When this Miss M said she wanted to bring kimonos instead of lingerie for her boudoir shoot, it was a new experience for me and I thought it might be a challenge to make a kimono look sexy. But it wasn’t at all. I absolutely love the draped look and how it ties in her culture as well, making the images more unique to her. They also allow for a more modest look, which is what she was going for and we pulled it off beautifully. She was a complete beauty in a Kimono.
Miss M’s experience
I asked Miss M some questions about her experience and here is what she said:
Describe your body in 5 words aged, dull, fat, puffy, dry
What do you love about your body? taught and functioning
Why did you want to do a photo shoot? Although I am not happy with myself, I would miss my body in 30s when I become 50s. Thats why I wanted to have it for my memory
Why did you choose Photography by Rayleigh for your shoot? I saw her work through my clients’. Loved how it turned out.
How did you feel as your were preparing for your shoot? I was nervous yet I didn’t push myself to get in fit still.
Did this experience change the way you see yourself or the way you think of beauty? I think it did. She made me feel I look good.
What does “beauty” mean to you? Confident. Which I was losing a lot lately
What did you love about your shoot? Will you come back some day for another shoot? I felt very comfortable in front of camera. She made me feel good to do so. I will do it again
How did you feel about being nearly naked in front of the camera? I was so comfortable. Female photographer is one of the reason, but also her concept of this photograph fits my idea of doing this.
What was your favorite moment of the whole experience? Getting positive feedback from photographer during the shoot 😉
How did you feel after seeing the photos we created? Amazing.
What are you going to do with your photos? Mostly I want to put in the safe, but I will put couple of them on the wall
Any advice for ladies thinking about doing a photo shoot? Go for it! Its fun, and make you feel you are special
What’s your go-to item to wear to feel smoking hot? Anything silk
It’s good for a photographer to do something a little different every now and then to stretch our creative muscles and to avoid burn out. I’m so excited to share the photos from my stylized Victorian inspired boudoir session. I teamed up with one of my fabulous hair and makeup artists, Kim King, for this unique vintage session. It’s so much fun to be able to create a look that is completely different than what we normally do. Some of the photos were on the more dainty, Victorian side and some of them were more along the lines of an Old West, Saloon Girl theme.
Victorian inspired boudoir
I purchased the gloves and the choker necklace on Amazon.com. The feathers for her hair were found at a local craft store. I already had the pink corset in my studio wardrobe. For the dress form placed in the background, I used a lace dress I already had and folded the top part of the dress down so it was just a skirt. Then I added a frilly button-up shirt for the top that I found at Goodwill and completed it with a piece of ribbon for a belt. The idea was to make it look like an old Victorian dress in the background.
I made this bustle, too, and I’m quite proud of how it turned out. It worked so great for this shoot.
The model for this shoot, Kimberly, found these adorable bloomers online.
Wild West Saloon Girl
I also had this black corset in my studio wardrobe and I always thought it looked a little too “Country Western” for a normal boudoir session. But it worked great for this themed shoot!
I was able to borrow a few props, such as the gun (it’s a toy), the holster, and the vintage hat you’ll see below from a local business who sometimes travels to retirement homes and offers free vintage photos for the residents. They were so kind to allow me to borrow them for my shoot.
I’m not anything close to being a seamstress. But I know just enough about sewing to be dangerous. I made this little skirt and I really love how it turned out for the photos. Just don’t ask me to make another one because I probably couldn’t repeat it. Haha!
Do you have an idea?
Did you enjoy the images from this Victorian inspired boudoir session? If you are interested in doing a stylized shoot like this one or something else that is totally unique, just contact me with your idea and we can make it come true!
The lovely Ms. C came in for a shoot that was both professional business headshots and boudoir. I love when my clients bring a variety of outfits to wear so their photos are more versatile.
What Ms. C had to say about her business headshot and boudoir session
“A friend had used Rayleigh and I loved how her photos turned out. So I contacted her via email to inquire about pricing and she offered several different options. Budget was a concern, but she offers a mini-session that was just what I was looking for (a mix of boudoir and professional looking photos). This was a gift for my husband (and to myself for losing almost 100lbs) and I was nervous about doing boudoir shots.”
