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Tips Boudoir photography

Discussion in 'Photography, Art & Design' started by Lovah, 10 Mar 2012.

  1. Lovah

    Lovah Apple and Canon fanboy

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    At the moment I've limited myself to candid shots when out with friends (daytrips, weekends, holidays, dinners, party's, just about anything) and a few weddings for friends/relatives.

    I enjoy shooting people/portraits the most. This year I want to do more with my photography then the candid shots and the occassional wedding. I've already did a few photoshoots with friends and really enjoyed it. (one ; two)

    I would like to try boudoir photography (lingerie, covered top-less)
    So far I think I have most of the obvious stuff managed:
    - Models : asked some pretty friends
    - Location : my own bedroom: I know the light, it's huge, big neutral bed, neutral colors in the room, no time pressure, it's free, I know it's not ideal as it's not really professional
    - Change room : got a spare room where the model can change privately
    - Camera gear : plan on using the 5D with 50, 85 and 24-70
    - Lighting : sunlight as main light, have three bright stage lights as additional lights, plan on using reflectors/sheets/whatever to reflect these to soften the light + the lights already in the room (I shot with flash before and don't like it at all)
    - Make-up : asked the models to fix there own, as neutral as possible
    - Outfits : asked the models to bring all there underwear, from cute to sexy but also for neutral playfull things to go with it (tank top, plain shirt, high heels, sweatpants, ..)

    So what is this thread for?

    Well I'm looking out for some good information on what I should look for. Example shots with different poses for different body types. Other general tips when shooting with a model.

    This can be websites, blogs, videos, instructional or inspirational

    all input/tips are welcome.
    I'm starting to get slightly nervous so I want to prepare myself as good as possible.

    cheers
     
    Last edited: 10 Mar 2012
  2. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

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    There's your problem, right there. This is the UK you know. :p
     
  3. Lovah

    Lovah Apple and Canon fanboy

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    Haha, well I'm in Belgium ;-) and its almost spring, so hopefully that should work out! :D
     
  4. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

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    Belgium is just as bad, weather wise. :p
     
  5. Ending Credits

    Ending Credits Bunned

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    Oh god, you must be a real smooth talker or have some really good friends. :D
     
  6. supermonkey

    supermonkey Deal with it

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    What kind of look are you going for? Are you aiming for a more modern well-lit lingerie shoot, or are you looking for a romanticized boudoir atmosphere?

    If you're aiming for the former, then just flip through some back issues of Playboy for some inspiration on poses. Yeah, it may be the quintessential lads magazine, but there is a reason that they've remained so popular all these years. Their photography - particularly the centerfold shots - sometimes features deceptively complex lighting, and the overall look is familiar to us all.

    If you want something more intimate (not intimate in a sleazy way, but in the sense that it draws the viewer in), then look into the artistic lighting theory of Chiaroscuro. Seriously, even if you just want to take simple photos of women in their underwear, go check out a few books on Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and more broadly art in general especially during the Baroque period. Not only will further your photographic and artistic knowledge, but you'll develop a new appreciation for some modern film-making.

    If you've ever seen the Clone Wars cartoon series - particularly after season 2 - then you understand why a solid background in the masters is essential to producing really good photography today.
     
  7. Tribble

    Tribble Steals Avatars

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    Or the so called models are just plain stupid to go to some guys bedroom for free shots, i think we are on the high imagination trail here.

    very unprofessional and not the done thing, infact would be considered down right dangerous.

    And this is all done for free :nono:
     
  8. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    Stage lights? As in continuous halogen lamps? Problem right there then if you're mixing these with daylight, as you have a massive difference in colour temperature. The light from the lamps will appear extremely warm compared to the sunlight (unless it's late evening sunlight). Settings on camera won't help either, as you can only set for one value. You may need to filter the lamps with cooldown gels unless you shoot at a specific time of day (early morning sun or late evening sun)



    Not sure what the link is between using reflectors etc and flash. Flash is as soft or hard as you want it to be. You can use all of the above reflectors/sheets/whatever with flash, and you probably won't have the colour balance issue.



    I'm struggling to work out what you'll get at the end of this. Loads of shots of women in the same room, on the same bed. The idea behind boudoir is that it's mean to be empowering to the women modelling for it, so a photo of a woman in lingerie, sprawled across a man's bed (and it will be obvious it's a man's room) is hardly empowering. Slightly misogynistic if anything. Plus, once you run out of friends, you're screwed, as no one else is going to go to a man's bedroom for some photographs. Probably a good thing, as you'll have already run out of ideas creatively by using the same room over and over again... not that there was much creativity in just getting women to take their clothes off in your bedroom to begin with.

