My Favorite Outdoor Boudoir Locations

Boudoir is all about reconnecting with your inner-self and feeling empowered. If you are anything like me, being outside is where you feel most at ease and centered. If you are going to do an outdoor Boudoir session you cannot be concerned about getting a little dirty. Any good photographer will wait until the end for any position that will get you extremely dirty, but be prepared to sit on logs, climb across a fallen log, kneel on the ground or even lie on the ground. If you are at the beach, make sure you are prepared to get sand everywhere. Your outdoor Boudoir photographs will not turn out the same if you are not willing to fully commit. If this describes you, no worries, but I would recommend sticking to a classic, Studio Boudoir session 

Critical Components to an Outdoor Boudoir Location 

There are three primary components to choosing the perfect outdoor Boudoir Location: privacy, natural props, and weather aka time of year. If you can nail these I promise you will walk away with the most stunning photographs. 

Choosing a Private Location

Obviously Boudoir is deeply personal and it is already a nerve-wracking experience being in lingerie in front of a Boudoir photographer like myself, let alone having to worry about strangers. As a photographer, I scout all of my outdoor Boudoir locations beforehand and ensure that the foot traffic is low and aim to shoot at quieter times. For example, a weekday session is going to be much quieter than a weekend session at the same location. Personally, I bring a robe to all of my outdoor Boudoir sessions; that way if someone walks by I can quickly throw you the robe, so you can cover up. 

In Los Angeles timing is critical, because LA is so densely populated it can be challenging to find dead quiet locations. To counteract this, timing is critical. I recommend shooting on a weekday and if you can do an early morning session, do it.

Ensuring your Outdoor Boudoir Location has Natural Objects you can Utilize

The perfect outdoor Boudoir session locations have natural features your Boudoir photographer, like myself, can utilize. In a forest or woodsy area, I always look for creeks, fallen logs, trees, tree trunks, and rocks. At a beach I look for various rocks and caves that are scalable. 

Any natural features will add to the depth in your photographs and help create diversity in the posing possible in your outdoor Boudoir photographs. 

Weather (We are Lucky in Los Angeles)

If you live somewhere in the Midwest or East Coast you have to worry about weather. In Los Angeles we are spoiled and blessed with beautiful weather all-year-round. Even so, during the winter it starts to get colder so be mindful of this when you book your Boudoir session. If you feel cold outdoors in your clothing, imagine how cold you will feel outdoors in your lingerie. One way to combat this is to pull off a look with lingerie and a puffy jacket. Even so, your legs are exposed. Furthermore, if you want variety in your photographs, you will not be able to wear the puffy coat throughout the entire session. I do think these pictures look beautiful, but this is something to keep in mind. 

If you are doing a Boudoir session in the snow or winter-time, you could bring blankets, wear fuzzy boots, and play around with various jackets. 

My Favorite Outdoor Boudoir Locations

Personally, outdoor Boudoir is a favorite of mine. I love trying out new locations and playing around with different scenery. In Los Angeles, I have found that the best locations are either beaches or in mountainous or wooded areas. Often this means you have to drive outside of Downtown Los Angeles either to the West or East. One outdoor Boudoir location I am still dying to try out is a rooftop!

Beaches 

The beach is an amazing choice for outdoor Boudoir for a number of reasons. First and foremost, because the ocean is stunning and the sound of waves crashing is one of the most peaceful sounds to exist. Secondly, you can take photographs wet and dry, which creates versatility. Third, most beaches have various caves and other features. You can also find entirely rocky beaches if that is the aesthetic you are after and do not want to deal with sand. If you go to a rocky beach, make sure it is not meant to be extremely hot, because the rocks will retain all that heat and burn your feet. 

For example, at El Matador there are caves and a little creek or sorts with a balance beam to cross it. This gives you three different settings in one location. And if you are willing to wake up early you can do a sunrise session, meaning you will have the beach entirely to yourself. 

The only thing to be cautious about with the ocean is swimming or getting on rocks while the tide is high. I would air on the side of caution and wait until it dies down or forego photographs on rocks where the waves are crashing against forcefully. 

Woodsy Areas/Mountains 

The woods are brilliant for diversity in your outdoor Boudoir photographs and for privacy. If you are willing to wander off the path, you will likely be able to get more privacy. 

The challenge with mountains is that sometimes they involve light hiking, but it is always worth it. If you are searching for the perfect area, I would search for somewhere quiet with fallen trees. These make perfect props and can create a ton of variety in your outdoor Boudoir photographs. I would also search for a shaded area. This means you are less likely to get extremely sweaty and the direct sunlight will not be too strong. 

If you are lucky you might be able to find a lake with a wood behind it, which would give you the best of both worlds. 

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