Monday, December 26, 2011

Deciding a Modesty Level for your Boudoir Shoot

Men and women are wired differently in a number of ways.  It's generally accepted that men are a visually focused creature, and as nature would have it, women come adorned with a visually appealing form.  Win win!  This is why women figure so prominently as the subject of the visual arts.  Their form is universally accepted as a pleasing form to behold, and of course obviously so for men.

Women on the other hand tend to relate their sexuality in a more subtle way, appealing to a nuanced sensuality, and expressing desire with body language, gestures, and facial expressions, less so an overt appeal to their physical attributes.



It is this disparity of sexual portrayal that we at INFINI Boudoir sometimes find ourselves caught between.  Sometimes a husband will make the appointment for his wife and give us direction about the kinds of shots he's looking for.  Or sometimes we'll get a call or indication from his wife that he's looking for very revealing and sexy photos.  At the same time his wife will point out she is not very comfortable with the idea.

We're on Your Side!

It is very important that all our clients who step in front of our cameras understand that we are on their side.   We cannot be put in the position to exhort our client to go beyond her comfort level for a given photosession.  It puts us in a very awkward, unpleasant, and unethical position to do so.

We are open to all kinds of modesty levels from the most conservative to the most racy, sexy types of shots imaginable.  However our allegiance lies squarely on the preferences of the person in front of the camera.  That position is one of vulnerability and must be one of decisive personal conviction.  Our clients must feel comfortable and secure for the images to have their maximum impact and intended effect.


Mr. Sneaky Husband

One humorous incident of diverging preferences came to us through a client who, during the make up portion of her photosession, provided us with a stack of sample photos for us to review for her shoot.  Having consulted with her prior to the session, I already had a pretty good idea of what she was looking for.  The first few photos in the stack confirmed expectations for a fairly modest, artistic shoot, but somewhere along the line the sample photos diverged into a much more exposed, sexually oriented direction.  Thinking this was a little odd, I sought her confirmation that the far more revealing sample photos were correct, and she expressed surprise and embarrassment that her over-eager husband had slipped the photos into the middle of the stack.
                                            



It is important to us that couples are on the same page for the direction of the photosession.  The first question to ask yourself is who the final images are intended for.  Some women come to us of their own volition desiring to feel and look beautiful as a visual work of art.  In this case, we are interested in pleasing her sensibilities and capturing her vision.  Many women on the other hand come to us to give a very special gift to their husband or boyfriend.  Thus begins a more complex navigation of issues.

First, consider the target eyes will be his and not yours.  It is an unfortunate missed opportunity to go through the time, effort, and expense of a boudoir photosession and yet fail to meet his expectations.



When you know his expectations, its then a matter of bridging a compromise between what he may want and what you may be comfortable with.  This is an understanding that the two of you should come to resolution on; it is our policy to strongly resist advocating on his behalf in the modesty level of your photosession.



Alternatively, estimating his expectations is an important exercise in judgment when the gift is a surprise that he doesn't know about.  Will relatively modest shots underwhelm, or hit the mark?  Equally consider how more risque shots will be received and come to a decision on what you want your photoshoot to look like.

When you've given consideration to all these factors before the date of your photosession you will be much more resolved and comfortable with your decision which always provides the best possible results.  Regardless of the modesty level you choose, you will always be treated with respect and dignity in a non-judgmental environment at INFINI Boudoir.  We see the feminine beauty in all our clients and our mission is to use our artistic talents to capture your vision.

800-941-6640

1 comment:

  1. Love how you express the importance of not letting anyone else influence how far you're willing to go in a photo session! Ultimately the person being photographed has to live with the knowledge of what photographs were taken. Thanks for the reminder!

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