Have I Got a Story For You!
Gather round, get your criss-cross applesauce on, and lean in for the chilling tale of...
My boudoir HORROR story!
(And how to avoid it!)
Picture this...
I'm 25, in the best shape of my life...I was doing ALL the things: muay thai kick boxing, cycling, and yoga out the wazooooo.
I had also embarked on my ultimate Sagittarian fantasy of traveling the world. After a year backpacking SE Asia, I found myself living and working in Australia.
{ Completely necessary photo of me mid happy dance, nearly dying of excitement the first time I saw a lil roo-roo in the wild }
To say I was FEELIN' MYSELF during this time of my life would be the understatement of the century.
And I wanted to document this important snippet of life with none other than a set of drop dead gorgeous boudoir photos.
So I looked around and found a photographer who was SUUUUUUPER cheap. I can't remember how much...somewhere like $200-400 for hair and makeup AND a bunch of photos.
(For reference, I currently pay my pay hair and makeup artist anywhere between $150-200 for her services, which is industry standard for a professional.)
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Little did I know this was the photographic equivalent of moving my happy lil WASP-y family into a frikkin MURDER HOUSE
I show up to the photoshoot feeling nervous because I'm rather uncomfortable in front of the camera. And I've never had anyone else do my makeup before. So I've got no idea what to expect.
First off, I'm waiting my turn to get into hair/makeup...there's several other girls on this boudoir factory conveyor belt, and the MUA (makeup artist) announces that,
"OOOPS...I totally forgot all my hair supplies!"
Wait, what?! WTFFFFFFFF lady!
Soooooo unprofessional.
Good thing I had done my hair the day before so it was in the range of acceptable. But I totally felt bad for the other girls who clearly had airdryed and unstyled hair. :(
I finally get in the hot seat and have my makeup done, but when I looked at myself in the mirror I did NOT like what I saw.
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Eyeshadow in all the wrong places.
Literally NO eyeliner.
Underdone mascara and brows.
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Girl....I'm no pro makeup artist...but I had to give her NOTES.
Pulled out my own makeup kit and fixed my face the best I could.
Cue more anxiety going into the shoot because I did not feel confident at ALL in the makeup choice.
It was starting to dawn on me that maybe this was a bad idea...it was the bloody writing on the walls that starts off the poltergeist s#*! show.
When I got into the photography studio, the photographer asked to see my outfits, showed me where to change, and seemed kinda frazzled. He was nice enough, but I could tell he was really in a rush.
For the entirety of my photoshoot, the he ran around at top speeds adjusting lights, backdrops, and ME like a rabid photography squirrel.
Honestly at this point in my life, I totally understand why he was a bit of a mess...he was pumping out photoshoots like he was making fidgety widgeties at a factory in China (which at that price point is the only way he could possibly have a business).
I can also say that he was a fairly good photographer in the technical aspects - the lighting and editing were professional.
But there was something missing: connection.
When I look at my images I don't see me. I see this weird, awkward, scared looking shell version of me.
Because that's how I felt.
He had no time to connect with me, coach me through the awkwardness, and bring out my sparkle and shine.
I'm still ultimately glad that I documented that time of my life, and I can also appreciate that my BOD looks HOT...but I'm also SUPER sad that these photos are missing my spirit.
This is the best of them...I'm smiling but if you look in my eyes you can see the discomfort.
Again, body looks great and I'm smiling, but you can see how uncomfortable I am. Not selling the pose or the bringing the sexy at all.
(I'm also going to nitpick here and point out that he's missed focus on my face - focus on all these images is actually on my shoulder or bra.)
In contrast, these are the images I get for my clients because I take the time to be their coach, guide, and friend through the process:
Genuine, comfortable, and beaming smiles...YAY!
Even the photos without smiles, still have something important: CONNECTION
(Replacing eyes that show discomfort, awkwardness, and uncertainty with eyes that invoke intrigue, desire, confidence)
Learn from my mistakes and choose a boudoir SUCCESS story, not a horror story!
How do you choose a boudoir photographer?
The moral of the story is: that big ol' Victorian house is on super sale for a REASON
aka you get what you pay for.
Running a photography business is expensive.
There's also significant time spent doing things outside of the shoot itself (editing, marketing, consulting, content creation, etc.)
Photographers will cover their cost of doing business and be able to pay themselves by going one of two routes:
(1) - Quantity over quality
- Minimize time, effort, and quality put into service and images
- Maximize the number of clients
- Charge less
This style of doing business means you're going to be a mass produced factory widget, just like in my story. Many of these photographers are in fact NOT covering their costs of business or paying themselves & will probably go out of business and/or burn out quickly if they don't change.
OR
(2) - Quality over quantity
- Maximize time, effort, and quality put into service and images
- Minimize the number of clients
- Charge more
These photographers have more time, money, and energy to devote to YOU and to developing their craft even more. They will address your concerns and desires like the unique, one of a kind wonder that you are.
Another way to look at this is
PICK TWO:
- Cheap (often this actually means only picking one...cheap)
- Professional quality lighting, editing, and images
- Great service that makes you feel comfortable and able to connect thru the camera
I wish that I had known what a cheap photographer would mean.
Money comes and goes.
I could've saved up or done a payment plan to afford a better photographer who gave stellar service AND produced high quality images. But I went with the cheap option and now...I'm stuck with these images that I never want to look at or show off.
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Photography is a LIFELONG purchase.
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Do you think you're worth high quality service and images?
What will it mean to you several years down the road?
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So how do you decide on your photographer and avoid my mistake?
When you're ready to invest in boudoir photographs, it's important that price isn't the ONLY (or even primary) concern. Be ready to invest in yourself.
Look at their portfolio and ask:
Does their work look professional?
Does it match my style?
Do the women they're photographing look relaxed/confident or can you see some discomfort in their faces?
Get on a call and do a vibe check
Find a photographer who crafts images that call to you, and has a vibe that you connect with. How does this person make you feel? Do they seem to care about/value you? Choose someone who sees your beauty and worth and is willing to devote time and effort to making images that you're going to love for the rest of your life.
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