More tasteful than tacky, the new trend for ‘boudoir’ photo shoots allows us to indulge our sensual side and boost our self-esteem. Kathryn Knight talks to women going for maximum exposure on both sides of the camera.Tucked away in Katherine Duff’s bedside drawer is a photograph album that makes her smile every time she looks at it. Wearing a basque, stockings and eye-wateringly high heels, she is perched on the edge of a chaise longue, glancing cheekily up at the camera.
It couldn’t be further from her usual trend-led look – but then that was entirely the point. Katherine, 36, who runs her own human resources consultancy, signed up for a boudoir photo shoot, a growing trend among
women looking to capture their bodies in a way that’s sexy but still tasteful. Huge in the US for the past decade, boudoir photography – which starts from around £150 but can cost as much as £800 a session – is making its mark on this side of the Atlantic, with dozens of female-run studios springing up all over the UK.
Studios are designed to look like an elegant courtesan’s bedroom or dressing room – think soft pastel wallpaper, velvet-covered furniture and French dressing tables.
This is emphatically women-only territory – boudoir shoots are not for partners – and the clientele are encouraged to dress in whatever makes them feel comfortable. Most bring their own lingerie, from satin slips and camis to suspenders, although there is usually a boxful of accessories, such as feather boas and garters, available for those wanting to vamp it up.What happens next is entirely up to you, as boudoir photographer Andrea Denniss, who has been running shoots from her home in York for the past three years under the banner of Pink Lily Photography, emphasises. ‘Some women just want very anonymous pictures – I have shot a pair of legs in stockings, or a bare back with a hint of profile. Others prefer pictures that are much more identifiably them,’ she says.
