Well hello there!


You've booked a boudoir and you're somewhere between confident and excited, and absolutely freaking out. (Or all those things and more) I want you to know that it's absolutely going to be okay and it's totally normal to be a ball of nerves. Whether you've done a boudoir session before, or this is your first one, I'm hoping this page will provide you with useful information so you can feel more prepared.

Below you can find the most commonly asked questions (and the answers), some lengthy information about clothing choices (with pictures included) and some generalized DOs and DON'Ts. Take a minute, scroll through, and remember if you still have more questions, shoot me a message and I'm happy to help.


FAQ

Are there certain outfits that I need?

Nope! Totally going to be up to you. More below on outfit choices.

Should I Shave?

If you plan on shaving, I would suggest 24-48 hours before to avoid irritated skin. Waxing and sugaring should also be done a few days before.

By no means do you need to do any hair removal though. Body hair is normal and natural so whatever you choose to do for yourself is fine by me.

Do I Need to get a tan?

This is also something you would need to do a few days to a week in advance. Do NOT get a spray tan day before or day of and do not use self tanner either. It often makes skin tones uneven and can rub off on furniture.

What if I hate certain parts of my body?

Then we aren't going to showcase them While I will maintain that our bodies are perfect the way they are, that doesn't mean they make us feel good.

If there is a part of your body you don't want featured then rest assured we won't play up those areas. We can minimize areas of concern with strategic posing and the right outfit choices. If there are insecurities, let me know ahead of time so we can discuss specific outfit choices that will play up your assets and downplay the areas you aren't a fan of.

What do I do with my face?

We love a RBF. There are some tricks to getting a great face for your session and I won't forget to remind you of all those things during your session.

Do I need to share my images online?

Absolutely not. I'd say maybe 25% of my boudoir clients are cool with me posting their images online. The rest keep them to themselves and thats A-OK with me. They're your photos. I'll take lots that don't include your face as well, and sometimes clients are okay with those ones because there's no identifying features. But it's no problem for me if you never want them posted publicly.

How many outfits do I need to bring?

Depending on how long your session is, not as many as you think. For mini sessions, 1-2 max. I like the kinds of outfits that can be added and subtracted from. (see more info below on go to items I love when boudoir clients bring)

What kind of makeup should I wear?

That depends on the vibe we're going for. If you want to do more of a bare dewey face because you're planning more comfy leisurewear vibe you can go as simple as an eyebrow fill, some mascara, and a hydrating lotion on your skin. If you're going for more of a sultry vibe with more lingerie style outfits, a darker smokey eye and more severe contouring will be your friend. Some clients choose to get their makeup done day of but it's not mandatory at all.

What do I do with my hair?

Dirty curls is the way to go. Some call them beach waves. You're going to have your hands in your hair quite a bit so it's going to get messed up. Be ready for that. If curls aren't your thing, try adding a texturizing product so we get some good volume for your shots.

Should I bring heels?

I'm honestly neither here nor there on heels. Bring them if you love them, or if you think it would add to the vibe, but if you leave them at home I won't be upset.

What should I do with my nails?

If you are someone who gets their nails done, a fresh fill is a great idea. If you want to have them painted, I'd go with a neutral colour that compliments your outfits, or have them just clean and bare. Be sure to take off any chipped nail polish on your toes or fingers if you don't plan on wearing anything.

I have a mark on my body, will you take that out?

Typical face and body editing for boudoir sessions includes the complete removal of non permanent marks (bruises, scratches, blemishes etc) softening of permanent markings (stretch marks, scars etc) overall skin softening and the smoothing out of the natural body lines. No, I won't take away your stretch marks or fine lines, but I will minimize them, or we can hide them with posing, the best we can. I'm not about to send you a gallery where you don't look like YOU.

What the heck do I wear?


Easily the most daunting part of booking a boudoir session. There are so many ways you can go here, and it can be easy to get overwhelmed. This section is for if you're really not knowing what vibe you want and you need specifics about what to bring. These items are pretty versatile and will look good on all bodies. You don't need to have them all by any means.