“Her studio is in her home and she had a make up artist come in to do my hair and makeup. The make up artist asked me questions about what look I wanted (more natural or more glamour, etc.) and really seemed to listen to what I wanted. I felt like I still looked like myself after wards but just better. Rayleigh was very pleasant (and so was the make up artist). The session was very relaxed and comfortable.”
“I was very nervous and anxious about how the photos would turn out. I was blown away…I still can’t believe that it’s me in the photos. The poses are tasteful and I love how she made me look beautiful (and thin!) and brought out my best features. I turn the Big 50 next month and my husband wants me to book another session!” –Ms. C
Want to see more?
Click here If you’d like to see more Business Headshots. If you’d like to see more boudoir photos, please contact me and I can send you a private gallery.
There is no such thing! I find that the more life experience a woman has, the more she learns to celebrate the life she has and the body she has. Can you still do a boudoir photo shoot in your 60’s? Absolutely!
A new definition of beauty
I love when a woman starts to recognize beauty that comes from within. She pays less attention to her perceived flaws. Her wrinkles remind her of all the time she has spent smiling. Her stretch marks remind her of the beautiful children she has birthed and raised. And now it’s time to take some time for herself to feel alive again.
Up for anything!
I LOVED working with the lovely Ms. J. She was so spunky and up for anything. At age 63, and being a breast cancer survivor, Ms. J threw caution to the wind and she absolutely rocked her boudoir shoot!
Ms. J has 5 sisters and she said she’s the tame one of the bunch. I NEED them to come in for a sister’s shoot because that would just be a blast.
This is what Ms. J said about her experience
“After spending a long time fighting breast cancer, I wanted to feel alive again. I wanted to feel beautiful – inside and out. I was sure I was not photogenic, but hey, I would give it a try. Wow! What a surprise! Rayleigh has been blessed with an amazing ability to find your inside beauty and reflect it on your outside.
The shoot itself was special. Stephanie did a super awesome job on my makeup and hair; and Rayleigh made me feel as if I was in my own home. She is so focused on what and how to look your best, that there is absolutely no awkwardness to it at all.“
Worth a lifetime of vacations
“Rayleigh is not only professional, but quite personable. In a word, the shoot was just fun; and the final product was simply beautiful. She found my smile and my inner beauty, something I had not seen in a very long time. And I didn’t even know I looked that good.
It’s amazing as women we will spend money on our partners, on our kids, on our pets, on vacations, on anything but ourselves. My experience with Rayleigh was worth a lifetime of vacations; and I have the photos to remember it by. I would highly recommend that every woman invest in this special gift of Photography by Rayleigh in Portland, Oregon.”
–Ms. J
What to wear
Ms. J felt comfortable wearing a more conservative wardrobe for her shoot. The robes she chose looked so feminine and beautiful. They were a great choice.
She also brought a classic little black dress, which was great because we got some wonderful photos that she can share with her grandchildren.
A boudoir photo shoot in your 60’s
No matter your age, a boudoir shoot can be a wonderful, life changing experience. I’m so glad that Ms. J took some time for herself to get pampered and celebrate the beautiful woman that she is.
For the privacy of my clients, I try to only share the more modest boudoir photos online. If you’d like to see my full boudoir gallery, please contact me and I can send you my private boudoir gallery link.
Are you ready to book a boudoir photo shoot near Portland, OR and have an amazing experience you’ll never forget? Click here to connect!
I am a Christian, completely devoted to my Savior, Jesus, and I am also a beauty and boudoir photographer. Every once in a while I’m asked about how I can be both. As the boudoir photography industry becomes more popular, a lot of Christians are asking, “Should a Christian woman do a boudoir shoot?” I wanted to share with you some of my thoughts on this.
What is a boudoir shoot?
