What to expect from your session start to finish

I got you covered (or uncovered)!

If you’re like me (or you’re just neurospicy too), you want to know exactly what to expect from pretty much any new experience. And if that’s the case, then this post is for you! Here are all the details of what to expect from start to finish! First, let’s cover the process at a high level! Please note that before booking, we’ll want to make sure to touch base over the phone so I can walk you through the process below and answer any questions you may have to make sure you’re feeling good and supported!

Onto the details!

Once you’ve booked your session, then the fun begins!

Preparing for your session:

1. Once you’ve booked your session, I’ll send you a client prep guide to help you feel prepared and excited for your session!

2. I’ll also send you a questionnaire to help me better understand what you’re looking for from your session, any physical limitations I should be aware of, and where you are at on your body image journey, so that I can best support you before, during, and after your session

3. Once you’ve completed your questionnaire, we’ll schedule a phone call to discuss your questionnaire and to collaborate on ideas for your session so it feels uniquely you

4. No clue what to wear? Come to the studio before your session for a wardrobe consult!

During your session:

1. Before your session begins, we’ll look at any outfits you brought with you, and decide which ones to use if you’re not already sure

2. Once we’ve done that, I’ll give you a quick walk-through on what to expect regarding posing guidance during the session and we may even do some breathing exercises to get you in the right headspace!

3. After that, we’ll put on some kickass tunes and have a blast!

4. Your comfort and sense of safety is my number one priority

   • I will always ask permission before touching you to adjust clothing, hair, etc. or direct you on adjusting those things without my help

   • If there are any poses that don’t work well for you, let me know and we’ll try something else

   • My studio is accessible and wheelchair-friendly

The image reveal:

1. The images from your session will be edited within approximately 2 weeks

2. Once your images are ready, I’ll contact you to schedule an in person or virtual image reveal session to view your images together

   • During the image reveal, we’ll not only view your images together (yay!) but we’ll also go through and pick your favorites, which images you’d like to download, which images you’d like prints of, and which images you’d like to use for any albums or wall art!

   • If you have chosen a collection that includes an album, or decided to purchase an a la carte album, we’ll review the first draft of your album and make any adjustments you’d like in real time!

   • The image reveal will be your final opportunity to add make any a la carte artwork selections!

3. Immediately following your image reveal session, I’ll send you an image release agreement via email for you to choose which of the following image release options work best for you:

   • A full release of images

   • An anonymous release of images

   • A limited release of images (where you choose specific images that you’re comfortable with me using)

   • No release of images

After the image reveal:

1. I’ll let you know as soon as your artwork has arrived so we can arrange a time for you to pick up at the studio! The estimated times below are from the image reveal or from the time you approve your artwork layout (for albums), whichever is later:

   • Archival Prints: Allow 1-2 weeks (3-4 weeks during the holiday season or before Valentine’s Day)

   • Wall Art: Allow 1-2 weeks (3-4 weeks during the holiday season or before Valentine’s Day)

   • Luxury Albums: Allow 3-4 weeks (5-6 weeks during the holiday season or before Valentine’s Day)

Hopefully this helps give you an idea of what to expect before, during, and after your session, and check out our FAQs here for more helpful info!

—Sam

Four reasons not to book a session

Yes, you read that right!

Just like knowing when the right time is to book a session, it’s also important to know when maybe it’s not the right time, so below are some important reasons not to book a boudoir + empowerment session with me.

Reason 1:

You still think that your body image will improve if you could only change X about your body (X being your body’s shape or size, your cellulite, your “too big” or “too small” boobs, your wrinkles, moles, or scars, etc.). If you’re still in a place where you believe that changing your body is the key to a better body image, you may not be in a place where you’ll get the most benefit out of a boudoir + empowerment session.

Reason 2:

You feel like the biggest reason to do a session is as a gift to your partner. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love that any partners my clients have may reap the benefits of a session (amazing pics), but if your biggest reason for doing a session is as a gift to your partner(s), you may be missing out on some of the best benefits a boudoir + empowerment session can offer, which is as a gift to yourself. Quick note that I’m not talking about gifting your partner a couple’s session, I’m specifically talking about your own solo sessions.

Reason 3:

You want to do a session, but you’d like a lot of retouching done to your photos, including skin smoothing, getting rid of lines/wrinkles, and “making you smaller”. There are lots of talented boudoir photographers out there who will do this kind of retouching, but at Reverence Intimate Portraits, we’re all about celebrating the real you, and so I don’t do any kind of editing that will change your shape/size or remove normal human phenomenon like wrinkles, cellulite, moles, or scars. I’d be glad to refer you to a photographer who does that kind of retouching, and would love to see you when you’re in a place of acceptance (or working towards that place, I know it’s not a linear path) of your real life body, exactly as it is right now.

