beautiful shots of various outfits and looks, but the most meaningful pictures came as we progressed further into the shoot and Cynthia grew even braver. I asked her if we could do some nude shots, and to make her feel more comfortable, I suggested that we shoot in silhouette behind a sheer fabric. I think the result, left, is exuberant and triumphant and showcases a survivor who’s strong and sexy as hell. I thought it was important to leave her reconstructed breasts unretouched, in their raw and beautiful state, to which she agreed. I left her chemotherapy port scar on her chest unretouched, too, since I see it as a badge of courage.

Shot in my L.A. studio with the one-light setup #5 described in described in Chapter 6, “­Creating Light that Flatters.” 85mm lens, ISO 100, f/1.2, 200 sec.

Next, I did something I don’t usually do on boudoir shoots— brought her mom into the mix for one shot. Because ­Cynthia felt like she had lost her best friend when her mother died, I wanted a double portrait of Cynthia and her mom to reflect their similarities, beauty, and love. Finally, something I had discovered in the planning process is that one of Cynthia’s favorite features is her hair. When she first started losing her hair to chemotherapy, she was afraid that it wouldn’t come back, which is one reason I showcased it in the last photo. What did you feel like during the shoot? I am very modest, and prancing around naked in front of a stranger is not something I’m used to doing. Then I realized that I had been living that way, trying to keep everything quiet and private, and then suddenly, there I was, swirling around on the bed with nothing but a sheer piece of fabric, with a camera documenting all of it, and despite my modesty, I was all in. I was invested in the experience. I was topless in the elevator at the hotel. I was breaking rules that I would have never imagined. I felt beautiful and interesting. I was telling my story with my body. I was taking chances. I was living out loud.

Here, Cynthia’s favorite portrait of her mom, whom she lost to breast cancer, covers her heart and her own cancer scars. 24–70mm lens, ISO 640, f/2.8, 250 sec.

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As the session progressed further, Cynthia got even bolder and found the courage to pose completely nude. 24–70mm lens, ISO 640, f/2.8, 250 sec.

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After Seeing the Photos How did you feel after seeing your new photos? I heard my breath catch in my throat as I stared at my form, my figure, my being, with new eyes. I was amazed. I almost didn’t recognize myself. I saw a strength and certainty in my eyes that I’d never seen before. I saw a journey that culminated in joy. Before, I had felt robbed of my sexuality. And now, I saw myself taking it all back, standing strong, triumphant, joyful, and alive. Standing honest and raw and perfectly flawed. And I felt pretty damn sexy. How has your life been transformed? I no longer obsess over having a “perfect body”; I’m not even sure what that is, that thing for which I had strived so hard for so many years. My scars tell the story of who I am, of the journey I took to be here. So there it was, the mirror I had avoided for so long. And it was a glorious sight. All my

fears about what I looked like were replaced with, “Damn. I’m not bad. Not bad at all.” This shoot was the seed that has blossomed into a major life shift for me. My boudoir experience with you was so powerful and so moving for me that it got me thinking that maybe I wanted to study the female form in such a beautiful way. Life’s biggest rewards often come from the biggest challenges, and I find that I see differently now. I notice sensual curves in blowing grass and trees and other things that I would have previously walked by because I had been so conditioned to bill clients for every minute of my day; the task was more important than the journey. Seeing myself in a new light essentially gave me permission to regain the voice that I had silenced within myself; to visually speak about the experience that I wanted to move past. From the bottom of my heart, I am so thankful to you for providing me with such an incredible foundation to build my life. I am taking chances and living out loud.

This portrait showcases Cynthia’s gorgeous mane and inner joy at the same time. 24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/4, 200 sec.

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III

after the shoot

50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2, 160 sec.

24–70mm lens, ISO 200, f/2.8, 250 sec.

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Finishing with a Light Touch in Post-Production

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he power you have in post-production to further refine the story you want to tell about what’s in front of you should not be underestimated or omitted. This is the crucial third step in creating a photograph. Whether you’re shooting film or digital, the decisions you make during this stage regarding what to print (which pictures you say yes or no to sharing) and how to print them (any adjustments made in post or printing) are as vital to your art as is your choice of when to press the shutter. Although we will cover the adjustments I make in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop to my pictures, it’s important to consider two things before we get started.

First, software will change and therefore so will your tools. The greater lesson I would like to impart is not how I use Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS5, but rather the principles that describe what our eyes are drawn to, as well as the small changes that have the most dramatic impact on flattering women. Second, editing is an entirely subjective process. There is no right choice, no perfect spot on the slider. There is just your vision and your understanding of the tools that give you the voice to communicate it clearly. So consider this chapter a simple vocabulary lesson in your studies of boudoir photography. Post is your final opportunity as the author of a photograph to refine what you’d like to say and create your own story.

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The Art of Editing Allow me to reiterate that choosing your best selects and making editing choices is an essential part of your artistry—there is no science to it. Selecting your best shots is a deeply personal decision, based solely on your innate sense of what you’re attracted to, what’s meaningful to you, your preferences, what you’re moved to express to the world, and how you think your client wants to see herself. By editing a

session’s resulting images down to a few select pictures, you are essentially creating the story of this woman. That’s a powerful role you play as a photographer. Here are a few points to consider when choosing your best selects.

What Do You Value? Selecting images takes confidence and knowing who you are as an artist. For me, a photograph has to be technically sound but not necessarily perfect. Technically sound means to me that the exposure is intentional and the point of my story is in focus. Notice that I didn’t say “proper exposure” because I often intentionally underexpose and overexpose to communicate mood. In addition, I didn’t say that the image is sharply focused. I want the point of my story—maybe it’s just a bow on her panties—to be in focus (not necessarily tack-sharp, either), and the rest of the image can be soft. Beyond that, my priorities when choosing which pictures I will print are, in order: emotional impact, compelling message, authenticity, creativity, uniqueness, and consistency with my style. I don’t keep a checklist nearby, but these are always in my mind, steering my decisions when editing. For instance, I choose an authentic moment over a creative moment every time, because that’s what I value more (Figure 8.1).

Choose the Cream of the Crop Figure 8.1  A straightforward portrait of my gorgeous friend

captures authentic joy and laughter. The pose here isn’t as flattering as it was in other shots, but authentic emotion is more important to me than a perfect pose. 85mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 250 sec.

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Keep your edit extremely tight. Why is this important? Why don’t we just let the model or subject choose her favorites from the shoot? As I mentioned previously, this is the final step of your work as an artist and part of your job in crafting the story and communicating your vision. Handing over

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Figure 8.2   When shooting this pic-

ture, I envisioned it in black and white. Although it was captured digitally in color, which was also very appealing, I chose this one to select since it best communicates my vision and intent. 24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 3200 sec.

this decision to someone else is not fulfilling your original intention. You are the photographer and must decide why this picture is the one and not that one (Figure 8.2). If you hand over hundreds of pictures to your subject, she will quickly become overwhelmed, it will dilute the power of your best pictures, and she’ll likely pick some that you feel are not your absolute best.

So, choose the cream of the crop—I call them your A++ pictures. If you’re tempted to include in your final edit some that you’re not sure about, think about this: Including the good shots dilutes the impact of the great ones, which get lost in the heap of plenty and overshadowed by the numerous ones that were not as good. Don’t let this happen to your work. Go the next step and select your finest shots.

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Realistic Expectations Most new photographers I teach understandably feel a little disheartened when reviewing their images from a session and see ones that aren’t their greatest effort. Every photographer, no matter how many years of experience she has, feels this disappointment to some degree when seeing less-than-awesome pictures in her edit. Not every frame will be your best. In fact, the majority will not, particularly when photographing nonmodels, when most of your shooting is to build confidence, as we discussed in Chapter 7, “Capturing Beautiful Photographs.” It may help you to reframe how you define a successful shoot and how many A++ pictures you expect from one set or session. For a little additional perspective, consider that high-fashion magazines have bigbudget professional photo shoot productions with photographers at the top of their game, supermodels, a talented crew, stylists, and expensive locations with dozens of wardrobe changes. Even with all of those resources and all of that talent, only a handful of final selects are made for an editorial feature, and only one is chosen for the cover. Let that example give you fresh perspective when assessing the success of your shoot and selecting the handful of images you are happy with.

Workflow in Adobe Lightroom I think I actually cried tears of joy the day Lightroom came out and I started using it. No other software has changed my workflow so dramatically. Lightroom is easy to use and very intuitive. Since Lightroom is a nondestructive editing environment that keeps your original images safely unaltered, it’s easy to reverse any adjustment whenever you change your mind. You can make as many adjustments as you like and experiment like crazy. I love that there are lots of timesavers built in. You can save your favorite looks and apply them instantly with presets, which enable you to apply a series of favorite adjustments with one click. I don’t currently use presets, but you might want to, and there are some built in to the software and tons available both free and for purchase. Using Lightroom, it’s easy to get organized and find images quickly by grouping your photos into collections or by assigning searchable ratings and keywords and sorting using different criteria.

Strategies for Choosing Your Best Photos Welcome to Lightroom’s Library module (Figure 8.3), where I make my initial review of images. This mode is used for image selection and organization. It’s easy to scan through an entire shoot and select my favorites by typing B on my keyboard, which

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Figure 8.3   Adobe Lightroom’s Library module gives you a thumbnail preview of your shots in the

main well, useful organizational tools on the left ,and metadata on the right. More info and tools are available to you in this mode, but none that I use.

adds that image to the Quick Collection folder. If I change my mind, I just hit B again to remove it.

Go fast, using your instincts Move swiftly through your images and go with your initial gut instinct. Don’t overthink it and don’t second-guess yourself. If you respond to a picture, it doesn’t matter why; just mark it and move on.

Use a time period that expires It’s easy for editing to swallow up several hours and even a full day. To avoid overthinking, make sure to keep your editing time to a minimum. I like to edit to fast-moving music timed to play for one hour, so I know when my time is up. Alternately, I edit with a movie I’ve seen before playing in the background, so I know by a specific scene that I should be halfway done.

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Select instead of delete As you sort through your images, simply select the ones that are your best rather than deleting the ones you don’t like. It’s important to train your eye to notice what you like, what’s good, and what’s working. It’s a more positive approach—and it’s also much more efficient than deleting dozens or hundreds that you don’t want.

