Articles

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. While almost all objects today can be regarded as subjects for photography, women remain as one of the most interesting subjects for any photographer. As a matter of fact, photographing women is what made it possible to somehow liberate women from the confines of their domestic roles.

Under the pretense of photography, female members of the society were able to close the gaps between their private worlds and public domains. This is especially true in Boudoir photography, which is becoming a very popular form of portraiture. Boudoir is a genre in photography wherein the subjects are usually women, but can also be done by men, in provocative or sexually suggestive poses or setting that may contain little or no nudity at all. It is totally different from erotic photography as it focuses more on the aesthetic qualities of the subjects as well as the artistry of the process rather than the sexually stimulating concept of the portrait.

The term boudoir is rooted from the French term "bouder" which means to pout. Throughout history though, boudoir often refers to private rooms like the sitting room, dressing room as well as 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, the women who become the subjects of boudoir photography are not professional 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 main idea is to unleash their inner sensuality to show another side of themselves without actually taking their clothes off and instead use sexually provoking poses to express their emotions. Unlike erotic photography, subjects of boudoir photos can show some of their bodily flaws, resulting to a more heightened reality of the image produced, which is why they are less manipulated and retouched.

Boudoir photography is fast becoming a popular portraiture trend. More often than not, a boudoir shoot is commissioned by the subject, though its purposes differ from one subject to another. For example, a wife might give the finish product as an anniversary gift to her husband who's working in a different country, or perhaps a young man would use the portrait to audition 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.