Q: What is Boudoir Photography?
A: Boudoir photography allows you to live out your dreams; it's a chance to become that pin-up-girl! Boudoir means bedroom in French. It's intimate, flirty, sensual and romantic portraiture. The photos are tasteful images that hint at sexiness. Every person has their own idea of what sexy is as well as what they are comfortable with. These sessions are cute, fun, sexy, flirty and even a bit sensual all the while maintaining your comfort level. They are often done as gifts for a groom before or after the wedding, or as an anniversary, Christmas, Valentines day or birthday present for the one you love.

Q: What if I'm very shy or worried about my body shape?
A: People come in all different shapes and sizes; tall, short, large and small. No one can say that one is better than the other. Shelly has been shooting boudoir for over 28 years so you can relax knowing that you are in the best of hands! To help set aside any worries, you can properly plan the right outfits for your body type. The proper lingerie can help hide areas that might have you feeling insecure. Also, a lot of your concerning areas will be eliminated with the proper posing, which Shelly will guide you through every step of the way. Having confidence and believing in yourself is what makes fantastic pictures. At our studio, you are ALWAYS a perfect 10! The boudoir sessions are all about having fun, getting glammed up, dressed up and letting your hair down and forgetting about little insecurities. Treat yourself to new lingerie and beauty treatments before the session. It is a definite excitement and confidence booster in and of itself. We want to celebrate who you are right now!

Q: What should I expect for my session?
A: Expect to have fun! You'll have a bit of time to get comfortable, have a glass of wine, get some idea of what you are looking for with your photos, look at your wardrobe, and get a general plan for your shoot. We don't expect ladies to immediately jump into a outfit when they walk in the door. Shelly is a fun and fabulous female photographer who seriously loves what she does and it shows in her attitude working with clients! We are dedicated to making every client look her best in a safe, comfortable, and fun atmosphere! Most of our clients are nervous when first thinking about boudoir photography, but as you get to the studio for your session you'll relax, have fun, and really create beautiful images.

Q: What type of clothes should I bring?
A: For your Boudoir session, you’ll need to bring your own personal lingerie and any props to personalize your session. Bra & panty sets and corsets are the items we suggest, along with sexy heels to match your outfits. You can bring in a silk robe, a fur coat, or a cardigan to shoot with. You want each outfit to fit you comfortably, too tight of an outfit creates unwanted bulges and too big of an outfit leaves sags/gaps between you and your outfit.  We suggest checking out Victoria's Secret in the Maine Mall, along with Torrid and Forever 21 for lingerie sets. Also, we've recently partnered with two new lingerie shops in the Old Port; Aristelle and Midnight Boutique. If you live in the Augusta area, check out Lace & Leather in Chelsea. If you are planning on ordering an outfit online, please be sure to do so several weeks ahead of time to plan for shipping times. We suggest Fredericks.com, AgentProvocateur.com and HipsandCurves.com. For props, you can bring in items that are personal to you and your significant other, such as sports jerseys for their favorite team, a personal work uniform for their profession, or any items related to hobbies they may have. The props will help to personalize the session for you and your significant other. Check out our Pinterest link for great ideas on outfit styles and additional props! Make sure to remove all stickers from your shoes and remove all tags from your outfits.

Q: How should I wear my hair and makeup to the session?
A: If you are having the basic boudoir session, come with your hair all done at your favorite salon (we recommend Coco Cheveux in South Portland 207-899-4520) and a clean face so your makeup can be applied. All other sessions, come in with day old hair (aka don't wash it the day of your session, this allows your hair to not be frizzy and overly dry). Also, make sure you hair is not wet at all and has no product in it and there are no ponytail marks. We will use hot rollers to loosely curl your hair (do NOT use a flat iron on your hair before you come to the studio unless you want straight hair for your session). Your makeup will then be applied to your clean face.

Q: What NOT to do before your session
A: Do NOT spray tan before your session, it looks fake and orange in photos. Absolutely no chipped nail polish, you will see them in your images and this will be a distraction from your beautiful self! Treat yourself to a mani/pedi in french tip, neutral tones or a color to match your outfit.

Q: What if I don't want everyone seeing these photos? Will they be posted online?
A: Absolutely not. Boudoir photo sessions are only proofed by projection here in the studio and are never posted online for proofing. Also, images will never be used for our portfolio (web or print) unless your specific permission is given. All clients featured in the web gallery have given written permission that their images can be posted.