Boudoir Photo Shoot FAQ

I am located in Sonoma, California, however, all of my photo shoots take place on location. I accommodate clients within a 1 hr of my location for no additional fee. This includes all of Sonoma, Napa and Marin Counties. You can find my service area here for a full list of the areas I accommodate at no charge. Additionally, post has some boudoir location ideas if you’re looking for some inspiration on where to do your boudoir photo shoot.

For an overview of my process you can check out my boudoir photo shoot overview here. In short, every session with me has five main events:
• Planning
• Booking
• Makeover
• Photo Shoot
• Image Selection

Sessions start at $1,952.00 and includes:
• Your photo shoot
• Professional Hair and Makeup
• 6 image folio box
• Full/web res jpegs of every image included in your collection
• One reveal session where you can choose to purchase any additional images you want from your session.

To estimate the cost of your session, simply add your session deposit of $500 to the amount of images you think you’ll want from your session. For a full list of image presentation options you can check those out and calculate the final cost of your session using my price menu.

The final amount you spend on your artwork is entirely up to you, however you probably won’t know the exact number of images you’ll want until you see your final collection at your image reveal.

As a frame of reference, my average client spends somewhere between $3,500-$7,000 on their final collections. Some spend less and some spend considerably more, but this is a good, realistic range you can expect for a folio box or boudoir album like I show.

A photo shoot with me is an all day event. Typically we start your makeover at 10AM. Your makeover with my artist will take roughly 2hrs. Then from roughly 12PM – 6PM is when we photograph your session.

Some women are fatigued from posing sooner and some go a touch longer but the price difference is the same in either case. This is because the cost of your session is based on the final collection of images you choose at your reveal, not time in front of the camera.

Absolutely! I will never tell you that you can’t bring someone with you if that makes you feel more comfortable. If you decide you’d like to bring someone, take great care to choose a person who has good supportive energy. This might sound obvious, but in the past, I’ve had clients compromise their final images by inviting someone who shouldn’t have been there in the first place.

Alternatively, I’ve also had husbands, boyfriends, friends and even mothers who’ve attended sessions that I’m convinced had a positive impact on the final images. In short, choose the person you invite with great care as it can have a profound impact (positive or negative) on your final photos.

I’m happy to entertain shot requests. However, if you’re booking me for your photo shoot, you are doing so because you love the style of the images I show in my portfolio. Trying to recreate someone else’s photography of someone else will likely not get you images consistent with what I show. If you would like to tell me about the images in my portfolio that resonate with you, I will take note of these images and help you design your session accordingly.

That said, I still can not guarantee you’ll get any requested images. This is because every woman is an individual and needs to be posed specifically for her unique body type. Additionally environmental factors such as lighting can change day to day and even minute to minute. It is for these reasons (among many others) that I can not guarantee any requested shot. Things tend to work out best if we talk about your intended session before hand, and then allow me to guide you towards photos like I show.

I do not offer couples boudoir to first time clients. Special consideration will be made upon request for repeat clients only.

Depending on the time of year and your intended session, I usually book sessions 1-3 months in advance.  I am happy to discuss specific session dates following an initial consultation. To book a consultation, you can contact me here.

If you want a watermarked proofing gallery of all the images from your session, I can provide that for you. However, most people don’t request this because they don’t have the specialized sorting software I use to go through the thousands of images I capture during your photo shoot.

For most, it’s a much better experience if I provide a curated gallery of my favorite selections from your session, allowing you to choose from the best images. This makes the process easier for you and ensures your final selections are more consistent with the style showcased in my portfolio. That said, if you prefer a proofing gallery of all the images, I can provide that for you.

Yes, you can find my digital-only pricing here. That said, every print purchase already includes the matching digital files. Also, whether you choose a digital-only collection or bundle your images in an album, the per-image price is exactly the same.

Most clients who start off wanting just digitals end up picking an album or folio box. Why? Because the value’s identical—aside from sales tax I have to include on physical products.