Reason 4:

You’re not in a place where you are willing to make an investment in yourself. There is no judgment here. This kind of photography experience is expensive, and for good reason, but not everyone feels comfortable making that kind of investment in themselves and their body image journey. We’re taught “not to be selfish” (especially if we were assigned female at birth) and that putting yourself first is a bad thing, so making an investment in yourself can feel pretty squidgy or downright terrifying. I can empathize! I book my own boudoir + empowerment sessions annually with trusted photographers who have the same philosophies I do and even though I do this for a living I still struggle a little bit making an investment. This is where pre-payment plans can really make a big difference. They allow you to prioritize yourself on a schedule that works for you, and can make investing in yourself feel a little less scary. If you’re not in a place where you think you’re worth prioritizing though, I’d encourage you to work on your body image and self-image in the myriad of other ways that are available until your mindset starts to shift and you begin to see yourself as worthy of investing in, because you are!

If you have any questions about the boudoir + empowerment process, or figuring out if this experience is right for you, hit me up!

—Sam

Things you can wear to an empowerment shoot that aren't lingerie

Nakedness doesn’t feel empowering for everyone

For some people, boudoir + empowerment sessions actually aren’t about “sexiness” at all. They’re about feeling powerful, and that can look a lot of different ways for a lot of different people, and doesn’t always have to include getting naked or wearing lingerie!

Below are some inspiration pics of non-lingerie clothing options you can consider for your boudoir + empowerment session!

—Sam

How to know if you're ready to book a session

When you know, you know, but what if you don’t?

For some folks, booking their first boudoir + empowerment session feels like a full-body “fuck yes!”, and that is truly awesome, but this blog post isn’t for those folks. This blog post is for the folks who are on the fence. Who want to book but aren’t sure if they should spend the money on themselves or if they’ll even like the photos because the photos are of them. That is who this blog post is for. So, how do you know if booking a session with me is right for you?

If you’ve already been working on your body image

Boudoir + empowerment photos can be a powerful tool on your body image journey, and for some folks, a session like this can be the catalyst to having a better body image and kinder thoughts about their body. Other folks may need to get to body neutrality before they’re ready to view themselves as worthy of being documented. I can show you how beautiful and worthy you are, but I can’t make you believe it if you’re not ready. If you’re truly not sure where you fall on this spectrum, let’s chat!

If you’re ready to do this for yourself, not solely for a partner’s benefit

Do we all love when our partners think we’re hot? I think most of us do. BUT, these photos and this experience aren’t about your partner (unless you’re doing a partner session of course), they’re about you. YOU are worthy of being photographed even if your partner never sees these photos, or even if you’re single. You deserve to do a thing that is solely for you and no one else. If other people benefit? Awesome, but they’re not the main focus here. If you’re not in a place where you can do something solely for yourself whether or not it directly benefits someone else, you may need to work up to a session, and that’s okay.

If you’re ready to believe that you are worthy of love and respect (from yourself)

You don’t have to already have achieved perfect self-love (does that exist?) to book a session, but you do have to be ready to take the next step in your self-love journey. You do have to be ready to see yourself as worthy of love and respect and being documented, even if you don’t quite feel that way yet. You have to want to see yourself that way while understanding that seeing yourself that way isn’t contingent upon changing your body first. It’s okay if you’re not there yet, you just have to be ready to have the conversation with yourself.

If you’re still on the fence about whether a boudoir + empowerment session is right for you, let’s talk! I promise my goal isn’t to talk you into a session if you’re not ready. My goal is to answer any questions you have about what to expect, and to help provide you with some food for thought on what a session can provide you, and then you decide when the right time is for you. :)

—Sam

Why is Boudoir Photography so Expensive?

When you first look into getting boudoir photos, you may experience sticker shock

On average, boudoir clients can expect to spend somewhere between $3000 - $5000, depending heavily on the experience of the photographer and the a la carte items or the packages each photographer offers.

Why so expensive? It’s a very reasonable question, and I’d like to help break it down for you.

First, and most importantly, I’d like to say that only you can decide if boudoir photos are worth the cost for you specifically. No one can make that determination for you. But you deserve to invest in yourself and your body image journey. And you deserve to work with a professional who makes you feel comfortable and seen, produces work that showcases your glorious, badass self, and who knows what they’re doing.

Not your average portrait session

Many folks wonder why boudoir photography is so much more expensive than a regular portrait session, but boudoir + empowerment photos aren’t like a traditional portrait session, and they are considerably more time intensive for the photographer than say a family portrait session. I’ll show the difference below:

What goes into a boudoir session:

• Pre-booking consultation (30 min)

• Pre-session consultation (1 hour)

• Emails/messaging back & forth prior to session (3-5 hours)

• Shoot setup and prep time (1 hour)

• Shooting the session itself (1-2 hours)

• Shoot tear down and clean up time (1 hour)

• Post-processing/editing and retouching (10-15 hours)

• Album and prints - design, ordering, quality control, etc. (3-7 hours)

• Client education, prep guide, etc. (30 minutes to 1 hour)

• Image reveal session (1 hour)

• Business management including social media, blog, contracting, etc., per session (1-2 hours)

That’s up to 36 hours per session!

