The Portraits That Aren’t Boudoir But Aren’t Traditional Either
Boudoir has been a long-time favorite with many of my clients. And I totally get why. But there’s another style of portrait I do that doesn’t really fit under the category of boudoir, even though it sometimes shares some of the mood and edge.
I don’t have a catchy name for it (yet) but I think of it more like something out of a film noir or neo noir. Not slick and glossy, and not necessarily revealing. It’s about attitude and shadow and a kind of grit that a straightforward glamour shot doesn’t have.
With a lot of standard portrait work, we’re figuring out flattering angles and good poses. With my more dramatic imagery, it’s about helping the subject take on a character, even a loose one. Basically it helps to come up with a little backstory or scenario we can both work from.
Who are you in this “scene?” What just happened, or what’s about to?
Playing to a character or situation helps you forget about posing. And this can ironically result in very personal and authentic portraits. Why? Because the pressure’s off to be the perfect you, so a more playful and authentic self shines through.
A lot of the success of this type of portraiture relies on creative lighting. Knowing what the rules are, and when to break them. I lean hard into shadow, into contrast, into letting parts of the frame go dark instead of lighting everything evenly. And I’m not doing any slick editing with these types of images. If anything I want them to feel a little rougher, a little more like a still from an old detective movie than a magazine ad. That grittiness and imperfection are the whole point.
Some of these images end up looking sensual, some end up looking bold. Both vibes work. It really depends on the person and what they’re drawn to. I’ve had people show me a reference image that’s fairly restrained, just strong and moody, and others who want something with more heat to it. I can do either, and really, most people land somewhere in between once we start shooting. It’s always going to be your call.
This approach to portraiture isn’t for everyone. Only a handful of my clients have specifically booked a session and said “I want that noir, editorial thing.” But a lot more people look at those images when they’re deciding whether to work with me at all, even if what they end up booking is a fairly standard portrait.
I think it’s because those images tell you something about how I see people and what I’m capable of pulling out of a session, even if you never ask me to go that dramatic. That’s probably the real value of this kind of work on my site. If you want boudoir, that’s definitely an area I specialize in. But if you’re looking for a portrait with real presence, something with a little danger or mystery to it, without needing to be especially revealing or fit into a traditional boudoir mold, this is for you.
If any of this speaks to you, even loosely, let me know. Show me a reference or two, or just tell me the vibe you’re after, and we’ll build a character and a look around it. You can reach out through my booking page any time.
