What to ask your boudoir photographer...
What to ask your boudoir photographer
besides how much and are you available?
I don't know if I'm the 1st or the 10th photographer in your quest for an awesome boudoir experience, but I'm glad you found me because I'm going to help you find a boudoir photographer that you love.
You're probably feeling a bit overwhelmed and confused. Most of my inquiries have no idea what to ask me. So where do you start?
Start with these questions:
1) How long have you been photographing boudoir? A photographer can be awesome whether the answer is a year or 10, but listen to her confidence. If she* says it proudly, she probably has the skills to back it up.
2) Do you photograph other genres? Maybe this is her specialty, maybe it's not. Maybe this is her "quick cash" weekend marathon idea, or maybe this is what she spends her time perfecting. I know photographers who solely photograph boudoir and spend extraordinary amounts of time and money learning their craft. I also know some talented photographers who really prefer photographing families, but occasionally dip their toes into boudoir. The more time someone puts into their craft, the more you'll get as a client.
3) Will I need to rent a hotel room or do you have a studio? I have done both, and each has its perks. Just keep in mind that a hotel will be an added cost that could be spent on your gorgeous photos.
4) How will you help me get ready for the shoot? The more you put into a photoshoot, the more you take away. That means there's a t0-do list of beauty preparation. It goes way beyond shaving your legs. And some things are counter-intuitive. Everyone wants to tan... don't. Dry orange skin is NOT sexy and is incredibly costly to fix in Photoshop.
5) How much retouching do you do on the photos and is it before or after I buy them? There are lots of different answers to this. Some artists prefer to show you rough edits and then will retouch the ones you purchase. Some offer no retouching at all, as they prefer a more artistic than glamorous look. Personally, I retouch all of your proofs before you see them. I am very light-handed with the Photoshop because I've been doing this long enough to get it right in camera. But I would never show a client a photo that wasn't absolutely gorgeous and tell her how I'll make it better.
6) What's your privacy policy? Some clients want EVERYONE to see their awesome photos; some clients, like lawyers and teachers, require that NO ONE sees their photos. If you are comfortable sharing, make sure there is a written contract/model release. If you want them to remain private, you need to say this. I would never ever ever share someone's private photos without her permission. If you are particularly sensitive for cultural or professional reasons, ask about in-house printing so that the photos never go online.
7) How and when do I choose my photos? Some photographers offer inclusive packages and some have the photoshoot and products separate. Both have pros and cons. We offer it separately because we want you to only buy the photos you LOVE, not ones to fill a pre-purchased quota. Also ask if your proofing will be online or in person. We don't offer online ordering galleries. Those get hacked very easily and pervos love the idea of seeing photos they're not supposed to.
8) What should I wear? This will obviously depend on what you want. But the response is very telling. If she says she'll guide you to choose based on your body type and desired look, you know she's invested in making YOU look good. If she offers you a generic list of ideas or no ideas at all, you could end up with an outfit you thought would be adorable, but photographs terribly. Click here for our top three tips to get the best boudoir wardrobe fit.
9) Do you offer files or products or both? Everyone has different needs, but you should know if the photographer suits your desires. Do you want to hold a beautiful boudoir album in your hands and rediscover your beauty page-by-page? Do you want to be able to surprise your husband at work with a naughty sexy text? I love both ideas, so I offer both. I believe that photos have 1000x more impact in print, but I also love quick and easy sharing. Anything you buy in print gets a matching file. This is my current favorite product.
10) Do you offer files with a print release, copyright release or just for digital sharing? Most consumers have no idea what this means, so here you go:
PRINT RELEASE: The photographer is giving you and anyone described in the release the rights to print your photos for personal use. That means yes you can wallpaper your bedroom with 8x10s, but no you can't submit them to Playboy. The photographer still owns the artistic property.
DIGITAL RELEASE: This is similar to the print release, but only applies to digital sharing. You may not print these. You may not add Instagram filters. You can just upload and share. This may be enough for you, because you just want to email your best friend to show her your sexy new photos.
COPYRIGHT RELEASE: This means the photographer can no longer do anything with the photos without your permission. This usually comes with a very heft commercial price tag because it means that you could sell that photo to whomever you want. This is unusual and unnecessary. Don't worry, if you didn't sign a model release, she can't use your photos in her portfolio.
QUESTIONS TO ASK IF IT'S A BOUDOIR MARATHON OR GROUPON OFFER: How much time will be allotted just for me? Will my shoot be customized to my body type and specific needs? Will hair and makeup be included? What happens if you're running late?
Whew, you made it. It's a lot to ask, but it's important. You're putting a lot on the line with these photos and we want you to have an incredible experience.
If you're interested in booking a complimentary consultation with Leslie in Albuquerque to ask all of your questions, just use the link below. See you soon!