This guide is going to walk you through the process of what a boudoir shoot is and how the process works over here at Studio B, by O'Hare Photography. I am excited to get you in the studio! If you have any questions after reading this, please feel free to reach out and we will get back to you as soon as possible! Our studio hours are M-F 9am-4pm.
This guide is very thorough...which means its long!
Sit down, grab a glass of (insert favorite beverage here) and read this until the very end!
I have been doing boudoir for over 5 years. Boudoir is so precious to me because I love helping women feel better about themselves, inside and out. We all struggle with self image, and I want to help women overcome as much of that as I can. I love the WOW factor. I love delivering images to women and having them say, "I can't believe that's me! I have never felt so beautiful in my entire life!" It means so much to me to be able to offer that to women, and that women of all ages trust me to provide them with this experience. You don't need to lose 15 pounds to do a session with me. You don't need to be Beyonce curvy. You just need to be you. Have fun. And enjoy this moment. You won't regret it!!
This business of mine has BLOSSOMED in the last year. I went from shooting out of hotels or my clients homes, to shooting in our incredible studio in Port Huron. For the longest time, I handled ALL aspects of my business from top to bottom. This year, I realized that I needed helping hands if I wanted to reach as many women as possible! Now (in 2020), we are a team of 6 women here at O'Hare Photography! We have two photographers, a studio manager, two hair and makeup artists, and one gal behind the scenes handling our emails and our social media accounts!! Our entire staff is made up of female entrepreneurs, and I am so blessed to not only work in my business full time - but that I am able to provide full and part time jobs to five other women.
Thank you for being here and for supporting our amazing business - we can't wait to meet you and create some of the most gorgeous photographs of yourself that you will ever have.
Where are you located? Our studio is located at 2930 Pine Grove Avenue, Port Huron, Michigan. We have over 600 square feet of space with multiple set ups, a makeup and wardrobe room, and a fabulous sales area full of samples and a 50 inch television from which you will view your images during your reveal.
So, what is boudoir? Boudoir technically is a French word which means 'a woman's dressing room or bedroom', but I like to think of it as just a fancy word for women's intimate portraiture. Boudoir is NOT pornographic. Boudoir can be fun, flirty, beautiful, cute, sexy, feminine, intimate, candid, posed, or really anything else you want it to be. If you have not already joined our private VIP group on Facebook, I highly suggest that you do!
Session Guide
You can join our private Facebook Group HERE
What would I do with boudoir portraits? I actually believe that boudoir is the best gift you can give YOURSELF, to capture your essence as you are now. When you need a reminder of the strong, beautiful woman that you are, you will have a collection of amazing portraits to look upon. I love it when women come to me for themselves. The images we create together will boost your self esteem and your confidence, and that should be celebrated by YOU! It will help you reclaim your femininity, your sexuality, two things that are often lost as we get consumed with our lives, our jobs, our families. Put that pep back in your step, and reflect on the bodacious babe you are. Celebrate the body that you live in!
I don't look like the women in your portfolio! There is no such thing as the perfect body. You are never too big, too small, too old, too young (well, I only accept boudoir clients who are 18+) to do a boudoir session. Boudoir is for every BODY. Let me show you.
Can you make me look thinner? I want to help you feel beautiful now, just the way you are. We flatter you with hair and makeup styling, a wardrobe that compliments your figure, and amazing lighting and posing techniques to highlight your best ass-sets (see what I did there?). I do not believe in heavy photoshopping. Don't get me wrong, we will gladly remove all of your bruises and pimples, but we don't want to over manipulate your body to make you look like someone you are not. We already live in a time where we are consumed with unrealistic bodies in the media, I want to show you that you are beautiful at this very moment.
What about retouching? We are happy to retouch your images! All of our images will have pimples, bruises, scratches, and under eye circles removed. We also offer retouching on things like cellulite, scars, small tattoos, stretch marks, etc that you may want removed. Honestly, most of our clients are WOW-ed at how amazing their images look straight out of camera and opt for less retouching than they thought they needed. It's all a very personal decision, and one that we leave up to you once you have viewed your images. We do not remove tan lines or correct skin tone from tanning beds or spray tans, so proceed with caution.
What will I wear? I have created a beautiful and comprehensive wardrobe guide that should give you the 411 on how to look and feel like a bombshell for your session. My policy is always "when in doubt, bring it"! You are welcome to make a Pinterest board and share it with me, so I can help you make your dream shoot a reality. I have an amazing client wardrobe that you can borrow from for your session with over 200 pieces to choose from (sizes XS - 6X) that you are MORE than welcome to browse through. To be totally honest, most of our clients bring NOTHING to their session and rely solely on our fabulous Client Wardrobe - 99% of the lingerie you see women wearing in our images actually belong to the studio!!!
Do I get to talk to you before my session? Before your session we will connect several times through email so that we can prepare you for your session and get to know you better. We are here for you every step of the way to make sure that you feel prepared and comfortable during this whole process. If you have questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. Email is how we communicate with clients, you can email us any time at hello@oharephotography.net We can also schedule an in-person or over the phone consultation if you'd like, just reach out and request one.
