Most women aren’t nervous about the photos. They’re nervous about showing up unprepared.
They worry they’ll bring the wrong outfits, forget something important, or not know what they’re supposed to do. They wonder if there’s something they should be doing to “get ready” that they don’t know about. Here’s the thing: you’re not supposed to know any of this. That’s my job.
This guide walks you through exactly what to expect at a boudoir photoshoot from start to finish so you can arrive feeling calm, prepared, and confident. Whether you’re booking with my Washington DC studio or just researching what a boudoir photoshoot is really like, this is everything you need to know.
What to Expect Before Your Boudoir Photoshoot
The Prep Emails and Guidance You Receive
The moment you book your session, the preparation starts. But not the kind you’re thinking. I’m not sending you workout plans or diet tips. I’m sending you guidance so you actually know what to expect.
You’ll receive a series of emails in the weeks leading up to your session that cover everything: what to wear, what to bring, how to prepare your skin, what the day will look like, and answers to questions you didn’t even know you had yet. These emails are designed to remove the guesswork so you’re not lying awake the night before wondering if you’re doing this right.
Each email builds on the last. First, you’ll get wardrobe guidance tailored to your body type and the style of images you love. Then you’ll get prep tips for your skin and hair. Then you’ll get a walkthrough of what happens the day of. By the time your session arrives, you’ll know exactly what’s happening, so there’s no surprises and no stress.
Why You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone
Here’s what I want you to understand: you are not expected to show up knowing what to do. That’s literally my job. I’ve photographed hundreds of women, and I’ve seen every fear, every hesitation, every “I don’t know if I can do this” moment. My entire process is built around making sure you never feel like you’re figuring this out alone.
If you’re confused about what to wear, how to pose, or just anxious about the whole thing, I got you! I will assist you in what to wear, how to pose, and walk you through the whole process. You don’t need to be an expert in boudoir photography. You just need to trust that I am.
What to Wear to a Boudoir Photoshoot (You Do Not Need Lingerie)
Bodysuits, Sweaters, Sheets, Jackets, and Robes
This is the part most women overthink. You do not need a suitcase full of expensive lingerie. You need a few pieces that photograph beautifully on your body and feel comfortable to you.
Great options include bodysuits (these are universally flattering), high waisted underwear with a bralette, oversized sweaters, button down shirts (yours or your partner’s), silk or satin robes, even just sheets or a cozy blanket. Black, white, and jewel tones like emerald green, deep red, or sapphire blue photograph especially well. If you’re not a lingerie person, a chunky knit sweater and thigh highs create a totally different vibe that’s just as stunning.
The goal is to bring pieces that make you feel like you, not like you’re playing dress up. If you feel confident in it, it works. If it doesn’t feel right, it won’t photograph right either because you’ll be uncomfortable the whole time.
How Outfits Photograph vs How They Look in Person
Here’s something most people don’t realize: what looks good in person doesn’t always photograph well, and what photographs beautifully sometimes looks weird in real life. That’s why I send wardrobe guidance before your session.
For example, busy patterns or logos don’t photograph well because they distract from you. Lace looks gorgeous in person but can photograph as just texture without dimension. Solid colors, interesting textures like silk or velvet, and pieces with structure (like a corset or bodysuit) tend to photograph best because they create clean lines and let the focus stay on your body and your face.
This is also why I recommend bringing a few options. We’ll choose together based on what flatters your body, what fits the vibe you’re going for, and what you feel most comfortable in that day.
What to Avoid
Avoid anything brand new that you haven’t tried on. The day of your boudoir photoshoot is not the time to discover that bodysuit rides up or those heels kill your feet. Wear things you’ve at least put on once before.
Also avoid anything with visible tags, logos, or heavy branding unless that’s specifically part of the look you’re going for. Skip the spray tan (it photographs orange and streaky). And don’t bring something you hate just because you think you’re “supposed to” wear it. If you don’t feel good in it, it won’t look good in the photos.
What to Bring With You to the Studio
Wardrobe Items
Bring three to five outfit options. You probably won’t use all of them, but having options means we can choose what works best based on how you’re feeling that day. Include at least one bodysuit, one sweater or robe, and one set of matching lingerie if you have it.
Don’t stress about having “enough” outfits, it’s quality over quantity. Three great pieces you feel confident in will always beat ten pieces you’re unsure about.
Personal Items
If there’s something personal you want included in your images, bring it. That could be your partner’s watch, your grandmother’s necklace, your wedding veil, a piece of meaningful jewelry, anything that tells your story. These little details make your images feel uniquely yours instead of generic boudoir photos.
