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Boudoir Photography
A Guide to Excellence
Part of the invest in knowledge series

First Edition 2010

Oliver Cameron Publishing
Concorde House
10-12 London Road
Maidstone
Kent
ME16 8QA
www.oliver-cameron.com

All Images and text copyright Tammy Warnock 2010 unless otherwise stated.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or
transmitted in any form or by any means electronically, mechanically or by photocopy
without the prior permission of the publisher.
Editing by Nick Primmer of The Write Stuff.
Copyright for all images has been assigned to us by the photographers concerned.
If we have made any omissions or individuals would prefer not to appear in future
editions please let us know and we will remove said images.
ISBN 978-0956546326

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword...................................................................................6
Why shoot boudoir?.................................................................8
Tips for clients booking a boudoir session...............................8
Use of light natural and artificial..........................................9
Locations Locations studio, homes, hotels and nature........10
Equipment recommended......................................................10
Posing your client an overview............................................11
Furniture and Props...............................................................12
Clothing recommendations....................................................13
Relaxing your client and putting her at ease..........................14
Expressions............................................................................17
Why do boudoir for clients (and photographers)...................17
Working with stylists..............................................................18
Retouching.............................................................................18
Marketing...............................................................................20
General Business Principles...................................................21
Pricing....................................................................................23
Presentation of Images .........................................................24
Shoot to Sell...........................................................................24
Pinup and Vintage Inspired....................................................25

THE SESSIONS
Amanda...................................................................................26
Charmaine...............................................................................34
Deanne....................................................................................44
Karen......................................................................................50
Trisha......................................................................................60
Yvonne....................................................................................66
Jen..........................................................................................78
Raquel.....................................................................................88
Andrea.....................................................................................96
Teresa....................................................................................104
Lara......................................................................................112
June......................................................................................118
Wendy...................................................................................128
Nicole....................................................................................142
Jordan...................................................................................150
Bryana...................................................................................152
Cassandra..............................................................................154
Gigi Von Vroom......................................................................157
Joy........................................................................................158
Kelley....................................................................................164
Katie.....................................................................................168
Yvonne..................................................................................172
Mindi.....................................................................................176
Joyce.....................................................................................178
Lisa.......................................................................................182
Mindi.....................................................................................186
The Gallery............................................................................198

FOREWORD
I commissioned this book when I visited Tammy in Los Angeles,
who had kindly volunteered to be photographed as a plus-sized
bride for my book Wedding Photography A Guide to Posing. I
went to her studio and was blown away by the tips she gave me.
Knowing that she specialises in plus-size Boudoir photography I
asked her there and then to write a book on it. She jumped at the
chance and after a few months of hard work by Tammy and trips
to LA and New York by me, this book was completed.
I am hoping this guide is quite different from other books you may
have read on the subject. It is not cover to cover with size zero
girls who could grace the pages of any magazine. Rather, it is very
biased towards real everyday women who far more realistically
represent the clients you might encounter on a daily basis.
To my mind there is not a great benefit in showing you model-like
ladies in every shot. I wanted Tammy to show you how to bring out
the beauty in plus size or fluffy girls (as she likes to call them)
so they look every bit as beautiful as they are.
This book is not about having the best or latest equipment, a
fancy studio or a hotel room location. It is designed to give you
the knowledge you need to work in the simplest of environments.
Unlike in most other books on the subject, the vast majority of
the sessions were shot in a room at Tammys small studio. It is the
size of a small bedroom and almost all images were taken using
natural light only.
As most of you will mainly be working from the same locations,
day in and day out, we thought this was a very important
approach, to make the book and the advice it contains as relevant
as possible to the average readers circumstances. Tammy used
her beloved 85mm f1.2 lens for a lot of the images, but you could
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achieve results not too far from hers with a 50mm f1.8 lens
($100ish) on a non-full frame camera body.
Naturally we have also included some location shoots both
outdoors and inside at ladies homes to give balance and to help
you build on what you have learnt. However, the real benefit of
this book is its advice on posing. By showing you how to position
your client in a flattering way, to virtually eliminate the need for
post-production work in Photoshop, Tammy will save you literally
hours at the computer. For 95% of her work, all the treatment
the image gets is a saturation, contrast and levels bump.
Many of the tricks of successful Boudoir Photography are not
visible to the naked eye, so it is essential that you read all the text
to fully appreciate all the golden nuggets of knowledge imparted
for you. Practise these, and you will soon start to become a gifted
Boudoir photographer in your own right.
If you would like to receive further hints and tips on Boudoir
Photography (and photography in general) then please sign up for
our FREE newsletter. It also contains occasional discounts and
reviews of other interesting books. You can sign up at
http://eepurl.com/KeGt
David Pearce

Introduction
Why shoot boudoir?
Boudoir photography has recently experienced a surge in
popularity. Bridal forums are full of women asking other brides if
they are going to have them taken, where and by whom, and then
asking them to post the images publicly. The more these ladies
talk about it and see each others images, the more it seems to
fuel their desire to have their own boudoir photography session.
Women decide to have these sessions for their boyfriends, for
their husbands or for themselves. The increase in self-esteem that
they experience as a result of seeing amazing, beautiful images of
themselves can be an incredible, life-changing event for women.
Conversely, when you pick up a camera and photograph a client,
you have a responsibility to show her in the most flattering way
possible. Because just as these images can raise a womans
self-esteem, they can also be devastating when poorly done. The
money can be very nice, but being able to give the gift of
self-esteem to a woman who has never before seen herself as
beautiful is the true reward.
Tips for clients booking a boudoir session
When you find a boudoir photographer you want to book a session
with, call to get the information you need. Price may be a factor
but the quality of the photographers work is so much more
important. You want to make sure that he or she is someone
youre going to be comfortable being photographed by, and that
they have a good reputation and good work in their portfolio.
Think head-to-toe when preparing for your session. Shave or wax,
have your hair cut and touched up (if needed), get a mani pedi,
go shopping and buy things that fit well and that you feel like a
million dollars in when youre wearing them. Dont forget shoes
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and accessories too. If you are a sports fan, or the person the
photographs are intended for is, take along a team jersey or other
memorabilia.
If your photographer doesnt have a stylist they recommend, make
an appointment to have your hair and make-up done immediately
before your session. If you tan, try to tan in a way that minimizes
tan lines, as they can be difficult to retouch and many
photographers make an additional charge to remove them from
your images. If you get a spray tan, be sure to do it at least three
days prior to your session. This will give the colour time to fade
a little and for you to exfoliate any areas that absorbed too much
colour and have turned orange.
The most important thing to remember is, that while its great to
do this as a gift for someone special, the best reason to have
boudoir photos taken is as a gift for yourself. From personal
experience I can assure you that having photos taken by a good
photographer can be absolutely life-changing in the best
possible way. Youll walk just a little bit taller and with more
confidence than ever before.
Use of light natural and artificial
My preference is to use as much natural light as possible. That
said, Im more than happy to supplement it as required, with
reflectors, studio strobes, speedlights even using a sheet on a
flipped-up air bed to bounce light into a scene. My studio has one
wall completely filled with thigh level to ceiling windows, so when
Im shooting there I use that light almost exclusively. When I
shoot in homes or hotels I find that I generally need to
supplement the available light, and my preferred method is to
use two or more speedlights set to master and slave, and almost
always bouncing off the built-in bounce card onto opposing walls
or ceilings to diffuse the light.

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Locations Locations studio, homes, hotels and nature

Boudoir sessions can be shot virtually anywhere. Studios are nice
as you can control all the variables: props, lighting and mood.
Homes can be tough places to shoot when your client has a lot
of clutter, mess or other people in their home at the time of the
session, though strategic angles and a shallow depth of field can
help you to get amazing images even in less than amazing
rooms. However, homes can also be wonderful places to shoot
sessions. When you find yourself in a beautiful home, be sure to
work elements of the decor into your images. Not only can it add
to the elegance of the image, but it can also help personalize the
images to your client.
The same applies to hotels as to homes. Even in a small room,
youll be able to make amazing imagery. Not enough floor space?
Climb up on a chair. Use windows and accents in the room to
add to your images. Again, a shallow depth of field and strategic
angles can be used to make your images clean and classic.
When it comes to outdoor sessions, I am constantly looking for
cool, easy to get to, uncrowded locations. The beach, pools, fields
and even remote parks can make great locations . But whether
you shoot indoors or out, in your studio or in someones home, the
bottom line is that you can create beautiful images anywhere.
Equipment recommended
Camera
Portrait lens 70mm or longer. I know that some
photographers work with wide angle lenses such as the 35mm,
but I find that wider lenses tend to widen clients. Also, when
shooting from above (a very flattering angle), the wider lens
tends to give the client a bobble head appearance
Natural light, speedlights or other similar flash units or
studio lighting

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Posing your client an overview

