Boudoir Photography How To

Boudoir photography is a popular genre with several common denominators. You start with a voluptuous, scantily clad model, pose her in an enticing manner on a bed or a couch, and compose the shot in a suggestive manner.

The fact is that many of these shoots are commissioned by women, but there’ a lingering notion that these types of images are objectifying. With that in mind, we offer the following tutorial from the Hasselblad YouTube channel, with a female photographer who is committed to a different approach.

Tigz Rice is an accomplished pro who has been photographing boudoir-style shoots for over 10 years and has established a look all her own. As she says, “I seek to empower women and give them ownership over their narrative.”

In the quick episode below, Rice demonstrates how to make this style of photography “more inclusive and celebratory” while keeping her models comfortable and confident throughout the shoot.

As you’ll see, the first thing Rice does is get her subjects out of the bedroom—placing them in less intimidating scenes. For this shoot she uses an airplane hanger with vintage planes for some of her images, and makes indoor photographs in front of a fireplace for others.

She offers several tips for getting the job done, beginning with the importance of considering the subject’s feeling—especially if they’re new to this type of thing and not professional models

Rice suggests a number of natural poses that make subjects look and feel strong. She also demonstrates shooting angles that accentuate that effect. There’s also good advice for choosing the right lens for capturing the look you’re after.

Bottom line, by following Rice’s advise you’ll capture sensuous images that make you and (more importantly) your model proud.

We encourage you to visit Rice’s Instagram page to see more of her great work. As she tells clients, “I can’t wait to show you the beauty I see in you!” And don’t miss the tutorial we posted from another pro, explaining five boudoir poses for photos with the WOW factor.