Some clients bring sentimental items like their partner’s dog tags, a family heirloom, or even a favorite book. It’s not required, but it can add a layer of meaning to your images that goes beyond just looking beautiful.
Nude Undergarments, Heels, and Accessories
Bring nude and black underwear. These work under everything and give you options if we need to layer or adjust an outfit. Thongs work best because they don’t create lines, but if you’re not comfortable in a thong, bring seamless underwear instead.
Heels are a great addition if you have them because they elongate your legs and improve posture, but if you don’t own heels or can’t walk in them, don’t stress. Bare feet or even cozy socks can work depending on the vibe.
Jewelry, hair accessories, garters, anything you want to incorporate, bring it. We’ll figure out what works and what doesn’t once we’re styling your looks together.
How to Prepare Your Body for a Boudoir Shoot (Without Dieting)
Sleep, Hydration, and Lotion
Preparation for a boudoir photoshoot has nothing to do with changing your body. It’s about small things that help you feel comfortable and help your skin photograph well.
In the days leading up to your session, drink plenty of water. Hydrated skin photographs better, plain and simple. Moisturize daily, especially the day before and the morning of your session. Get a good night’s sleep so you don’t show up exhausted with puffy eyes.
That’s it! No crash diets, no extreme workouts, or no last minute panic to “get ready.” Your body is already ready.
Avoid Tanning and Last Minute Changes
Do not get a spray tan right before your session. I’m serious. Spray tans almost always photograph unevenly, and even professional airbrush tans can look orange or streaky under studio lighting. Your natural skin tone photographs best, always.
Also avoid trying anything new with your hair, skin, or nails leading up to your session. I don’t recommend getting a drastic haircut the day before. Don’t try a new facial product that might make you break out or experiment with self tanner. Stick with what you know works for your body.
Why Weight Loss Is Not Part of Prep
I need to say this clearly: you do not need to lose weight before your boudoir photoshoot. You do not need to “fix” your body. You do not need to wait until you’re “ready.”
Your body is ready now. The session is designed around flattering posing for your body as it is, not for some imaginary future version of yourself. Waiting to feel ready just means waiting forever, because “ready” is a moving target that never actually arrives.
Boudoir photography is not a reward for achieving a certain size. It’s an experience designed to help you see your body differently right now, exactly as it is.
What Happens When You Arrive at the Studio in Washington DC
Hair and Makeup Process
When you arrive at my Washington DC area studio, you don’t immediately strip down and start taking photos. You start with professional hair and makeup, which takes about 45 minutes to an hour.
This time serves two purposes. One, it makes sure you look polished and camera ready. Two, it gives you time to relax, settle your nerves, and transition from your everyday life into this experience. By the time your hair and makeup are done, you already feel different. More confident. More present. Ready.
The hair and makeup artist I work with is incredible at making women feel comfortable. She’ll ask what style you want (natural and glowy vs more dramatic), and she’ll work with your features instead of against them. You’ll still look like you, just the most polished version of you.
Calming Nerves
While you’re getting ready, we talk. We go through your outfits, get to know each other more, laugh. Then we will figure out what you want to start with based on how you’re feeling in the moment.
Most clients tell me within the first 10 to 15 minutes, “I thought this was going to be so awkward. It’s actually fun.” Because the whole experience is designed around connection and guidance, not pressure or performance. You’re not alone in this. I’m walking you through every step.
Private Environment
Your session is completely private. It’s just you and me in the studio unless you specifically invite someone (and most women prefer not to). No one else is there. No one is watching. The space is calm, intentional, and designed to make you feel safe.
This isn’t a chaotic photography factory where you’re one of five clients being shuffled through. This is your time, your space, your experience.
How the Photoshoot Flows From Start to Finish
You Are Fully Coached
Here’s what doesn’t happen: I don’t tell you to “look sexy” and leave you standing there wondering what that means. You’re shown exactly where to put your hands, how to position your body, where to look, how to tilt your chin, when to breathe, all of it.
“Shift your weight to your left leg. Good. Now drop your right shoulder. Tilt your chin down just a little. Perfect. Now take a deep breath and relax your face.” That’s what the direction sounds like. Specific. Clear. Constant.
You move slowly from pose to pose. We take breaks when you need them. We switch outfits when the vibe shifts. Nothing is rushed. Nothing feels chaotic.