Having boudoir photos taken can be quite a workout for your
client. Bending, stretching, twisting, tightening abs and getting into
the right pose is equivalent to a fairly strenuous yoga workout.
More than 90% of my clients are sore after their sessions just
like after a good workout. I let them know early on not only that
this will happen, but also (with a big smile) that itll be completely
worth it since they are going to look positively amazing.
When your client first arrives, take a minute to talk to them and
watch their body language. As they move around, youll start to
get a good idea of little things they do that will photograph well.
As youre photographing them look at all the details. Are their
panties a contrasting colour and showing oddly in the images?
Are their bra straps cutting into or pinching their chest? Is the
back of their outfit causing bulges because its too tight? Are their
stockings pinching them in odd ways? Does the client have a
random hair sticking out or up? When looking at these details,
now is the time to make adjustments. This will save you literally
hours of retouching work.
It is very important to ensure that your clients are comfortable. I
have written in detail about this on page 14.
I start nearly all clients off on their tummies in a pose that is
flattering to everyone. From there I rotate them front, back,
side, up, down etc. This is to make sure that we do easy poses
in-between the strenuous poses, to give them a chance to rest and
regroup for the tough ones.
Whenever possible I instruct the client how to get into the right
pose. However for some poses, arms and sometimes breasts
need to be helped into position. When it isnt possible for them
to do this themselves, because their hands are not free or the
position requires adjustments, I ask if I can touch them. I let
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them know exactly what Im doing and why, then make the move:
deliberately and purposefully. It can be a bit awkward, but once
youve got their trust and their confidence level is up, its a lot
easier. Its important to do the poses you think might need those
adjustments AFTER they relax and youve established a good
rapport. For obvious reasons, none of this advice on adjustments is
applicable to male photographers! I would also advise that male
photographers have a chaperone present at all times.
You can take a flattering image of anyone, no matter what their
shape or size, using the right lighting and the right poses, but as
a photographer youre going to come across some people who
are easy to photograph and some who are harder to photograph.
The goal is to be able to photograph everyone well, no matter
what. I remind myself weekly that I cant make anyone look like
something theyre not, but I can make them look the absolute best
that they can be.
Tummy front, side, angled
On side using arms to block off creases in waist, and extra tummy
Back up on elbows, from side, lying flat (shot from the top of
the head)
Standing using large light source to blow out any problem areas
Laid back on couch or chaise with head turned at appropriate
angle to minimize jowl area, arms used to mask problem areas
Variations of the above
Furniture and Props
Every piece of furniture in my studio is used for more than one
purpose. The bureau and armoire are used both as props and for
storage. The chaise has storage under the seat and the bed is used
as a bed as well as serving as a reflector or scrim. The windows have
been frosted with sheer curtains hanging inside the studio. For nearly
every session I use the light from outside (well diffused by the frost
coating on the windows) to light, mask and shape clients for their
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photos. The curtains help to give the images more depth.

I choose to use a queen-size raised air bed instead of a
conventional bed. This puts clients at the correct height for
photographing them in a flattering way, and air can be added or
removed to make the surface firmer (for thinner clients) or softer
(for heavier clients). It is also multi-purpose as you can easily flip
it up to act as a reflector or scrim. I find it very useful to keep a
black fleece blanket on it, covered by a white comforter, just for
this purpose. Naturally when I photograph a client on the bed, I
put a clean sheet on it for reasons of hygiene.
The chaise is a fundamental part of my studio and is used
extensively due to its versatility. A chaise need not be expensive
I picked mine up for less than $300 on eBay and there are at
least 10 poses I can shoot on it. It enables the client to sit or lie
down, giving me multiple angles and poses to choose from.
My bureau was purchased from Ikea for $350. It has plenty of
space for storage and is also used for posing. The client can lean
over it looking in small mirror, sit on the edge, or it can be cleared
of items and the client can lie on it.
Chairs and stools can be used to sit or lean on and are great for
taking headshots as well.
Clothing recommendations
I generally prefer my clients to bring their own lingerie. This can
help the build-up to the shoot as frequently they will go shopping
specifically for it and perhaps choose something they would not
ordinarily wear. This might include high-end bras, panties, baby
dolls, stockings, corsets and of course shoes. This makes the whole
experience feel a little special and unique. I try to recommend
stores that recommend me, in addition to the national chains. It
is important that whatever the client decides upon fits correctly.
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Many women are fixated on the size label inside their clothing.
What this means to us as photographers is that they sometimes
purchase clothing based on the size and not on the fit. Having
clothing options available gives me some choices if an outfit is so
tight that its cutting into the client. Thongs are a perfect example
of this. If you are going to shoot a lady wearing one then make
sure it is one size too large, otherwise the skin can be pushed up.
Fredericks of Hollywood and Victorias Secret are staples of
nearly every mall in America. Hips and Curves (.com) has
amazing and flattering clothing for plus-sized clients. Many cities
also have cute little boutique lingerie stores. Ross & Marshalls
has amazing deals on adorable lingerie as well. In the UK, stores
such as La Senza, Ann Summers, Agent Provocateur and Rigby &
Peller offer fantastic selections, as do many department stores.
I recommend clients to bring four to six outfits with them, but advise
them that we usually only have time for shooting three or four.
Relaxing your client and putting her at ease
Boudoir photography is all about the lady: her sexiness, her look
and her body. It is far removed from Glamour photography, as
the image should show finesse and elegance and leave the viewer
wanting to see just a little bit more. It is a celebration of the lady
herself and quite often shot specifically for her and no-one else. We
need to find a way to show this in our work, so that our
images will really shine. Some ladies will naturally be very emotive
and easy to work with, but most of the time we need to help them.
I think it is fair to say that in some countries people are more
reserved than others: they are not as outgoing or confident having
their photographs taken as others. Some will actually dread
having themselves photographed in their lingerie due to their
shyness or insecurities about how they look. We can help the more
shy ones overcome their anxieties, or make the most from the
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shoot with those who are naturally more open and comfortable
about their bodies.
Developing a connection starts at the initial meeting before you
have even been booked. Here you explain how you work so they
are familiar with your style. You may also have to look hard at
yourself and how you project yourself to them. What is your
personality type? It is worth remembering that ladies will book
you not only on your work but also on how much they like and
trust you as a person. If you are male then the last thing you want
to do is appear to be pervy, so ensure you remain professional
at all times.
The most important thing when you meet is to treat the client
like a really good friend and not like a customer. The lady will
instantly warm to you, but do not go overboard with this. It is all
about balance. Try to imagine how you would feel meeting your
bank manager if he was very serious and solemn, or if instead he
gave you a warm welcome and took a personal interest in you.
This book is not meant to delve into psychology, so if you find it
hard to interact with others I suggest you undertake further
reading for more detailed information.
How many times has someone said to you: I hate my photograph
being taken? The reason is generally because they have only
ever had images taken by their friends, using a wide angle or
extreme close-up lens, on a compact camera with direct flash. It
is no wonder they do not like images of themselves! By showing
them how amazing they can look in photographs with you behind
the camera you will naturally break down this belief.
Start with the basics and let the lady ease into the shoot.
Demonstrate how to pose, as you need to build up to the wow
shots. Remember that this may be the first time they have been
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photographed professionally. Build their confidence all the time.

You have to make them feel how you want them to look. The tone
of your voice has a bearing on how your client responds to you.
Use it to control the shot: perhaps be louder and more jovial to
make her laugh, and speak more softly to capture intimacy. Try
this it really does work. The amount of energy you create will
have a direct impact on how your subject acts.
I find that it can help if you can laugh and joke whilst shooting, to
capture emotion. It does not matter how silly you feel as long as you
achieve a positive reaction. I often ask a client to laugh at the floor!
It is vitally important, if you wish to develop a strong connection
leading to meaningful photographs, that you use only poses that
are flattering to the lady. For example, if you have a plus size
lady who is quite introverted, then building up to a high fashion
pose is probably not the right approach. You need to listen to the
lady and view how she poses herself naturally. If she looks or
feels silly then the resulting image is likely to show that. If she is
naturally full of fun and humour then a sultry pose may not work.
The idea is to bring out her natural personality and to make a
connection. Some poses will be a little uncomfortable and hard to
pull off but are designed to minimise size, so ultimately they are
worth it.
Speak to the lady between locations. How does she feel? Is she
relaxed and feeling confident? Can you involve her and ask her to
come up with a pose or location? You need her to trust you and
think of you as a friend. A very good way to achieve this is by
asking her questions about herself and taking a genuine interest
in her. Everyone finds it easier to talk about themselves than
having to think of something to say to you. Ask open-ended
questions to which there is not an easy yes or no answer. Look at
her body language too, which can tell you so much about how she
is feeling. Is she hiding from you with crossed arms and looking
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defensive, or has she adopted an open posture, suggesting she is

receptive to ideas and to what you want her to do? Remember
to smile a lot as well and encourage her tell her how great she
is doing. If you look at the back of the camera and have taken a
bad shot then be careful not to let her know, in case she assumes
it is her fault. Just say you would like to do it again for a slightly
different look.
Expressions - how to get natural, real expressions from clients
with no modeling experience. Think about when a woman is at
her sexiest its often when shes smiling or laughing. Theres
just something sexy and flirtatious about a genuine smile. Some
women can smile with their eyes but others just look angry
without a smile on their face. Its funny but many of the women
that can smile with their eyes learned it by watching Americas
Next Top Model. Gotta love Tyra Banks and her modelling lessons.
Smile with your eyes = Smize! :D
The way that I get genuine smiles from my clients is by getting
the woman into the right pose then asking her to laugh at me
because Im weird, laugh at the floor because its carpet
basically anything silly to get her to drop her guard and really
smile from the inside out.
Why do boudoir for clients (and photographers)
Magazines and other media fill our heads with what is the
perfect image of beauty. The truth is that all images on
magazines, movie posters and even on television are extensively
retouched,which makes their version of beauty pretty much a lie.
Dove recently started an ad campaign showing real women that
are comfortable in their skin no matter what their shape or size.
It helps but sadly the damage has already been done to the selfesteem of women of all ages. Sadly too many women have never
looked in a mirror and seen their beauty.