Boudoir is pronounced Bu-dwah or Bu-dwar. It is technically defined as, “a woman’s bedroom or private room for dressing or resting.” So in the photography world, that involves a portrait shoot that a woman does privately for her man, usually in lingerie. Oftentimes, the motivation for a shoot is to create a gift for your husband, however, you’ll find that a portrait shoot with Photography by Rayleigh is a very pampering experience. It creates a space for you to feel feminine, lovely, and even sexy. Women spend far too much time comparing themselves to other women they see in magazines or on TV. Often feeling “blah” about themselves. Especially tired mommies who feel more like a mom than a woman, most times. Do you relate to any of this?
Men are visual.
God created men to be highly visual. They can’t help it, it’s the way they were built. They are bombarded with images of sexy woman all the time and no matter how much they try to look away and avoid lusting after the women in those images, it’s inevitable that some of those images are going to get in, and stay there, and even pop up from time to time. How great would it be if his memory was chalked full of lovely images of his wife and the majority of the images popping up in his mind were images he could cherish and feel good about?
A full marriage.
When your man chose you to be his wife, he, hopefully, chose you based on your Christ-like qualities like patience, kindness, humility, faithfulness, honor, trust, truth, and hope. Those are the basis of the truest love, as we see in 1 Corinthians 13. As a bonus, God wants us to also enjoy our spouse’s body and to enjoy physical intimacy. 1 Corinthians 7:3 In a healthy, Christian marriage, a woman should feel sexy, desired, and appreciated for all aspects of herself, including her body. Even with it’s imperfections. When a woman doesn’t feel good about the way she looks, she doesn’t bring to the marriage that needed energy that can really help fuel physical intimacy. A glamourous photoshoot can give a woman that much needed confidence. It’s really amazing what a little sexy confidence can do for a marriage.
Should a Christian woman do a boudoir shoot?
As you can tell by now, I’m a fan of boudoir shoots. Many of my Christian friends have enjoyed giving sexy photos to their husbands. However, it’s also true that I do have a small number of Christian friends who believe that wearing lingerie in front of someone who isn’t your husband, including a photographer is something to avoid. I love and respect those people and their thoughts on this. So I think this is just something for each woman to pray about and see what God is telling them about how to answer this question.
Maybe a beauty shoot is more up your ally. If you don’t feel comfortable wearing lingerie for photos, I 100% get that. You absolutely don’t have to wear lingerie in your portraits to feel feminine and lovely. A beautiful dress can be just as empowering, while being modest. I invite you to check out my beauty gallery to see more photos like this. In fact, I’m falling more in love with beauty shoots and have recently expanded my focus to include all kinds of beauty sessions instead of focusing solely on boudoir photography in my business.
The who, what, and when of it all.
Boudoir or beauty photos are an amazing gift to give to a Groom on the wedding night. Valentine’s Day, birthdays, and wedding anniversaries are other occasions when glamorous portraits would be a very special gift.
There are a lot of amazing photographers to choose from for your shoot and you should find the one that is the best fit for you. As a Christian, I encourage you to hire a female photographer if you are wanting sexy portraits.
My boudoir style is very conservative, as far as this genre of photography goes, so if you are more on the shy side or you just want to keep things tame, I’m the photographer for you! My boudoir images are sensual but beautiful and tasteful and not over-the-top sexual.
Will my photos end up on your website?
Although, I used to share boudoir photos on my website, with permission from my clients who felt comfortable with that, I’ve recently felt more inclined to keep my client’s more intimate photos private. So now, when talking about boudoir photos, I try to share photos that have a sexiness to them but are still modest. Like what you see in this post. I have a private link to more photos, for those who are interested in doing a boudoir shoot. Of course, I only share photos with permission from my clients who feel comfortable with it.
Conclusion
So, should a Christian woman do a boudoir shoot? Please pray about this and determine what kind of shoot might be right for you. Whether you feel that a boudoir shoot would enrich your marriage or if a beauty shoot is what would give you the confidence boost you need, I’m here to help. If you’d like to learn more about what a shoot experience is like and what to expect in my studio, please check out my video about that.
If you are ready to schedule your beauty or boudoir shoot, or if you have any questions, please contact me! I’d love to talk about it more with you.