    Serious about this? Get a woman assistant, as a man working alone will never get anywhere doing stuff like this. Also.. you need studio space.. seriously.. you can't just use the same room/bed over and over again. It will be tired after the second shoot, let alone the third, fourth, fifth.....
     
  9. adidan

    adidan Guesswork is still work

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    If the models are friends and doing this for free then, as a friend, I would make sure you get a basic contract written up so that they have sole authorisation as to when and where the images can be used in the future.
     
  10. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    Why? As the photographer, the OP should be deciding that, not the model. I agree that a model release/license to use stipulating precisely what the images are to be used for is a good idea, but why insist the models have sole authorisation? I can only imagine that you suggest this to ease their minds at not being plastered all over the internet, and that would be something you could put in there, but I think Lovah should retain the ability to use the images for at least self-promotional purposes within his own websites/publications... otherwise why bother taking them in the first place?
     
  11. adidan

    adidan Guesswork is still work

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    Because they're working for free, providing makeup and clothing for free.

    A basic contract could stipulate that they agree to self promotional use but anything that could involve financial return should provide return for the models as well or they should be allowed to stipulate that they are not used if they so wish.

    You have to consider this from their point of view as well as that of the photographer.
     
  12. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    That's not what you said though.

    That gives the photographer no rights whatsoever. They could even say that he can't use them in his own portfolio for self promotional use. That's unreasonable. They may not be getting paid, but it's common practice in this field for new models starting out to test for print, which means the photographer gets the shot, the model gets free images for her book. Otherwise she'd have to pay hundreds to get them if she paid for them... possibly a great deal more. It's not as if they're not getting anything out of the arrangement.

    Plus.. If the photographer aims to earn money from them, that in no way entitles the model to have a cut of every penny earned from that image henceforth. In reality, models get paid a fee for the work, but NOT a percentage of ongoing print sales. Besides, that's neither here nor there. What you suggest is that ALL of this is to be decided by the model, not the photographer.

    The photographer should be the one deciding the rights and usage of the image, as he is the legal author of that work under the Copyright Act. The model can either agree, or disagree as they see fit, but they can't be calling the shots. A standard release form for a model on a commercial shoot will not, ever, give them a percentage of ongoing royalties earned from an image unless there's some kind of arrangement between both parties... or it's Kate Moss.. who is now big enough to make these kinds of demands.

    Models get paid a fee... end of. In this arrangement, the fee is she gets free images. Not unreasonable if they're new models starting out, or in this case... just a bunch of friends who may not even have any aspirations of becoming models. If Lovah wishes to include them in any future royalties earned out of altruism and friendship, then fine, but there is no industry precedent that DEMANDS this.
     
  13. Lovah

    Lovah Apple and Canon fanboy

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    Well, this is going in every direction, except in the one I intended too.

    Let me put a few things straight first.
    - This isn't some "trick" to get girls out of there clothes.
    - The models are close friends, who want to do this because they like my photography and want too. They will get a say in which images I use and where I use them.
    - If I do end up enjoying this, I won't keep doing it out of my own home. It's just the easiest at the moment and although I know the same room will get tiring after a while, I'm sure I can keep it interesting for 2-3 shoots with different sheets, backdrops, angels and lighting.

    The lights I have are actually quite cool in color, but I will do a test beforehand to make sure, thanks for pointing that out.

    I meant to say that I've used flash before but don't like working with them. I find them to be very distracting for my subject and because it's not continous, I found it very hard to imagine the mood/atmoshere the light will create, so end up having to change the settings/positions too much. I know this is a lack of my experience, but I believe continous lights are better suited for my purposes and skills.
     
  14. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    Welcome to the internets :)

    I hope there was something useful in my first reply.
     
  15. M_D_K

    M_D_K Modder

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    I find a really good place to start other then Google would be 500px.

    http://500px.com/search?utf8=✓&q=Boudoir+
    That hits up 2161 hits of some really high quality shots :) (have actually book marked that fo rmyself :)).

    General tips when working with models other then what is out there on google this is what I found helped when I did my first proper shoot with a model/friend. Just be as confidant as you can be, know what everything does and how it works if it goes wrong then you can fix it I'm talking lights, camera the full wack make sure your not faffing about with the camera as too get the best shot you need to be working with the model and building up a good rapport then you will see some good images plus this helps the models to relax especally if they are new.

    Relax, be confident, build a rapport, direct & shoot :) job done, in amongst all of that you also need to figure out lighting but can worry about that another day.
     
    Lovah likes this.

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