Photography is an art form that best encompass human emotions. This art form has its own special excitement that has the power to change even the most lifeless entity into the most visually aesthetic subject, which makes it a challenging endeavor to take. Although almost all the things we see today can become the subjects of photography, women are perhaps the most enduring subjects captured in film. In fact, photographing women is what made it possible for females to be released from the concept of domesticity.
Under the guise of photography, women within the society were able to emanate from their private worlds towards the eyes of the public sphere. This is especially true in Boudoir photography, which is becoming a very popular form of portraiture. Boudoir is a genre of photography that often has women as subjects but can also be done for men, capturing them in sensual or suggestive poses or setting that may contain little or no nudity. It is different from erotic photography as it is more inclined to present the subject’s aesthetic qualities instead of the underlying sexually provoking concept of the portrait.
The term boudoir is derived from the French word “bouder” which literally means to pout. However, throughout history boudoir has been used to refer to private rooms such as sitting room, dressing room but more importantly the bedroom. Such uses of the word have led to the emergence of the modern concept of photographing women in their bedrooms, which is why boudoir is also referred to as “bedroom photography,” though it can also be done in other settings. Although it was already during the later parts of photography that the term boudoir was used, this genre is in fact already existent since the earliest process of photography and was the precursor of pinup photo shoots of the 1940s and 1950s.
Usually, women who serve as the subjects of boudoir photography are not actually models. They are everyday women who are artistically captured by the lens of the camera to show another side of themselves that they rarely see. The idea is to let loose of their inhibitions for a while in order to commemorate female sensuality without the need to shed all their clothes, rather they artistically use their bodies to angle themselves in suggestive poses to express their emotions. Unlike erotic photos that are usually digitally manipulated to achieve perfection, boudoir leaves a room for the bodily flaws of the subject to be visible in order to heighten the realism of the image.
Boudoir photography is fast becoming a popular portraiture trend. Oftentimes, the photo shoot is commissioned by the subject but its purposes differ from one client to another. For instance, a wife might give the photo as a Valentine’s gift to her husband, or a young aspiring lad could use the photo as an audition piece for a magazine’s centerfold. Whatever their reasons might be, boudoir is one good way to feel comfortable about yourself in front of the camera regardless of your flaws.
In Southern California, modern boudoir started six years ago and is rapidly gaining its momentum ever since. If you are living in Orange County and would like to have your own boudoir mini photo shoot, you can easily find an Orange County photographer who specializes in boudoir, but be sure to do your research first before you shed some of your clothing in front of the camera to ensure that the photographer you are about to commission will definitely provide you a self-portrait of a lifetime. Generally, boudoir is a genre of photography that celebrates women individually, capturing them in a different light that could reignite self-esteem and the way she perceives herself.
Photographing women has some genuine benefits for both photographer and subject especially if it is in the form of Boudoir photography. For woman, such photo shoot would allow her to show a different side of herself, disregarding her bodily flaws, while for the photographer, her erudition in the field would warrant her positive feedback from clients. If you are in Orange County, you can start your own boudoir photo shoot by contacting an Orange County photographer specializing in boudoir.
- frederick talactac