Who is going to be there the day of my session?
• You
• Your photographer
• Your hair and makeup artist
• Occasionally we will book clients back to back, which means another client may come into the studio and go straight into hair and makeup, while you finish up shooting your session.
Please, no props, no spray tans, and absolutely NO WEAPONS will be allowed in the studio at any time.
We also do not allow anyone under the age of 18 in the studio, ever.
What types of boudoir sessions do you offer? Yes, there are different types of boudoir sessions you can book!! And OOOH girl, we are ALWAYS changing it up! We are currently offering the following types of sessions:
• Traditional Studio Sessions
• Couples Boudoir Sessions (you+your partner)
• Outdoor Boudoir Sessions (June - September at either the beach, woods, or pond)
• Destination Sessions
Have something else in mind? Ask us! We are always up for new adventures.
How do I choose what kind of session I want to do? Most people for their first time will opt for a Traditional Studio Session, but we can discuss this more throughout the process if you're interested in a different type of session.
How does this work? Your entire experience will last 6 hours total. You will receive complimentary hair and makeup, access to the 200 piece client wardrobe, and much more! Your photographer is going to pose you from head to pointed toe, and help you with a variety of facial expressions! Prepare to be sore after your session, we do a LOT of bending and twisting (it's quite the workout!).
Studio Sessions usually begin between 4pm and 7pm, where we do the first half of your session, which is hair, makeup and the shoot itself. After that you will return to the studio within 10 days for your Image Reveal & Ordering Appointment! We will select which images you would like to purchase and how you would like to display them at home! Ordering appointments take approximately 1-2 hours. Come prepared to pay in full at your viewing session unless you are taking advantage of our payment plans (more info on this coming to you soon!).
How long does it take to get the albums and prints back? You will receive your images in about 6-8 weeks once your final payment is processed! We currently have all items shipped to us so we can review the products and ensure the quality before you come in to pick up your product. We do not offer online galleries or multiple appointments for your reveal, all ordering decisions must be made at your reveal appointment.
So what do I need to do to book? The Session Fee is $300 and is required to reserve a space on our calendar.
Session Fee $300
Our Session Fee can be paid in full or split into 2 payments of $150.
If the payment is split, the first half is due to reserve the session space on the calendar,
the second half is due within 30 days of the first. Failure to complete the payment in 30 days will
result in forfeiture of the session space and $150 payment.
The Session Fee includes:
30 Minute Pre-Session Consultation
Private Use of the Boudoir Studio
Professional Hair and Makeup Application
Access to our 600+ piece Client Wardrobe
60 Minutes of Photography with Photographer
Complete Posing and Expression Coaching
Minimum of 3 Wardrobe Changes
2-Hour Private In-Person Reveal & Image Ordering Appointment
**All images are purchased separately from the Session Fee at the Reveal & Image Ordering Appointment**
I need my images by XX date, when should I book? Our studio books up 6-12 months in advance and our printed products can take up to 8 weeks for delivery. If you have a special occasion coming up or wish to book a holiday appointment, I recommend booking 12 months in advance of that date.
Can my spouse/friend/mom come to my session or my ordering appointment? We do not allow guests to be present for any portion of the time you spend with us. Our services are best delivered in an 1-on-1 atmosphere with your complete undivided attention.
What can I expect to spend at my Reveal & Ordering Appointment? Before we have created your images, it is hard for me to give you an exact figure as to what to expect. Some women come to me and just get a basic album, others come to me and want it all and invest several thousands on a variety of products. Keep in mind what you spend is up to you. You can purchase from our Collection Menu or the A La Carte Menu, both which will be sent to
you immediately following the completion of your booking process. What I can say is this, if you are looking for a "quick shoot" or "just a few images," this is not the session for you. We offer an entire experience and will show you anywhere from 50-100 final images that will be printed on luxury products. It is certainly an investment, one that is worth its weight in gold. You'll never tire of looking at your images or forget the way the session day made you feel.
Our albums begin at $1200 and go all the way up to $2200.
Our Collections begin at $1200.
Have sticker shock? No worries, we know that this experience is an investment and therefore we offer several different payment plan options. You can split up the cost of any of our products via our interest free in-house payment plan and make smaller monthly or weekly payments towards your purchase leading up to your shoot (usually 6-12 months) or you can get financing through one of our payment plan companies. It's also good to know that we offer bonuses, like freebies and special sets for pre-paying for a collection.
Ready to book?
If you've made it this far and are ready to take the next step, you can click the link to book your session! If you have further questions, we can always set up a phone call if needed - just simply reply to this email that you'd like to chat with us before taking the leap.
You can book your boudoir shoot HERE
I truly hope you've enjoyed reading this guide, and it's left you feeling excited about the thought of having your very own session with us! We have worked with over 100 women in the last 5 years, so chances are you might know someone who has worked with our studio! Please feel free to ask us ANY questions, we want you to be 100% comfortable and EMPOWERED during your session!
Can't wait to chat with you soon!