When in doubt, throw it out Women are the most critical creatures of themselves, so if you’re thinking eh, then it’s certainly not going to blow your subject away, so pass on that one and move on.

Work backward Edit in reverse chronological order. This single tip has had the most impact for my online boudoir workshop students, often cutting their editing time in half. Think about it. When shooting, you usually move on from a setup once you’ve nailed a shot, so when you’re reviewing your pics in post from last to first, you normally come across the best one straight off the bat and mark it, and then the remaining shots in that setup pale in comparison. Before I began editing in reverse order, I would start with my first shot and think, “Oh, that one’s good,” and mark it, and then on to the next one— “Oh, that one’s good, too”—and mark that one, and so on, marking almost every one until I reached the one that really was my favorite. Working backward, I usually hit my select right off the bat and move significantly faster, which makes sense because as a shoot progresses, your subject gets more relaxed and you’ve been coaching and adjusting her. Once I have all of my best selects in the Quick Collection folder, I save that group as a collection in the Lightroom Library, named with the date and

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subject name (for instance, 20121225_JONES_ SOPHIA). The next step is to take that collection and switch to Develop mode to make adjustments.

Making Adjustments to Light and Color In Develop mode (Figure 8.4), all adjustments can be made without ever opening a file, clicking a dialog box, or saving a change. You can also save a great deal of time by applying any adjustments made to one image across all photos (or as many as you like) using either the Presets or Sync tools. The decisions I make during editing in Lightroom are mostly geared toward the mood of the picture: whether I’d prefer warm or cool, vibrant or desaturated, light or dark, and high or low contrast. As with choosing your best pictures, your editing changes are mostly subjective and based on your personal preferences. Make decisions based on what you noticed when you were shooting and what you’d like to point to in the picture and say, “Look at that.” You can further lead your viewer’s eye by certain adjustments, such as crop, vignette, and graduated filter. I try not to be too scientific or overthink it. My goal while in Lightroom is to refine the overall mood of each image with broader global adjustments, so that they are beautifully exposed, color-corrected, and further direct the viewer’s eye as I intended when I shot it. Finer local adjustments can be made, such as burning and dodging, but I save that work, if needed, for when I’m in Photoshop. The following are the tools I use most often. Let’s start with my image, as shot and seen in Figure 8.4. I then make adjustments moving from the top down, starting with the Basic panel (Figure 8.5).

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Figure 8.4   My focus in the Develop module is on the main well, which contains the image I’m currently working on,

as well as the adjustment tools on the right side. This image is shown as shot. We’ll work on adjusting light and color, and wait to remove that distracting fan corner in the lower left later in Photoshop.

Temp Temp fine-tunes the white balance—whether an image is warm or cool. Use the dropper to select a neutral target. I usually use eyes or teeth, if there is nothing white in the frame. Here, I used the fan. Figure 8.6 shows the image after this white balance adjustment was made.

Figure 8.5

Figure 8.6

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Tint Tint affects the color of your image, from green to magenta. Most often, I don’t need to adjust this. However, in this instance, after the white balance adjustment, the image appeared too magenta for my taste, so I moved the slider toward the green from +18 magenta to +5 magenta (Figure 8.7), with this result (Figure 8.8). Figure 8.7

Figure 8.8

Exposure The Exposure slider is an easy way to affect the overall brightness of an image and make it darker or lighter. Remember, there is no right or wrong, just what you prefer to communicate. Even though sometimes I feel like I nailed the exposure exactly as I wanted, I play with the Exposure slider to see if an alternate tweak will enhance my vision even more so. This picture is a perfect example of that. Here, I increased the exposure to +1.05 (Figure 8.9) to make it brighter and more luminous (Figure 8.10).

Figure 8.9

Figure 8.10

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Highlights With the Highlights slider, you can reduce (or brighten) the highlights. This is useful if by increasing the exposure you bumped up some of the highlights to be too bright. Here, I adjusted Highlights to –42 (Figure 8.11) so the brightness of her coat wouldn’t be a distraction and pull the viewer’s eye (Figure 8.12). And in many cases, you may also use the Highlights slider to recover any blown-out highlights, particularly if you were shooting raw.

Figure 8.11

Figure 8.12

Shadows and Blacks The Shadows slider deepens or lightens shadows. I sometimes prefer using the Shadows slider instead of Blacks or in tandem with Blacks, because Shadows appears not to affect saturation or be as harsh as the Blacks tool does. For instance, with this image, I deepened the shadows to –51 and then the blacks to –25 (­Figure 8.13), which appears to deepen the blacks but keep the saturation and overall image soft and light (Figure 8.14).

Tip: Shoot Raw Raw files have richer information than a JPEG and allow you much more flexibility in post. There is greater detail in the shadows and more information that you can recover in the highlights.

Figure 8.13

Figure 8.14

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Contrast After adjusting the exposure controls mentioned above, I sometimes adjust the Contrast slider a bit if I want to increase contrast between the lighter and darker parts of the image (Figures 8.15 and 8.16). This is a simpler way to make minor changes in contrast rather than using Tone Curve. If I want finer control over contrast, I make that adjustment in Photoshop. Figure 8.15

Figure 8.16

Vibrance I generally prefer my pictures to have muted colors, so I usually decrease Vibrance to give a desaturated effect (Figures 8.17 and 8.18). I feel like this draws the eye more to the moment, emotion, light, line, and shadow instead of distracting it with color. If for some reason I want to make my image more colorful because bright color is part of my message, I increase Vibrance instead of Saturation, since Vibrance prevents skin tones from becoming oversaturated.

Figure 8.17

Figure 8.18

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Crop I do my best to edit in-camera and rarely use the Crop tool, but if I’d like to crop in during post, this tool makes it extremely easy just by pressing R. You can also lock aspect ratios, so you can always use standard dimensions.

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Graduated Filter The Graduated Filter is an awesome tool for applying an adjustment of exposure, contrast, sharpness, saturation, and other basic effects across the image. I use it strictly for exposure to either increase or decrease light coming from any direction of the frame. Here, I used it to darken and de-emphasize the bottom of the sofa and her lower legs (Figures 8.19 and 8.20), which were closest to the light source when shooting and more brightly lit than I wanted. Click on the Graduated Filter tool, and it will open an extended menu. Move your cursor on the outside of the image and click on the outside edge of the frame where you want to begin the graduated filter. Then drag as far as you’d like to extend it, and release once you have it in a spot you’d like. Then adjust your exposure (or other) sliders as you desire. Click Close when done. Vignette Vignetting is an increase or reduction of an image’s darkness or saturation at its edges compared with its center. This tool is helpful for de-emphasizing the edges of your frame if any distracting elements appear or there’s too much light, but I use this tool sparingly, since it can ­easily become obvious. Figure 8.19

Sync Sync is a wonderful time-saver and will sync up any or all edits from one image and apply them to as many other images as you like. You can edit entire collections this way quickly and easily. Converting to Black and White I also decide here in Lightroom whether I prefer a picture in black and white or color. By pressing V, you can change an image to black and white. When the distraction of color is removed, our eye goes more quickly to line and form. From film noir to high-contrast chiaroscuro to extremely subtle portraits, monochromatic images convey distinct moods.

Figure 8.20

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Figures 8.21 and 8.22  The

zeroed-out raw file (left) and the completed image after all adjustments in Lightroom. 50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 200 sec.

From Lightroom to Photoshop Once I’ve finished making adjustments and have all of my best selects looking as gorgeous as possible (Figures 8.21 and 8.22), I export this collection to a client folder under the same name. This is a crucial step that actually attaches the adjustments to the picture and creates a new file. After making the choices in Lightroom that affect the mood and lead the eye, the work I do in Photoshop is geared toward further enhancing the beauty of the woman and the mood of the moment. The bulk of that work is accomplished by lessening distractions and leading the eye beyond what we accomplished while setting up and shooting the photo.

Retouching Philosophy As a woman who wants to feel good in my own skin and allow others to do the same, I want to retain as much of my subject in her pure state as possible. However, I also want to remove any distractions so that the beauty of the woman shines through. So if my subject was working hard during the shoot and pushed her extreme posture to the point of sweating, yes, I’ll retouch that and remove the sweat. If it was late in the session and

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her makeup began running or she put her arm on the back of a chair and it made the back of her arm bulge in an unattractive way, yup, I’ll fix those, too. Then there are the limitations of our setting to consider. Maybe an outlet on the wall right where we wanted to shoot, for instance. Removing that is a no-brainer. When it comes to affecting a woman’s size or age, the choice becomes more of a gray area. All of us want to look good in photographs—but I do believe the majority of us want to look like ourselves. Lightening wrinkles up slightly so they’re less pronounced is a whole different story than taking off 15 years or so. Similarly, I prefer to enhance a woman’s shape with slight tweaks to what is already her God-given body. Often the adjustments I’m making are to give slightly better posture, like bringing the shoulders down, elongating the neck, and bringing the head out and chin down, since many people have the tendency to bring their head and chin back when they laugh. You can see from these “before” and “after” shots of my beautiful friend Erica that my aim is mostly toward better posture (Figures 8.23 and 8.24).

To Retouch or Not to Retouch? Each of us will have our own retouching philosophy, and this is also a matter of personal preference. Some may not want to retouch a portrait at all, believing this is the t­ ruest portrayal of a subject, and some may believe that we should do all we can to make someone look her “best”—it’s all up to you. Figures 8.23 and 8.24  In removing distractions so the subject can shine, in addition to better posture (right), I’ve reduced the highlights on her face as well as slightly lightened the appearance of laugh lines around her eyes, wrinkles on her neck, and a few blemishes on her chest.

85mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 250 sec.

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My Retouching Checklist I often get asked, how do I know what to retouch? I assess my picture first. I start by asking, What is my focus and what is distracting from that (Figures 8.25 and 8.26)?

Figure 8.25   This young woman has flawless skin that remains unretouched. The only adjustment made here was to remove the appearance of her contact lenses.

Now it’s important to note that this list includes everything under the sun that I look for. There’s no way that I would do all of this to any one image (or want anyone else to). In fact, I mostly do two or three of these to any single image.

Figure 8.26   My focus here was on the subject’s cheeky expression and posture, enhanced by her styling choices. So, I darkened the background, providing even greater contrast with her skin, lightened the light on her mouth and chin so we would notice her expression quicker, and removed a couple of blemishes on her face.