This handsome guy is my brother-in-law, Rod. I had the pleasure of photographing his beautiful Bride-to-be, Alison. She had the album of bridal boudoir portraits delivered to him on their wedding day. I can’t imagine a better Groom’s gift idea for the wedding day!
(Wedding photos used with permission by Kirsten Hammericksen)
I love what Rod had to say about the photos.
“A few months before our wedding, my fiancée went to visit Rayleigh to have some sexy photos taken. On our wedding day she completely surprised me with a boudoir photo collection book and had her maid of honor deliver it to me just before I saw her in her wedding dress for the first time. What a great groom’s gift idea! Thoughtful, memorable, and a clever way to help with any pre-wedding jitters. The photos were tasteful and classy and sexy. As you can imagine, it was a topic of much interest and discussion among the groomsmen.”
(Wedding photos used with permission by Kirsten Hammericksen)
“She was a little nervous about getting it done, but said that Rayleigh did an excellent job of helping her feel comfortable. Really allowed her to let her own personality show up in the photos, and I can tell. Good times and great memories every time I see that little book of fun! We undoubtedly recommend Rayleigh to anyone considering doing it. And if you haven’t considered it, you should. Take it from a recently married man, it was a great groom’s gift idea.”
–Rod L.
The Bride’s boudoir photos
Wearing white for boudoir photos always adds to the bridal feel and I love the lace robe that this bride wore. Lace adds interesting texture and looks so feminine.
You might also consider bringing some wedding day accessories, such as your veil, wedding shoes, and any special jewelry.
Groom’s gift idea
Having the album delivered to your groom in his dressing room while he is getting ready for the wedding is a fun idea because it adds to the anticipation of seeing his beautiful bride walking down the isle and for the fun honeymoon you have planned together.
Another option, though, is to gift the album to your groom the night of the wedding, when you are alone and winding down from an amazing day. I really like that idea, too, because it’s fun to look at the photos together. You get to see his expressions as he looks at the beautiful images of the woman he cherishes.
Want to see more?
Click on the links below to see more photos on the following topics:
I loved working with Miss K for her bridal boudoir shoot and I was so happy that she gave me permission to share her images online. Miss K is a strong military woman who cleans up so nicely! She’s absolutely gorgeous.
Miss K’s bridal boudoir shoot experience
This is what Miss K wrote on Yelp about her experience.
Why she chose Photography by Rayleigh in Portland
“I have to say that when I first started thinking about doing a boudoir shoot (after I saw Rayleigh’s booth at the Oregon bridal show) for my husband as his wedding gift, I felt a little weird about it. What was it going to be like? Is it going to be awkward and uncomfortable? Would taking someone with me make it more comfortable? How much am a going to be willing to show in front of a stranger?
I looked into a few different places, as you always should. But there was just something about all of her information, reviews, and obviously the photos that really put me at ease. She doesn’t just use the ‘best’ photos she has taken, because all of them are AMAZING!
I live in Washington, but our wedding was in Oregon. So scheduling was going to be really hard, I thought, since I wasn’t going to be there more then a week before the wedding and needed to hide the whole thing from my fiancé. She made it all work.”
What she wore for her boudoir shoot
“I took a bunch of stuff with me, more then I needed really. But some of the things I took were, an NFL jersey, a shirt of his, my wedding boots, an NFL sweater, heels, a few pieces of lingerie, some really cute bras and matching undies. I’m not very good at pairing outfits of this nature together, but she has some stuff too. She helped me decided what looked good together and pretty much told me what to wear, after I told her I had no idea what I was doing, lol.”
What she said about her bridal boudoir shoot day
“The shoot itself was really fun. The makeup artist was awesome as well. The shoot was relaxed and very comfortable. She asks you if you are comfortable with poses before asking you to ever do them. The hardest part about the whole thing is, what do I do with my hands, lol, hands are awkward, but she knows what she is doing. “
What she said about the portrait products
“After it was all said and done, I choose the 5×7 image box, and ended up buying two additional photos because I just could NOT narrow down to 10. They were just so awesome!