In general, I prefer neutrals and jewel tones for sessions. I love blacks, and nudes the most. I love earthy tone knits and lots of organic textures. That's what you'll see littered through this page. Bright colours are NOT my favourite, they often cast their brightness onto your skin tone and around the space which can throw off the overall vibe of the session.


What to bring if you just don't know. Below.

A good push up bra


Something that's going to put the girls up where they started. Make sure to get something that fits well. Minimal back bulge, and the cups should be filled properly and not overflowing. (If you're not playing up the girls, a good fitting bra is still a must have)

Sweater


A knitted crop, or cardigan in a complimentary colour is a must bring. It can change up the look in a big way and can also act as some camouflage if your arms or your tummy are problem areas for you.

A body suit


I love the shapewear body suits the most because there's some compression in there as well. Bonus points if it's a thong. In a neutral or jewel tone.

Cropped Tee/Baggy Tee


Honestly I love some underboob. Especially if you have a chest that is bottom heavy. A baggy tshirt we can bring up, or go off the shoulder with is super sexy without being over the top. Especially paired with a pair of high waisted underwear.

A thong


Wherever you stand on the day to day wearability of a thong, bring one for your boudoir session. One, or many. High waisted is best, in a neutral solid colour. With the right posing, a thong is going to make your booty look like a million bucks.

Matching bralette and panties


For the small chested ladies, I adore a bralette and panty set thats neutral and plain. Especially if you have a trim figure. It really shows off the body well.

Coverup pieces


If we want to keep things a bit more demure, bring lots of textiles we can use to hide areas you don't love. Oversized sweaters, tshirts, robes, cardigans, dress shirts.

Denim


A ripped pair of boyfriend jeans are a new favourite of mine. I'm always happy if we can pair a good pair of black underwear and some denim together.

Posing is as important as outfit choice


I'll spend the entire session being mindful of the areas you want to downplay. Lucky for you, there are lots of poses that can make any body look amazing. Be ready to work your core, and muscles you may not have worked before. From your tippy toes, to the top of your head.

Outfit Ideas to camouflage

Outfit Ideas to camouflage

Tummy

Shapewear underwear & bodysuits
Oversized cardigan and sweaters
Robe or kimono
High waisted underwear

Great posing will help eliminate this area of concern. (Because it's pretty much every womans problem area)

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DO


  1. Moisturize your skin before your session.
  2. Choose neutrals and jewel toned outfits.
  3. Choose outfits that are easy to get in and out of.
  4. Try on your outfits before your session. Remove all price tags and internal tags that can be seen while wearing the garment.
  5. Choose the outfit(s) you want or message me to decide before your session so there's no decision making day of.
  6. Have a light meal and avoid alcohol and other bloating foods the day before your session.
  7. Any hair removal 24-48 hours minimum before your session.
  8. Come with a positive attitude, listen to some hype music leading up to it, or treat yourself to a hair and makeup day.

DO NOT


  1. Get a spray tan or apply self tanner before your session.
  2. Do not wear bright, fluorescent colours.
  3. Choose outfits that take a long time to get into.
  4. Bring outfits that are brand new that we have to cut tags off of and decide whether they work or not.
  5. Bring everything in your closet and let me decide on the day of (Especially if we're in a mini session situation)
  6. Drink to excess the day before (or day of) or eat a heavy meal on the day of your session.
  7. Shave or wax on the day of your session.
  8. Chicken out, or come with a negative attitude. It's going to be great, don't defeat yourself before the session even starts.

Some boring business stuff


You can decide if you want your photos posted on my page or not. I don't post a ton of boudoir since I'm mainly a family photographer.


If this is a mini session situation, please be ON TIME so the day can run smoothly.


Payment for your session can be made to vanwalk.photog@gmail.com or bring cash to your session. You can pay anytime between your session date and when they gallery is finished. No fun-watermarked images will be emailed out until the balance is paid. All prices include HST.


I'll do some previews within a week of your session, and then final galleries should be ready within 2-4 weeks.


You can order some polaroids of your final images upon the completion of your gallery. OR I can take some mini polaroids (pictured below) during your session and you can take those home with your after your session. The price is $50 plus hst for 10 polaroids. (Engraved box is an additional cost)