Body and Soul

Lucrative and Life-Changing Boudoir Photography

Susan Eckert

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781317514626
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Photography

Body and Soul presents a unique and emotionally intelligent approach to building a sustainable boudoir photography business. The higher-level strategies within these pages will enable photographers to move beyond the task of simply making pretty pictures to greater goals, such as understanding the emotional journey of the boudoir process, building meaningful, long-term relationships with clients, and creating a referral engine to sustain your business. Susan Eckert combines her professional experience as an internationally published photographer with her advanced degree in Psychology to deconstruct the boudoir experience. Each chapter is complemented by interviews with her clients, and illustrates how photographers can partner with their clients throughout the boudoir process in the development of meaningful work.

Highlights of this book include:

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• Self-assessment questionnaires to help you develop your brand and identify your market

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• Best practices for developing positive client relationships before, during, and after the photoshoot

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• Helpful advice for how to work with the sensitive aspects of boudoir photography, such as body image

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• Succinct and thorough guidance for behind-the-camera techniques that will bring your client's emotional story to life

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• Personal interviews with clients who openly discuss their photoshoot goals, comfort levels, and boudoir photography journeys

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• An interview with a clinical psychologist on the role and value of the emotionally-intelligent boudoir photographer

Part 1
Working from the inside out

Your Transformation into a Professional Boudoir Photographer

1
Looking Within

The Importance of Self-Assessment

A strong relationship is a two-way street; to engage with others meaningfully you must first be sure of what you offer, what you bring to the table … and then, communicate that loud and strong … to just the right person who’s been waiting to hear it.

What’s Your Motivation?

I will share a secret with you. I’ve never confessed this to anyone … and yet here I go writing it in a book! Ah well, here goes. When I look in the mirror, I’m surprised by the reflection. The person I feel I am on the inside doesn’t match up with the person staring back at me. I’ve taken issue all my life with that reflection. The hair is too curly. The skin too brown. The lips too full. The eyes too big. The body the wrong shape. The legs too strong. It goes on and on … but the end result is the same: I avoid mirrors much like other people avoid needles or unpleasant coworkers; it’s just too uncomfortable.

Instead, I focus on helping other women so they will not feel the way I feel. I want to be my client’s cheerleader, confidence-builder, an uplifting friend who gives her something valuable: maybe it’s the gift of seeing herself in a way she’s never seen herself before; a renewed sense of confidence; or ammo she can use in the fight against her own negative internal script.

Whatever I can provide her so that she can begin to see herself as others likely see her—her strength, the beauty of her femininity, her fierceness—is what I want to give.

Because I tend to be successful in achieving this, I draw many women to my business who never imagined they’d ever pursue a boudoir photography shoot. Word-of-mouth reaches the quiet ones, the introspective types, and the damaged souls who hear about the experience other women have had at my studio; they decide they want the same for themselves. They want to feel powerful, beautiful, transformed. And the grapevine has informed them I’m the one who can help.

Illuminating the Power of the Feminine^TM

That is my tagline, my mission, and I am driven by it. It shapes every single thing I do:

• from the very first moment a prospect reaches out to me and I excitedly share the potential and power of boudoir photography;
• to every encouraging word I say to calm her nerves during the shoot;
• to sharing a laugh or a happy tear with her as I reveal her beauty—raw and perfect;
• to the care I take in packaging and handwriting a meaningful personal note;
• to the warm hug as I send her back out into the world—armed with her book filled with proof that she is a beautiful, sensual, strong individual, and that she is, quintessentially, a woman.

I am so deeply motivated by my work—my vision, my purpose—that I can’t imagine doing any other kind of “work” for the rest of my life.

An Interview with Dayna

Dayna is a model I had the great pleasure to meet and shoot at a workshop I attended in the fall of 2014; while I was initially unaware that her bald head indicated an ongoing struggle with cancer—she was simply so vibrant and strong I figured it might have been a personal choice or alopecia—I asked her to work with me on this book project because I was so inspired by her. Her responses to my interview questions showed me just how strong and inspiring this young woman truly is!

What motivates you to pursue a boudoir shoot right now?

I want to be able to help people like myself. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2013 when I was 22 and have been at battle with the disease ever since. It wasn’t until my second chemotherapy that I had chunks of hair missing and I decided to take control and shave it all off … shaving my head was one of the toughest things I’ve had to do as a woman … Without hair there is nothing to shield you from everyone’s stares, you’re out in the open like a target … I would get panic attacks regularly from having groups of people stare at me, their eyes piercing through me like lasers … What made me stronger was each and every woman that would come up to me with a bandana or a hat on that would stop me and thank me for having the courage to go out without anything on my head … I do photo shoots now for those women out there who are going through experiences like mine and need a reminder that having no hair is nothing to be ashamed of and that you can look just as sexy as women with hair …

Heading into a boudoir shoot, what concerns you most?

Being in lingerie can be intimidating enough as it is, never mind being portrayed in a way I don’t want to be. With boudoir there is definitely a fine line between artistic and sleazy.

What are you most excited about?

I’m mostly excited to work with Susan again. Her energy and enthusiasm on sets makes me excited about the outcome … I’m also excited to see the finished photos after the shoot, that’s always the best part.

What three words would you select to describe the look/feel of the images you hope to create?