85mm lens, ISO 400, f/2.0, 2000 sec.

24–70mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 125 sec.

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This downloadable list is available at ChristaMeola.com/ artofboudoir. It’s the same checklist that I give to my retouchers.

Neck or shoulders Remove double chin—Liquify and Clone Stamp Lower tense shoulders—Liquify

Background Remove any distractions (power outlets, cords)—Lasso tool Extend backdrop paper to edges—Lasso and Clone Stamp too Remove footprints or dirt from backdrop—Clone Stamp Remove any sensor dust—Clone Stamp

Arms or armpits Slim upper arms—Liquify Clean up armpits—Clone Stamp

Clothing Smooth wrinkles—Lasso and Clone Stamp Remove spots or lint—Clone Stamp Eliminate bumps—Liquify tool Loosen grip of tight straps—Liquify Hair Fill in thin hair and part line—Clone Stamp Amplify a hairdo—Liquify Remove stray hairs or frizz Eyes Remove undereye makeup—Clone Stamp Lighten dark circles under eyes—Clone Stamp Remove eye veins—Lasso Lighten whites of the eyes—Lasso Sharpen eyes—history brush Open tired eyes—Lasso Face Fill in brows—Clone Stamp Shape brows—Liquify Unfurrow brow—Clone Stamp Blend makeup—Clone Stamp Eliminate blemishes—Clone Stamp Reduce shine—Clone Stamp Lessen wrinkles—Clone Stamp Whiten teeth—Lasso Change the shade of lip color—Lasso Contour cheeks—Clone Stamp

Hands or feet Remove veins—Clone Stamp Lessen age marks—Clone Stamp Breasts Even up—Liquify Round out—Liquify Lift slightly—Liquify Stomach Pull in slightly—Liquify Hips and bum Round out—Liquify Nether region Any grooming necessary—Clone Stamp Legs Shape slightly—Liquify Remove bruises—Clone Stamp Remove cellulite—Clone Stamp Remove spider veins—Clone Stamp Shoes Extend heel—Liquify Clean up sole—Clone Stamp

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I first learned about retouching in 2004, by reading a Scott Kelby book. I logged thousands of hours retouching images, and now if I was going to go back and do it again, I would probably choose to outsource it. I do think it’s good for every photographer to know what’s possible in Photoshop and to be able to make your preferences clear to your retoucher if you can’t do the work yourself. It’s also good to be self-reliant and to be able to do this retouching work for yourself in a pinch. But to be honest, I have mixed feelings about telling you to practice, practice, practice with these Photoshop tools, log many hours retouching images, read all the books, experiment like crazy, and sharpen your retouching skills. If digital retouching makes your heart sing, then, awesome, do the aforementioned. But if what you really want to do is focus on shooting or build a business, then it’s even more important that you don’t spend too much time in this retouching stage.

Consider Your Art a Collaborative Effort When outsourcing, certain things require less of your artistic vision and certain things require more. For instance, removing blemishes and bruises doesn’t really require your artistic stamp. On the flip side, if you want to put artistic color tweaks and actions on your images, that does arguably require your artistry. Then there’s the middle ground, if you want to make adjustments to a person’s body. Only you can decide to what degree a picture needs solely your work or a collaborative effort in post.

Use the minimum effective dose More is not better, it’s just more. The smallest change can make a significant impact. That’s why there are digital retouching artists—the good ones know the minimum effective dose. The goal for me at this stage is to do as little as possible, and in the most

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subtle way possible, to have the biggest impact on my desired outcome. You want to make the least change to create the most impact. I wouldn’t want my subject to think she looks fake or “worked on” in her pictures.

Limit retouching time Students often ask me: How long should I spend retouching an image? That’s a hard question to answer without knowing more specifics, but I’d like to advise you to limit the time you spend retouching. I developed a rule several years ago that helped me keep retouching to a minimum. I would spend only two minutes or two actions on any given image. When you’re first starting out and learning how to retouch and apply actions, you may need more time, and that’s OK. But please don’t do everything on the checklist on every image. The time I spend retouching now is under a minute per image, or it’s outsourced. A friend of mine is a professional retoucher for high-end fashion magazines, and he can spend days on an image. But that’s a different animal. For our purposes, I think it’s important to do things well but do them efficiently, and if you can’t do quality retouching in a short amount of time, then outsource it.

Outsource! Consider where you are in the learning curve, and whether it’s well worth investing some time in learning to do your own retouching, or whether you’re better off outsourcing the task to talented professionals. Plenty of services and freelancers who are dedicated artists in this field are available, so outsourcing is well worth considering. You can hire professionals who will work within your budget and timing and retouch in a more adroit and efficient manner than you. You can find a few companies that I recommend for this service at ChristaMeola.com/artofboudoir.

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Tips to Save You Time and Agony in Photoshop Before we get started and you open Photoshop, I want to give you a few tips that I wish I knew before I started. These can save you a lot of time and a lot of hair pulling. Set your History preference Set your History setting so that it goes back hundreds of steps. This way if you make a mistake, you can go back in your history as far as you like. Otherwise, if you make a mistake and you can’t go back far enough in your history to recover a better version, you’re going to be bummed when you have to start all over.

Create a duplicate layer I like to begin by copying my Background layer. This way, I always have the original layer underneath, and I can continually check in on where I started by referencing the original so that I don’t ever veer too far off course. Zoom in Get in close when you’re making adjustments. You want to be able to see clearly what you’re doing, so take the extra couple of keystrokes to zoom in tight, particularly when you’re working with the Clone Stamp on the face.

Hook a sister up Don’t tell her everything you did in post. You want your subject to feel wonderful when viewing your pictures of her, and no woman wants to hear how much you’ve worked on her pictures. You don’t need to tell her what you did or didn’t do in Photoshop. Consider this your gift to her.

Techniques in Adobe Photoshop Creating editorial-style photographs does involve a bit of post-production gloss. I like to think of boudoir images as perfume ads—evocative, moody, artistic, and emotional. Just a few slight adjustments in Adobe Photoshop can turn a great shot into a stunner. I like to call retouching “hemming the dress.” You’ve captured beautiful couture images, so now let’s hem the rough edges.

The Top Photoshop Tools Here are some of my favorite tools and settings in Adobe Photoshop that I use to complete my work.

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Liquify Forget diamonds—the Liquify tool is a girl’s new best friend. I use it to slightly enhance posture, boost hips, pull in waists, lift necks, slim arms, balance breasts, round out bums, lift cheeks and eyes, fix wardrobe, and make many other adjustments you can find on “My Retouching Checklist.” First, open the Liquify box by finding Liquify in the Filter drop-down menu (Figure 8.27). Zoom in (Command and the + key) and then select the tool from the toolbox on the left that looks like a hand pulling fabric, called the Forward Warp tool. Adjust your brush to be about the same size as the area you’d like to adjust. Slowly push in or out to create the desired effect. Remember, though, not to change things so much that you lose the woman you photographed. The tiniest change here makes a significant difference.

Figure 8.27   The Liquify dialog box. Figure 8.28   Take the time to complete the step of freezing whichever areas you’d like to remain unaffected; otherwise your retouching will be easily apparent to viewers.

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In this case, I smoothed out her silhouette by slightly pushing in at the upper hip and upper arms, as well as at the top of the thigh where she was leaning on the window ledge. One thing you need to be careful of with the Liquify tool, besides overuse, is distorting surrounding areas that you want to remain unaffected. To “lock in” nearby parts of your pictures so they are not affected, such as the vertical lines of the curtain here (Figure 8.28), you can freeze them with the Freeze Mask tool by hitting F on your keyboard and drawing onto the area you want to remain unaffected. You can see the area I locked highlighted in red. Once you’re happy with the results, hit OK; Figures 8.29 and 8.30 show the before and after.

Figures 8.29 and 8.30   You can see that I’ve retained this woman’s overall size and shape, making

only minor adjustments to smooth out her silhouette (right). 24–70mm lens, ISO 800, f/3.2, 60 sec.

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Clone Stamp The handy Clone Stamp is my tried-and-true tool that gets the job done for 90 percent of the adjustments I need to make. It’s not the only way to do the job, though; there are other tools you can use for similar results, such as the Healing brush. I’m demonstrating the Clone Stamp, however, because it’s the one I use and am most practiced with, and by learning just this one tool, you can cover most of your retouching needs. I use the Clone Stamp to lighten wrinkles, blend makeup, and remove blemishes, bruises, veins, stains, and a host of other distractions. The opacity you set your stamp to is the trick to making this tool sing. The “touchier” an area is, the less opacity I use. This will give you more flexibility and fewer opportunities to make mistakes. There is a trade-off when you lower the opacity of your Clone Stamp, which is that it’s probably going to take you a bit longer to get the job done. However, lower opacity will give you better quality and less room for error.

Figure 8.31   The versatile Clone Stamp tool can execute the vast majority of my retouching needs.

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Use the following guidelines to set your opacity:  ackground, clothes, anything other than the B subject: 40% Most of the body: 35% Neck: 30% Forehead and most of the face: 25% Under eyes: 17% Nose: 12% I also suggest using small-sized stamps. You’ll get better results with this finer control. But again, there’s a trade-off. It will take you more time with a smaller brush, but you’ll likely make fewer mistakes, therefore saving you time overall. Begin by selecting the Clone Stamp from your tool palette (Figure 8.31). Select a small-size stamp with 0% Hardness so the edge of your adjustment is soft (Figure 8.32), and set Opacity according to the guides recommended above. We’ll be working on her neck in this example, so let’s set it for 30% (Figure 8.33).

Figures 8.32 and 8.33  It’s important to select the right-size stamp and to set Opacity to a low percentage to give you enough control yet leeway for making adjustments.

Figure 8.34   Choose an area of the skin on her neck that you want to replicate.

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Next, zoom in close to the area you’d like to work on and select a sample of the smooth skin you’d like to duplicate by pressing Option and clicking your mouse (­Figure 8.34). Where you take your sample from is vital to the success of your results, so make sure to choose the shade that’s lighter, darker, or similar depending on what you desire. Once you’ve got your sample selected, click the mouse to “stamp” 30% of what you selected onto the area you want to affect. Here, I am lightening wrinkles, smoothing out shadows, and removing blemishes, so my sample is being taken from the source whose shade I want to duplicate and apply, and I continue sampling and clicking to apply in 30% increments until I am happy. Figures 8.35 and 8.36 show the before and after.

