Being a Male Boudoir Photographer
When I first started pondering the idea of shooting boudoir photography, I had a lot of fears. So far, I’ve learned that most of the things I was afraid of were in my head, either through experience or speaking to several other males in the industry. Here, I’ll go over 5 things that are different for males in the boudoir photography industry.
You just want to meet women(see them naked): This is the number one thing I’ve heard from people. Be it folks I’ve spoken to randomly, acquaintances or even close friends. While some men have ill intentions when photographing boudoir, others are in it for the art. Admittedly, the female form is art itself and to say that all of the women that I photograph aren’t beautiful would be a lie. If you are a male wanting to photograph boudoir, make sure your intentions are in the right place. Make sure that you’re professional in all aspects of your work, from inquiry to delivery. Focus on building testimonials that let potential clients know that you re the real deal. The women that you photograph will be able to tell if you’re the real deal or just some creep with a camera. Don’t be the latter.
Protect yourself: Let’s flip the script from the first scenario. The last thing you need is a bad reputation. Sometimes you can do everything right, provide the absolute highest quality boudoir experience and something will trigger your client. Do not become victim of a scandal. Hire an assistant early on so that you are never alone with your client. If this isn’t possible, think about investing in a GoPro and printing out a form that states the session will be recorded for both you and your client’s safety. Go over this form during the initial inquiry phase so that there are no surprises. This is about protection in a world where not every has positive intentions.
Comfort: Once everyone’s intentions aren’t in question, it’s time to make sure your client is comfortable during their boudoir photography session. This is where having a female assistant might be a good idea. Let’s understand that a boudoir session can be very vulnerable for your client. They are, after all, practically nude in front of a stranger. More often than not, straps will get twisted, hair will fly in the way, oil will need to be applied, straps placed, and so many other things involved with posing for a boudoir photo shoot. Most women would be far more comfortable with a fellow woman helping them with all of this. This also touches on the last two points. You have no reason to ever touch your client! Make them as comfortable as you can and hire a female assistant.
Speak carefully: You know that filter that most of us have that stops us from saying things we will regret? As a male boudoir photographer, your filter needs to be on high-alert at all times. Let’s start with your vocabulary during a shoot. You want to avoid using slang terms for body parts and avoid the types of jokes you would share with your guy friends over a few beers on a Sunday afternoon. Avoid saying anything that could make you seem like the “creep with the camera” from point one. Bring them comfort by speaking friendly, professionally and be relatable. I love to make my clients laugh during our boudoir photo shoot, but be careful to keep the humor appropriate. One misplaced innuendo or adult joke and suddenly the whole situation becomes tense and awkward. Don’t think that you are off the hook when your client leaves. Building trust and credibility means you never make these jokes about your clients. You shouldn’t be discussing anything about your clients outside of how great it was to shoot with them. Privacy is one of the most important factors of a successful boudoir business, so keep it zipped.
Get out of your head: The last point I can make is the one I struggled with the most. Stop overthinking it all. You want to be a male boudoir photographer, then do it! If you can follow the first four points I’ve made, you have nothing left to overthink. Be real, be honest and build your boudoir photography empire.
And there you have it. 5 things that you may have not thought about when considering a career as a male boudoir photographer. Perhaps where you’re from these points may vary. Myself, being a male boudoir photographer in Saskatchewan, has proven to be relatively smooth sailing as long as I respect that I’m no longer 45 minutes from Montreal where the values are vastly different. I hope you’ve found some value in this blog entry.
Take care of yourself and log back on next time when I’ll be discussing the most common conversations I have with clients.