A Complete Guide to Boudoir Photography in Los Angeles

What is a boudoir photoshoot? And what does a boudoir photoshoot entail? As a boudoir photographer, I know the ins-and-outs of what boudoir is. I believe EVERYONE should treat themselves to a boudoir photoshoot at least once. Boudoir is a self-love experience and can be extremely empowering as well as fun. These sessions are an intimate experience that is geared to build up your confidence. And if they’re done correctly, your boudoir photoshoot should be about empowering you, making you feel as powerful in your own skin as possible. If you ask me, because of how raw and exposed sessions can be, who your boudoir photographer is matters exponentially more. And sadly, not everyone is built to be a boudoir photographer.

At ELI Boudoir Studios, we prioritize your creating a luxury experience that allows you to relax, have fun and get the most out of your boudoir photography experience. Most women who invest in a boudoir photoshoot start the experience a tad nervous and walk away feeling powerful, confident and like the badass they are.

In this blog post about what boudoir is. I will outline ways to prepare for your session, different furniture that we can incorporate, and common misconceptions. As an aside: boudoir photography is a perfect gift for a partner if you want to something unique.

So, What is Boudoir?

A boudoir photoshoot is a professional portrait session designed to celebrate confidence, connect with yourself, and appreciate your inner and outer beauty. Your boudoir experience can be indoors, outdoors, or tailored to your personal vision.

Boudoir photography is a form of intimate photography primarily focused on women and couples. It originated in France in the 1890s but wasn’t popularized until the 1930s. During the 1960s, boudoir took off in its popularity, largely due to Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren. But it was not until the 1970s that it started to transform and be centered around empowering women rather than being an object for the male gaze. Boudoir photography is done in lingerie or intimate clothing and typically take place in a bedroom, although can be done almost anywhere.

So that is where boudoir originated, but that really does not answer what boudoir photography is, what a boudoir photoshoot is, entails, or why YOU should do one.

Who is a boudoir photoshoot for?

Boudoir is for everyone, for all women and couples, of every size, age, background and identity

Simply put boudoir is for everyone. You do not need any experience or prior knowledge of how to do pose or what to wear in order to do a boudoir photoshoot.

Here are some common reasons why ELI Boudoir client’s do boudoir photography sessions in Los Angeles:

• They do Bridal boudoir as a wedding gift for their fiancé
• They do maternity boudoir to celebrate their pregnancy
• They do boudoir to celebrate their birthdays
• They do boudoir to honor a major milestone
• They do boudoir as a way to connect with themselves
• They do boudoir to have fun and enjoy themselves

To tell you my honest opinion, having a milestone or occasion to celebrate is fantastic and is often the push over the edge my client’s need to indulge in this experience. However, it is not necessary. You should feel entitled to do a boudoir photoshoot at any stage, just because. boudoir can completely shift your perspective and will be astronomically more fun than you anticipate.

At ELI Boudoir, we promote inclusive boudoir photoshoots, creating space for everyone

• Plus sized women
• Queer clients
• Women over 40
• Women who have never liked photos of themselves.

How to prepare for your boudoir session:

Photograph by ELI Boudoir

If you book a boudoir photoshoot experience with ELI Boudoir, you’ll get a more comprehensive list but for starters:

1. Bring at least 4-5 outfits, it never hurts to bring extra looks. We will pick your favorites together depending on how you feel during the boudoir photoshoot experience and which package you purchase.
2. Set aside any accessories or props you might want to include. This can include jackets, oversized sweatshirts, heels, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and robes. If you have a favorite hobby like art, we can find ways to build that into your boudoir photoshoot.
3. Bring moisturizer.
4. Make sure you bring a water bottle and a snack to your boudoir photoshoot session!
5. Do any waxing or shaving you want to.
6. Go get your nails done (neutral colors look the best)
7. Avoid spray tans

What happens during a boudoir photoshoot?

The beginning of your boudoir photoshoot will depend on whether you added on make-up or not. If you did, then you will start with an hour and half of being pampered. You will get to sit back and relax, get your make-up done and get ready to take the most jaw-dropping photos of your life.

We will begin your photoshoot by laying out all of the beautiful outfit options you brought with you. At ELI Boudoir, we always recommend bringing at least 4 outfits. Together we will pair the outfits with any accessories you brought. Then we will choose which outfit to begin with – typically this will be your most conservative outfit. I love seeing everything my clients bring in and being able to help them style it!

In preparation for your boudoir photoshoot, check out What to Wear to Your Boudoir Session for outfit inspiration.

Then we will start the photoshoot portion. Throughout your boudoir photoshoot we will incorporate all of the furniture available in the studio (or at least the majority). I have a plethora of poses prepped and ready, so you do not have to panic and guess what to do with your hands or any body part. At ELI Boudoir, my style is to demonstrate every pose and then have you mirror me. I have found this is far easier than me telling you to make minor adjustments and spending half the boudoir experience confused and exasperated. Trust me your boudoir photoshoot will fly by and suddenly it will be time for an outfit change. In another blink of an eye, your photoshoot will be over.

About a week after your photoshoot, we will reconvene to go over your soft proofs. Essentially, you will get to see somewhere between 100-250 photographs from your boudoir experience. At your reveal and ordering session, you will get to select which photos you want to keep forever and what artwork you want to honor your photoshoot. My favorites are heirloom albums and stunning wall art. Once, you select the products and which photos you want, I will get to work adding my final signature touches and send it off to print. Before you know it, you will have timeless artwork to cherish and cement your newfound or strengthened confidence.