Strong. Classy. Cool.

What, if anything, would make you feel more comfortable and confident heading into your shoot?

I understand [Susan’s] style of shooting and am confident that she wouldn’t put me in poses that I didn’t feel were right.

What specifically might the photographer do to help you feel more comfortable and confident heading into your shoot?

It always makes me feel better when I’ve connected with the photographer before I take all my clothes off in front of them.

Please share any other insights or information about your thought process, fears, hopes, etc.

I’m excited to show others that you don’t necessarily need long hair in order to show your sexuality. That you can be strong in many different ways and showing that in a picture can sometimes help others without you even realizing it.

Some clients describe the boudoir experience as a roller coaster of emotions. Was it so for you?

What helped me feel more comfortable is when Susan expressed her excitement with the few shots that she did take and showed them to me, making me feel more confident that I could move around more. By the end of the shoot … I was reaching outside of my comfort zone in poses with ease.

What did the photographer do specifically that helped ease any anxiety or fears?

I love that Susan shows me the photos that she’s taking of me while we’re working. It gives me a great touch point of where I’m at.

Once you saw the images from your shoot, what was your reaction? Did they capture the three words you identified?

They were amazing! They all represented a little bit of me … The words I used in the pre-shoot were strong, classy, and cool which I feel came across in each one of my shots.

Aside from beautiful images, are there any other positive outcomes from your boudoir experience?

Doing this boudoir shoot and seeing the results made me feel more sexy than I had before. While struggling with this disease for the past two years, I’ve lost more than just my hair. With the intense chemotherapies and stem cell transplants I’ve had, I actually went through an early menopause which can be common for many female cancer patients. With an early menopause you can lose your sex drive which can interfere with your feelings of being sexy to others. These photos were a reminder of how I can truly look and made me realize that I’m just as sexy if not more sexy than I was before because of my confidence and strength.

On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being most confident) how would you rate how you feel about your body post-shoot?

After seeing the shots and what an amazing job Susan did, I could say that I would have a 10 for confidence. My scars are just another part of my story and there’s nothing wrong with that. Every body is different and beautiful in its own way. (Pre-shoot she’d indicated an 8.)

Anything else you wish to share …

I hope to help others in gaining confidence in being who they are, cancer patient or not. A lot of women these days are so focused on their bodies and what may be wrong with them instead of embracing who they are and their differences from everyone else. Women are beautiful no matter what size, shape, or color they are as long as they have confidence within themselves and truly love who they are and what they have to offer. I loved working with everyone on this shoot and would love to continue working together to create a positive and creative image for people to be inspired by.

Before we proceed, here’s a suggestion: you might want to dedicate a composition notebook or pretty journal book (if you, like me, are inspired by pretty leather-bound notebooks and journals) to recording your thoughts as you progress through Part 1 of this book—the self-assessment work. This book will also serve you well as you make your way through the stages of client engagement as presented in Parts II and III. By checking back across your notes and ensuring consistency, you may just find you’ve crafted a plan for your own boudoir photography business … should you choose to establish one. While I present how I have designed my process as a result of my overall vision, purpose, and brand, you may wish to note how yours might differ and align better with your particular mission and brand. Also note, for your convenience, that the self-assessment questions at the end of Chapters 1 to 5 sum up the key ideas to be considered in each chapter.

So, what is your motivation? Why are you interested in pursuing boudoir as a niche at this time?

Don’t misunderstand my intention in asking this question: there is no right or wrong answer here. Some photographers might be interested in exploring boudoir photography because it’s trendy, up and coming, hot right now, or because they’ve heard it’s a lucrative niche. Whatever your reason, the point is to be clear about your motivation. This clarity will help you shape a business that’s direct in its purpose. And by being direct in your purpose, you can be clear in your communications regarding the services you offer. And by being clear in your communications, you will attract the right clients for your business.

A Word of Encouragement to Male Boudoir Photographers

Let’s be honest. Men and women tend to see differently. I’ve reviewed images with a woman where hubby was present and it never fails to happen—she will point to one image and he will point to another. Depending on her goals of course, most women prefer a quiet sensuality, a subtle sexuality, whereas men, accustomed to the more graphic depictions in media, will go for the bolder expressions of sexuality.

Now, I say all of this knowing that for every generalization there are examples to the contrary. Of course, I have shot women who wanted to achieve in-your-face sexy images, and met husbands who preferred the quiet, intimate beauty revealed in an image of their wife. Still, aesthetics do tend to fall along gender lines. If that were not so, we would not have so many cultural jokes referring to the predictable differences between men and women.

So where does that leave the male boudoir photographer? I’ve heard from some of my male colleagues that it’s tough to market to women for boudoir. I understand that challenge as a woman. There are concerns about discomfort, feeling embarrassed, revealing too much, maybe wanting to please, or getting the wrong kind of images with a male photographer.

And yet, I know other male photographers who do just fine attracting women as boudoir clients. So what’s the difference? Often when I take a look at the portfolios of t...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction
• Part 1: Working from the Inside Out: Your Transformation into a Professional Boudoir Photographer
• Part 2: Engaging Your Client Body and Soul Throughout the Boudoir Process
• Part 3: After the Shoot: Opening the Door to a Long-Term Relationship
• Part 4: Resources for the Boudoir Photographer
• Appendix
• Index