Beauty Portraits vs Boudoir Photography

What’s the difference and what’s right for you?

In the world of portrait photography, there are so many different options for what style and type of portraits you are looking for. Take beauty portraits and boudoir photography for example. While they might seem similar, they serve different purposes and evoke different emotions. Let’s explore each style in more detail so that you can determine which is more aligned with what you’re looking for. 

1. Definition and Purpose:

Let’s start by defining what each type of session is.

Beauty portraits are typically more focused on the face and upper body, aiming to capture a person’s personality, confidence, and beauty in a more traditional, often glamorous way. These portraits are perfect to use for branding material, to hang big on the walls of your living room, or to use for headshots. It’s also a session where your family is welcome to join in to be part of the experience. 

Boudoir photography, on the other hand, is more intimate and sensual, often involving lingerie or partially clothed poses, to celebrate the subject’s body and sensuality. This session is designed to explore your inner goddess, and your sexuality and to build up your confidence in your own body. These intimate sessions are usually done for women themselves or for a partner. The sensitive nature of these images means that only the woman in the shoot will be the one invited to the studio.

2. Style and Posing:

Beauty portraits are often more about the face and expression, using lighting and angles to capture a person’s inner beauty. While images can be serious, we capture a wide variety of images showing off all of your different personality types; happy, serious, silly. Lighting is done creatively to create contrast for an interesting image, but always ensuring your face is well-lit and in focus.

Boudoir photography, on the other hand, tends to have a more sensual, moody vibe, with poses that highlight the subject’s curves and femininity. Poses are intimate and can show both your full body as well as details of your curves to create some mystery. Lighting can be both light and airy, as well as dark and moody, where only certain parts of your body are lit up. 

3. Location and Setup:

Both beauty portraits and boudoir photography is done at our Portrait Studio in San Carlos. It’s an intimate, perfect space to show off your personality.

The studio is designed to be able to accommodate multiple different types of photography. Whether it’s beauty portraits or boudoir photography, the studio has multiple different setups being able to provide you with a multitude of creative angles, setups, and backdrops.

4. Wardrobe:

In beauty portraits, wardrobe choices range from casual to elegant attire, often emphasizing personal style. It can be both casual outfits like jeans and a t-shirt, or upscale glittery dresses. It’s meant to showcase your personality while taking you outside your comfort zone and dressing you in outfits that make you feel your absolute best.

Boudoir outfits typically include lingerie, robes, or even tasteful nudes, focusing on the subject’s body. While the studio has a few different bodysuits in our client closet, we highly encourage our clients to bring their own lingerie for two reasons.

A better fit

With the intimate and sensual nature of Boudoir Photography, we want to ensure that the lingerie you’re using for your session fits you and your body the absolute best. Posing and seeing yourself in lingerie can sometimes feel nerve wrecking and nobody is your hardest critic than yourself. We want you to see just how beautiful you are, and part of that is having outfits that completely fit your body.

Use it again

When you see yourself in your boudoir portraits, you’re going to realize just how gorgeous you are. Which means you’re going to want to wear that lingerie again. Whether that’s for yourself to feel extra confident during everyday life, or to have an intimate evening with a partner. Having lingerie that’s special and fitting will be great for multiple reasons. 

5. Emotional Tone:

The tone of beauty portraits is often confident and glamorous, whereas boudoir photography is more about vulnerability, sensuality, and empowerment.

Whichever route you want to take, it’s about finding your inner beauty, confidence, and sensuality. These images are for you to show you just how incredible you are, just for being you!

Curveball!! Combine both types of sessions into one. Why limit yourself when you can get both types of images in one session?