Some of the different furniture we can build into your intimate photography session in Los Angeles:

Photograph by ELI Boudoir

• Couches
• Bed
• Bathroom – Bathtub & Shower
• Chairs
• Windowsills
• Tables
• The Floor
• Curtains
• Cabinets
• A Chaise
• Stools

To be honest, we can utilize almost any furniture and make you look stunning. All you have to do is trust me and you will end up with boudoir photographs you are proud of and that make you look and feel fabulous.

Why Boudoir Photography Is Worth It

A boudoir photoshoot is not just about photos.
It is about perspective and being in tune with yourself.

Boudoir is not about taking photos naked. It is about having photographs that make you feel completely and utterly beautiful.

Many women say the experience changes how they see themselves.
Not temporarily.
Permanently.

It is proof of confidence.
A reminder of strength.
A moment captured honestly.

Common misconceptions about boudoir and the photoshoot experience

I need to be wearing lingerie.

Photograph by ELI Boudoir

• If you think your only outfit choice is to wear lingerie during your session, go look at my blog post, . The options of what to wear are endless. If you work with me, you have multiple different outfits. So, we can play it by ear depending on how comfortable you are during the session.
• The most important factor when choosing your outfit is what makes you feel empowered
• But if you have an outfit, you really want to wear but don’t feel confident in it or are unsure of how you look, take that leap and just do it. If you don’t like those photographs in the end, you won’t be forced to purchase them. But I bet you will LOVE them, and they might be your favorite.

I need to be confident before I invest in the ELI Boudoir experience

Eli Boudoir

• That is categorically false. Boudoir photography will build your confidence and help kickstart your self-love journey.
• This is a common misconception. Often, my clients hesitate or have put off their boudoir session until they feel more confident. But, while you might not be completely confident in your own skin, that is a reason to do boudoir now. To feel that much more confident and beautiful.
• My goal for you throughout your session and image reveal is for you to develop a whole new level of confidence and realization that you are a bada** . And that you are beautiful, sexy, confident, and most importantly powerful.
• My favorite aspect is its ability to transform how you view yourself and help you fall in-love with certain parts of your body. I want you to become obsessed with your belly rolls, or your love handles. Throughout your session, you will realize how beautiful they are. Your boudoir session should help you fall in-love with your entire body: stretch marks, scars, wrinkles, beauty marks, birth marks, the whole nine-yards.

My boudoir photoshoot will be a really uncomfortable experience.

Photograph by ELI Boudoir

• Any photographer you work with, including myself, should work to make you feel comfortable. During your session they should be your personal hype woman/man.
• Additionally, they should invest time before your session to make sure you feel ready for your session and at ease walking into the studio, outdoor space, or wherever you might have your session.
• At ELI Boudoir, all of my boudoir photoshoot packages come with a minimum of three outfits. This allows you to get the full experience and experiment with different looks. I always recommend bringing additional outfits, so that if something does not fit the way you thought it would during your boudoir photoshoot, you have a back-up outfit. The majority of my clients bring a dress or incorporate a button-down, or oversized sweatshirt as one of their outfits, so that they have photos they can share with on social media. This is also a great way to start your boudoir photoshoot as you gain comfortability in front of my lens. Or if you want all three outfits to be lingerie, your first look could be a bodysuit or more conservative lingerie set.
• Lastly, if you are concerned about feeling confident in your lingerie, practice. Start walking around your house in your lingerie or taking your own boudoir photographs, to get used to it.

I can only book my boudoir photoshoot as a gift for my partner.

Photograph by ELI Boudoir

• Your boudoir experience can double as a gift for your partner, but you should always be at the forefront of your experience. The goal of every boudoir photographer should be to ensure that you have a fun, empowering experience that leaves you smiling and confident.
• Now, once you’ve done the session, you can absolutely use the photographs and gift them to your partner. This can be done in an album, matted prints, a flirty calendar, there are so many fun ways!
• It can even be for both, but you should never feel like you are doing it JUST for someone else.

Ready to dive headfirst into your boudoir photoshoot? Book your experience here with ELI Boudoir!

If you are searching for the best shops to buy lingerie at for your boudoir photoshoot here are my top five:

1. Moxy Intimates: founded by female designers, Moxy aims to allow women to find news ways to express themselves and fall further in-love with themselves through their lingerie. They have mastered making lingerie both affordable and luxurious.
2. Hello LA Girl: A Los Angeles based fashion company that uses quality fabrics and materials to create gorgeous lingerie at an affordable cost. Their motto is “More Love, More Beauty,” and I could not agree more.
3. Mari Moth: Their lingerie is stunning. Every time I look at their collection I want to buy it all. Their goal is to make women feel sexy and alluring. Their lingerie collections are always limited edition, making them eve more special!
4. For Love and Lemons: They are 100% woman led small online boutique with intricate embroidery work. I am obsessed with their teddies.
5. Adore ME (they have a store in Long Beach): an affordable luxury lingerie boutique with an array of sizes (A-I cups and 30-46 bands).

Check out this blog post to discover other lingerie stores in Los Angeles and nationwide to get your boudoir photoshoots outfits at. And if you don’t find what you are looking for on this list, reach out! I will do my best to steer you in the right direction and make sure you walk into your boudoir photoshoot with the perfect outfits!

Ready to Book a Boudoir Photoshoot in Los Angeles?

If you are curious, nervous, or excited, that is enough to begin.

A boudoir photography experience is not about becoming someone new.

It is about seeing who you already are.

Frequently asked questions about boudoir and the boudoir photoshoot experience