T
here are a few words I use to describe my style of glamour
photography: elegant, fashionable, alluring, sexy, glamorous,
sensual, attractive, playful, or just plain fun—all adjectives as in-
dividual as women’s personalities. A female client might also use any one of
these words to describe the portrait she’d like your help in creating for her.
That’s where the life of a commissioned glamour portrait begins—with what
the client wants. Understanding each client’s reasons for wanting that por-
trait is also an essential component of building a successful glamour photog-
raphy business.
In commissioned glamour portrait photography, your clients are the
women themselves, not a magazine, advertising firm, or modeling agency. In
fact, that’s the difference between this book and many others devoted to
glamour, boudoir, or fine-art figure photography. You’re not paying herto
pose; she’s paying youto produce an image that flatters her femininity. Often
the image will be a gift for her husband, boyfriend,
or fiancé, but just as often it’s for her. It supports
her image of herself as physically attractive. What’s
more, if you can make her lookbetterthan her per-
ception of herself, she’ll love you for it, she’ll pay you, and she’ll bring you
more clients.
To do this, you’ll need to develop three basic skills: a photographic style
that flatters feminine faces and figures, interpersonal skills to sensitively and
perceptively work with a female clientele, and a marketing plan that creates
a positive image of your work and your studio.Reasons for Commissioning a Glamour Portrait.
Let’s look at a few examples that showcase the variety of needs your clients
may have when they come to your studio for glamour portraits. As you’ll
see, they are all individual.
A Special Hobby.Veronica’s fiancé is a motorcycle enthusiast and so is
Veronica (next page)—at least she likes to ride with him. She wanted to pose
in leather with a Harley-Davidson. She didn’t think she could get the bike to
THE GLAMOUR PORTRAIT 51. THE GLAMOUR PORTRAIT.
You’re not paying her to pose; she’s paying you
to produce an image that flatters her femininity.