No Posing Experience Needed
You don’t need to know how to pose. That’s the whole point of having a professional photographer. I know how to pose real bodies in flattering ways, and I’m going to show you exactly what to do.
This is why women who say “I’m so awkward” or “I’m not photogenic” end up with images that shock them. It’s not because they magically became models. It’s because they were guided by someone who knows what they’re doing.
Why Women Forget They Were Nervous
Because once you’re in it, the nerves disappear. You’re too focused on following direction, laughing at something I said, or concentrating on your breathing to stay anxious.
The anticipation is always worse than the actual experience. Always. Every woman who walks in nervous walks out wondering why she was so worried.
How Long a Boudoir Photoshoot Actually Takes
Plan for about 3 1/2 hours total. That includes professional hair and makeup, outfit changes, and the actual photoshoot.
The shooting portion itself is usually 60 to 90 minutes depending on how many outfits we’re working with and how you’re feeling. Some women want to keep going because they’re having so much fun. Others are ready to wrap after an hour. We go at your pace.
You’re never rushed. If you need a break, we take a break. If you want to add another outfit, we add another outfit. The timeline is flexible because the goal is for you to feel comfortable, not to get you in and out on some rigid schedule.
What Happens After the Shoot (Same Day Reveal)
Seeing Your Images the Same Day
You see your images the same day, usually within a few hours of finishing your shoot. This is the moment most women get emotional.
Because they’re not seeing a version of themselves they criticize in the mirror. They’re seeing a woman who looks powerful, beautiful, and completely at ease in her body. That’s when it clicks: this experience wasn’t just about photos. It was about seeing yourself differently.
Ordering Process
During your reveal, we go through your images together, and you choose your favorites. Then we talk about how you want to display them. An album? Wall art? Digital files? A combination?
I walk you through all the options, show you what different products look like, and help you choose what makes sense for your goals and your budget. There’s no pressure. No hard sell. Just guidance so you can make a decision that feels right for you.
Why This Is Part of the Experience
The reveal isn’t just a sales appointment. It’s part of the transformation. Seeing your images for the first time is when the shift happens. When you realize you didn’t need to change anything about yourself to look incredible. You just needed the right lighting, direction, and environment.
That realization is what makes boudoir photography different from just getting pretty pictures. It changes how you see yourself, not just in photos but in real life.
Frequently Asked Questions About Preparing for a Boudoir Shoot
Do I have to buy new lingerie?
No. Bring what you already own and feel comfortable in. If you want to buy something new, great, but it’s not required. A simple black bodysuit that you’ve had for a while works just as well as expensive designer lingerie, as long as it fits you and you’re comfortable in it!
Should I lose weight first?
Absolutely not. Your body is ready now. Boudoir photography is designed around flattering posing for your body as it is, not for some future version of yourself. Waiting to feel ready just means waiting forever.
Can I bring a friend?
While I do understand that doing a boudoir session is scary to some people and the idea of having an emotional support human sounds great, I have found that it distracts the client from the experience for themselves. So I limit the session to the person being photographed only. However, if your friend wants to be with you for hair and makeup and then wait outside the studio, you can arrange that.
What if I don’t know how to pose?
You don’t need to! I show you exactly what to do from start to finish and you’re never left guessing or trying to figure it out on your own.
How long does hair and makeup take?
About 45 minutes to an hour. This gives you time to relax and ease into the experience before we start taking photos.
What if I get my period on my session day?
Periods are normal and we can work around it. Tampons, divacups, or softcups work fine, and we’ll choose poses and outfits that make you feel comfortable.
Why Women in Washington DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia Feel Fully Prepared
Women in the DMV area are used to being prepared; they’re high achievers, planners, professionals who like to know what’s coming. From the moment you book, you’re walked through every step — what to wear, what to bring, how to prepare, what the day will look like. This is so you’re not figuring out everything alone. You’re being guided by someone who’s done this hundreds of times and knows exactly how to make you feel comfortable.
By the time your session day arrives in my Washington DC studio, you’ll know exactly what’s happening. You’ll feel prepared, not anxious. Ready, not overwhelmed. And that makes all the difference.
Ready to Start Planning Your Boudoir Experience?
If you’ve been wondering what to expect at a boudoir photoshoot, now you know. You don’t need to show up with all the answers. You just need to show up and I’ll handle the rest. The wardrobe guidance, the prep tips, the posing direction, the calming your nerves, all of it. Your job is to trust the process.
If you’re in Washington DC, Maryland, or Northern Virginia and you’re ready to start planning your boudoir experience, let’s talk!
