dcsang
Canadian & Not A Dentist
I've recently been commissioned (sounds like a big word huh.... ) by someone who's seen my work in the past with respect to my wedding images etc. to shoot a boudoir session with them.
Part of me wants to do this strictly in high iso b&w film - like Tmax 3200 or Tri-X pushed to 3200 or 6400. I may actually try this a bit for a few shots but likely I'll shoot most of it with the D700.
Anyway, gear aside (pushes gear over to the other side of the table), ever since I was requested to shoot this session I started thinking and researching about boudoir. I don't know anything about the genre per se however I started off where I usually start off nowadays; Google.
Boy... I got all sorts of "stuff" by punching in "boudoir photography" - from really gaudy (to me) photos to stuff that could be hard core porn. I did come across a few that made me say "yes.. that's the style I'm thinking of"
Much like the quote by Constatine Manos that I have in my sig; I have an idea of what I'm looking for but only once I see it will I know that it is truly what I want to shoot 🙂 And as such, here's my take on what boudoir should be.. just my opinion mind you...
The boudoir photograph, to the viewer, should (in my opinion) make you feel like you're a 12 year old boy in 1977 and you've just seen the cover of this month's issue of Playboy up on the top shelf of the variety store where you buy your candy. You're intrigued, interested, but you know that it is an "adult" magazine. You want to look; you're really curious to look; but you can't look at it right now because you're just not old enough. So you are left wanting a bit - making you feel like there's something exciting waiting for you behind that cover.
That, to me, is how a boudoir photo should make you feel as a viewer.
The reason I say this is, well, when you think of what boudoir is about; really, it's about glamour and sex; but not the hard core sex, it's more about tease ya know? Boudoir should be like sex is, intimate, passionate, and, when the couple (whoever they may be) are engaged in it they don't see the "big picture" - I mean, they don't see the graphic details or the whole scene; they catch glimpses of each other. They catch details. They witness glances. They feel.
THAT is what it's about I think. Not about splaying someone on a bed and shooting them wholly (although that can be achieved decently as well) per se but catching a portion of the person or the detail that's there - leaving you wanting a bit more; you know.. to find out a bit more.
I think that I'm looking at "classic" boudoir style photography here but I could be wrong - what's your take on this style of photography? Is it just "soft porn" / "porn" or is it something more?
Cheers,
Dave
Part of me wants to do this strictly in high iso b&w film - like Tmax 3200 or Tri-X pushed to 3200 or 6400. I may actually try this a bit for a few shots but likely I'll shoot most of it with the D700.
Anyway, gear aside (pushes gear over to the other side of the table), ever since I was requested to shoot this session I started thinking and researching about boudoir. I don't know anything about the genre per se however I started off where I usually start off nowadays; Google.
Boy... I got all sorts of "stuff" by punching in "boudoir photography" - from really gaudy (to me) photos to stuff that could be hard core porn. I did come across a few that made me say "yes.. that's the style I'm thinking of"
Much like the quote by Constatine Manos that I have in my sig; I have an idea of what I'm looking for but only once I see it will I know that it is truly what I want to shoot 🙂 And as such, here's my take on what boudoir should be.. just my opinion mind you...
The boudoir photograph, to the viewer, should (in my opinion) make you feel like you're a 12 year old boy in 1977 and you've just seen the cover of this month's issue of Playboy up on the top shelf of the variety store where you buy your candy. You're intrigued, interested, but you know that it is an "adult" magazine. You want to look; you're really curious to look; but you can't look at it right now because you're just not old enough. So you are left wanting a bit - making you feel like there's something exciting waiting for you behind that cover.
That, to me, is how a boudoir photo should make you feel as a viewer.
The reason I say this is, well, when you think of what boudoir is about; really, it's about glamour and sex; but not the hard core sex, it's more about tease ya know? Boudoir should be like sex is, intimate, passionate, and, when the couple (whoever they may be) are engaged in it they don't see the "big picture" - I mean, they don't see the graphic details or the whole scene; they catch glimpses of each other. They catch details. They witness glances. They feel.
THAT is what it's about I think. Not about splaying someone on a bed and shooting them wholly (although that can be achieved decently as well) per se but catching a portion of the person or the detail that's there - leaving you wanting a bit more; you know.. to find out a bit more.
I think that I'm looking at "classic" boudoir style photography here but I could be wrong - what's your take on this style of photography? Is it just "soft porn" / "porn" or is it something more?
Cheers,
Dave
