What is Boudoir?
In this post, we’ll discuss what is Boudoir, what is the term boudoir, what is a Boudoir Photoshoot, and how Women’s Empowerment relates to Boudoir Photography.
What is the term boudoir
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 term boudoir here.
What is a boudoir photoshoot
Boudoir Photography and more
The term “boudoir” may also be described as a genre of photography. It involves intimate portraits of mostly women but also men in a sensual or sometimes erotic way. If you google boudoir photography, you’ll see various ranges of photographs of women showcasing the beauty of their bodies and capturing their inner sensual and intimate confidence and beauty.
Boudoir portraits or photography is different from glamour in many ways. See an article on boudoir vs glamour here.
Boudoir Portrait is a portrait or a painting of a person, in which the face and its expression are predominant, 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.
In some cases, the boudoir style as an art form may be leading to an erotic art form or erotic photography, but here with Allie Serrano Portraits we keep everything safe and comfortable for our clients. We keep lingerie on for ladies and pants on for gents.
Some History of Boudoir and Nude Art
The concept of boudoir photography or art is not a new one. You’ll find boudoir photographs from as early as the 1840s, according to Warren, Lynne (2005-11-15), the Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century Photography, 3-Volume Set. Routledge. p. 448, or in the late 19th and early 20th century you’ll find photographs of pin-up girls captured in a sensual way. But, if you look further back, you’ll find nude women painted indoors and out even as early as the Renaissance in the 1400s and 1500s art. It is not considered boudoir photography, but as an art form, I believe, it is very close to what it is considered today.
The other interesting thought is that in the past we, humankind, the artists were not interested only in ideal bodies. On the contrary, you’ll find both very slim and what was in Renaissance considered a healthy weight in equal measure. As a matter of fact, nude art goes as far back as Ancient Greek paintings and sculptures and beyond. It is only in the 20th century that humankind has become more shy when it came to nude and partially nude art and photography.
What Style Do We Capture In the studio in Allie Serrano Portraits
In my portrait studio, I capture a mixture of boudoir and glamour portrait photography. My first focus is still portraiture, a capture of one’s face and character, but when photographing boudoir/glamour I will include your inner/outer beauty as it relates to your body and the close space around you. The goal for me is to bring out your best features in an elegant way, keep your private parts hidden, and capture a portrait of you that will both empower you and celebrate you as a person, as a woman, and as a strong inspirational leader in your community.
I can do both black & white and color portraits, and moreover, my clients very much love portraits done in the photographic oil paintings finished for their wall art gallery. Is it vain? No, why would it be? Vain maybe if you have images of you all over the house, but that’s different than an art piece of you, you with your partner, finished in a way that looks stunning. What does it say about you if you display a boudoir portrait of you on your wall? It says that you are a confident woman/man and that you are proud of who you are as well as how you look. Confidence is never a bad thing.
Boudoir as Women Empowerment
In closing, whether it is called boudoir, nude art, a Renaissance painting, or something completely different, the goal of capturing and depicting a person is never one we should look as a bad thing. You may choose to put your portraits in a small private Gold Image Folio in the back of your closet, instead of a Wall Art Gallery, so long as you celebrate yourself, your accomplishments, and your inner and outer beauty. That’s my goal for your next boudoir portrait.
If you are interested in learning more about getting Your Boudoir portrait captured, I invite you to schedule a private consultation with me and start planning a boudoir photoshoot celebrating you.