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Working with stylists

I was very lucky early on to meet several great stylists that Ive
developed a great working relationship with. I have found that
clients will tell me if they are a stylist or makeup artist just in
casual conversation. If I like their hair and makeup, Ill get a card
from them and add them to my list of people to call.
You can also get stylists by talking to and getting recommendations
from salon owners. Ive added several stylists to my list by doing
shoots for salons and I have the added bonus of getting to display
my work and business cards in their salons. You can also call the
cosmetology schools and get recommendations from the instructors.
Retouching
This is a slightly controversial area. My preferance is to keep the
images as natural as possible with very little or no retouching.
I do not want any images where a lady looks like plastic and
totally unnatural and the last thing that is desired is for their
significant other to look at the images and notice any very obvious
retouching.
This can be a little hard for some ladies to understand and
appreciate initially. They are so accustomed to seeing overly
worked images in magazines and reading about retouching they
believe it is the only way to bring out the best in them. This is far
from the truth and I take time to explain that heavy retouching
is unnessasary in most cases. By posing correctly, shooting in
flattering light with a wide open lens along with the strategic use
of props and placement of limbs we largely negate the need for
heavy post production.
I shoot sessions knowing that the client will see their images
mostly un-retouched when coming back for their purchasing
session. This means that I am very careful to get as much right
in the camera as possible. If I have to sacrifice one trouble spot
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over another, I always leave the spot that is easiest to retouch

showing. Not only does this save me time behind my computer
(or paying my re-toucher), it also looks more natural. Soon, with
practice it becomes instinctive to shoot correctly.
After each session I go through the images and cull out blurs,
blinks and uglies. I typically show 60-80 images from a session.
This may seem high but one of my best selling products is a coffee
table book that has about 35-40 images in. It is important to have
various image choices for this.
At this stage only one or two images are retouched to
demonstrate the quality the final images will be. This works well
for me as I get as much right in camera as possible. If I had to
do heavy Photoshop work this method would not work. As I am
shooting to get things correct in camera the images are 80-90%
fine already so a very good representation of the final image. The
other often overlooked benefit of this is client confidence. They
know that models in magazines have lots of re-touching applied
but can see for themselves that they in fact need hardly any.
When images have been selected and orders placed we go
through and retouch every image lightly. Moving the line at the
armpit just a touch when needed makes a lot of difference in how
a woman views her arm size, retouching under the eyes,
removing acne and bruises is most of what we do.
Occasionally I have a client that wants a lot of retouching and
while its not my style, I do my best to give the client what they
want. I simply remember that LONG after Im done working with
and looking at their images that they will be enjoying them. As
such, the images should be as the client desires.

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Marketing
A business can only survive if you have customers who are willing
to purchase your services and products at the price you wish to
charge. This is a fundamental prerequisite for the survival of
your business and is achieved through marketing and sales. These
subjects alone are the basis of thousands of books so I strongly
suggest you undertake further reading and study these complex
subjects at length. I would, however, love to give you a brief
overview of what works for me and keeps me pretty much fully
booked!
I work very hard on my reputation, on giving excellent service,
and on being approachable and contactable. This generates a
great deal of word-of-mouth marketing, which ensures my name
is being mentioned regularly. This proves invaluable when I
visit lingerie boutiques and salons and talk to the owners about
marketing my services. Word-of-mouth is backed-up with print
ads, and social marketing via Facebook and MySpace postings,
and the meetup.com website. I use these online media to create a
buzz amongst my readers and their friends, and consequently get
bookings for individual shoots, boudoir parties, Girls Nights Out
and Open House events.
I find that it is important to meet the professional people my
potential clients might visit, and to develop relationships with
them. These include plastic surgeons, personal trainers, gym
professionals and home party companies, who can provide me
with valuable leads from their client base. Making the effort to do
this has paid me untold dividends, by generating lots of positive
talk amongst my target market.
However, it is not enough to just make contact and ask them to
refer clients to you. It is vital to maximize the benefit of these
contacts by using them to actively market your services for you.
To do this it is important to create a win-win situation, where
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you both have the opportunity to benefit. A perfect example of

this would be me suggesting that I create a special offer for my
services, unique to them. This offer can then be marketed to
their clients, perhaps by placing a certificate in the bag whenever
someone makes a purchase or spends over a certain amount. The
result is that I get more business through free advertising, and my
contacts benefit by offering added value to their clients.
This approach provides me with a constant stream of bookings.
Each one is pre-qualified, by me detailing my pricing before
the shoot and charging a session fee. After the shoot I can then
be confident that the client will be in a position to purchase a
reasonable amount of product.
General Business Principles
Before clients call me it is usual for them to view my work on my
blog and website. An interesting fact is that my blog generates
75% more traffic than my website. However ALL of my enquiries
come in via the website or phone, and none through the blog.
I believe having both a blog and a website is important, as I feel
that potential clients will look at my blog for my most current
work but will use a website to check that my work is
consistent, that I am legitimate (not just a creep with a
camera) and as a means of making contact with me.
I try (but dont always succeed) to blog at least three times a
week. I also post at least once a week on Facebook to tell people
that I have just blogged. I can attribute to these posts a marked
increase in blog and web traffic, thanks to web/blog stats that let
me know what incoming links are being followed. While people
may not call right away, I have been successful in planting the
seed in their brains. When people see posts with consistently good
work, they will call eventually.

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A quick note about Facebook: I do friend clients on my personal

page and interact with them weekly, if not daily. I do this because
I genuinely like them and it has the added benefit of keeping the
buzz going and fostering very easy word-of-mouth. With every
image that is purchased as a print, in an album or as other
products, I also give them a web-sized file to put on their partners
phone, in a digital frame or on Facebook. Ive consistently been
amazed at how proud and brave my clients are in posting their
images. This little add-on has been a HUGE source of referrals,
as each woman posts her photos, her friends get excited and then
they call me to shoot their own sessions.
While I do shoot nudes and some more racy images, I do not
show these on my site or blog. They are mentioned on both, and
shown discreetly in sample albums in the studio for people who
are interested in having nudes shot. I am generally asked to show
breasts but not girly bits, though I will shoot in more of a
Playboy style if requested. There are so many ways to show the
human form in a beautiful and tasteful manner, and I use legs,
shadows and angles to hide what I want to hide and show what is
supposed to show.
I have what I call a bathing suit rule with regard to online
images. If the image shows the same or less skin than is seen
on the beach, its good to post. If more skin is showing, I either
dont show the image at all or only show it in the studio. The
reason for this is two-fold. Firstly, there are enough internet sites
where truly provocative images can be found, and my site just
isnt one of them. Secondly, by showing only the more modest
images, I book more clients who appreciate the fact that I show
only images I have releases for (I mention this repeatedly), that
the images are very tasteful, and that they are all beautiful no
matter the age, shape or size of the woman featured. Thankfully
Ive developed a very good reputation for being careful with client
images, and as a result more than 90% of my clients sign model
24

releases, cant wait to refer my services and are happy to be

featured on the blog and website.
My studio policy is crystal clear regarding model releases and
the use of client images. Unless a client signs a model release,
her images are not seen by anyone who is not staff or part of my
lab and album printers staff. As a matter of fact, all the work
displayed on my site, blog and in my studio is client images:
not one model in the bunch. Like most photographers Ive had
amazing shoots with clients who did not feel comfortable signing
a release. No matter how badly you want to show those images,
dont. Word will eventually get back to that client and the end
result wont be good. People talk, and if they cant trust you,
believe me, their friends wont trust you either, and you will have
cut off what is potentially a great word-of-mouth client.
I know that many people are modest. They worry about their
family, children and friends recognizing them in images. So
I know that unless I come up with sexy yet relatively modest
images, that selling large wall portraits will be difficult if not
impossible. With this in mind I always take a few anonymous
images that can easily be shown off as art. The heel of the shoe
caught in the thong is a great image for a womans dressing room
or rest room. Shots with the eyes downcast or even with the eyes
cropped out of the frame always sell well in larger sizes.
Pricing
This is a very complex issue and there is no general answer
except: do not be cheap! Everyones situation is different so you
need to work out what you personally need to charge. This will
depend on various factors, including your overheads and how
much you need as a salary to cover all your bills and house
payments, whilst still making a profit and having enough money to
enjoy life and invest back into the business.

