Boudoir vs Glamour Portrait
The difference between a boudoir and glamour portrait
boudoir vs glamour portrait
In this article, we will talk about the difference between a boudoir and a glamour portrait. As two different styles of portraiture, a boudoir portrait is a photograph or a painting of a person, in which the face and its expression are still important, but is focusing more on the body itself than the portrait of the individual. A glamour portrait is a photograph or a painting that is more of a romantic attractive likeness. Both have their place in portrait photography and both are beneficial to what I do as a portrait photographer.
1. Boudoir
Portrait
What is boudoir
If you look up the word boudoir in the dictionary, the term boudoir from the original first use of the word means a woman’s private sitting room, salon, or private dressing room. It is usually the room between the dining room and the bedroom. In today’s homes and mansions, this room may be the walk-in closet or the room next to the bedroom and the walk-in closet. You can read more about the word boudoir in our article called “What is Boudoir”
What is a portrait
According to Wikipedia, a portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person.”
It is a likeness of a person, especially of the face, as a painting, drawing, or photograph of someone. In the past portraits were painted of prominent individuals, those that had the means and the money to be able to pay a painter to capture their likeness. One portrait is usually what such a person received and that is how they were remembered after their passing.
Read more about What is a Portrait on another post here.
So a Boudoir POrtrait is
So, then a boudoir portrait is a portrait or a painting of a person, in which the face and it’s expression are predominat, but is focusing more on the body itself than the portrait of the individual.
You see, in a true boudoir photograph, you will see faces turned away from the camera, or hidden by hair, or hands. Boudoir as a true art form is all about the body and one’s love for one’s body. It may be captured in lingerie or bedroom clothing, or just a white sheet. The purpose is to showcase your love for your body mainly.
Boudoir portrait combines the two. In such a way, I capture the expression of the person, I include their laugh, their smile, and their face, but also their body form, all in one artistic expression.
2. Glamour
Portrait
What is Glamour
A definition of the word glamour is an exciting and often illusory and romantic attractiveness, alluring or fascinating attraction, or a magic spell. Look up the word in the dictionary here.
Wikipedia lists the concept glamour as “the impression of attraction or fascination that a particularly luxurious or elegant appearance creates, an impression which intensifies reality. Typically, a person, event, location, technology, or product such as a piece of clothing can be glamorous or add glamour.”
It is somewhat interesting that originally Glamour referred to a magic spell, an illusion said to be cast by witches., Wikipedia writes.
What is a portrait
You already know what is a portrait from the previous section above.
Once again, a portrait is a likeness of a person, especially of the face, as a painting, drawing, or photograph of someone. In the past portraits were painted of prominent individuals, those that had the means and the money to be able to pay a painter to capture their likeness. One portrait is usually what such a person received and that is how they were remembered after their passing.
Read more about What is a Portrait on another post here.
So a Glamour POrtrait is
So, then a glamour portrait is a romantic attractive likeness of a person, photograph. Or in other words, a painting or a portrait of someone in a romantic way.
- Compared to a boudoir portrait, a glamour portrait is most often with full clothing.
- Also compared to a boudoir portrait, a glamour portrait is often depicting the spiritual character as well as the visual of the person.
- It is not about the body as much as boudoir, although it can be.
- A glamour portrait is a way to express the magical spirit of a person
It is not 80's glamour
80s glamour is a way people used to be photographed in the past. 80s glamour is a style of it’s own. As you may remember, it included teased big hair or afros, soft lighting, and 80s clothing. As a style, it is definitely in the past, but it provided for a base for today’s contemporary and modern glamour portrait style that flatters women, captures their best personalities and portraits, and supports women empowerment.
How I capture glamour portraits
- I love to capture laugh and smile in my glamour portraits
- I do include big hair when possible
- I love textured clothing and tulle gowns
- I love flowers and props of expression
- Anything capturing the real you in a grand big way
Sue Bryce Inspired
Glamour Photography was basically dead as an industry and style. When the 80s died as a fashion style, with it so did glamour photography. Sue Bryce, an Australian photographer, has fallen in love with the genre and decided to modernize it and bring it back into the current world of portraiture.
I have been following Sue Bryce since her first appearance on Creative Life. I have been impressed with her confidence and style and my goal was to use her as an inspiration for my own portrait photography studio.