I’ve seen a few people complain on here about the price. I am a firm believer in ‘you get what you pay for’, and I definitely got my money’s worth with this. So if you don’t want to pay the price and get something that you will LOVE forever, than go somewhere cheap and get some trashy pictures.”
Enjoying her portraits after her bridal boudoir shoot
“One of the many great things about my pictures is that they are not trashy. They are very tasteful and beautiful. I showed a bunch of people and had no shame because they are that good. My Step Mom was even looking at them while I was out of the room, my dad walked in and said “Oh MY GOD! is that my daughter?!” haha, so she picked out a couple that were appropriate to show him.
I really CAN NOT say enough good things about Rayleigh and what she does. She is AMAZING! She was WONDERFUL about getting me in and processing all the pictures in time for my wedding! I HIGHLY recommend her business to anyone! Thank you so much Rayleigh 🙂 Hope I can make it back for another shoot sometime with my husband. “
For the privacy of my clients, I try to post only modest boudoir photos online. If you’d like to see my full boudoir gallery, please send me a message and I’d be happy to send you the private link. Let’s chat about your bridal boudoir shoot in Portland, OR!
My top 7 tips for how to feel confident and relaxed during your photo shoot in Portland, OR
If you are like most of my clients, you have no idea how to “look sexy” in your photos and you certainly don’t feel confident. In normal every day life, I totally feel like I’m not that girl, so I totally get it. I’m excited to share with you my top 7 tips for how to feel confident and relaxed during your boudoir or beauty photo shoot at my studio in Portland, OR.
Tip #1: Have Fun!
If your goal is to get great shots, you may feel more nervous or even overwhelmed. But it’s my job to get the great shots and all you need to do is relax, trust me, and focus on having fun! If your smile is fake, it will be noticeable in your images. But if you are genuinely having a great time, you’ll have an extra sparkle in your eye and you will love your images so much more. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman who was smiling a real smile, who wasn’t beautiful.
Tip #2: Visualize
Visualize your shoot ahead of time! Don’t focus on your nerves or feeling awkward. Instead, picture yourself having a good time, feeling relaxed, looking fantastic, seeing your images afterwards and absolutely loving them.
Visualize it from your point of view, in your own shoes. Do this several times before your shoot. Then when it’s time for your shoot, you will be excited and ready for a fantastic time.
Tip #3: Get inspired
What is confident beauty to you? Everyone has a different picture in their minds of what confident beauty is. It may be dramatic clothing and a serious gaze. Or it may be laughing and having a casual, giggly, fun time.
There are lots of places to look for inspiration such as magazines, photography websites, movies, and art. Communicate with your photographer what style you like and what mood you want to have for your portraits.
Tip #4: Show up with all you’ve got
If you want to feel confident during your boudoir shoot, you’ve got to really be in to the shoot and be open. Posing is my job. But posing is only half of it. Confidence will show up in your photos and you have to bring that. Even if you are just faking it!
Feeling self conscious about your body? Just pretend you aren’t. I know, it seems silly. But when you see your glowing face and your rockin’ curves, you aren’t going to care if your love handles are a bit more lovely than they used to be. Those things will mostly be hidden, anyway, by posing, lighting, and wardrobe.
Come on! Stretch outside your comfort zone and give it all you have.
Tip #5: Remember the context
The sheer fact that you are willing to be in front of the camera being photographed is awesome! It’s powerful and vulnerable at the same time. I love that my clients trust me with this experience.
Tip #6: Use all of your senses
Bring out your sensuality through the use of all 5 of your senses. While at my studio, enjoy some music, indulge in some Ghirardelli, sip on some wine, wear your favorite scent as well as an outfit that makes you feel smokin’ hot. Think on memories that make you blush and smile.
Tip #7: Be yourself
Honor who you are, in this moment. The time is now. You are lovely and beautiful just as you are.
For the privacy of my clients, I try to post only modest boudoir photos online. If you’d like to see my full boudoir gallery, please send me a message and I’d be happy to send you the private link.