Figures 8.35 and 8.36   You can see how minor tweaks to the image on the left make a significant

difference (right)! 85mm lens, ISO 400, f/2, 250 sec.

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Lasso The Lasso tool is the key to removing distracting objects in the background. Used in conjunction with the Clone Stamp tool or the Eraser and with a little finesse, the Lasso will help you out in instances where you wish something wasn’t in the frame. The Lasso is really easy to use. Let’s pick up where we left off with our lovely lady in the lavender coat. (You didn’t think I was going to leave that fan in the frame, did you?) The fan that was casting a breeze through her hair and her furry coat was just inside my frame, but I wanted to keep the composition exactly as I framed it, so I left the fan there knowing I could easily remove it with the Lasso later because I wanted to keep the breeze. First, I chose my Lasso tool (Figure 8.37) and selected a nearby area just a bit bigger than the area I wanted to replace and in a randomized shape (Figure 8.38). I hit ­Command-J (on a Mac) to copy the layer, then moved it over the fan using the Move tool

Figure 8.38

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Figure 8.39

(Figure 8.39). Last, I selected the Eraser tool and set it at 60% Opacity to blend out the edges of the new copied layer until I felt it looked undetectable with the layer underneath (Figure 8.40). I’m sure a pro digital artist could have made it even less apparent than this, but I’m thrilled with this result.

Figure 8.37

Figure 8.40

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History brush The History brush can be used in conjunction with any other tool in Photoshop. I use it to either sharpen or blur specific parts of the image or simply make a change somewhere locally on an image without affecting the entire picture. I sometimes use it to sharpen eyes and eyelashes. Let’s use an example of sharpening the eyes of our lavender lady. To this point, I continued the retouching on this image after removing the distracting fan using Lasso. I lightened the veins on her hands and feet, blended her eye makeup, and removed a couple of small bruises on her legs and blemishes on her forehead, all using the Clone Stamp. I also slimmed down her calf where it was being flattened by her other leg using Liquify. This is pretty much where I would stop on this image, but let’s sharpen her eyes to demonstrate the History brush.

I started by zooming in to the area I wanted to affect. I went up to the Filter menu and found Unsharp Mask, which will pull up this dialog box. I then applied my standard settings for sharpening eyes (Figure 8.41). I could have tweaked it from here, depending on my needs, but these settings work fine for this image. I hit OK, and then selected my History brush. I viewed my History and clicked on the step before Unsharp Mask, which was Liquify. Then I clicked the box next to Unsharp Mask in the History steps (­Figure 8.42). The History brush then became “loaded” with that step—Unsharp Mask—at whatever Opacity I set it at (Figure 8.43). So, I could now sharpen the eyes only with the History brush instead of sharpening the entire image. You can do this with any other adjustment in the same exact manner. Here is the completed look (Figure 8.44).

Figure 8.43

Figure 8.41

Figure 8.42

Figure 8.44

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Actions Lastly, try putting some beautiful artistic enhancements on your work. Find a few actions you love working with, and use them sparingly on a handful of your final images. A little bit goes a long way and gives your images that finished touch. For the Actions I use, visit ChristaMeola.com/artofboudoir. Actions are just adjustments in Photoshop that are a prerecorded set batched as one action. The ones I use make it look like we have a bigger production budget. Actions can also make daily tasks easy, which I take advantage of, too; for instance, I do all of my burning and dodging with actions. You can also do burning and dodging in Lightroom, but I prefer the control I get in Photoshop. I’ll also prepare images for the web using actions to bump up sharpening and contrast. My tips for using actions are as follows: 1. Use them sparingly. I sometimes use just 10 or 20 percent of an action, which still makes a dramatic difference. 2. Go into the individual layers of each action and learn what they do. Play with them a bit to put your own unique spin on the action. 3. Choose a few favorites. These are the ones you’re most attracted to, the ones you’ll use again and again. This will help make sure your work has consistency. There are seemingly endless options for actions, so if you want to limit your time in the front of the computer, I recommend that you choose five to ten actions to use. 4. Suit your actions to the styling and the story. For instance, if the wardrobe and set had a retro vibe, consider choosing an action with a retro feel. Start by pulling up the Actions palette and selecting the action you’d like to experiment with (Figure 8.45) then hit the Play button. Next, go into your layers and find the action. Touch the arrow so you see the dropdown of all the interstitial adjustments that were made (Figure 8.46). Play and change the opacity of each to see what effect you like. It’s important to note that the order in which you use the actions on your image really affects the resulting look. You can even record your own actions of anything you find yourself doing again and again. To create your own, which is an amazing time-saver, just choose New Action, name it, then hit Record and proceed with what you normally do. When you’re done, hit Stop. Here is the final result of retouching our lavender gal, using four different actions (Figures 8.47–8.50).

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Figure 8.45

Figure 8.46

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Figures 8.47–8.50   You can see the degree to which the mood of a picture and what you notice is affected by different actions.

50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2, 200 sec.

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The Final Presentation After narrowing down my favorite shots to the cream of the crop and taking them through Lightroom adjustments as well as retouching in Photoshop (whether executed by me or a digital artist I’ve hired), I am now ready to show my subject her new pictures! Some of my students in the online workshop ask if I always retouch pictures before showing them to my subject. The answer is, “Hell yes!” (except for the occasional sneak peek at the back of my camera during a shoot). There was only one instance when I shot a fellow photographer and gave her completely raw images, and I’ll never make that mistake again. As I mentioned in my retouching philosophy, women want to see themselves in their best light, and it’s our job to make that happen, using all of the tools at our disposal and ending with editing. The key is to remember they want to see themselves and not a mutated version with digital cosmetic surgery. I like to meet with my models and subjects in person if possible, so I can look through their new pictures with them, which is often the best part of the process. When a woman smiles at herself as depicted in my photographs, feels noticed and appreciated on the deepest level, and walks away taller—I’ve done my job.

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Before and After: Mrs. C Before the Session

Why did you want to do a boudoir shoot?

Mrs. C had found me through my blog online and, after doing a lot of research on boudoir photographers, had chosen to do her shoot with me in New York, even though she lives in Chicago with her husband and two kids. We planned a sexy weekend getaway for her and her husband to celebrate her 40th birthday. Here are highlights from a conversation with Mrs. C after her shoot:

I had started to plan for my 40th birthday, and I realized what I really needed was an experience, something totally different from my everyday life as a mom. I had been noticing boudoir photographs and I thought they were so beautiful. I had never done a photo shoot before except for my senior pictures a million years ago. But my body had changed after having kids and definitely wasn’t perfect. I felt like maybe I should wait to get back in shape. I’m also a Catholic. So I thought: Can I do this? I was super nervous and had no idea what to do in front of a camera.

How did you feel before the shoot? My life prior to the session was super kid-busy. I’m a mom of two young children, and I hurried through life on everyone else’s schedule. My husband and I went out only when we had a party or something to go to, and I barely had time to even look in the mirror to get ready. I longed for a break from mommy duty.

During the Shoot Mrs. C and her husband flew into the city on Thursday and had a fabulous time in New York City that night and on Friday. On Saturday morning, while Mr. C went sightseeing, Mrs. C and I took her pictures in their hotel room. The challenges during the shoot were typical: a tight shooting space with the only available light coming from two small windows and a nervous subject who felt like she had no idea what to do in front of the camera. The advantages we had were significant: Mrs. C was ready to have some fun, brought lots of wonderful wardrobe, and playfully engaged with the direction I gave her. After the shoot was over, Mrs. C, Mr. C, and I had a champagne toast, and then the two of them went out to have a sexy night on the town, feeling closer than ever. I grabbed the shot on the following page of them in front of their hotel on my way out. Equipment used for the shoot: 50mm f/1.2 lens, 85mm f/1.2 lens, 24–70mm f/2.8 lens, and a 6-in-1 reflector. How did you feel during the shoot?

Before. Photo by A. Robertson.

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I was so surprised at how fun the shoot was! Just sitting for an hour to get my hair and makeup done with nowhere else to be was such a wonderful feeling. It felt like such a treat to do something for myself, and then I started to get extremely nervous. But you gave me some fun direction, and once I saw a couple of the first pictures you took, I was amazed!

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Picking up her dress and kicking up her heels in celebration of her 40th birthday. 50mm lens, ISO 400, f/2.8, 200 sec.

Mrs. C and her husband love to share cocktails, so we made that a focus of this shot. 50mm lens, ISO 640, f/2, 320 sec.

By the end of the shoot, Mrs. C was posing naked and having a blast (left). 50mm lens, ISO 200, f/2, 250 sec. Mrs. C’s comfort and happiness with herself is the goal of every boudoir shoot (opposite). 50mm lens, ISO 640, f/2, 400 sec.

I thought: Wow, that is me! I couldn’t believe it. Then I was able to let loose and have a blast. We laughed so hard the entire time. I honestly couldn’t remember ever having laughed so hard and for such a long time. The entire experience was amazing.

After Seeing the Photos How did you feel after seeing your new photos? The experience was so fun that I honestly didn’t even care what the pictures looked like. That is, until I saw them! They truly did blow me away! One after the other, they were all so great! I just couldn’t stop looking at them. Is that really me?! I was dying to show my husband! Every word that came out of his mouth after that was pretty much not allowed to be printed. He just stared and stared at them, over and over again! It was really one of the most amazing moments of our relationship. To say he loved them would be an understatement! How has your life been transformed? Your boudoir pictures of me continue to be a huge part of our life, even over a year later. The photo session made me remember to take time for me, and to take time for us as a couple. We now make having fun together a priority. The photo shoot also raised my confidence level bigtime. It made me realize I can be sexy and beautiful in my own skin, however that may look at the moment. What started as an idea to do something different from my daily life for my birthday ended up being the best gift I could have imagined, for me and for us. I was still set on 1600 ISO from being on a dark set, but when I saw this moment, I had to grab it really fast and only had a second to change my shutter speed. 50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2, 1600 sec.

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one boudoir session

24–70mm lens, ISO 400, f/2.8, 160 sec.

85mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 125 sec.

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Behind the Scenes with One Subject

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o put into practice all of the tips and techniques you’ve learned in the previous eight chapters, I thought it would be fun to pull everything together in a single shoot. What follows is a step-by-step illustrated guide on how I went from the first conversation with my subject to the final edited photos. You’ll hear about my creative vision for the shoot, how I made certain decisions, and why I incorporated certain strategies. You will also see the final photographs. To find a subject, I put up a notice on my blog asking women who wanted to spark a personal transformation and appear in my book to answer a few questions. Karen had seen my work on my blog and leaped at the opportunity. She filled out the questionnaire and was a perfect choice.

Karen is a 40-year-old soccer mom with two kids, 17 and 10, and is a middle school teacher (Figure 9.1). She is a typical nonmodel subject who has no experience on a professional photo shoot, is not adept at posing (or at least, she wasn’t before the shoot), and is unsure how to move in front of the camera. She was excited to do a shoot because she thought it would be a blast to let her inner sex goddess out, put on some sexy lingerie (which she did not even own at the time), get pampered, and escape reality for a while. She had never done anything like this before and said she was definitely nervous as the shoot date approached.

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Before the Shoot I set up an initial phone call with Karen before the shoot. As discussed previously, this is an important first step to learn more about the subject and provide her with the parameters of the shoot.

Creating the Experience During that first phone call, I did what I always do: discover how my subject feels about her body and what she loves. Karen stated that she’d had a poor body image when she was younger, but that the older she’s become, the more she’s learned to appreciate her body and become comfortable in it. Everyone has certain body parts they don’t love, and Karen shared hers with me. But I turned my focus (both in the conversation and during the shoot) to what she loves and why. Karen loves her upper body, and the fact that it’s tight and strong (Figure 9.2)— particularly her abs, arms, and back. She also loves her hands, which are strong yet feminine. She appreciates her blue eyes and her smile and dimple. When I asked what people compliment her on most often, the answer was her smile. So I could already tell that I’d be focusing on these areas, with lots of close-ups of her face, capturing strength yet femininity (Figure 9.3).

Figure 9.1   Moments before

getting into the hair and makeup seat. 50mm lens, ISO 500, f/2.5, 80 sec. Figure 9.2  A simple shot that focuses on Karen’s muscular, feminine upper body.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 100 sec.

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Figure 9.3   Karen’s signature high-wattage smile and dimples.

85mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 100 sec.

In terms of what personality qualities to capture, Karen mentioned that although she’s playful and silly most of the time, she wanted to show that she can be sexy and provocative, too. She said she felt like she has never really “oozed sexiness” overtly, and that she’d really love to capture the serious sexpot she knows is in there (Figure 9.4). When asked what else is sexy that she wants to capture, she said she also wanted to show that she’s strong on both the inside and out. “I have an athletic body and am proud of my muscular physique. Also, throughout my life I’ve learned to be strong mentally and emotionally for myself and my children to get through hard times. Exercise has helped me to become mentally strong. That is sexy!” Since part of what made the idea of doing a shoot exciting for Karen was that it would be an “escape” from her real life, we made it an event. We chose a location, a

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residence in Manhattan, and she planned to take the train in from New Jersey for a day of playing hooky from work and getting pampered. I hired one of my favorite hair and makeup stylists and asked Karen to bring music that makes her feel hot, confident, and energized, as well as champagne if she liked. As the call ended, I gave her the assignment to create a Pinterest board to begin sharing with me the type of wardrobe she thinks is sexy and the type of clothing and outfits she would feel gorgeous in.

Figure 9.4  This shot rides the

edges of her playfulness, adding that “sexy edge” she wanted to capture (opposite). 50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.2, 200 sec.

Planning the Creative Direction After I had a chance to look through the pictures she posted on Pinterest, I called Karen to discuss selecting wardrobe and creating “looks.” Since she mentioned in our first call that she finally feels comfortable in her own skin, I suggested doing a look that was natural, simple, and showed lots of skin. She loved that idea, and we discussed bringing a comfortable, cozy sweater to use for more modesty if she desired it. We talked about a leather jacket and heels that she loves but never wears to create a serious sexpot look and bring out her inner siren. Last, we settled on having dresses and other lingerie options to create a third look. We also chatted about things she loves that we could incorporate into the shoot, like the cross necklace her mom gave her and the tattoo on her back with her kids’ initials.

During the Shoot For the shooting location, I chose a close friend’s residence. I knew the home had large windows and excellent natural light filling the main rooms. It also has minimalist decor that would provide fun options that suit my pared-down style as well as Karen’s downto-earth, casual simplicity. When I first arrived, I went around looking for “sets,” what furniture I would like to use, what backgrounds would work well, and where the best light was.

Styling Karen arrived on set with a huge tote filled with the wardrobe options we discussed as well as plenty of backups. I began laying them all out (Figure 9.5), while she got into the hair and makeup chair. Our makeup and hair stylist, Celeste, began prepping her skin (Figure 9.6) as we all collaborated to decide on three completely different and distinct final looks.

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Figure 9.5  It’s always great to have options, but you can see how

Figure 9.6   Being pampered and “made up” was one of Karen’s

I narrowed down our selected outfits to those with neutral colors. For me, it’s a simple way to communicate sophistication.

favorite parts of the shoot. This is such a fun time to chat and laugh together and develop camaraderie and the sense of being a team before the shoot even starts.

24–70mm lens, ISO 800, f/2.8, 100 sec.

50mm lens, ISO 500, f/2.5, 200 sec.

As we’d discussed on one of the planning calls, we decided to do one look that was natural, with a lot of skin and just a simple, soft sweater. Karen brought three sweater options: a black one, a colorful striped one, and a cream option. We decided on the cream-colored one to keep the palette as monochromatic as ­possible—plus, it was the most flattering. The second look was something daring, something she ordinarily wouldn’t wear but wished she could—the serious sexpot, starting with the leather jacket. We chose the black strappy high heels that she had never worn and tried different bras for under her jacket. Again, we opted to keep the palette as monochromatic as possible and went for a crystal-encrusted bra instead of the pink, leopard, lace, and multicolored options that didn’t seem to suit Karen. We also thought the crystals better reflected the edgy look that was emerging. Last, Karen put on a mini fashion show and tried on her slips and dresses. Everything looked great on her, but the one that really sang and got a unanimous yes from all of us was a vintage slip from my boudoir wardrobe trunk. Karen also liked a tux jacket from my closet, and we decided to add that as an elegant and chic fourth option if we had the time. We discussed the order of looks with Celeste, and hair and makeup styles to match. She suggested we start with the natural look and build up from there, ending with edgy. I agreed. While Celeste finished Karen’s hair and makeup, I matched up each planned look with a corresponding “set” that was in alignment with the look and helped

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communicate the same message, as discussed in Chapters 4 and 7, “Telling a Story with Styling” and “Capturing Beautiful Photographs.” Earlier, when I had first arrived, I’d made a list of the set pieces I loved: the red chair, the white leather sofa, the bedroom window with the city in the background, the all-white bed, and the silver tufted ottoman. I’d even found a spot to put the studio setup. I asked myself, which set adds to the story of each look? We made the following decisions.

Naturally beautiful The natural girl-next-door look (Figure 9.7) is all about Karen being comfortable in her own skin and feeling sensual. I wanted the focus to be on her skin and favorite features: her eyes and smile. So I chose to shoot in the white bedroom, take the colored pillows off the bed, and remove a colorful painting from the wall. I wanted the only color to be her skin and eyes. The makeup and hair is close to how Karen usually wears it but amped up a bit for sexiness.

Vintage siren The vintage natural bombshell look (Figure 9.8) is about natural sexiness evoking the slightest hint of ’50s-era pinup. I chose the red chair for this look because I wanted a pop of color, and the armchair was the least contemporary option. We kept the same makeup but gave Karen some smoothed-out curls popular during the Veronica Lake era.

Strictly sexpot The daring, edgy sexpot look (Figure 9.9) is all about severity. We wanted to lose the playful downto-earth girl and convey a strong and seductive sensibility. I chose the white leather couch, not only to minimize the palette, but also to align with the contemporary leather look of her outfit. The ottoman was also a possibility for this look. I decided to

Figure 9.7   Keeping the set, makeup, and wardrobe palette natural,

simple, and light is closest to who Karen is most of the time. 85mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 100 sec.

play it by ear and see what we liked when the time came. We gave her a very dark, dramatic smoky eye and a cool slicked-back and straightened hair style.

New York, New York I thought the gray backdrop was perfect for this elegant, chic look (Figure 9.10), a blank canvas with a bit of depth for fashion-inspired shots. We kept the same hair, darkened the eye even more, and changed the lip color to a more dramatic and elegant choice.

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Figure 9.8  A vintage

slip is another great boudoir wardrobe must-have. This particular item, a vintage structured slip, is flattering on all figures. 50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 125 sec.

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Figure 9.9  A few simple basics is all that’s needed to complete a

“look”—the leather jacket, crystal-studded bra, and hot, sexy heels are all statement pieces. That’s why we chose to keep the rest of the styling so simple. 50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.2, 500 sec.

Figure 9.10   More styling choices that suit most women: the black tux jacket, a gray background, and a smoky eye.

50mm lens, ISO 100, f/2.8, 125 sec.

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My Gear On Set This is my on-location kit that covers all my bases, and as lean as it is for a professional photographer, it still represents the most gear I would take with me on a boudoir shoot.

 SanDisk 32GB Memory Cards



 Elinchrom 27 x 27-inch Rotalux Softbox

Canon 5D Mark III and its manual

 Elinchrom EL Skyport Speed Transmitter

 Battery charger and two batteries

 Impact Multiboom Lightstand

 24–70mm f/2.8 lens

 Impact 42 x 72-inch and 42 x 42-inch Collapsible

 50mm f/1.2 lens  85mm f/1.2 lens  Tiffen 77mm Neutral Density 0.9 Filter  72–77mm step-up ring

Photography Gear As I mentioned in Chapter 5, “A Minimalist’s Approach to Equipment” and Chapter 6, “Creating Light that Flatters,” I like to travel light and bring as little gear as possible to flatter each woman and create a certain mood and look. For this shoot, I decided to use mostly natural light, since we were going to a location with excellent light. I also decided to bring my strobe to add variety to the shoot and just in case we needed a reliable, controllable light source or some extra light.

