Today, I am going to walk you through the 10 things you’d never know about boudoir posing, my top secrets if you will. One of the main concerns and first questions asked of me when I am doing a boudoir shoot is “How should I pose?“.
Babe, get that out of your head! I’ve got you. It’s not your job to know how to pose, it’s mine, so no more worries!
1. To Suck In or Not To Suck In
Ah yes, the old adage of “sucking it in“. This is a hard NO.
We don’t want to do that- just engage your core. When we suck it in, it shows on the face and we don’t want that because your face is gorgeous. Sucking it in also makes us hold our breath which changes our skin tone and also makes us look tense.
So how do you engage your core? For me, I tell ladies to pretend like they’re pulling their belly button towards their spine. It works every time.
2. Straighten that back
Now, this a great one to talk about. If your back is straight, we’re not doing it right.
Tylenol may be needed from the amount of back arching we’ll be doing but for 90% of the shoot, if you can arch, it will pay off! And don’t worry, I’ll obviously cue when this is best.
3. Point those toes
This one is key! Unless you were born with those naturally long legs, some of us girls need to work a little harder to give off that illusion. Pointing those toes will do just that. It helps elongate the body, along with keeping our legs looking smooth.
4. Tilt your head
The held tilt I am talking about is not what you are likely thinking. I am talking more about that gentle tilt of one of your shoulders. The gentle tilt also helps bring out that more feminine, relaxed, and naturally beautiful look. Which is the end goal, yes?
It may not feel natural but trust me the photos will make it worth it and I’ll show and guide you in person when we’re rockin’ your session, love.
5. No Duck Lips.
I know this may seem like the natural thing to do because we see it all over social media – but DON’T DO IT! It actually prevents your face from looking relaxed and often times comes out looking super unnatural.
So what should we do, you ask? It’s simple. Breathe through the mouth and relax those lips! No duck face required during this boudoir posing.
6. Stretch into a pose as much as you can
So, I will touch more on trust a little further on, but when we’re in a pose, it’s best to really stretch into it. What I mean by this is, if your arm is extended, really stretch as far as you can into that extension.
If you’re in a back arch or in a different pose, be sure to really push your body into the pose as much as you can. Commit to it. It’s like teaching someone to dance. Sure, you can do a dance move, but there’s a difference between doing it, and nailing it. Make sense, babe?
7. Don’t be afraid to let go
Boudoir is meant to be something for yourself and boudoir posing is always an overwhelming thought but it doesn’t have to be. It is not only meant for you to enjoy it, but also to EMBRACE it.
If you are feeling anxious, that is natural – but be sure to let me know. I am here to help ease your mind. I’ve talked people out of pre-boudoir anxiety a million times, and it’s 100% normal.
8. Pop the bum
This sorta plays with the back arch, but when we push the booty backward, it helps hide cellulite that 100% of ladies have. TRUST ME. Even size 2 girls have it…and that is ok! We can pop the bum to hide that. It also helps give the illusion of a bigger or rounder booty in some angles so if that’s something you’d like, lets pop it out, lovie.
9. Hands are always a concern.
A huge hesitation in the studio in terms of posing is “what do I do with my hands?” and don’t worry babe, I’ve got ya!
Some ways we could pose our hands during a boudoir shoot is to play with the strap of your bra, the hem of a shirt, your hair, chin, neck, collar bones, lower lip..the list is endless! I’ll be with you to suggest the best placement if you want the guidance.
10. THE MOST IMPORTANT- “You get what you give me.”
What this means is if you don’t trust me 100% and you play it safe, you’ll get safe photos.
This isn’t a bad thing AT ALL and clients that do this still enjoy their time. But if you can walk the line and really embrace the experience and allow yourself to let go and be free with yourself, the photos are that much better.
I know it can feel scary and you may think the photos won’t look as good, but when we do this exercise, we usually come up with at least one amazing cry worthy photo. Wouldn’t you rather have one of these vs. three safe and ok ones? I promise I won’t show you any of the bad ones. They never existed, babe.
At the end of the day, this shoot is all about you. It is important to see why you stop comparing your shoot to other boudoir shoots. And with these boudoir posing tips & tricks – girl, you got this!
XO,
EB
