Nikon SLR Cameras

Any tips for my first Boudoir Photo Shoot?

Claudia Camargo
Claudia Camargo

I'm taking my first Boudoir shoot, next week. The location will be in a Hotel room around 5pm! The gear i will be taking will be my Nikon d3100, kit lens, 50mm 1.8, a Sigma 22-35mm 1.8 lens, a white umbrella with a speed light stand and a speed light of course. I do have wireless triggers! Any advice would be great! I think my main concern is lighting, i'm still fairly new with using a speedlight and an umbrella, and it gets dark around 5:30 so i know i will be using my speed light eventually. I'm so nervous i'm going to mess up! I did explain to the girl i never done anything like this before, and i'm still new to photography. Only been doing it for 2 years! ><

Mark
Mark

Hope you won't take this the wrong way, but if you're nervous about messing up, and you're still new to photography (and two years is definitely on the "new" side), don't you think those both of these things tell you that you're not up to doing this yet?

If you're doing it to gain experience, then fine, as long as your subjects don't mind and are aware of your level of experience. But it sounds like you're basically going for a hit and hope approach.

Please don't tell us you're going to be charging money for it… That's just a disaster waiting to happen.

keerok
keerok

Start with light on one side then adjust along the way. You're learning. The model should wait (it's actually better for her especially if you're paying her by the hour).

Shoot even as she moves or changes position. You might get lucky there.

One more thing, never, ever touch the model. Not her shoulders, not her hair. You have to be very vocal about everything but of course you can use gestures.

Paperwork. Make everything clear. You own the pictures. Put that in her head.

Finally, it wouldn't hurt if you had someone else with you just in case. A girl friend would be useful with makeup, hair and for holding the light once in a while.

BriaR
BriaR

Set up your lighting in your living room and take some trial shots.
If you can't get a willing friend or family member to sit for you then use a teddy bear, take selfies or something. Doesn't need to be boudoir!

Whatever you do don't go into the shoot without having a "play" first.