Why is There No Difference in Price?
The reason there’s no price difference is that while modern digital devices are convenient, paper prints offer a superior viewing experience. Additionally, printing is a minimal expense compared to the labor involved in crafting your images. Since my goal is to deliver the best possible images, I believe it’s a disservice not to deliver high-quality prints so you can appreciate the full potential of your photos.

The most important reason there is no price difference, though, is that the true value of your images lies in the time and expertise required to capture and hand-edit your images, not in the cost of printing. My pricing reflects my commitment to delivering the highest quality work I can and ensuring your images are presented in the best way possible.

You’ll receive a culled gallery of your best images within 7 days of your photo shoot (often sooner). Once you select your favorites and complete payment, I’ll begin editing. My goal is to deliver your fully edited digital images within 14 days of final payment. This means you’ll have your finished digital files within 3 weeks of your session assuming you get back to me with your favorites in a timely manner.

If you order an album, I’ll have a design ready for your review along with your culled gallery within 7 days of your photo shoot. After you approve your album design and submit final payment, my goal is to have all of your images edited within 14 days. Once the images for your album are finished, I’ll send you a final draft of your album for your approval. Upon your approval, I’ll then place the order for your album with my lab. My lab typically delivers albums within 3-4 weeks after ordering. In total, expect your album to arrive approximately 6 weeks after your photo shoot.

If you need your photos for a special event, book at least 2.5 months in advance—earlier if possible! My schedule and existing bookings may extend this timeline, so the sooner you reach out, the better. Contact me now to ensure your artwork arrives on time.

Yes! Every session with me includes a full makeover with Ducky Rickman as part of your session deposit. Your makeover will include:
• Pre Moisturizing
• Foundation / Contouring
• Eye Shadow W/Custom Mixed Colors
• Eye Liner, Wing Tips, Waterline etc.
• Mascara / Strip Lashes
• Lip Liner and Stains W/Custom Mixed Colors
• Hair Straightening or Curls

A common question I’m asked (especially from men) is what is the point of boudoir photography? In general, women have boudoir photos taken to change their perception of themselves, and thus, improve their self-confidence.

Although changing the way a woman see’s herself is far and away the most common reason my clients have done sessions with me in the past, it’s definitely not the only reason. Some women also have photos taken as a gift for a special someone. Others who already love their bodies also use their boudoir photo shoots to document their body progress and celebrate their fitness achievements.

Focus first on strength training, high-protein meals, daily stretching, and getting solid sleep. You don’t need a complicated routine—just long-term consistency. Squats, deadlifts, whole foods, and sleep will do more for your boudoir photos than crash diets or cardio. This guide breaks it all down.

The final polish for your preparation will come from the following grooming suggestions at these spacific timings:
• Wax 3–5 days before (not the day before)
• Shave (if not waxing) the night before
• Hair cut and color 3–5 days prior
• Brow Shaping 1-5 days before
• Nails 1–2 days prior
• Lash Extensions 1-5 days before
• Teeth Whitening 2-4 weeks prior
You can find more details on all of these grooming & personal care prep tips here.

• Choose the right lingerie for your body type: Corsets, waspies, structured bodysuits and babydolls are the most slimming lingerie styles for curvy women.
• Shift your weight to your back foot: This is one of my go to poses for plus size women. It will make your butt look smaller by pushing it away from the camera.
• Lie on Your Stomach to Conceal Tummy: Poses on your stomach discreetly hide your midsection and gives you the opportunity to highlight other areas like your hips and butt.
• Use Gravity to Your Advantage: Posing on your back will naturally flatten your tummy by leveraging gravity.
• High camera angles are your friend: High camera angles are one of the best curvy boudoir ideas. High angles will draw attention to your bust and face and away from your tummy and thighs.
• Use Shadows Strategically: Light doesn’t just illuminate—it shapes. Slim your body by positioning yourself so long shadows fall over your tummy or anything else you want to conceal.
• Practice Healthy Habits: Focusing on healthy habits like a protein rich diet, weight lifting, and sleep will have more of a slimming effect than anything else mentioned above.