Edmonton Bridal Boudoir With Anisa

Boudoir Sessions

Mar 13

Boudoir photography has always been more than just a photo shoot. It’s a chance to feel empowered, confident and cared for in a way that you’ve never experienced before - and being able to share this feeling with someone you love is so special, even if they aren’t there with you in that moment. I don’t know about you, but I love when my significant other feels all of those things because it also makes me happy to see him happy and confident. That’s what makes bridal boudoir the most perfect wedding gift! Anisa arrived at my Edmonton studio ready to feel absolutely incredible and create something truly unique to gift to her future husband!

If you want to find out more about the boudoir services I offer and the collection investment, visit this page for more information or reach out to me via my contact form!

The inspiration for Anisa’s bridal boudoir session

I was super inspired by Anisa’s cathedral-length veil that she brought in for her session. When she whipped out her veil, I gasped and knew immediately how we needed to incorporate it. It was so dramatic! The way the fabric draped reminded me so much about sculptures I love to look at when I travel to museums in Europe and Scandinavia. There’s something about the way that some artists in the past have sculpted marble to make it look like it’s a living, breathing, flowing thing. I felt inspired to emulate that kind of quiet, yet dramatic regality in some of Anisa’s portraits.

As we were shooting, I loved the layer of softness diffusion I was getting from shooting through the veil, and I thought, is there a way to exaggerate the dreaminess of what I’m seeing? YES there was - I grabbed an old nude nylon stocking and threw it on over my lens. There was an immediate effect of double-diffusion and a smokey colour that came from the colour of the nylon. With Anisa’s gorgeous blue eyes and stoic expression, we joked that she was giving ‘sick Victorian lady vibes’ - and we LOVED it! It reminds me of a long lost Renaissance painting that’s waiting for it’s turn to be restored.

As this session was both a gift for her husband and to celebrate her stepping into her Bride Era, I loved the contrast she brought to it by bringing both a dark-and-dangerous outfit, along with a more traditional bridal boudoir outfit. If you’re not sure what to wear for your session, this is something I suggest considering. Starting off with a look that you feel most comfortable and most like yourself in, and then having other options available to switch into part way through your session (or out of, if you catch my drift, and are feeling more daring). The start of your session always feels nerve-wracking, but trust me when I say that it gets easier as we go and by the end, you’ll wish our session was longer and be surprised at yourself for trying something so courageous!

This is one of the many reasons I do not include a client closet of outfits for my boudoir clients. Everyone has such different style, and no two people have the same body or the same personality. I find seeing what choices people gravitate to with their outfits choices really inspiring and ensures that no two sessions look the same, even if they’re taken in the same studio!

Hear from Anisa herself

I love finding out what people love most about their sessions, what was the part that was most important to them, and how they felt when they leave my studio.

”I have so much appreciation and admiration for Janine. I contacted her to create a wedding present for my soon to be husband, in the form of a boudoir shoot. After booking she sent me a questionnaire to fill out regarding my comfortability and what I would like to see/express from the photos and the overall aesthetic. I love how she gave me the option to open up about my insecurities and my favourite features of myself. I also got to brainstorm and send her some inspo photos for the overall vibe.

The day of the shoot, was in her home studio and before I stepped through the door I was already feeling the nerves dissipate as she greeted me and I met the hair and makeup stylist. There was snacks and beverages set out (which she had already contacted me about to confirm any allergies or preferences) while I was getting pampered. In studio we started slow and we just talked the whole time, sometimes it was about the shoot and positions I was comfortable with and her directions but other times it was about what books we were currently reading or our dogs. I loved her gentle guidance with flowing through the movements for the poses, remember to breathe and making me feel less obvious behind a lens. We had a little joke with one of my props being my wedding veil (which was such a special touch for me) and some of the photos looking so ethereal and also giving Victorian sick girl vibes.

Towards the end I was so much more fluid and it was honestly so beautiful to feel myself open up more and feel my confidence come out. My photos turned out beautifully and I honestly want to do it again with Janine because I love how comfortable and positive the experience was for my self confidence. Thank you Janine, one day in the future I’ll be able to look back at these photos and still feel all those amazing positive emotions from that day come through.”

Why should you gift a bridal boudoir session to your partner?

I photograph a lot of people that do this as a gift for their partner, and what I love most is when they realize that it’s actually a gift for themselves. Most times, people start off with the intention of gifting something unique and intimate to their parter - from there, it will evolve into empowering and appreciating themselves, and celebrating the next chapter in their lives while honouring where they are right now. Giving your partner a beautiful and unique gift is just the icing on the cake after that!

Anisa selected a custom velvet folio to package her images in, you can view a little video of me packing up her order here! If this post has inspired you and you want to find out more about the boudoir services I offer, visit this page or reach out to me via my contact form!

What Does preparing for a boudoir session looks like

What kind of pre-session prep do I do as the photographer?

Sometimes, my preparation process for my boudoir session varies. If someone knows what they want to wear or is aiming for a specific look or vibe, I will pull together a mood board. We brainstorm together and will come up with ideas beforehand. This also helps me prepare my studio in a certain way. But sometimes if people aren’t sure and they just want to bring whatever feels most comfortable and sexy to them that day, we roll with it! And so many times, I’m inspired simply by what they bring or a mannerism that they have - sometimes we even forget about the mood board altogether and create something more fresh!

What kind of pre-session prep do my clients do?

Many of my clients come to me never having experienced a boudoir session before, so I’m here to guide you every step of the way and answer any questions you might have! After completing the booking process, I always provide a boudoir preparation guide to my clients that explains in detail the way I photograph and steps that I recommend taking in order to prepare for your session. My guide covers the following topics and more:

what to wear for your boudoir session: how to choose outfits and accessories
pre-session prep, such as grooming and what to pack into your bag to bring to your session
habits that you can pay attention to leading up to your session that will help you feel even more confident and physically comfortable (like drinking lots of water and stretching!)
what you can expect after the day of your session and additional products available for purchase

Photographing boudoir is one of my favourite things because I get to see the glow of confidence on everyone’s’ faces as they leave my studio. It’s truly one of the most energizing and meaningful experiences that I can give someone. If this post has inspired you to book your own session and you want to find out more about the boudoir services I offer, visit this page and reach out to me via my contact form!