dio in general, and I can ensure that there are no distractions in the cam-
era room. I don’t have a phone in my camera room, I ask my client to turn
off her cell phone, and I play soft, relaxing music. My actual sessions take
anywhere from one-and-a-half to two hours. I always make sure that I
don’t have to be to my next appointment for at least two to two-and-a-half
hours. These sessions are very long, tiring, and emotionally draining. You
do not want to constrain your artistic abilities by imposing a time limit,
and you want to ensure that you have enough time to recover.
Music.
I always ask the subject what type of music she would prefer to hear while
I photograph her. I love soft jazz and keep a CD of mellow music on hand
for my boudoir sessions. I also allow my clients to bring in an MP3 player
so they can listen to music of their own.
On Location at Her Home.
On-location photography can be challenging. You are in an unfamiliar sur-
rounding and have far less control than you do in the comfort of your cam-
era room. While you may feel out of your element, your client will feel
more comfortable in a familiar set-
ting with access to all of her clothes,
makeup, and accessories. She won’t
have to worry about forgetting any-
thing, because everything she needs
will be readily available. Even though
these sessions are challenging, they
can be the most profitable and re-
warding boudoir sessions.
Be mindful of your composition. Notice
the proper exposure, posing, and light-
ing done in-camera to create this stun-
ning, on-location image. The light setup
is detailed in the image below.34 ELLIE VAYO’S GUIDE TO BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY