Some of you might remember the first time Jada and I got together. We met in a Victorian mansion in London, and had a great boudoir session where everything was soft, pretty and glamorous (see a recap here).
Jada and I were hoping to do another shoot together in NYC, but of course she was due to leave the city two days before I was meant to arrive, so it didn’t look like it was going to happen. We whined and complained, but finally just gave up and promised to set something up when we both got back to London instead. Then (as always seems to happen with great shoots) things magically fell into place at the last minute. Jada was unexpectedly booked for a job that kept her in the city for a little longer, I ended up with half a day free, and the rest is pretty self-explanatory.
I really love working with clients and models a 2nd time. The 2nd shoot seems to be more fun for everyone, since we already know each other and can be more relaxed about the whole process. There’s obviously less nervousness and panic to battle through, and more willingness to just give something a go. I find it tends to be a little easier technically too, since I usually remember what worked best for a person the first time and can build on that. Plus, you get to try something totally different – new clothes, new location, new attitude, whatever. It’s nice to showcase a different side of someone.
This location was the perfect round 2 setting for Jada and I, since it couldn’t have been more different from our first shoot if it tried. We were aiming at a set of images that captured a NYC feel – gritty and urban, with a touch of girl next door. I think we got there, or close enough anyway:)
I love a good slouchy sweater for boudoir shoots. It’s casual but still looks great. Something like this is an ideal option if you feel a little conscious of what you’re going to be doing with your hands or aren’t so keen on your midsection.
If Jada was a verb, that verb would be smoulder.
Similarly, a t shirt works just like a slouchy sweater, but it’s a little lighter and even more casual. It’s an ideal choice if you’re not into dressing up and heels, or if you want that “Sunday morning” feel.
It’s always funny to me how we can take things from happy /fun/commercial to downright seductive with just a few quick changes.
On to our first proper lingerie set, which Jada rocked, as always.
It’s such a pleasure working with strong women like Jada. I think they could teach the world a lot about what it means to accept yourself, and about how to develop a sense of self worth that isn’t tied to what other people think about your body.
I’ve decided after finishing these images that we need to go tropical. Maybe destination sessions in Thailand? How amazing would that be?!
I didn’t bring a lighting kit with me to NYC, and by this point we were quickly losing sunlight. We decided on a wardrobe change and then a daring jaunt up to the roof.
Mandatory warehouse window shot.
On the roof at sunset. It doesn’t get cooler than this.
So much city, so little time.
A slightly moodier version…
And one last shot as the sun went down.
A few more on our way down. These are super gritty and dirty, but I still think they turned out pretty cool without looking too hootchy.
Finally, a few final images we took in the elevator on the way down. I was about 90% sure these weren’t going to work, but the first shot totally surprised me and then I took about 50 in 10 seconds. No external lighting used, just the one dingy lightbulb inside the lift, high ISO, and me insisting Jada kept her face angled upwards.
We wrapped up, went back downstairs, took 45 minutes to order a pizza (neither of our phones were working in USA and neither of us had USA debit cards, so it was a mission), and then spent the rest of the evening eating too much pizza, chatting about confidence and body image, and about the intricacies of “making it” in the fashion/creative world.
Keep an eye out for this one ( follow her on Instagram @jadasezer ), she’s got her head on straight and is all about empowering women and representing for curvy girls. I think she’s destined for big things.
Jada, you were brilliant as always. It’s such a pleasure working with you. Until next time (preferably on an island, yes?!)…
This is the lovely Miss M, who is a past client and friend. The original plan was for us to squeeze in a proper boudoir shoot while in New York, but we got so busy catching up and making plans that it slipped our minds until midnight.
No problem – I had a rooftop and an amazing view, and our roommate Christie (also a photographer) had this crazy lighting tool, an Ice Light, with her. As a side note, the Ice Light looks exactly like a light saber, and would be exceedingly popular with young boys and nerds alike.
We climbed to the roof, pushed open the door, and…it was raining cats and dogs. Serious rain. It was also very cold, and everyone was tired and jet lagged.
At this point, both girls were ready to throw in the towel. I just knew if we didn’t do the shoot that night it wasn’t going to happen, so I put on my most charming smile and begged. Luckily, they agreed to humour me for 2 minutes. If you make friends with a photographer, this sort of thing is bound to happen sooner or later. You’ve been warned.
Can you see the rain?! These girls are troopers.
With no time and minimal equipment, the only way I was going to be able to get the image I had in my head was to combine several frames in post production. This gets technical so I won’t bore you with details, but due to the circumstances I wasn’t able to get Miss M and the background both in focus in the same image. Instead, I used the image above as my cityscape background, and a separate image for the best pose and expression from Miss M. Later on, I combined the two images in Photoshop.
It’s not the ideal way to work, but when you have literally two minutes and are also worried about giving your client hypothermia and flooding your very expensive camera, sometimes you just have to cut a few corners;)
Our final image:
Big thanks to Miss M and Christie – you girls are amazing! Christie, I’ll happily hold light for you in the rain if there’s ever a chance for me to return the favour:)
Vegan. Yogi. Your wellness guide at Electric Breath. She also has an AP addiction, and is a former plus model at Wilhelmina. We got together during my recent trip to New York.
She is positively luminous and such an interesting person. In fact, we found so much to talk about that I had to force myself to shut up to get any shooting done.
Oh yeah, AND she’s unbelievable gorgeous. Many thanks to Gemma and Katherine for a beautiful job on makeup and hair.
This is my absolute favourite way to do red and black together. A burgundy or red wine colour is miles better than a bright cherry red, unless you’re aiming for a pin up or vintage feel.
Love this pose on the right. It’s not half as comfortable as Persi makes it look, but I love the lines it creates.
Something about this loft just calls for grainy, moody black and whites.
A little shoot through glass fun.
Love this feel – like a rainy Sunday morning.
All you need is a good cup of coffee and nowhere to be. Maybe a cat.
Persi showed me this jacket and I about died. It’s vintage Agent Provocateur (can you call a brand as new as AP vintage? Probably not – it’s not for sale anymore so just don’t get your hopes up).
Apparently is was a fortune, but it’s perfection. Absolute perfection.
If you’d like to do something similar for your own shoot, there are quite a few fitted tuxedo jackets for women out there. Polyvore has a good selection, or you can always pick up a non-label and have it tailored for the perfect fit.
Pair with black heels, plain bottoms, and understated jewellery for a classic, sophisticated look.
Little details make a piece like this sing, so look for satin lining, unique buttons, or a fun colour.
Gaaaahhhh. That face!!
Okay, I know. Enough with the jacket already.
An easy men’s white shirt, and then our final set – a cute checkered number from Agent P.
I think the key to this sort of image is a great back arch and beautiful light. Sandwiching yourself into a tiny space on the floor between a table and a sofa, while balancing a large reflector and simultaneously directing and shooting is optional.
LUMINOUS. Persi actually glows.
It must be all the vegetables. Or the yoga. Or all the do good karmic energy.
Note to self: Copy Persi’s lifestyle immediately.
And finally, I saved the best for last. My favourite image of our shoot. For now anyway, I’ll probably have a different favourite next week:)
Persi, I had such a great time talking to you and working with you. I’m eager to try out some of your delicious recipes. We MUST get together again next time I’m in NYC, I won’t let you say no;)
Lauren got in touch shortly after I announced my NYC trip. She’s back and forth between America and the UK these days, so it just made sense for us to plan her shoot in the Big Apple. After a few Skype calls and some mood boarding, we came up with a styling direction: retro/vintage with a little NYC edge. I had a feeling it was going to suit her, but she took to it like a fish to water. The hair, the makeup, everything just worked.
Lovely Lauren is dream to work with too. She’s kind and elegant, but also brave and was up for anything in the name of an incredible image, including climbing to the roof in lingerie.
This chair reminded me of “That 70’s Show,” and worked perfectly for a retro vibe.
Lauren is wearing a vintage French blouse which has been passed down from the women in her family for generations (what a way to commemorate them). Also, how divine in her hair in this image on the left? Katherine, our hairstylist, did an amazing job.
A ruby red lingerie set always adds a pop of colour. Here we’ve paired it with a simple black cardigan, which is a great way to make things feel more casual. If you’re not so keen on your midsection, this is also a great way to strategically hide bits without being obvious about it.
Legs for days + great ink = winner.
There’s a soft spot in my heart for fiery redheads and for women who own their curves.
A perfect vintage cat eye, courtesy of the ever talented Gemma. No surprise the Lauren is frequently compared to Kate Winslet with this gorgeous face.
I remember exactly when I clicked the shutter for this image, because about two seconds later I told Lauren I though she ought to be painted on the side of a plane.
Lauren, Rita Hayworth called. She says you’d better back off her look.
It’s lonely at the top, but not for L.
In fact, it’s so glamorous that it calls for some fake smoking and an over the shoulder glance that makes her too cool for absolutely everyone.
I haven’t photographed anyone in front of graffiti for years, but when in Rome…
A few moody black and whites to finish.
Lauren, you did SO GOOD. It was so exciting to photograph you, and I’m already looking forward to whatever we come up with next time. Thank you thank you thank you.
I’m appalled that I’ve waited so long to share these images, but if you like theatrical outfits, the circus, and/or things that sparkle, I have something very special for you…
Say hello to Katrina (again): acrobat, snake charmer, lingerie creator, Aussie beauty, and an incredibly lovely person to work with. There’s nothing about this woman that I don’t like, and it’s a happy day when we get to shoot.
The learning curve certainly starts to level off after your first few years of photography. It’s at once a blessing and a curse. In a way, it’s encouraging that massive improvements are no longer an easy feat. It means you’ve mastered the basics, honed your style, developed your eye, etc. On the other hand, it’s frustrating doing shoot after shoot after shoot, knowing that none of them are going to elevate your portfolio to the next level. Make no mistake, I’m still learning from every single shoot, but improvements for me now are small, probably imperceptible to the average person. My big steps forward are happening on the running-a-business end of things rather than in pursuit of those elusive “next level” images.
That said, I feel like each time I’ve photographed Katrina I’ve created my best work yet. Maybe it’s because we’re on the same wavelength, or maybe it’s just that it’s practically impossible to take a bad photograph of her, but either way I’ll take it. The creative in me drinks deep working with her.
I’m so pleased to share this set of images with you. I hope you love them as much as we do. I owe a huge thank you to Gemma for her fantastic makeup artistry, and the rest of the girls that day for creating a fun, easygoing atmosphere and being so willing to lend a hand. It’s always a team effort, and I seem to get really lucky in that department lately.
I’d just add that if you’re here by chance and are offended by sequinned nipple tassels, I’d navigate away now;)
Katrina is going to take you to church. And when I say church, I mean a sexy, mysterious, back alley circus where the beautiful people play.
If you’re already hopelessly in love, you can purchase some of Katrina’s hand made pieces for yourself. She has an incredible collection of nipple tassels, bedazzled lingerie, and a few beautiful flowing skirts. To see it all, visit her Etsy shop or follow her on Instagram at @strippedbeautiful.
You cannot stop us. We’ll shoot whatever manner of lingerie ridiculousness we want. There are no rules here.
How do you know when there is too much gold? Trick question: there is never too much gold. Also, I’ll tell other photographers out there that you CAN put someone in front of a small softbox, shoot directly into an unbalanced modelling light, and still get great results. Shock-horror, I know. The photography community told us all we’d have to surrender our first born children if we did that, but it turns out it’s totally fine.
A simple set up – one light, one ladder, one wall, one model.
A second wardrobe look – this one is all pom poms and roses. If you’re feeling intimidated by Katrina’s muscles, you’re not alone. She’s in the midst of intense training and is incredibly fit, very bendy, and very strong right now. It’s totally fine if you do not look like this:)
After dark at the warehouse. I love how blue the night sky goes.
It’s been my pleasure to work with E a few times now. She has a sort of calmness about her that is hard to describe – maybe it’s that unflappable British perseverance, or maybe she’s just wise beyond her years. Either way, she’s a treat to photograph.
We wanted to do something a little different this time around. However, as sometimes happens, we got a bit more than we bargained for.
Our original location plan was all crushed red velvet, romantic bed curtains, and gilded details reminiscent of a Queen’s bedchamber. At the last minute, we were informed there was a problem with the space that meant we would either need to reschedule or make do with another area the venue had available.
Mmmmm. That’s like, my favourite thing to hear ten minutes before we’re meant to start. {sarcasm}
Whatever. E is a trooper, and we were all there and ready to go, so we just decided to channel Tim Gunn and make it work. The space we ended up with was really nice anyway, it just wasn’t what we were planning for.
A deep blue lingerie set, originally planned to coordinate with rich red velvet and jewel tones, served as our first wardrobe option. It wouldn’t have been mine or Eugenie’s first choice for this space, but the pop of colour against the neutral palette of the room turned out pretty cool anyway. Doesn’t Miss E look stunning rocking that pose on the right?
These stripy bed poles gave us an interesting posing accessory. For makeup, we opted for a stained lip and classic lined eyes. Just enough, but not too much.
This is my favourite image from the shoot:) E looks so editorial here, she could have come straight off a magazine spread.
We finished off this shoot with a classic, lacy, cream lingerie set from Agent Provocateur, who are still my favourite lingerie retailer to date. I’ve ordered pieces from other companies recently, but nothing quite lives up to AP’s quality and craftsmanship yet. Honestly, being a boudoir photographer is making me a little snobby about lingerie. The lighter colour palette definitely felt like a more natural fit for this space though.
Also, totally unrelated, something about Miss E’s gaze and hair in this frame on the right reminds me so much of Cher from Clueless. As if.
E, you were graceful and effortless as always. Thanks again for a beautiful shoot:)
My least favourite thing about living in London is light, or rather the lack of it. The sun never seems to shine on shoot days (or any other days for that matter), so when I get lucky and find a pocket of beautiful diffused sunlight, I feel like dancing. And shooting. I generally skip dancing and start shooting immediately because it never lasts long.
I knew ahead of time that I wanted to created a clean, simple set of images for each of the girls from this shoot day. I think portraiture like this is one of the best ways to show off natural beauty and personality. There’s no hiding behind lots of crazy wardrobe and makeup, and no complicated lighting setups or effects to distract from the subject. In some ways, I think this sort of photography can be the most intimidating, because if you screw it up there’s really nothing to hide behind. On the flip side, if you know what you’re doing and get it right, it’s perfection.
If you’re a soon to be bride, this sort of look is a gorgeous way to start off an album for your groom.
Each of these images was created in a beautiful little pocket of light in the corner of a very dirty warehouse. There’s a large grimy window to the left and white polyboard just to the right of the frame to angle light back onto Katrina’s face. The whole set was photographed in a really small space, maybe 4.5 feet wide at best, and the wall behind is just unfinished plaster. Simple, simple stuff. It’s really not about having loads of expensive kit, it’s just about knowing what to do with what you’ve got. I may have thrown a reflector in at some point too, can’t quite remember.
A simple black cotton lingerie set for this look. I think Katrina has a sort of “Sunday Morning” aura in these that is approachable but still just so impossibly beautiful. She’s classical music and a big mug of milky tea.
For the life of me, I’ll never understand why people don’t like redheads. I could photograph redheads every day for the rest of my life and not get tired of them.
Reason number 758 why you should let me photograph you; one day when you’re old and grey and feeling down about it, you can pull a portrait like this out and remember. Your memory might have gone by then too, so it really will be invaluable.
I feel like the black and white version of this photo on the left is somehow really different to the coloured version above. More artistic maybe? More evocative? At any rate, I’m loving these new grainy black and whites I’ve been experimenting with and I will probably stick with the technique for a while, so I hope you all like them too!
A very different set from the rest of Katrina’s boudoir shoot is coming up soon, and it’s not one to be missed. We’re bringing you sequins and dramatic lighting and the marching band turned very, very sexy. Follow me on instagram for sneak peeks: @stormy_rebelandromance
London Boudoir Photography: Yvette in the warehouse in her smalls.
Bwah. Yvette makes me want to die my hair black and grow 80’s eyebrows. If only that would look half as good on me as it does on her. I’ve already had those eyebrows once, nobody needs to see that again.
I like Yvette. A lot. She’s got such a strong, beautiful face, and a gaze that seems to sink straight into your soul. A bit like Galadriel from Lord of the Rings. Oooh, was that too nerdy of a reference? I love this simple, soft look on her.
Anyway, I know you’ll all struggle to believe this, but Yvette was nervous for her boudoir photography session with me. Despite being a successful fashion model and and absolutely beautiful, she hasn’t done much lingerie work before. That, and she actually said to me, out loud, “I hate my body.” Now, that’s obviously silly of her because she looks incredible, and I’m sure Mrs. Y has plenty of days where she feels great. Still, I think it’s helpful to know that come shoot day she was battling the same self-doubt the rest of us do.
Yvette got into the groove quickly and was a dream to shoot, but I’ll use her as an excuse to mention something I’ve been wanting to say. Occasionally people make comments to me about “real women.” It’s often said in a way that demeans women who are slender, and that doesn’t help anyone feel better about anything. People seem to forget that models are even human sometimes. I work with models quite often so I have a different perspective – I meet them in person and see what they have to go through, we laugh and chat just like I do with any of my other clients. I do get it – it’s hard to feel like you can relate to models as a group, but they are women too. It if you’re feeling incredulous at the idea that a model might have a crisis of confidence, keep this in mind; their entire CAREER revolves around looking amazing. And they are just as “real” as anyone else is.
If your appearance is your job, you’re under constant pressure regarding how you look, especially when you consider that your career starts at 14 and ends at what, 30? When you take the time to think about it, it’s 100% understandable that even the most beautiful women could struggle under than kind of scrutiny. I do think that inside, we’re all basically the same. We have the same confidence issues, the same struggles. It doesn’t help any of us when we devalue a woman based on having a certain body type. We need to stick together girls. T-o-g-e-t-h-e-r. Anyway, I’ll step down off my soap box now!
Don’t you think Yvette has a very pretty profile? I told her than after taking this shot on the left, which she probably thought was a weird thing to say:)
For our next look, we went for a darker and more fashion-oriented feel. This makeup (courtesy of the ever talented Gemma) would be too strong for many, but it’s perfect on Yvette, who has the colouring and angular features to pull it off.
This is also a great example of an easy way to mix lingerie with everyday pieces to create an editorial feel. Katrina was our stylist for the day, and here she’s paired a custom, hand-detailed black bra with a black, patterned skirt. The skirt gives a little extra coverage, but it’s sheerness means it still reads as suggestive and sexy. Basically, the best of both worlds.
Yvette is all arms and legs and moody beauty here.
Okay….I know some of you hate snakes. But when you are lucky enough to have snakes on set, you USE THE SNAKES.
Yvette is in a green crushed velvet bodysuit, chunky black boots, and a furry black jacket. This is a great starting point for a boudoir photoshoot outfit that reads cool, urban, grungy, etc. It reminds me a bit of American Apparel, except more flattering (why do they make all the girls in their ads look so terrible?).
One snake, two snake:)
…and one last beautiful frame:) Mucho gracias to Katrina for excellent styling and snake charming.
To conclude the earlier thoughts I shared, I feel like I’m learning more about women and self confidence every day. The one idea I’m starting to come around to is that inhabiting your own skin comfortably is not about your shape, size, or age. It’s not about your weight or what other people say or don’t say about you. It’s just not. And that’s sort of sucky, because it’s so tempting and alluring to believe it could be that simple.
A diet is certainly an easier fix than the mental work required to change your opinion of yourself. So many of us live with this hope/illusion that if we could just lose ten pounds, if we could just get that boob job or get our wonky nose fixed or get rid of that birthmark that we would suddenly be so much happier. Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe the answer is more than skin deep.
I’m really interested in specific actions that lead to more self-confidence and less self-loathing in women. I don’t have the answers yet, but I know that a boudoir photo shoot certainly seems to help. I’m looking for ways I can amplify this effect for clients. If you have suggestions, personal experiences, or other avenues that have worked for you, I’d love to hear about them. Please share. We all need more:)
As promised, a few group shots are ready for this week. Handmade lingerie pieces, snake charming, and individual boudoir photo shoots with each of these ladies coming soon.
I love how clean and classic this image on the left turned out. The black and white feels a little more arty and gritty to me, but I really like both.
Turn around, bright eyes.
Attempting to stay fashion-face serious while touching bums? Yeah…not really possible. We had such a good laugh, and I thought these images of the girls cracking were too fun to be missed.
A little posing by a ladder we found…
…and one last shot for today in colour. Blue backlight – how very moody and mysterious of us:)
