The Simple Backgrounds

I have had a lot of Boudoir sessions, especially in the past couple of months.  I usually do my sessions out of my home in my living room… yes my living room.  Today I had a customer come in and she was so surprised that I am able to create something so beautiful from such simple backdrops.  I am sure she was expecting to walk into a studio type set up with lights set up and backgrounds hanging down, you know the usual studio set up.  Instead she walked in where I had a blow up mattress set up with plain white sheets and a couple of pillows up against my plain white wall.

I have very few things that I do within my sessions (background or prop wise) that I change.  I have a simple black fleece cut into two pieces on for covering the mattress and one for the wall.  I went to Joanna fabrics and picked them up with a coupon and spent less then $25.  I have a plain white sheet set and a plain white comforter I throw over my blow up mattress.  Most of the time I let my clients bring in things that they want to have in pictures with them such as a husbands uniform or soccer jersey.  But for the most part I just let their beauty speak for itself.

I have just started doing boudoir photos, so I have to live simple!  But my best portraits come out of that simplicity.  I try to remember that the beauty shouldn’t be my very expensive backgrounds or fancy chairs for the clients to sit in but the beauty should come from my client themselves.  My photos strive on this simplicity!  A tank top can become lingerie,  close up of the face can be beautiful, and single strand of pearls can become breath taking if taken right.

This is not to say that having things like a great warehouse to take photos in or great vintage furniture to take photos with is a bad thing, but if you are starting out like I am don’t be discouraged by your lack of “things” you can do so much with very little and still be successful.  I know that I have been truly blessed with a living room with great light and I use it for all that it’s worth!