25

To do this you need to consider every cost associated with your

business and life. Factor in equipment (pro rata), retouching, props
and clothing that you provide, consumables, cost of goods and, of
course, your time for each session.
Presentation of Images
After every session I print up a unique thank you card featuring my
favourite image from the clients session, and mail it to her with a
handwritten note inside. When she comes back to see her images,
we show her an Animoto slide show with my favourite images in
it, then go through all of her images using Proselect and a 37 flat
screen TV. Ive found that I can also do this on location in clients
homes using their TV/DVD player and a laptop. Using the laptop
alone to go through the images shows them a little bit small, but it
is still preferable to online galleries.
After the client places her order, I put her images online on a
private, password-protected gallery so that she can look through
the images and share them with her friends. Ive found that clients
friends will book with me after seeing the images online. The
online images are heavily watermarked and are only uploaded
after the client has placed her order, so Im not concerned about
her lifting images instead of buying them.
Shoot to sell
I shoot sessions with full coffee table albums and wall portraits in
mind. Also, be sure to display what you want to sell. I have sample
albums in the studio ranging from a ten image 4x6 self-mount
album to a 9x12 coffee table-style album. I also have large
wall portraits with boudoir images on display. It helps to sell
those items because clients will have an easier time visualizing
purchasing them when they can hold them in their hands or see
them on the wall. I also have samples of some novelty items, such
as handbags, wallets, playing cards and even mouse pads.

26

Pinup and Vintage Inspired

This is one area that is a personal favourite of mine. While I have
some clients who come in specifically for this look, sometimes a
client will come in with the look already and I will take it and
run. For planned shoots I have some hair flowers and lingerie
available. I can also bring some additional props to the studio
upon request: for example, a guitar, microphone, upright bass
guitar, balloons and a vintage style feather fan. There are many
clothing retailers online that specialize in vintage style clothing. A
favourite of mine is www.StopStaringClothing.com. You can also
find models and vendors on www.PinupLifestyle. com.

27

A Beach Session with Amanda

Clients love going to the beach. There is plenty
of space, infinite good light and a multitude
of poses that require no props. The beach is
conducive to being playful and having fun,
which will encourage your client to loosen up
and give you some very natural expressions.
Although sometimes difficult, early mornings
are a very good time to visit as the light is
softer and there and not likely to be many
people around.

The images below demonstrate the difference small changes can make.
Amanda is sitting down and upright in the left image with her arms on
her knees. It is a nice image, but if you ask your client to kneel down and
lean slightly forward you can see the difference. It slims the arms and
shoulders and you can see the waistline creating a far more flattering
image. Give yourself options and shoot one image with eyes to camera
and one with them away.

28

This shot looks perfectly

acceptable on initial viewing,
but if you look a little more
closely you will see that the
bikini top is pinching against
the skin. Correcting this is
a simple case of pulling the
top away from the skin and
repositioning it. It is a very
small point but one that not
only shows your
attention to detail but also
demonstrates your
professionalism. If you are
male, ask the lady to do this
herself.

29

The image above shows how a hand placement can also hide pinched
skin. Note how Amandas mouth is slightly open and she is looking down.
Having Amanda up on her elbows, legs leaned into each other, makes for
a nice pose when photographed from above her. A variation would be to
have her drop her head back and photograph her from a lower angle.

30

In the image above it looks as though Amanda has only one leg. You can
see from the image below the difference it makes being able to see both.
It is important that the feet are brought together as well.

31

I like to shoot in manual exposure at the beach for a couple of reasons,

the main one being that it will keep the exposure constant so that
processing is far more straightforward. If you are shooting in A or S
mode, your camera will constantly give a different reading due to the
varying amount of sky and ocean you have included in your composition.

32

Having the client roll around

slowly in the sand and watching
her move helps to get her just wet
enough and lets you see which
poses are the most flattering for
her.
Observation is a key skill and one
that you should be able to do
naturally. This is only possible
when you fully understand your
camera and exposure. If you are
constantly looking at the settings
you have dialled in, or chimping,
then you cannot watch your model.

The image on the opposite

page, and the two on this page,
are basically the same pose
but shot from different angles
and distances. This is a really
important advantage of shooting
at the beach: you have plenty of
space available, so use it and move
around freely looking for different
angles and heights to shoot from.
33

I took the two images on this page

to demonstrate the importance
of timing and when to press the
shutter. In the top image Amandas
legs are crossing over one another,
causing her hips to be facing the
camera and her thighs to look
larger. This is a common mistake
which you need to avoid.

In this image taken just a second

or two later, we can clearly see
a gap between Amandas legs
and the hips are at an angle to
the camera. By timing your shot
carefully you can create a far
more flattering image and save
yourself editing time later. It also
makes it a more saleable image.

34

Again, on the surface this image

looks perfectly acceptable, but
we can improve it significantly as
outlined below.

By asking Amanda to arch her

back and twist her arm around we
have made a beautiful curve that
extends and flows up her arms. It
has the added benefit of flattening
her tummy, which every lady will
love! In addition to this I have
changed my shooting position
slightly to eliminate the horizon
line cutting through the top of
Amandas head.

35

A Session with Charmaine

The image on the left below was shot diagonally to give a pleasing line. I
pulled Charmaines hair outwards to give it volume and body, which every
lady with long hair loves, instead of leaving it lying flat. I asked her to
raise her left knee a little, which thins the thighs and makes them more
pleasing to the eye. Charmaines arm is placed away from her body to
give separation, and her hand is placed at the top of her thigh. When your
client is wearing a necklace try to ensure it is a heavy one as this will
stay in place more easily than a lighter one. If you have no option then
tape it down so that it remains in the correct position.
Below left and right these are very similar images but with some
crucial differences. I have moved to the right a little so Charmaine is
more straight-on to the camera. I have asked her to roll her hips to the
left and arch her back. The image is not perfect though: the whites of her
eyes are very prominent, which is something we need to avoid. This is a
very common error and one that is very easy to overcome. To correct it,
simply ask your client to look at a point above you and not actually at you.
You can see the far more pleasing results on the facing page.

36

37

This is the room in which the session was shot using a mix of available light
and bounced flash. In the image below we have Charmaine on her side, legs
together, with her arm draped over where her tummy creases. We could
improve this image by taking her left arm and sliding it forward a few inches.

38

In the image above, Charmaine has her legs a little apart and straight
up. When asked to bring them back towards her bottom and move them
closer together it greatly enhances the image. Note how this is taken on
the same bed but this time backlit to give a totally different look.

39

While the image on the top left is cute, having Charmaine move her
elbow out has covered up some wrinkling on her back. The wrinkling
happens to everyone so do look out for it. Below left I asked Charmaine
to stretch up tall and look out of the window past me. Her left arm is
covering her back where the skin has folded up a little from twisting.
Below right having Charmaine laugh at a person in the room, or even at
a piece of furniture, creates a cute and playful look.

40

Mirrors are a nice way of getting an alternative look and images.

Showing Charmaines body and reflection gave the image a slightly
voyeuristic feel. Shooting her with the reflection of the decor helps to
give the image a different kind of depth.

41

For each shot on this page Ive instructed Charmaine to look away from
me, at me, down at the bed and again away from me. When I asked her
to move her right leg forward, I had her pull her skirt down to keep
her girly bits covered. Youll want to make sure that they are either
masked with fabric or by a dark shadow.

42

You can see how asking Charmaine to move around has created better
images as the session progressed. When she is seated you see the creases
at the ribs, but by moving her arm down it is corrected. Having her kneel
up really leans her out. Note the sun coming in to her rear also thins her
out a little.

43

This is a cute pose. However, moving her arms back directly to the
side of her breasts will help in positioning her breasts more together.
She can then cross one arm over to mask her nipples if desired.
44

This is a position that shows creases on nearly everyone. This is one

pose that I would carry out some light retouching on, to minimize
this bulging.
45

A Session with Deanne

Using a simple prop of a white sheet
and some shoes, weve got a great
look for Deanne. Since she is a fullerfigured woman it is imperative to
position her arms in a flattering way to
minimize her weight.
Having her stretch up as much as
possible will elongate her neck and
make her appear slimmer and less
bunched up.

46

Something important to remember about using a sheet is that you do

not want the client wrapped up in it, as doing so will create unnecessary
bulk. Its important to take these shots after a client has become
comfortable as youll want her in little or no clothing. Get her into
position and then place the absolute minimum amount of sheet needed
to cover what you want covered.
When you shoot Boudoir in a studio or your own home, hygiene is
imperative and everything must be washed after each session before
using it again.
The three images on this spread are quite similar, but with and without
glasses and a portrait and landscape option. This is very useful if offering
albums as it maximises your design options.

47

Shooting a fuller woman from above while she is on her back can be
unflattering. Note the creased forehead, added bulk in the mid-section
and splayed out legs in the image above.
To correct this, ask your client to raise her knees and rock her head back
at an exaggerated angle. If you now shoot from on top of her head you
can create a beautiful image. One of the added benefits of having the
head rocked back is that it helps to push the breasts up, which then hides
the tummy.
Be careful not to use a wide angle lens though, or her head will be very
distorted and unnatural.
48

49

In the image above, Deanne has her shoulder up and her chin down,
which accentuates her fuller jaw line. By contrast, in the image below she
is stretching her shoulders down, has rocked her head back and has used
her arms to give her breasts a boost. It is a huge difference.