Lighting For the first three looks, we were able to use all available light. Although it was a very overcast day, with the large windows, the silver reflectors, and a high ISO and wide aperture, we were able to make it work. When working with private clients or nonmodel subjects, I like to keep the shoot as private,

230

 Elinchrom BXRi 500 Monolight

5-in-1 Reflectors

 Black muslin backdrop  4-foot Dove Gray seamless background paper  Household fan  Boudoir wardrobe in suitcase on rollers

unintimidating, and intimate as possible. Therefore, it’s usually just me and one stylist on set. Toward that aim, the makeup artist will also hold the reflector for me, as was the case here. It’s a pretty simple task. I find the best location for the reflector and position it to bounce the light back in the direction I desire, and my makeup artist takes it from there. I have to remind her every now and then if the reflector starts moving without her realizing it. For the first look, I chose backlighting—a joyful, natural look that’s extremely flattering to size-­ conscious women, as we discussed in Chapter 6. I had Celeste stand nearby to hold the 72-inch silver reflector, which bounced ample light back into Karen’s face and onto her body (Figures 9.11 and 9.12). For this look, we also positioned Karen on the bed about four feet from the window light, facing it head on—a soft and universally flattering lighting setup. This time, Celeste stood by with the 42-inch silver reflector, which was all that was needed (­Figures 9.13 and 9.14).

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Figure 9.11  A window or doorway is one of my favorite backdrops as well as lighting setups.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 200 sec.

Figure 9.12  If you don’t have a stylist available to hold the reflector, use a light stand with a boom arm (right).

85mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 200 sec.

Figure 9.13  The softer and more diffused the light coming from a window is, the closer your model can be to the source without it being too high contrast. This day was very overcast, so the model was closer (3 to 5 feet) than she normally would be on a cloudless day (6 to 8 feet).

85mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 200 sec.

Figure 9.14   Pay attention to how the fill light affects light and shadow on your subject’s face. You may have to continually adjust or remind your assistant to hold the reflector in the most flattering way possible (sometimes only a couple millimeters of difference).

85mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 200 sec.

For the second look on the red chair and the third look on the white couch, we also used natural light and the silver 42-inch reflector (Figures 9.15 and 9.16). Karen suggested we try using the ottoman for a couple shots. I always like to say yes to the subject’s ideas and gladly obliged. The ottoman was really heavy and couldn’t be moved, so we opted to shoot it backlit where it was (Figure 9.17), but at this point the sky was getting darker and more overcast, so I brought the studio light over and used the modeling light for a little extra fill. This is another good reason to bring a strobe as a backup. By then, we had all but exhausted Karen, but she was still game to try the fourth look. I had already set up the 4-foot background paper in the kitchen area, since it offered the most unobstructed space. We moved the kitchen stools to the side and hung the paper in front of the kitchen island. I placed the strobe directly in front of Karen, raised it up, and angled it down (Figure 9.18), a common lighting setup for studio fashion photography. I shot from just underneath the softbox.

Lenses and Camera Settings The lenses I shot with were the 85mm 1.2, the 50mm 1.2, and the 24-70mm. There was simply not enough room to use the 70–200mm, and there was just enough room so that we only needed the wider angle focal lengths of the 24–70mm for a couple of shots. As usual, I shot the close-ups with the 85mm and did the bulk of the shoot with the 50mm. As I mentioned in Chapter 5, I prefer using the 50mm most of the time because its output is the closest to

Figure 9.15   Try a shot with and without a reflector to see what effect you like best. With some body shots, I prefer not to use a reflector so more shadow is present.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 125 sec.

Figure 9.16   Here, we used a reflector as fill because I wanted more light on her body and face.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 125 sec.

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how my eye perceives what’s in front of me. I only used the 24–70mm for a few shots when I didn’t have the space to use the 50mm and get Karen’s whole body in the frame. For the entire shoot, I stayed between f/2 and f/2.8 to give me a shallow depth of field, create a bit of softness, and blur the background. I also chose that wide aperture because it let more light into my camera, and on such an overcast day, I needed it. I kept my shutter speed mostly between 60 sec. and 200 sec. since I wasn’t going for motion blur at any time during this shoot.

Figure 9.17  Even at 1600 ISO, the shot would have been underexposed using just the reflector. I opted to bring in the strobe and use its modeling light for just the right amount of fill (opposite).

50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.2, 200 sec.

Sensual Movement and Posing I know with a nonmodel, I need to spend the bulk of my energy on coaching actions and adjusting poses, while providing positive feedback and scanning my frame to oversee her entire posture from fingertips to toes to make sure it’s all flattering. As an athletic person, Karen mostly has pretty great posture and was able to execute extreme posture with ease. You can see some of the five root poses in action here. For instance, we started with the Serpent on the bed (Figure 9.19); we used the Cat pose on the chair (Figure 9.20) and the Courtesan on the bed (Figure 9.21) as well as the couch. With Karen, as with all nonmodels, while she’s in a pose, I begin coaching a few of my top ten actions. I ask her to repeat the action over and over, such as play with the

Figure 9.18  You can see

Figure 9.19  Her arms and hands, two of her favorite body parts, appear strong and feminine here, the exact mix we wanted to capture.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 100 sec.

the kitchen island behind the backdrop, as well as the kitchen stools moved aside, and how the 4-foot backdrop was taped to the ceiling and wall. I shot from just below the light, in the living room. 50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.2, 200 sec.

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Figure 9.20  This pose is extremely flattering to Karen’s legs and torso.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 125 sec.

Figure 9.21   Starting in the Courtesan pose is an easy way to begin a series of actions and poses. Continue to coach different actions and eye lines for a variety of flattering shots.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 100 sec.

Figure 9.22  I included this shot in my selects because not only does she look gorgeous, but it triggers memories of a fun shoot and shows Karen’s sense of humor about herself. Her playfulness is a key part of her personality.

85mm lens, ISO 1000, f/2, 200 sec.

strap on your slip, run your hands along your body (Figure 9.21), and brush your hair out of your eyes. Karen moved pretty fast, so I directed her to slow down on a few occasions. I also focused on evoking emotion, by making sure to create a fun atmosphere, by being silly and playful myself, directing her to smile with her eyes, shooting the in-between moments to capture real laughter, and finally, by adding the fan. The pose in Figure 9.22 started out as the Serpent, but when I began teasing Karen that it appeared she was holding on to the couch for dear life, we both cracked up.

Bringing Out Karen’s Best At the beginning of the shoot, Karen was understandably nervous and acknowledged that she was

going way out of her comfort zone. As discussed in Chapter 7, I like to bring out the best in women by starting without fanfare, so there is no distinct beginning to a shoot. I just keep shooting no-pressure “lighting and makeup test shots” until the session is under way without the subject even realizing it. That’s exactly what I did with Karen. I also maintained constant positive feedback and said yes to all of her ideas—for instance, when she suggested shooting on the ottoman. And as soon as I had a beautiful image captured, I made sure to give her a peek at it on the back of my camera. This really boosted her confidence and allowed her to relax even more. Also as discussed in Chapter 7, everything in your frame should be aligned and fulfilling the same message, from the colors of the background, the

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Figure 9.23   Karen wanted to use these pillows as props in a shot, and the makeup artist had the cheeky suggestion of placing the “V” between her legs. I say “yes” to most suggestions from people on set because it fosters the collaborative effort and invariably brings about something unexpected and awesome.

24–70mm lens, ISO 2500, f/3.2, 160 sec.

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wardrobe, the hairstyle, and the lighting and color to the movement or the gesture of the model (Figure 9.23). We created variety by choosing four distinct looks and six different sets, capturing different emotions, personality traits, and body parts, and including a prop shot, plus a variety of close-ups and full body and medium shots.

After the Shoot I sat down to edit Karen’s pictures a few hours after the shoot, when I had a bit of distance from the session. I reviewed my notes on what Karen loves about her body, why she was so excited to do a boudoir shoot, and what she wanted to get out of it.

Choosing Final Selects Spending the time to review her original hopes before the shoot helped me choose pictures based on what she loves and wants to showcase. So I chose not only the best shots, but also some outtakes, as described earlier, and in-between shots for playfulness and authenticity, plus other shots that highlight the body parts she loves (Figure 9.24) and tell a story about who she is. Figure 9.24  You can get

creative with how you highlight a woman’s favorite features. Karen loves her upper body strength, and this contemplative portrait is a beautiful way to showcase her arms without being so on-the-nose with it. 85mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 125 sec.

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Finishing with Post-Production As with every shoot I edit, I adhered mostly to my policy of keeping the post-­ production to a minimum and allowing my subject’s natural beauty come through as much as possible. With Karen, I did not retouch her abs but made tiny tweaks in a few other spots. I lightened the under-eye area where makeup had run and lightened wrinkles a touch around her eyes and neck (Figures 9.25 and 9.26). I removed two small bruises and smoothed out the shape of her legs in a couple shots, removed background distractions such as an electrical outlet and the side of a chair, and tightened up loose clothing (Figures 9.27 and 9.28). The most dramatic difference I made in post was to retouch her hands and feet to reduce the effect of a few veins. All these enhancements were accomplished using only three tools: Liquify, Clone Stamp, and Lasso in Photoshop. For the natural set on the bed, I retouched slightly as described but performed no artistic actions. For the vintage look, I put a retro action on them to create a faded look, so the red chair wasn’t so vibrant (Figures 9.29 and 9.30). For the edgy sexpot series, I used a desaturating and sharpening action to create an even edgier, higher contrast look (Figures 9.31 and 9.32).

Figures 9.25 and 9.26  You can see the subtle difference in the under-eye and neck area and hands.

Using the Clone Stamp at 20 percent is a great way to make slight differences incrementally. 85mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 200 sec.

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Figures 9.27 and 9.28  Removing distractions from the background is a task that I feel comfortable outsourcing. I don’t think it takes as much of my personal artistry as does making decisions about light and color and shapes.

50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 200 sec.

Figures 9.29 and 9.30  Most

of the actions I use involve desaturing the image somewhat. I love muted tones and how black and white brings the viewer’s attention to form, line, light, and shadow. 50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.2, 125 sec.

