DIY Boudoir Photography

diy boudoir photography, high key boudoir photograph

This site contains all the information you will need to help you with DIY boudoir photography at home, and the chances are you can do it with the camera you already have (if you don't have a camera, there are some guidelines on what to look for when buying one on the digital camera page).

So why even consider DIY Boudoir Photography? Well most of us have a few hang ups about our bodies and it takes a lot of courage to let strangers take photos of you wearing lingerie or less. The good news is that you can take great boudoir photographs yourself with a bit of planning.

Camera Choice for DIY Boudoir Photography

If you have (or can borrow) a Digital SLR great, but you don't need one. For now I am going to assume you have nothing more glamourous than a Compact Digital Camera. In addition to this you will need something to support the camera while you pose. The great thing about compact cameras is their small size and weight, which means there are a greater variety of options open to you and they are cheaper than models for SLRs.

Remote Control

Many compacts have the ability to be triggered via remote control. If this is an option for your camera, then getting one will make your life a whole lot easier because you can trigger the camera once you are posed.

Choosing a location for your DIY Boudoir Photos

Despite the name, boudoir photographs don't have to be taken in the bedroom. But for best results I recommend that you use daylight through a window as your main light source (rather than the cameras flash). So you need to choose a location with a window nearby that will provide adequate light. Lighting is absolutely crucial to boudoir photography, and I would recommend that you look through the photographic lighting tutorial, Lighting Options for boudoir and nude photography, Window Lighting and fill flash lighting tutorial for more details.

Deciding on the 'Look' for your Boudoir Photos

You should decide on what 'look' you are going to go for. If you have a big enough window that provides lots of light then the easiest look to produce is bright, 'high key'. This is because the camera will find it easiest to focus and produce blur-free pictures with lots of light.

Your choice of Look will have an implication on choices of Lingerie. See Make Up and Lingerie for more. You should also have a number of Poses already in mind.

Setting up the Camera

  1. Make the appropriate exposure settings: You probably don't want the camera to use its flash, so either turn it off, or select a mode where that won't happen - usually P (Program Mode) or Av (Aperture Priority).
  2. Select the Self-Timer mode.
  3. Mount the camera on the tripod
  4. Frame the scene. Make a mental note of what elements make up the boundaries of the shot or use coloured tape to mark them on the bed/floor/walls.
  5. Press the shutter release and get into position, making sure you keep within the markers you noted.

Don't try to hold a smile for all 10 seconds that the Self-Timer is counting down; wait until just before the picture is taken or your expression is likely to become frozen and unnatural

Examine your results and make any changes to pose or camera setting necessary then go again!

I would recommend you read Using A Compact Camera for Boudoir Photography to help flesh out how to get the best results.