50

The images on the left show two

very small changes. Simply by
changing the angle of Deannes
head and which hand shes holding
the sheet up with, I have created
a very different look.
As mentioned previously it is
really important to be able to
show a good selection of images
to your client. I am always
looking to sell an album and at
the time of shooting I cannot be
100% certain what the clients
preferences are. By shooting with
an album in mind, and therefore
with multiple variations, I am
covering my bases. The more
pages I can sell in an album the
more money I can make.

51

A Session with Karen

We started with front and side
images to demonstrate how not to
photograph a fuller-figured client.
In my experience fuller-figured
clients know that they are not
petite but still want to look as
slim as possible without any
manipulation in Photoshop. They
want to see an image of themselves
and know it is 100% them.
I often see images of fullerfigured ladies that could easily
have been made more flattering by
enhanced posing techniques.
On the next two pages you
can clearly see that there are
alternative angles that minimize
problem areas and flatter the client.
The image on the opposite page
clearly shows the difference
shooting from a side view can
make. As the client is already
seated I am naturally higher than
her, ensuring she looks up at me
which helps to give a better jaw
line and thins the chin.

52

53

This is a cute image but it could be significantly improved. One key

element for improvement is to ensure your client keeps her hands off her
tummy (unless shes pregnant) as it draws attention to that area. Below,
Ive moved above her and requested she moves her hands down to her
thighs. The breasts are now completely hiding her tummy area.

54

I love this pose. However you will need to get your clients head rocked
back just a tiny bit more in order not to get her eyes looking as if they
are rolling out of her head. You can accomplish this by asking her to scoot
a few inches towards you. Below is a nice variation of the same pose.
Have her keep her chin up but look down. This is sexy and demure.

55

The image on the left demonstrates what

a flattering pose this was for her. I have
hidden the mid-section and posed the
hands very elegantly, whilst positioning
the body at a slight angle. The ankles are
crossed and she is looking up at me.

In the shot below you can see that by

shooting from above and at an angle I
have used the arm of the chaise lounge to
hide her mid-section, resulting in a very
flattering full body image. I have crossed
the legs at the calf and ensured her arms
are positioned away from her body.

56

By having Karen swing her

legs down to the floor and
lean forward, we get a great
image. Note that her left arm is
obscuring her mid-section.

Below this is a great pose on

a soft air mattress. However
on the firm chaise its not as
flattering. This could have been
improved by photographing it
more from the front.

57

On both pages note the difference between photographing the client

from above and photographing her from the top of her head. Dropping
the head back and using the arms to give the breasts support and the
hands to cover the creases at the armpits makes all the difference in
the world.
These are changes that took literally seconds to make and yet saved me
many minutes of retouching time.
I have also allowed the bottom of Karens negligee to drop a little to
show her legs, making the images that little bit more sexy whilst
maintaining finesse.
Note again how these are almost identical poses, but captured from
different angles and orientations.
58

59

The images on both of these pages again demonstrate that by shooting

from a low angle you can use the breasts to hide your clients mid-section.
In the image above I have focussed on Karens lips, which is a very
sensual approach.
60

61

A Session with Trisha

The shot on the left was taken before the
stylist did Trishas hair and make-up.

As you can see from this

image, photographing her
from the front, standing
upright, isnt particularly
flattering. It maximises
Trishas size and is simply
not saleable.
62

Turning Trisha to the side and

shooting from up against the wall,
or having her lean forward at the
hips, has a much more pleasing
look than the first image on the
previous page.

When youre shooting a angle,

watch out for which leg should
be slightly popped up at the knee,
to help create more of an S
curve by pushing one hip out and
compressing the waist a little.
Sometimes this can be enough to
make your client look a tiny bit
hourglass shaped, even if shes
fuller in the waist.

63

Using the curtain as a mask for Trishas tummy was far more flattering
than the side photo taken initially. With the images below, I asked Trisha
to bend forward at the hips, in an effort to move the breasts forward and
the waist back. These images would benefit from a tiny bit of liquify: just
enough to flatten the bulges slightly as shown on the image on the right.

64

65

On the previous page, you can see how to

use drapes and a strong light source to
mask problem areas. With some clients
you do need to use just a touch of liquify.
Just try to get things as correct as possible
in camera, then youll see that a little hint
of liquify is all youll need.

On this page as well as the

opposite page, you can see
how getting in closer and
shooting from above creates
very flattering images.

When shooting wide open,

as I almost always do, be
careful to focus on the eyes.
This is especially important
with this style of shot, as
you are relatively close and
a loss of focus on the eyes
will result from even just a
slight movement.
66

67

A Session with Yvonne

I love to use different props
whenever possible, and in this
session you can see how a simple
stool can be used very effectively,
especially in conjunction with a
business lady themed session.
The background consists of two
polar fleece blankets: one on a
background stand and one on
the floor. I use these instead of a
muslin because they are durable,
washable and remain wrinklefree. As in almost all of my shoots,
only natural light was used.
In the image above left, I have
simply asked Yvonne to perch her
bottom on the edge of the stool
and fill her top, which causes
her to arch her back and push
her breasts forward. It is an okay
shot, but I far preferred it after I
asked her to bring her right leg up
to the mid-calf level.
On the opposite page I have
turned Yvonne around and simply
asked her to kick her heel up
towards her bottom. Look at the
beautiful shape created by her
arched back. This is very simple
and very effective but only really
works with petite ladies.
68

69

A pen and notepad take Yvonne from

being just a sexy businesswoman to
looking more like a sexy secretary. It
is another option and a little cheeky.
Note how Yvonne has crossed her
legs at the knees and placed one foot
on the stool.

The image to the right gives the

impression that Yvonne is requesting
the viewer to follow her.

70

With a quick change of clothing we went to more of a pinup look, on the

same white background. The military themed look is very popular with
ladies who have partners in the armed forces serving abroad.
When posing a client with her leg up, I love to use the leg closest to the
camera as I find that it tends to slim the thigh a little. When 100% of the
weight is on the forward thigh, it tends to bulge slightly, much like when
you lean back on your arm. Encourage some playful expressions and
movement from your client.

71

Tastefully Topless
Try using a military helmet (you can
use any hat or jacket) to cover the
breasts just enough to make sure the
nipples stay out of sight. This allows
you still to show just enough of the
underside and side of the breast to
be sexy, without being over the top.
It is advisable only to do this type
of themed shoot with clients who
are very comfortable and confident
about their bodies, otherwise their
anxieties will show. It is also best
to shoot this type of image near the
end of a session when confidence is
high but your client still has a lot of
energy to give maximum effort.

Opposite page I asked Yvonne

to lie on the floor to enable me to
shoot in landscape orientation.
Both are technically the same pose.
However moving in closer gives the
shot a different feel. Notice how
gently she is holding the helmet and
how her legs are bent. It can be
quite hard on the abdomen muscles
so only ask your client to raise her
legs when you are ready to shoot.
These are all lit by a large window
to the models right, with the airbed
flipped up and covered with a white
blanket, creating just enough fill light.
72

73

Using hands to cover the breasts. This is a tricky business as you want to
give the breasts a bit of support and keep the nipples covered, yet you do
not want to squash the breasts into an unnatural shape. Whilst I like the
image on the left, I feel that the head position of the image on the right is
better, and I prefer the way Yvonne is leaning back and has her leg raised.

74

A couple of vintage-style suitcases (bought for less than $30 at Cost Plus
World Market) give the images a completely different feel. When youre
positioning a coat over a topless woman, its important to remember
that your view from in front of the client will be different from the
perspective from her side (which is where youll be shooting from). Keep
this in mind when positioning the coat to cover the nipples, yet show just
enough of the side of her breasts to add that little bit of sexiness.
You can see the difference it makes by having Yvonne look behind and smile.
My goal with these images is to show just enough skin that you want to
reach in and move the coat to show more.

75

76

A change of position (image at far

left) gives a completely different
feel. Note: fixing the seam where
the two blankets meet takes no
longer than a minute with the
brush and/or dodge tool if it
shows in some images. One quick
method I have discovered is to
select the Dodge Tool and make
sure Highlights are selected, and
then brush over the affected area.

Having the client topless with the

suitcase propped up in front of
her gives yet another look to the
images. With pinup or vintage style
images, youll find that expressions
really do help make a shot.
77

Biker Chic...
Still using the same white
background, you can see how the
change in clothing takes Yvonnes
session from pinup style to more
of a fashion look.

With this look we were going for

a sexy girl, Top Gun feel. The
Ray-Ban Aviators and leather
jacket really made the look. All
that was missing for this part of
her shoot was a 1985 Kawasaki
Ninja motorcycle.

