Outdoor Boudoir Photography
Imagine basking in the warm sun, surrounded by the serene beauty of nature as we capture the most alluring photos you’ve ever seen of yourself. For the adventurous, nature-loving woman, outdoor boudoir photography offers a unique and unforgettable experience. In this post, we'll answer some common questions and give some helpful tips so you get the best photos possible from your session.
Can I Do My Boudoir Photoshoot Outdoors?
This summer I had way too many of my clients ask me if I do any of my boudoir sessions outdoors. Every time I was asked the question I said of course I do and I would show them some examples from some past clients. I heard the questions with such frequency this year though, that I felt the need to create this article to hopefully answer this question once and for all:
YES!!! You can absolutely do your boudoir session outdoors!
Where Can I Do My Outdoor Boudoir Photoshoot?
The short answer is anywhere! Most of my clients that request an outdoor boudoir session have a private location in mind. This is honestly the best case scenario for outdoor boudoir, but it's certainly not a requirement. The above images for instance were photographed on a weekend at a very secluded part of our Sonoma County coastline.
Consider Asking Friends To Use Their Property
You won't believe how many of my outdoor boudoir sessions are done at a friends property! Some are super rural and epic, but many aren't and still yield awesome results. Know a friend with an awesome backyard swimming area or maybe a well landscaped yard (most of you should be nodding your head yes) Ask them if you can use it for the day for your photoshoot!
What if I Don't Know Anyone With A Private Outdoor Location?
Don't know anyone with a private location or maybe you're just a little to shy to ask. That's okay! Many of my clients rent airbnb's and VRBO's of houses/properties with nice outdoor areas for their sessions. This is an awesome option especially if you want some indoor images as part of your session.
Another option is to choose a secluded area along the coast or around your favorite hiking spots you know about. As stated above, the images in this blog post were all photographed at spots we found around the Sonoma county coast line. If you're willing to walk and or hike a little bit, it's actually super easy to find beautiful forest, grassy fields and beach areas for your session.
Consider What’s Best for You!
Some women really fall in love with the idea of doing an outdoor boudoir session and that’s totally understandable! Outdoor sessions are super fun and awesome. Just be real about who you are!
If you are a person who is super anxious about the very low possibility of being seen in public doing a boudoir photoshoot, consider doing an indoor boudoir session first. An indoor session session will not only get you used to how I will pose you, it will also build your confidence up so that you can feel more comfortable about the the idea of posing on the beach in a bikini.
Time of Year Matters!
It happens a few times a year where I’ll get asked by a client if we can photograph their outdoor session at odd times of the year. Probably not a good idea to shoot your beach boudoir session in January for instance… Furthermore goosebumps are IMPOSSIBLE to remove in post production without also destroying skin texture in your final images.
May Through October Is The Best Time For An Outdoor Boudoir Photoshoot
The blanket answer of when is the best time to do an outdoor boudoir photoshoot is usually mid May though mid October. That time frame is usually pretty safe to plan this kind of session in Sonoma County. If you are traveling in for your session, you will definitely want to schedule your session away from the fringes of this time frame to increase your chances of a beautiful day.
Even when making all the perfect plans though, stuff can still happen at the perfect times of year and you have to be okay with variables like weather changes for these kinds of sessions.