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Figures 9.31 and 9.32  Here,

I wanted to reduce the vibrance of Karen’s skin and create as much of a monochromatic look in a color image as possible. 50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.2, 200 sec.

Karen’s Reaction After retouching Karen’s pics, I shared the entire set with her. Here is her reaction via a phone call and an email later. Holy sh*t, the photos look freaking phenomenal. I can’t believe how amazing they look. I absolutely LOVE them! The pictures were just the icing on the cake. The entire experience of working with you was an incredible, liberating one I will always remember. I was so excited going into the shoot. What I wanted most from my pictures was for you to capture my sexy side, which I wasn’t sure I had! By nature, I am usually a playful, laid-back, casual, goofy person. Being a single working mom I don’t get to experiment with that sexy alter ego. You made me feel so comfortable. The whole climate of the shoot was warm, fun, and full of energy. At times when I felt awkward or unsure of what to do, your direction, knowledge, patience, and professionalism put me at ease and in just the right positions for some amazing shots. What started with me being a bit stiff ended with me feeling relaxed, beautiful, confident, and totally sexy. I was really able to let go and be uninhibited thanks to your direction.

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Figure 9.33  This is Karen’s favorite shot. It encompasses all of the lessons in this book, from getting to know what your client loves about herself (her abs!) to selecting the right pose, gesture, lighting, and action to use during post.

24–70mm lens, ISO 2500, f/3.2, 160 sec.

What I also really liked about the experience was that it was collaboration. You were aware of my thoughts, ideas, and feelings. You wanted my input on everything we did. I can’t wait to get the pictures in print. To have these photographs forever, so I can be reminded anytime I need to, that I am a beautiful, sexy woman [Figure 9.33]. I think strength in all forms is sexy. It helps us endure and carry on. A strong, confident woman is beautiful. When the client and I are equally happy with the results of a shoot, there’s no better feeling. I hope that as you develop your boudoir photography skills and try out some of my ideas in your own art, you and your subjects end up feeling the same way about many of your shoots!

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Index

A accessories. See also equipment A-clamps, 121, 125 backdrops, 121–122 body oil, 125 fans, 49, 120 gaffer’s tape, 121, 125 gray background paper, 123–125 A-clamps, 121, 125 actions, Photoshop, 210–212 Adobe Lightroom, 190–198 Adobe Photoshop, 21, 198, 203–212 alcoholic beverages, 25, 92 alignment, 167–168 amateur models, 8–9 aperture, 134–135, 170 aperture settings, 135 arms, 62, 65, 199, 201 artists’ figure models, 11–14 artist’s muse pose, 65 available light, 132, 137

B background backdrops, 121–122 depth of field and, 170 feathering and, 151 focal length and, 112, 113 gray paper for, 123–125 removing distractions from, 201, 208, 241 retouching, 201 backlighting, 130, 138–139, 230–231

244

“before-and-after” examples Alison, 100–103 Cynthia, 180–183 Mrs. C, 214–215 beverages, alcoholic, 25, 92 black muslin backdrop, 121–122 black reflector, 133 black-and-white images, 129, 189, 197 Blacks slider, Lightroom, 195 blown-out highlights, 195 blurring, 170 body image, 16 body oil, 125 body shapes/sizes, 83 body shots, 155 Botox injections, 27–28 boudoir photography. See also photography good habits for, 110 male photographers, 13, 18, 22, 158 policies, 24–25 storytelling with, 76, 137, 175, 178 techniques, 154–159 transformative quality of, 15–18 weight issues, 20–21 boudoir session example, 221–243 boudoir shoots. See photo shoots bra inserts, 83 bras, 82, 83, 229 breasts bra inserts, 83 bras, 82, 83, 229 cleavage, 37, 73, 83 enhancing, 73, 83, 201 nipple covers, 88 retouching, 201

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brightness, 194 bum curvy, 59, 89 flat, 83 retouching, 201 “wedgies,” 59 bustiers, 78, 81

C camera communicating your vision, 165–171 considerations, 109 lenses. See camera lenses makeup and, 94–96 manual, 121 renting, 109 settings, 233–235 camera bag, 110 camera body, 109 camera lenses, 111–121 aesthetics, 111–112 for boudoir, 113–121 comparison of, 111–113 focal lengths, 111–113 primes, 111 types of, 113–117 using on shoots, 118–119, 233–235 utility, 111 zoom, 111 camera raw files, 195 catlike pose, 66–67 ChristaMeola.com, 14 clamshell lighting, 149–150

cleavage, 37, 73, 83 Clone Stamp tool, Photoshop, 206–207, 240 close-up shots, 175 closing shots, 179 clothing backups, 81 bras, 82, 83, 229 bustiers, 78, 81 classics, 81 corsets, 83 figure types, 83 flattering, 81 garter belts, 88, 89 jewelry, 86, 87 men’s shirt, 82 modest outfits, 154 must-haves, 82–91 panties, 59, 83, 86 for photo shoots, 26, 225–226 playing with, 42–44 removing, 35 retouching, 201 robes, 83 scarves/shawls, 84–85, 86 sheer fabric, 86, 87, 139 sheer teddy, 82 shoes, 44, 83, 86, 88, 201 thigh-high stockings, 88 tips for, 81 wardrobe changes, 80 wardrobe guidelines, 79–81 wardrobe options, 26 wrinkled, 81 collaboration, 202–203

I n d ex 

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collagen injections, 27–28 color adjusting, 192–198 bright, 196 muted, 196 tint, 194 white balance, 193 comfort zone, 15, 19 composition, 168–170 confidence, 34–37, 61, 155 confidence-building shots, 157 contrapposto, 56, 57 contrast, 196, 210, 240 Contrast slider, Lightroom, 196 copyrights, 25 corsets, 83 cosmetic surgery, 27–28 counterpose, 57 Courtesan pose, 71, 236 creative direction, 22–24, 225 Crop slider, Lightroom, 196 cropping images, 167, 168, 196 curves accentuating by posing, 255 breasts, 37, 73, 83 creating curvy bum, 59, 89 enhancing with lighting, 127, 146–148 S-curve, 57 wardrobe and, 82, 83

D dancers, 11–14 dancing, 44 depth of field, 170 derrière, curvy, 59, 89 detail shots, 175, 177 diffusion screen, 133

E editing, 188–190. See also post-production emotion, 45–49, 54, 170 equipment, 107–125. See also accessories

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backdrops, 121–122 camera. See camera camera bag, 110 considerations, 127 fans, 49, 97, 120 gray background paper, 123–125 guidelines, 109–110 learning about, 109 lighting. See lighting equipment manuals, 109 on-location, 230 practicing with, 109–110 renting, 109 establishing shots, 175, 177 exposure, 139, 158, 188, 194 Exposure slider, Lightroom, 194 eye lines, 54, 59–60 eyes, 54, 59–60, 201

F face enhancing, 96 retouching, 201 false eyelashes, 96 fans, 49, 97, 120 fantasy photo shoots, 23 feathering, 134, 151 feedback, 157 feet pedicures, 26 posing, 62, 68 retouching, 201 figure drawing, 129 figure models, 11–14 fill light, 232 flashes, 132 flirtation, 37 flowers, 92, 93 focal lengths, 111–113 framing, 165–166 full-length lighting, 144–145 fun, 17, 27, 34–35

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G gaffer’s tape, 121, 125 garter belts, 88, 89 gear, 107–125. See also accessories backdrops, 121–122 camera. See camera camera bag, 110 considerations, 127 fans, 49, 97, 120 gray background paper, 123–125 guidelines, 109–110 learning about, 109 lenses. See lenses lighting. See lighting equipment manuals, 109 on-location, 230 practicing with, 109–110 renting, 109 “girl next door,” 12–14, 227 gold reflector, 133 Graduated Filter, Lightroom, 197 gray background paper, 123–125

H hair dirty, 98 movement, 42 retouching, 201 styling, 97–99 windblown, 97 hair stylists, 97–99 haircuts, 27 hands placement of, 54–56 posing, 61, 68, 73 retouching, 201, 204 tension in, 61 high heels, 83, 86, 88 highlights, 148, 195 Highlights slider, Lightroom, 195

hips posing, 57, 58, 89 retouching, 201 History brush, Photoshop, 209 History setting, Photoshop, 203 “horror lighting,” 140

I images aligning elements, 167–168 black-and-white, 129, 189, 197 body shots, 155 choosing best, 188–192 choosing final selects, 213, 239 close-up shots, 175 closing shots, 179 confidence-building shots, 157 copyrights, 25 cropping, 167, 168, 196 depicting emotion, 45–49, 54, 170 detail shots, 175, 177 establishing shots, 175, 177 final presentation of, 213 framing, 165–166 in-between moments, 46–48 master shots, 175 nudity. See nudity post-production. See post-production prop shots, 154 realistic expectations, 190 retouching. See retouching photos selecting favorites, 188–190 shooting. See photo shoots vignetting, 197 inspiration, 18, 76, 163–164 intentional framing, 165–166 intersection points, 168–169 ISO, 134

J jewelry, 86, 87 JPEG files, 195

I n d ex 

247

L Lasso tool, Photoshop, 208, 240 laughter, 46, 48 legs posing, 62 retouching, 201 “stumpy,” 62 wardrobe and, 83 lenses, 111–121 aesthetics, 111–112 for boudoir, 113–121 comparison of, 111–113 focal lengths, 111–113 primes, 111 types of, 113–117 using on shoots, 118–119, 233–235 utility, 111 zoom, 111 light stand, 135, 136 lighting, 127–151 adjusting light, 192–198 available light, 132, 137 backlighting, 130, 138–139, 230–231 clamshell, 149–150 considerations, 127 diffused light, 130 example session, 230–233 feathering, 134, 151 fill light, 232 flashes, 132 flattering techniques, 136–151 full-length, 144–145 “horror,” 140 low-contrast, 140–142 mistakes, 140 monolights, 135 natural light, 130–132 noir, 148 overexposure, 139, 158 portraits, 129 reflectors, 132, 133, 233 shooting in studio, 132–136

