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How To Take Tasteful Boudoir Photos Of Yourself, On Your Own? (My Guide)
How to take boudoir photos of yourself?
Boudoir photography can be done professionally in a studio or you can do it yourself.
Funny thing, a lot of people are not aware that they are actually already doing it. With the use of your phone, tripod or monopod, and with the use of some props, you are set to go.
But to make it more presentable, I’m here to help you out on how to shoot sexy photos without professional help.
So let’s begin!
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How to Take Your Own Boudoir Photos
So, how to do a DIY boudoir shoot?
If you start reading online about this genre of photography, you might think that it looks difficult to pull off but don’t give up on it just yet. Wait and see when you actually do it yourself!
Once you get the hang of it, I’m sure that your photo skills will be comparable to a professional photographer.
If you are doing DIY shots, you’ll need to be creative and resourceful. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars, just make use of the things that you have at home.
(One of the advantages of taking boudoir shots yourself is that you can deliver it without spending any cent.)
How awesome is that?
Now…
Here are the things to consider before, during, and after your photoshoot.
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Before DIY Sexy Photoshoot
If it is your first time doing boudoir photoshoot it is ideal to try reading some magazines that have example photos of this genre.
Or you can refer to the Internet for some examples.
To start with…
It is good to decide on the theme that you will be portraying, where are you going to shoot, what are the poses that you can try, what type of clothes are you going to wear and what props will you include.
As for the equipment, you only need to have a camera (or your phone) and a tripod.
Familiarize yourself with how to operate your camera’s settings such as the flash, timer, etc.
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During Your Shooting
If you are doing tasteful boudoir photography on your own, place your tripod in the best area where it can get your angle properly.
You will likely need to do trial shots to check if you are in the right position with the proper exposure to lighting and check if the props that you will be using fits in with your outfit and aura.
For your own convenience, you can use your camera’s timer so you can do various poses in a few minutes.
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After Taking Boudoir Selfie
Most people also post-process their photos to get the best results. And that’s totally normal!
In fact:
For Sorelle Amore, the creator of Advanced Selfie University, editing makes up 40% of a photo. And she’s AMAZING at what she does.
Highly recommend her course!!
Note: Even though the main focus is with a camera (and a couple very minimal/cheap tools), there’s a section on mobile photography, so technically you could learn DIY boudoir photos with phone as well.
You can also pick up some at home boudoir photo ideas, even though it’s not specifically focused on that.
My 5 DIY Boudoir Photography Tips
Even if you are just doing it for yourself or for your partner, it is nice to experiment so you can get photos like you are a real boudoir model.
Here are my recommended tips to make your shoot fantastic!
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Dress up
Your outfit plays an important role in building up the mood of the photo.
Without telling the actual theme of the shoot, you can easily tell the genre that is being portrayed.
In doing sensual photos, there are a lot of get up that you can use. It is not only limited to sexy lingerie.
Truth is…
There is a notion that your sexiness will depend on what you wear but actually, there are ways on how you can pull off your femininity even if you are wearing clothes.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to spend much on your wardrobe. You can be creative in searching for pieces in your closet.
It is not only important that you feel comfortable about what you wear but to look good in your shots, choose for the ones that will give accent to your body.
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Put your best face forward
In this genre, you can have a fierce-looking or happy face depending on the kind of photo that you want to achieve.
It is said that your facial expression is one of the most important parts of this kind of photography.
With this being said…
You can consider putting on make-up. Don’t be afraid to experiment especially if you don’t do it normally.
If you plan on wearing make-ups, avoid putting too little because it may appear washed out when you use flash on your camera.
Also, to prevent the shine in your pictures, make use of semi-matte or matte foundation or powder.
Aside from your face, you also need to fix your hair to complete your look.
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Make use of props
There are a lot of props that you can use may it be an accessory, teddy bear, handcuff, lollipop, or even just a clean backdrop.
Even though you can use different ones just make sure that it is relevant to the theme.
I’ll say this…
Always keep in mind not to overdo it. Remember that YOU need to stand out, not the accessories.
Make sure that the color of the props goes along with the color of your clothing or lingerie.
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Choose the right lighting
Taking shots outdoors is easier in terms of lighting because you don’t need to use other equipment and that no need to exert much effort in controlling the reflection of light to your body.
Outdoor natural lighting also tends to distribute the light equally towards the body.
However…
If you are alone and just trying to get a selfie, indoor set-up is more convenient.
You can make use of artificial lighting that mimics the sunlight but you may need to have test shots to check how the light is thrown.
(You might also want to learn how to avoid shadows in indoor photography.)
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Learn to do the right poses
If you’re not familiar with what kind of poses to take, Pinterest to your rescue!
For example, you could type “boudoir poses that hide stomach” or “DIY boudoir photos plus-size” and Pinterest will provide lots of options.
You will look more natural if you are comfortable with your posture.
That is why before your shoot, you can practice different angles and choose for poses that are more suitable based on the shape of your body and facial expression.
So…
To make it unique, don’t just focus on your head-to-toe. If you are trying to achieve the sexy and more sensual vibe, make a stance that will feature the curve of your neck up to your waist.
Stay in front of the mirror so you can see how your body changes in your pose.
As they say, if you are happy with how you look in the mirror, most likely you will also be satisfied with how you look in your photo.
DIY Boudoir Photography: Thoughts?
All in all…
Posing in front of the camera with a professional photographer can be intimidating and quite uncomfortable especially if you are not used to it.
And the good news?
You can take your own boudoir portraits, without using expensive cameras and accessories.
Now that I have shared my tips and tricks on how to do well in this genre, I’m sure that you will be able to achieve a sexy and sensual photo like what you see in magazines.
If you’d like to improve your self-portraits and raise your confidence to the max, then I HIGHLY recommend Advanced Selfie University.
Now…
I’d like to hear from YOU:
- How do you feel about DIY boudoir photos (with phone)?
- Do you already have DIY boudoir photography ideas and poses that you can try?
Any questions, comments, suggestions? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
About Author
Zarina
Founder & content creator at Digital World Beauty. My main objective here is to create a valuable resource for photography enthusiasts with honest tech reviews, course recommendations, and how-to tutorials.