What goes into a family portrait session:

• Emails/messaging back & forth prior to session (1-2 hours)

• Shooting the session itself (1-2 hours)

• Post-processing/editing and retouching (3-6 hours)

• Business management including social media, blog, contracting, etc., per session (1 hour)

That’s 6-11 hours per session. See the difference?

What the numbers above don’t include are the hard costs associated with running a studio (something that is not necessary for most family portrait photographers but is critical for boudoir + empowerment photographers), as well as hundreds of hours (and thousands of dollars) spent on boudoir-specific education and formal training, the thousands spent per year on software, websites, business licensing and insurance, the hard costs on ordering albums and prints, the expensive equipment, the credit card processing fees, and then the big kicker; the 30-35% taken off the top in taxes.

Because of the time-intensive nature of boudoir photography, boudoir photographers also can’t take on as many clients as they could if they were only doing family portraits, so there is a pretty hard limit to the number of sessions we can do in a given week, month, or year.

Can you find boudoir photographers who charge less?

Absolutely. You can always find boudoir photographers who charge less, but it is often because they are either much newer, without the experience and education to provide excellent service and an amazing end result, or because they’re offering a very stripped down (no pun intended) version of the service where not as much time is spent on education, prep, body image, etc. While the phrase “You get what you pay for” is not always true, it is often true when it comes to photography in any genre. As a wise person once said, if you want fast food prices, you’re going to get fast food quality.

So what does that mean for you?

Maybe after reading this, you have a better understanding of why boudoir photography is more expensive than other kinds of portraiture. And maybe you feel like “Yes this is great, and I want to try it, but this is still out of my budget!” and that is totally reasonable. I’m a big believer in the importance of sticking to a budget! Most boudoir photographers (myself included!) offer flexible payment plans for up to a year prior to your session. If this is an experience you think would be helpful for you (and it’s definitely one you deserve to have), consider saving up for the session you want with the photographer you want, and if that’s me (yay!), just know that I offer super flexible pre-payment plans to help you plan for the session you want to have! Hit me up with any questions, or visit my FAQ page here for more info!

—Sam

Seven outfit ideas for your boudoir or empowerment session

Thinking about having a boudoir session but have no idea what to wear? We got you covered (or uncovered)!

Much like the age old question of “What the heck do I do with my hands?”, the question of “What should I wear?” has been plaguing people contemplating boudoir sessions for forever.

Here are 7 outfit ideas that work perfectly for boudoir!

Bodysuits

A good bodysuit comes in a variety of styles, can cover up NSFW bits (or not), and you can spend a ton of money on them or very little, depending on your budget! Bodysuits are also nice because they cover the same areas as a bathing suit, so if you’re not used to being unclothed in front of other humans, or are feeling more shy at the beginning of your session, these are a great way to ease into the session with comfort!

Bra + Panty Sets

Much like bodysuits, bra + panty sets (particularly in classic colors like black, blue, etc.) can be easily found, can be as comfy or elaborate as you want, and you can find them on a budget when needed! I’m particularly fond of matching sets!

Robes

Robes can be paired with just about anything (or you can go bare underneath) and can be as modest or as sheer as you like. Also, robes are super fun to swish around and help with that “What the heck do I do with my hands?” question! Use it like a cape and feel like the badass superhero you are!

Street Clothes

Yep, there’s no reason you can’t wear street clothes! I’m talking sparkly tank tops, suit jackets, anything you want really. Boudoir + Empowerment sessions are about what make you feel empowered and like your most badass self. If that’s a suit, go for it!

Whips, Chains, and Rope; Oh My!

No for real though, if kink is your thing, why not incorporate it into your photos! Bust out that rope, or that leather, or bring a partner, and have fun!

Accessories!

Okay, so maybe this isn’t exactly outfit advice, but accessories can do the same thing for boudoir photos as they can for a night out - just jazz things up a little! Whether you want your accessories to tell a story (like disability themed items) or whether you just want to add some sparkle or pizazz, try adding a little something for your photos!

Birthday Suit

If you’re comfortable with it, going naked or near naked (maybe with a sheet or some such) is just about the easiest outfit you can go with! Nudes or implied nudity is a classic boudoir look, and particularly if you’re working on your body image, nude photos can be a powerful tool in learning to embrace your body exactly as it is right now.

Enjoy these great outfit ideas, or come up with some of your own!

—Sam