248

short, 143 sidelighting, 146–148 silhouettes, 130 softboxes, 135–136, 148 strobes, 128, 132, 133–134, 137 sunlight, 136 lighting equipment diffusion screen, 133 monolights, 133, 135 reflectors, 132, 133, 233 softboxes, 135–136, 148 strobes, 128, 132, 133–134, 137 lighting kit, 135 Lightroom, 190–198 lip liner, 96 lipstick, 96, 170 Liquify tool, Photoshop, 204–205, 240 look-books, 72, 94 low-contrast lighting, 140–142

M makeup, 94–96 makeup artists, 96 male photographers, 13, 18, 22, 158 manicures, 26 manuals, 109 masks, 90–91, 92 master shots, 175 men’s shirt, 82 mermaid pose, 68 model agencies, 8 model communities, 8–9 model releases, 24–25 modelmayhem.com, 7 models, 6–14. See also “real women”; subjects amateur, 8–9 comfort zone, 15, 19 finding, 221 hiring, 8–9 modesty, 61, 68, 69, 139, 181 muses, 11–14 nudity. See nudity

T h e A rt o f B o u d oi r P h otog r ap h y: H o w to C r eat e S t un n i n g Photogr aphs of Women

preparation for shoots, 26 professional, 7–11 tips for, 11 wardrobe options, 26 working with, 9 modest outfit, 154 modesty, 61, 68, 69, 139, 181 monolights, 133, 135 motion. See movement movement coaching actions, 38–41, 72, 154 dancing, 44 natural, 38–41 removing clothes, 35 sensual, 31–49, 235–237 slow, 35 top 10 actions, 42–44 MUA (pro makeup artist), 96 muses, 11–14, 65 music, 27, 35, 44, 49

N narrative, 76, 175, 178 natural light, 130–132 neck, 64, 199, 201 negative self-talk, 28 negative space, 168–170 nervousness, 19, 237 nipple covers, 88 noir lighting, 148 nonmodels, 12–14. See also models; subjects nudity considerations, 21 degrees of, 21 model comfort level, 25 model releases and, 25 modesty, 61, 68, 69, 139, 181 permissions, 25 variations in, 20

O Octabox, 135–136 oil, body, 125 outsourcing, 202 overexposure, 139, 158

P panties, 59, 83, 86 paper, gray, 123–125 pedicures, 26 personality qualities, 16–17 photo shoots, 153–179 after the shoot, 239–243 alcohol use, 25 before/after. See “before-and-after” examples beginning of, 154 behind the scenes, 221–243 clothing. See clothing creative direction, 22–24, 225 dos and don’ts, 26–28 easy setups, 154–155 energy, 49 fans, 49, 120 fantasy, 23 favorite things, 23–24 having fun, 17, 27, 34–35 limitations, 162–163 location, 225 male photographers, 13, 18, 22, 158 music during, 27, 35, 44, 49 negative self-talk, 28 nervousness, 19, 237 nudity in. See nudity pampering aspect of, 18 positive feedback, 157 preparation for, 26, 222–225 props, 49, 91–93 realistic expectations, 190 during the shoot, 225–239 “shooting this for that,” 158 as special occasion, 17–18

I n d ex 

249

photo shoots (continued) tardiness and, 27 techniques, 154–159 variety, 172–174 visualizing results, 17 wardrobe options, 26 photographers collaboration, 202–203 confidence, 155 decision making, 161 energy, 155 female, 13, 22 inspiration, 163–164 male, 13, 18, 22, 158 policies, 24–25 portfolio, 13–14 unique voice of, 161 vision, 159–161 photographs aligning elements, 167–168 black-and-white, 129, 189, 197 body shots, 155 choosing best, 188–192 choosing final selects, 213, 239 close-up shots, 175 closing shots, 179 confidence-building shots, 157 copyrights, 25 cropping, 167, 168, 196 depicting emotion, 45–49, 54, 170 detail shots, 175, 177 establishing shots, 175, 177 final presentation of, 213 framing, 165–166 in-between moments, 46–48 master shots, 175 nudity. See nudity post-production. See post-production prop shots, 154 realistic expectations, 190 retouching. See retouching photos

250

selecting favorites, 188–190 shooting. See photo shoots vignetting, 197 photography. See also boudoir photography capuring variety, 172–174 composition, 168–170 depth of field, 170 shutter speed, 170–171 Photoshop, 21, 198, 203–212 point of view, 173 policies, 24–25 portfolio, 13–14 portrait lighting patterns, 129 posing, 51–73 awkward limb placement, 62 best poses, 64–71 breast enhancement, 37, 73 catlike pose, 66–67 common mistakes, 59–63 considerations, 51 contrapposto, 56, 57 Courtesan pose, 71, 236 directions for, 20 distance from camera, 58 easy pose, 154 eyes/eye lines, 54, 59–60 hands, 54–56, 61 infusing sensuality into, 61 look-books, 72, 94 loss of spontaneity, 63 mermaid pose, 68 muses, 11–12 posture, 52–53 principles of, 52–59 professional models, 7–8 proportion and, 62 sensual, 52–59 serpent pose, 69–70 spontaneity, 63 stereotyped, 63 “stump effect,” 62 system for, 72–73

T h e A rt o f B o u d oi r P h otog r ap h y: H o w to C r eat e S t un n i n g Photogr aphs of Women

post-production, 187–213. See also retouching photos adusting light/color, 192–198 art of editing, 188–190 choosing photos, 188–192 considerations, 187 example session, 240–242 Lightroom, 190–198 Photoshop, 21, 198, 203–212 posture, 52–53 pro makeup artist (MUA), 96 professional models, 7–11 professional stylists. See stylists prop shots, 154 props, 49, 91–93, 155

R raw files, 195 “real women,” 12–14. See also models; women body image, 16 comfort zone, 15, 19 confidence, 34–37, 61 curvy, 83 definition of sexy, 18, 19 emotion, 45–49, 54, 170 flattering figures, 83 “girl next door,” 12–14, 227 modesty, 61, 68, 69, 139, 181 negative self-talk, 28 nervousness, 19, 237 nudity. See nudity personality qualities, 16–17 self-discovery, 15 self-esteem, 17 sensuality, 33–37, 61 sex appeal, 33–37, 46 sexiness, 18, 19 thin, 83 transformative experience for, 15–18 vintage looks, 227 vocalizing, 44

weight issues, 20–21 working with, 5–28 reflectors, 132, 133, 233 renting equipment, 109 retouching photos. See also post-production checklist for, 200–201 considerations, 21, 198–203 example session, 240–242 Lightroom, 190–198 limiting time for, 202 minimal amount of, 202 outsourcing for, 202 Photoshop, 21, 198, 203–212 removing distractions, 199, 201, 241 retro look, 167 robes, 83 rule of thirds, 168

S scarves, 84–85, 86 S-curve, 57 self-discovery, 15 self-esteem, 17 sensual movement, 31–49, 235–237 sensual posing, 52–59 sensuality, 33–37, 61 serpent pose, 69–70 sesame body oil, 125 sex appeal, 33–37, 46 sexiness, 18, 19 shadows, 140, 195 Shadows slider, Lightroom, 195 shawls, 86 sheer fabric, 86, 87, 139 sheer teddy, 82 shoes, 44, 83, 86, 88, 201 shooting photos. See photo shoots “shooting this for that,” 158 short lighting, 143 shoulders, 44, 61, 65, 201 shutter speed, 134, 170–171

I n d ex 

251

sidelighting, 146–148 signs, 92 silhouettes, 130 silver reflector, 133 smiling, 35, 45, 54, 81 softboxes, 135–136, 148 spontaneity, 63 stockings, 88 stomach, 52, 201 storytelling, 76, 137, 175, 178 strobes, 128, 132, 133–134, 137 studio, shooting in, 132–136 styling, 75–99, 225–229 stylists, 78–79, 81 subjects, 12–14. See also models; women body image, 16 comfort zone, 15, 19 confidence, 34–37, 61 curvy, 83 definition of sexy, 18, 19 emotion, 45–49, 54, 170 flattering figures, 83 “girl next door,” 12–14, 227 modesty, 61, 68, 69, 139, 181 negative self-talk, 28 nervousness, 19, 237 nudity. See nudity personality qualities, 16–17 self-discovery, 15 self-esteem, 17 sensuality, 33–37, 61 sex appeal, 33–37, 46 sexiness, 18, 19 thin, 83 transformative experience for, 15–18 vintage looks, 227 vocalizing, 44 weight issues, 20–21 working with, 5–28 sunlight, 136 surgery, cosmetic, 27–28 sync cords, 134 Sync tool, Lightroom, 197

252

T tank top, 88 tanning, fake, 27 teddy, sheer, 82 Temp slider, Lightroom, 193 TFCD (Trade For CD), 9 TFP (Trade For Print), 9 thigh-high stockings, 88 Tint slider, Lightroom, 194 Trade For CD (TFCD), 9 Trade For Print (TFP), 9 trust, 18–19 T-shirt, 88

V Vibrance slider, Lightroom, 196 vignetting, 197 vintage looks, 227 vision, photographer’s, 159–161 visualization, 17 vocalization, 44 voyeurism, 45, 165

W wardrobe bras, 82, 83, 229 bustiers, 78, 81 classic pieces, 81 clothing backups, 81 clothing changes, 80 corsets, 83 figure types, 83 flattering clothing, 81 garter belts, 88, 89 guidelines, 79–81 jewelry, 86, 87 men’s shirt, 82 modest outfits, 154 must-have pieces, 82–91 options for, 26 panties, 59, 83, 86

T h e A rt o f B o u d oi r P h otog r ap h y: H o w to C r eat e S t un n i n g Photogr aphs of Women

for photo shoots, 26, 225–226 playing with clothing, 42–44 removing clothing, 35 retouching clothing, 201 robes, 83 scarves/shawls, 84–85, 86 sheer fabric, 86, 87, 139 sheer teddy, 82 shoes, 44, 83, 86, 88, 201 thigh-high stockings, 88 tips for, 81 wrinkled clothing, 81 wardrobe stylists, 81 websites ChristaMeola.com, 14 modelmayhem.com, 7 “wedgies,” 59 weight issues, 20–21 white balance, 193 white side, 133 wireless transmitter, 134 women. See also models; subjects nudity. See nudity posing. See posing “real.” See “real women” weight issues, 20–21 working with, 5–28 wrinkles, 199, 201, 206, 207

Z zoom lenses, 111

I n d ex 

253

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