78

Different positions gave us more

variety. Glasses on, glasses tipped
down, glasses in the teeth and
even a shot from behind. With
this shot I asked Yvonne to keep
her body facing the background
as much as possible and turn her
head as far as she could just as
if she was glancing behind to wink
at her man.

Keep in mind that a shot from

behind is very difficult to achieve
without using Photoshop, with
all but the slimmest of models.
I generally run images through
Portraiture set to default
which smoothes out most minor
imperfections.

79

A Session with Jen

After a quick before shot, Jen put on this adorable corset. Since she is a busty lady, we had to
remember to keep pulling it up in order to keep
her breasts covered. A window ledge and curtains
were our set for this portion of the shoot.

I often have clients perch on the window ledge and use the curtains to
mask off any problem areas. Jen is very close to a normal sized girl:
not rail thin and not heavy. When she just leaves some space between her
arms and waist it does wonders to accentuate her figure. The pink in her
lingerie really works well with her black hair and black stockings.

80

81

Shooting from above can hide problem areas, and give the
appearance of added height for the client.
82

Shooting from a little higher provides yet another perspective.

83

Next I laid Jen down on the bed. You can see how her breast wrinkles
slightly at the armpit, as breasts will naturally head towards that area
when someone is lying down. With her head back and at an angle, were
able to see Jens eyes and gorgeous smile without her forehead being
wrinkled. In the example on this page I asked her to kick her leg out to
show her calf and foot. You can do this shot with the legs together, and as
shown on the previous two pages, for slightly different looks. They are all
very sexy.

84

The image to the left is one of my

staples as it is flattering to literally
everyone. With her head rocked
back, one hand covering the wrinkle
at the armpit, and the other holding
up her skirt , this shot is sure to be
purchased.

A variation of the shot above, but

with the legs completely rocked
over to the left. The elbow is bent
at an angle to accentuate the
S curve, and the hand is resting
on the hip to draw the viewers
attention from the face to the rest
of the body. With her face and eyes
looking demurely down, this image
is tame enough to be considered
wall art.

85

A side view of the same pose on the preceding page.

Putting Jen up on her elbows and looking back at me creates yet another look.

86

With Jen up on her side,

shooting close first and then
from farther away offers more
options. Its important to ask
the client to really stretch up,
so that she looks long and lean.
It may feel a little unnatural for
her but the results really make
it worth her extra effort to get
the pose working .

These were all taken on the

airbed. The only difference is
that I put a red satin sheet on
it and red drapes behind. This
gives a completely different look
and creates a warm feeling.

87

Be sure to walk around the client

a little when photographing her.
Youll never know how many
different images youll get from
the same pose unless you do.
More staple shots lying on the
bed shot from an angle, and up
on tummy and elbows. These are
two shots that are flattering to
virtually everyone.

88

89

A Session with Raquel

We decided to go to a local equestrian
facility for these images. The lighting was
great and the hay barn gave us stacks
of hay to pose her on. Since Raquel has
a bit of a tummy, a plaid shirt gave us
the cover that we needed to make these
images flattering without Photoshop.

The two images on this page

are very similar but with one
key difference: in the image to
the left I have asked Raquel to
bring her right foot forward.
Which do you prefer?
Opposite lying Raquel
down with her head hanging
over the edge of a bale
of hay gave us two totally
different looks in the same
location. I have volumised
her hair to show off its body.
Next page - the first side
image is cute, but facing the
bales of hay and shooting
from an angle gave us a
picture-perfect image.

90

91

92

93

Lying Raquel down on the hay gave us more options. Sometimes you need
to work up to the shot which you can see opposite. It is very saleable.

94

95

If you have access to a horse, you get a bit more variety. You can
lift the horses head and swing in, in front of your client, for more
coverage if needed.
96

There are two things to note about this shot. The first is that it
wouldnt be safe to do this with most horses. This one has been
extensively trained to be safe. Also, be careful to not shoot up a
clients skirt. Had we not been drawing a bit of a crowd, I would have
had Raquel move her left knee up to hide the underside of her skirt.
97

A Session with Andrea

With her full, curvy figure, Andrea is
perfect to demonstrate bathing suit
images. The first image is of her straight
on which is not particularly flattering.

The second image is better,

with her hips turned to
the side, shoulders twisted
to the left and the knee
nearest me popped up just a
little. I like to shoot images
like this as it warms up
the client. She will not
purchase them but it is an
opportunity to instruct her
on how to pose well, which
makes life a lot easier as the
shoot progresses.
98

Again, the front shot. This is cute but

it could be better. Note how the tree
appears to be growing out of her head,
which is not something that I want.

Now Ive got Andrea turned towards the

side. This is more flattering but it could
still be better. I have moved around to fix
the tree issue.

Finally I have asked Andrea to lean

forward at the hips, tighten her abs,
bring her left arm back, put her glasses
between her teeth and smile. Andrea has
a fuller neck so Ive also asked her to
stretch her chin out. I now have an image
that she loves.

99

In the image above, Andrea is resting and appears a bit compressed.

Asking her to stretch up makes her appear thinner and more elongated.
I have also created more space between her torso and arms.

100

101

Different angles of the same pose make little differences that count.
Adding the sunglasses changes the look too.

Here Andrea is propped up sitting

in a pool float. The images are cute
but they are not really working as
they appear a little too snapshot,
which as professionals we want
to avoid at all costs. The water
has also magnified her size and
compressed her body, whereas
we actually want to achieve the
opposite.
A better way to shoot a client on
a pool float is to have her on her
tummy instead, as you can see on
the next page.
102

The pool float sinks Andrea into the water just enough to make her body
appear smaller. As you can see from this image, stretching her head up
makes her neck appear longer.

103

Standing on the pool deck shooting

down makes for very flattering
images. Shooting quite tightly
eliminates the distortion from the
water on Andreas lower half.
When you shoot images with the
clients arms down, be sure to have
them out to the sides, as in the
image to the left.

A sexy, sultry, yet serious look, and

a beaming smile, both work well
for this pose.

104

Add a floppy hat or cowboy hat

and youve got a different look.
Note that Andreas hands are up
and playing with the brim of the
hat in the image below.

105

A Session with Teresa

With Teresa I blacked out
everything in the studio and used
modelling lights as continuous
lighting. While I like the colour
images, in black and white they
really have great impact.
With the image on the right I
wanted to demonstrate how, if you
dont have the head back quite far
enough, the forehead crinkles up.
When Teresa puts her head back
just a tiny bit more, those forehead
wrinkles go away. The amount of
wrinkles is individual to each client.
In Teresas case they were quite
subtle, as you can see below.

106

107

With the images below, I wanted

specifically to show how a small
adjustment of the nightie strap made
a HUGE difference in how the arm
and armpit looked.

108

When shooting from above, you

can take two variations of the
same image: one with the eyes
down and one with the eyes
looking at the camera.

Teresas head is rocked back

significantly so that I can photograph
her from directly on top, which pushes
her breasts up, hides her tummy and
flatters her figure.
109

By concentrating the light source Ive created definition where it is

needed. Sometimes harsh shadows can be used to slim down a client
as well as making for very dramatic images. This is especially true in
relation to arms, so practice ways to achieve this.

110

111

This page and next using one

light as a hair/rim light and one
placed above and at camera left,
Ive got detail where I want it
yet some things (like her tummy
area) are in darkness. Adding a
cute veil or fascinator can really
change the look of an outfit. I buy
these from local vendors as well
as from Forever 21, for as little as
$9 each.
Note that the image at the top
is the same as the image on
the preceeding page, however a
black and white conversion has
been applied.

112

113

A Session with Lara

This set-up was done without
blacking out the studio, and using
bare bulb strobes. One was used
as a hair/rim light and one as a
main light with the air bed flipped
up on its end with a white blanket
facing out, for a little bit of fill.
(illustrated below)

Ive put Lara in the chair and had

her lean on the back of it. While
I know there is some spill on the
back of her arms, I like the fact
that shes very clearly separated
from the black background even
while wearing all black.

114

115

Even though Lara is a slender

girl, she has that little bit of
skin on the inside of her upper
arm as do nearly all women.
The way that I mask this is by
moving the arm away from the
body, turning it so that her palm is
towards the back, then placing it
slightly behind where it naturally
rests then finally letting it fall
naturally forward. This effectively
takes that little bit of skin and
tucks it neatly under the arm.
For those of you who have spent
time retouching that spot on many
images, this little trick will save
you literally hours in front of the
computer.

Opposite page Ive intentionally

cropped off most of Laras face.
This is now an image that could
be displayed as wall art without
her being recognized by friends
or family.
116

117

Since Lara is an older teen, we

decided to shoot some poses
that are fun and reflect her age:
sitting in the chair with her
hands between her knees, legs
playfully splayed; close-up looking
at the camera; looking down at
the ground with her whole body
showing.

For a little variety Ive turned

Lara around in the chair and
had her look over her shoulder
at the floor. Cute, fun and age
appropriate.
118

119

A Session with June

The theme of this session was bridal
boudoir. Using Junes wedding night
lingerie, a veil and shoes we went for a
white-on-white look.

For this session we used

only window light, the air
bed with a white sheet on
it, and the curtains that
cover the windows in the
studio.

