Boudoir Photography to Heal the Soul?

It seems like half the people I meet say they don’t take good pictures. Unfortunately, most people are used to seeing snapshots of themselves taken by Uncle Joe who's using a little point-and-shoot camera with the built-in flash. Nobody looks good under those circumstances. Hell, not even models actually look like the over-photoshopped caricatures that we see in magazines.

We tend to forget that.

So here I am, to tell you ladies out there that you are ALL gorgeous!  I love making women look - and feel - fabulous. But it does bother me just how many women have surprisingly low self esteem. Even some really beautiful women are ridiculously critical of themselves and/or their bodies!

I hope I'm changing that in my own little way. A genre of photography that I really love is boudoir or beauty photography, which ideally brings out that inner beauty in the process of photographing the outside.

Boudoir photography is definitely popular, but there still seems to be some apprehension about the entire subject. It's not dirty or sleezy - it's empowering and liberating! Okay - I'm biased and a pretty much a life-long feminist!

I know a lot of women might WANT to have some sexy and sultry photos of themselves but are terrified at the thought.  The ladies I've photographed have normally come in nervous, but after we got started, they not only relaxed, but started having fun! It helps that I'm a female photographer - there's no ulterior motives and I definitely won't be drooling when you get undressed!

If you are thinking about getting some boudoir photos, be sure to find the right photographer. Sure, I'd like it if everyone would call me up and book a session, but there are a fair number of photographers offering boudoir, so look around and select the photographer who has a style that you really love.  For example, if you like really soft, sweet and sugary, I could do it but it isn't my strong suite - you'd be better off finding another photographer who does that type of shooting perfectly.

I'm good at bold, black and white with a just enough edge to it to make you take that second (third, fourth, etc.) look. Okay, there's the occassional colored image thrown in as well, but those images are the exceptions.

I always loved the dramatic cinematography of 1940’s film noir movies and the grainy, often fuzzy black-and-white fashion photos from the 1950s and ‘60s. I remember, as a kid, coming across an old, outdated fashion magazine collecting dust in my aunt's closet. I paged through it and fell in love with a black and white photo of a gorgeous woman curled up on a chair in a tiny, narrow hallway. I didn't recognize her at my young age, but it was an old photo of Sophia Loren.

I also love the stark tonal contrast and texture in vintage film photos - it has a feel that just isn't present in the absolutely perfect and noise-free digital images that our new cameras put out. Don't get me wrong - I love digital and when I take a photo, I want the images to be perfect and noise free as well. But then I like to turn around and add some noise to throw in that character that seems to sometimes be lacking in those flawless digital images. Is that weird?

Anyhow, I'm sure you don't care about my views on digital noise!  But if you want to see some more of my photos, you can go to my website at http://gjfoto.com.  You'll find a link to the boudoir photos in the "portraits" section.

If you've ever considered getting some boudoir shots, go for it! If it's never crossed your mind before, it's something else you might want to add to your "bucket list".  Every lady I've photographed has gotten a healthy ego boost from the experience and had a ton of fun in the process.

So ladies of the Philadelphia area, call me or call someone else, but show the world we're not that traditional here after all!

Peace and Love.

(All photos copyright Colleen D. Gjefle, GJFOTO.com, 2011)