With this image Ive used

the window light to blow
out the detail in the front
of Junes nightie. Looking
down, with her hand looped
in the strap, makes for a
playful image. In order to
get a natural smile from
June I asked her to laugh
at the floor. Its such a silly
request that she couldnt
help but laugh.
120

121

Watch out for the angles of the head. The top image is much better than
the one below due to the head angle.

122

The image above is quite cute, but by moving Junes right arm back just a
little, Ive slimmed it down and created an even better image.

123

124

As you can see in the photos with the veil, the placement of it is important
when framing the face. With bridals there are times when I want the veil
detail to show and other times when I want the veil to be blown out to
create a bit of mystery. When I have a client with a fuller figure, using the
veil to cover the problem areas then blowing it out makes for a very
pleasing image. I believe this is preferable to preserving the detail and
having the body showing underneath.

125

By shooting close and bringing up the hand, we have an image that is

really focused on June. The veil and ring give the image a very bridal
boudoir feel. By stepping back and shooting a bit looser, weve got a more
complete image showing the bridal lingerie as well.

126

When using a veil you want to make sure that it frames your clients face
well, without covering anything important such as the eyes.

127

128

129

A Session with Wendy

Wendy is a favourite model of
mine because she is incredibly
comfortable with her body. All
women should feel this way about
themselves.
We started out with a pose that is
flattering to everyone. Youll want
to avoid having the feet directly
behind the head as it looks a little
like Mickey Mouse ears.

Youll note that Wendys arms are

next to her body. This is okay as
Ive turned her arms to hide most
of their problem part, and it has
the added advantage of giving
her breasts a bit of support and
bringing them together.

Opposite page be sure to shoot

this image from directly above the
client. As with all these images
you can see the importance of
shooting at f2 or similar. It is
flattering and creates a look far
removed from anything that a
partner could take.
130

131

132

This image demonstrates what

happens when you photograph a
plus-sized client from on top of
them. Even using a shallow depth
of field, you still can see that shes
thicker through the tummy.
By rocking her head back and
shooting from the top of her head,
you push the breasts up and drop
the tummy down, which is far
better. This is even true with her
legs up in the air: a position that
naturally pushes the tummy up.

By rocking her head back and

shooting from the top of her head,
you push the breasts up and drop
the tummy down, which is far
better. This is even true with her
legs up in the air: a position that
naturally pushes the tummy up.

133

Shot from on top of Wendy with her chin forward in a natural position.
You can see how it bulks her jaw line.

134

Shot from on top of Wendys head, with her chin pointed towards the
ceiling. This has hidden the tummy and her hands are covering the lines
where her breasts and armpits meet.

135

Opposite page with her eyes down and shooting tight, Ive got two cute
images: one with her stiletto showing and one without. To make for a
better image I would make sure that the nose does not break the side of
her face.

136

You can see how Ive used the

curtain and window light to mask
off her tummy area, resulting in
cute images that have required no
Photoshop.

137

Image top left this is cute

but Wendys tummy is showing
prominently.

With Wendy leaning forward at

the hips, weve done better at
making her tummy less prominent.
Remember: a client who is a size
20-22 doesnt expect to look like a
size 2, but only to look the best that
she can.
138

My booty shot. Yes, I do this with plus-sized girls too.

Note that Wendys back is smoother in the image below. This was
accomplished by asking her to rock her shoulder forward. I have also
raised up the sheet at her side to cover her body. As you can see, the
difference it makes is very apparent.

This is an image that I would retouch, but only slightly just enough to
remove the crease that remains.
139

140

Image above by changing my angle and standing on top of the air bed,
I have created yet another saleable image all without any Photoshop.
I really hope that by now you can see how getting everything in camera
saves me hours of editing at a computer. It allows me to shoot far more
sessions and is so much less stressful.

I LOVE my chaise. It represents easily the best money I have spent for
my studio, as it is so versatile. The image at top left is a straight shot
of Wendy and it is not very flattering. However, by changing my angle
and making a few small adjustments, I have great, saleable images. She
looks gorgeous!
141

Little things can make a BIG

difference. As you can see in the
image at the top left, there is a
bit of skin folded over the top of
the corset between the armpit and
corset strap.

By taking a few seconds simply

to pull up the corset a little, Ive
eliminated the bulge. It is small
details such as this that make such a
huge difference to the final image.
142

While standing on the chaise, Ive

asked Wendy to sit up, rock her
left shoulder forward and look
down and laugh at the floor. The
bureau behind her makes the
background dark and gives it a bit
of depth. Asking someone to laugh
at the floor sounds ridiculous but it
really works well if you say it with
enthusiasm and energy, and even
laugh along with them.

In the same position, Ive asked

Wendy to look up at me whilst
keeping her shoulder rocked
forward. This frames her face a
little and smoothes out her back.
Snap... another cute image.
143

A Session with Nicole

Nicole had never done a boudoir
session before, with me or anyone
else. While she brought some adorable
outfits, the vintage style bathing suit
she brought stood out enough for me
to really get excited about it.

If this shoot was done for her

specifically, I would push her
tummy in just a touch using
liquify. However, I wanted
to show that the images are
flattering as they are. Her
back foot is facing to the
camera left, and her front foot
is facing towards the camera
with her weight rocked back
on her back leg and her booty
pushed out.
144

A close up with her left shoulder

dropped and her body bent to the
side at the hips.

The use of props to mask off

problem areas. Our vintage style
suitcases were just what was
needed for some variety and a
flattering new pose.
Next page a paper umbrella can
be used in a variety of ways, from
hiding problem areas to creating
a nice background.
145

146

147

Having the client lie on the floor is always a flattering pose when you
are photographing from above her head. Make sure to point her chin to
the ceiling.

148

Sometimes all an image needs to go from being good to great is a great

expression. Again, asking clients to laugh at me or at other things really
helps me to get their natural expressions.

149

Shooting from above really does a lot to slim out a clients

features. Placing arms or furniture in front of troublesome areas
can make all the difference in an image.
150

Asking your client to tug down bra or top straps can take an image from
beautiful to sexy really easily.
With Nicole having all that gorgeous curly hair, it seemed only natural to
have her twirl it a bit. A fascinator with veil was a great finishing touch.

151

A Session with Jordan.

Theme sessions can be shot using props from a hobby or lifestyle. With
Jordan, we incorporated equestrian sports and motorcycles into her session.

152

These images were taken outside on the same polar fleece blankets used in
Yvonnes session. The tyres marked up the background but since the blankets
could be washed it was easy to clean them. A note about photographing
shiny things such as cars and motorcycles: this is one case when you need a
circular polarizer on your lens to help keep the reflections down.

153

A Session with Bryana

A very curvy girl with many tattoos, she wanted her session to reflect
her personality and show off those amazing tattoos. Working with a
fuller-figured woman like Bryana this could have been hard, but by
asking her to stretch up I was able to get the shots she wanted with
a minimum of Photoshop. As you can imagine, its rather difficult to
Photoshop a crease or bulge when its covered with artwork.

154

155

A Session with Cassandra

I always try to take a quick headshot when doing sessions. Since some
women arent comfortable showing their images to family and friends,
its important for them to have something they can show everyone. Since
many adults go for literally years without having a professional photo
taken, the extra few minutes required to shoot some Mum-safe images
has often resulted in some nice additional sales.
Watch your client as she puts on her earrings or adjusts her stockings.
Capturing that moment can make for some adorable, saleable images.

156

With a client with amazingly striking eyes, be sure to make them a real
focal point of your images. For some, sexy is ALL about the eyes.

157

With the image to the left, Ive

been careful to use Cassandras
arm to block off her tummy
area. With her left shoulder
rocked forward it gives just
enough coverage. As with most
of my sessions, I shot at f2
which puts the eyes in focus and
nicely blurs out everything else

158

A Session with Gigi Von Vroom

This client won a certificate
for a session at a local Roller
Derby event. Since pinup can be
very flatly lit and photographed
at direct angles, youll want
something to help mask any
problem areas. Having met
Gigi before, I knew to bring
the upright bass and a bunch of
balloons to help keep the pinup
theme, whilst still photographing
her in a flattering way. She
posted her images on the Pinup
Lifestyle website and Im hoping
to get more business from this
very popular site.

159

A Session with Joy

With Joy being a thinner woman, I was able to photograph her from
more direct angles from the side and above without any concern
about accentuating any tummy or other bulges. The position at right is
easily achieved by having the client lean back on the arm of a chaise or
couch with her bottom just a few inches away from the side. This puts her
neck and head in the right position and causes her to arch her back just
enough to make her breasts come forward.
When you can, its nice to photograph your client from above. With a
smaller woman this can help accentuate her curves.

160

161

A cowboy hat makes a great addition to a session and can really change
the look of an outfit. The two images on the page are both taken in the
same outfit.

162

A set of red satin sheets adds a whole new dimension to the images. They
are gorgeous and sexy. You want to use the absolute minimum amount
of sheet needed to cover up your client, as a bunched up sheet will add
unwanted bulk.

163

You can see how a slight change in position has really helped accentuate
Joys curves.

These images were taken in the city behind an abandoned building. You
can find a great location anywhere.

164

Weve sexed up the traditional hunting coat, breeches and shirt a little, by
undoing several buttons and shooting from above.

165

A Session with Kelley

Kelley had done some modelling when she was younger. When I have
a client with modelling experience, I often put her into an initial pose
then let her flow into the next pose on her own. Its amazing how much a
client can inspire you with her body language.

166

Kelley had expressions down to a science so I made sure to really let her
looks show in her images. She rocked fierce above and rapture below.

167

A total natural, Kelley raised her right shoulder, arched her back
and brought her legs up even more than I had asked for. The result is
incredibly sexy. Take your time in putting your camera away. The image
to the right was taken as she was getting up off the bed at the conclusion
of her session. Kelly just seemed to fall into poses and I was glad I still
had my camera in hand to capture this adorable image.

168

169

A Session with Katie

I had the opportunity to photograph
Katie in a very nice home. Using
window light, a small amount of
bounced flash and the existing decor, we
ended up with many amazing images.
When you get to a clients home, ask
if you can look around. I always look
for great light, unique furniture and
anything else that I can incorporate
into the session.
When shooting a session that will
ultimately be a gift for the clients
spouse, I love using their actual bed,
as it adds just a little extra something
to the session.

170

171

A simple ottoman made a great piece of furniture for creating a standard

pose. Note the different ways to use the same piece of furniture, in the
image below and to the right. With a change of position and shooting angle
we have two very different shots yet taken in the same place.

172

173

This is from Yvonnes (who appeared earlier) original session with me.
With a cute, natural pinup look, we added some props to give it more of a
vintage feel.

174

175

176

177

Mindis Glam Session

I photograph Mindi several times
a year. She says that boudoir
sessions are addictive. For this
session we used red sheets. Since
shes a smaller woman, I was able
to photograph her from directly
above. Note the sheet bunched
up to her left, as weve used
the minimum amount of sheet
necessary to keep her important
parts covered.
With the images on the right, we
were going for something similar
to the Kate Winslet images that
appeared in Vanity Fair magazine.
Since Mindi has had two children
and was concerned about her
tummy showing, Ive made sure
that her arm or the drape covers
the spot at her waist that creases
a little.

178

179

A Session with Joyce

From the front

180

This is the same position from the side. Note her left shoulder rocked
forward, which has smoothed out her back.

181

Note how the hand position masks where her thigh has bulged out.

Note how you can clearly see Joyces tummy in the image below left. By
rocking her head back and photographing her from directly above her
head, weve hidden her tummy behind her breasts.

182

Note how the bra strap was pinching the fold of skin in front of the
armpit. Simply by lifting the strap and letting it fall, that area is covered
up and is no longer being pinched by the strap.

The position below is the same as in the images to the left. Note that a
slight change in my position has presented me with a new pose without
doing anything more than asking Joyce to turn her head to the left and
bring her hands up.

183

A Session with Lisa

I had little more than 15 minutes to
photograph Lisa in her apartment.
I was quick to note what props she
had that I could put to use.

184

I also looked for the room with

the best light. If you are lucky to
have a room with large windows
letting in lots of natural light
then try to use it. Naturally
you will need to be careful that
people cannot see in!

185

186

187

Tasteful Nudes with Mindi

Here Mindi is rolled over onto her back, with her arms supporting her
breasts, her hands up to provide coverage of her nipples, and her leg
kicked out to show off her amazing legs.

188

A quick turn of the head for a slightly different look.

Now the client is rolled up to one side. Note that Ive got her legs crossed
to cover what we dont want to show.

189

I asked Mindi to lie on her tummy and this was the position she landed in
naturally. Note her splayed legs.
I asked Mindi to put her knees together, cross them at the ankle and
point her toes. What an improvement!

190

Ive moved the feather from in front of Mindis eye and moved her arms
back just a tiny bit. Additionally Ive asked her to arch her bottom up and
stretch up from her elbows as much as possible. The end result is that she
looks lean, her neck is clearly showing (as opposed to having it look as if
her head is sitting directly on her shoulders) and her booty is appropriately popped up.

191

192

Image above Ive brushed her hair off her left shoulder and pulled her
corset down slightly near her tummy. Ive also asked her to stretch up on
her right arm, making her appear leaner, and had her move her left arm
forward a little so the pose looks more natural.
Image top left again, Ive asked Mindi to lie on her side but without
further direction. Note her that her left shoulder has crept up, making
her appear tense.
Image bottom left Ive asked Mindi to stretch her shoulder down and
bend both legs, with her left knee forward just a little.

193

Above left here Mindi is lying

on her back without direction.
Above right Mindis knees are
now together, with her right leg
slightly more bent than the left
to make sure of closing any gap
in her legs.
Image left with Mindis
head rocked back I am now
able to mask her tummy, and
photograph her looking at the
camera without her forehead
bunching up or her looking
uncomfortable.

194

Fine tuning an image

This first image is of Mindi
without any direction.

Now Ive asked Mindi to turn her

head to her left. Her shoulder
is bunched up, making her neck
appear short and creased.

With a slight change of angle

weve improved the shot, but
there is still room for more
improvement.

By stretching her shoulders

down, bringing her hands up
and fanning out her hair, weve
created a stunning image that
needs no retouching, save for a
little clean up under the eyes.

195

Since youve seen so many flattering images of Mindi, we thought it

valuable to show some poses that are less than flattering.

Whilst I initially took this shot to show what angle not to photograph a
client from, ironically it was an image that her husband liked.

196

Posing with pointed or flexed toes can make a huge difference in an image.

197

Adjusting clothing makes such a big difference yet takes only seconds.

198

This image is a little cheesy, yet still cute and playful. With head-on shots
of all but the thinnest of clients, be sure to leave enough room between
the arms and the waist to allow for some easy liquify.

199

The Gallery
The rest of the book is devoted to showing you the work of a small
selection of other Boudoir photographers work. I felt it important
to show these as they work in a different style to me but still deliver
beautiful images to their clients.
I wanted this book to be very much based on a broad selection of ladies
but with a bias towards larger ladies as they are virtually ignored in most
books on Boudoir photogtaphy yet make up a huge part of my work. If
you can master the techniques I have taught then your business can thrive
specializing in capturing them beautifully.
Much has been mentioned previously by me, as well as in this book, about
the lack of retouching needed for clients of all shapes and sizes. In the
case of the images I took specifically for this book, David simply took the
cards of raw files from me, batched them to jpg and they were placed in
the book without any adjustment or retouching.
Sitting in front of my computer retouching for hours at a time is not
how Id like to spend my days. Im a photographer and I love creating
beautiful images of my clients often helping them to see themselves as
beautiful for the very first time in their lives.
Every single one of my clients sees their images without retouching. I
feel this is an important part of the process, as I think they acquire more
self-esteem from knowing that they really look that amazing. While
touched-up images are great, knowing how little retouching you actually
need is an amazing boost to women.
Bend, stretch, twist and adjust your clients THEN find your angle. I
think youll find that you spend more time doing the thing that you love
(creating images) and less time feeling like a slave to your desk.
Oh... and dont forget to have fun while youre doing it!

200

201

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

202

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

203

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

204
Erica Tait

Erica Tait

205

Erica Tait

Erica Tait

Erica Tait

206
Stephanie Saujon Baltz

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

207

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

208

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

209

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

Stephanie Saujon Baltz

210

Julia Holland

Julia Holland

211

Julia Holland

Julia Holland

212

Julia Holland

213

IMMI Belle

Julia Holland

214

IMMI Belle

215

IMMI Belle
IMMI Belle

216

IMMI Belle

217

IMMI Belle
IMMI Belle

218
IMMI Belle

IMMI Belle

IMMI Belle

IMMI Belle

219

IMMI Belle

IMMI Belle

220

IMMI Belle

221

IMMI Belle

222

Andrew Bobell

Andrew Bobell

223

Andrew Bobell
Andrew Bobell

224

Andrew Bobell

Andrew Bobell

225

Andrew Bobell

Andrew Bobell

Gallery Contributors
Stephanie Saujon Baltz - www.laphotographienashville.com
Erica Tait - www.taitboudoir.com
Julia Holland - www.boudoirportrait.co.uk
IMMI Belles - www.immi-belles.com
Andrew Dobell - www.andrewdobell.com
Further Information
If you would like to be updated on our series of photographic
books, and receive our newsletter full of advice, articles and special
offers, please email us at photographynews@oliver-cameron.com.
For a discussion of Boudoir Photography (and Wedding and
Portrait Photography) join the Digital Wedding Forum and take
part in the thousands of threads at www.digitalweddingforum.com
Make-Up and Hair Stylists
We would like to thank the following for their time, effort,
expertise and general all-round good company whilst completing
the special shoots for this book:
Mindi Combs
Jana Cari
Thayra Rothweiler
Katie Fate
Finally...
A huge thank you to all the ladies who took part in the making
of this book. You are all beautiful, brave and lovely. Thank you
for sharing your beauty and allowing Tammy to capture some
before images as well as the final after results.

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