Frequently Asked Questions
Our boudoir work is tasteful, artistic and all about celebrating you. Eighty percent of the women we see are creating a gift for their special man so with that in mind, we work with you to capture images that he will love and you will love. We believe that a great session results in images that not only capture your inner-diva, but also the real you. After all, what could be more sexy than that?
Q. Who gets boudoir images done?
Anyone who wants beautiful images made for themselves or their special man. Gifts for Valentine’s Day, the wedding day, anniversaries, and birthdays are very popular. Maternity boudoir, milestone birthdays and weight loss are other great reasons.
Regardless of age or body type, we specialize in offering all women an incredible opportunity to commission their own personal collection of stunning, modern boudoir portraits. While our sessions are designed to create a personal, romantic gift for your significant other to cherish for a lifetime, they are truly designed for you. So celebrate being YOU and let us create images that highlight your individual personality and beauty.
Q. Who will photograph my session?
All boudoir sessions are photographed by one of our friendly female artisans exclusively and no one else will be present in the shooting area unless you ask for it.
Q. I’m nervous, what is it like?
It is normal for you to feel nervous leading up to and before your session. We will do everything we can to make you feel comfortable and will begin the session with the most conservative of the outfits so you will have plenty of time to relax and get used to the atmosphere of the shoot before we get to the more revealing photos. Feel free to have a bottle of champers (if you think it will help) and even your favourite CD. By the end of the session, you’ll be having so much fun you won’t want it to end!
Q. How do I prepare for the session?
We highly recommend setting aside some time and find a secluded room, turn up the music and have a play with posing & ideas you might have so you’ll feel more comfortable in front of the camera. You might like to also consider in preparation for your shoot hair touch-ups, waxing, eyebrow shaping, manicure, pedicure and moisturizing (don’t forget your feet!).
Drink LOTS of water the week prior to hydrate your skin. Get enough rest and eat something before the shoot so you don’t get light-headed from the adrenaline rush of such a fun shoot.
Wear loose fitting clothing and undergarments before your session so that you don’t have red marks & indentations on your skin. Choose outfits that you like and make you feel good – confidence shows in your images! Don’t forget your high heels – the higher, the better!
Q. How many outfits should I choose?
Bring up to three outfits. We will probably only get to two outfits However, it’s good to have options, you never know what you might decide to wear at the last minute. Outfits can be anything from a cute babydoll to a full out corset with stockings. Some ladies wear something just for him, like a baseball jersey and boy leg shorts, or his workshirt. Definitely bring heels to go with your outfits and jewelry too. Colours are great and give a nice variety of looks to your final images. At the start of the session we will go over the clothing with you and decide which will be best for your session. Wear the outfit you feel most comfortable in first. Bring something strapless if you are uncomfortable topless for any ‘implied nude’ photos.
Do not underestimate the sexiness of a simple pair of boy shorts and a cami. Simple is sexy.
Q. Do you supply clothing or props?
Clothing & props are not supplied but here are some suggestions you might like to consider : long strands of pearls, sexy jewelry, a tie, or rose petals, sports equipment or guitar etc. Popular types of clothing to bring include: night gowns, boy leg panties, bra-and-panty sets, bustiers, teddies, baby dolls, tight jeans, mini skirts, bikinis, thigh high stockings, garter belts, wedding night attire & sexy dresses. Corsets are extremely flattering for every body & look great in your photos. With all clothing we recommend nothing to tight & unflattering to your body. Avoid lots of patterns because solid colors are generally the most flattering.
Don’t feel like you have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on lingerie. Less is really more in a boudoir session! Maybe he loves a certain pair of hip huggers, or a white button down shirt.
For new brides 2 be : Just bring your wedding night lingerie, veil and shoes for some empowering confidence and sassy fun.
Q. Where are the sessions held?
A boudoir session needs good lighting, simple decor, easy-to-move furniture and interesting surroundings. Your gorgeous home, your girlfriend’s fabulous home, a luxury hotel suite, bed & breakfast, my home studio or even an open field in the middle of nowhere! We have a list of preferred vendors if you’re interested. The cost of location rental is not covered in your session fee. We will help you determine which location will be the best for the look you want to achieve.
Q. Can I bring a friend?
You are welcome to bring a friend if you feel that she will help you to feel more comfortable, but we do recommend that you come alone. Most women will feel self-conscious if someone they know is watching the session, and generally you will feel more free if you aren’t being watched by others.
Q. Can a friend and I have our sessions on the same day?
Of course! Just let us know in advance so we can work it into the schedule! If you would like a shoot with a few friends, please enquire about our wildly popular group sessions for bachelorette parties and lingerie showers that really are a ton of fun!
Q. What if I am not as skinny as I want to be?
Most women don’t have bodies like a super model but that doesn’t mean that we can’t have gorgeous, sexy photos as well. It is not size or age, but confidence that counts. Beauty comes from within!
We know just how to highlight your assets best while disguising the parts of you that you’re self conscious about. We will talk about the areas you would like to minimize before we shoot. When you receive your images we hope that you will see yourself being as beautiful as we do … and your man!
Q. How soon can I have my boudoir session done?
Our desire is to be able to focus on our clients and give them the absolute best we can which is why we offer a boutique service. As our client you are valuable and we want to give you a uniquely personal & creative experience. In order to do that, we can only book a VERY limited number of sessions per month. We recommend that you call or email as soon as possible to make sure that the date is available for your session.
Q. What about hairstyling and makeup?
We definitely suggest getting your hair and makeup done professionally. It really helps bring out your features in the photos. Please make sure that both are finished before your session commencement time and any appointments do NOT make you late for your photo session!!!! Don’t feel like you have to be too extravagant with your hair; sometimes hair looks best when it’s just straightened or curled in hot rollers.
Q. Do you do nudes?
We can do ‘implied nudes’ (poses using sheets or sheer material in strategic places and alternate forms of lighting and shadows can provide a subtle yet sexy form of photography that shows your femininity to the fullest), however, we do not do any visible nudity. We also do not do pinup style, themed, raunchy or erotic.
Q. What is a “Marathon Session”?
Throughout the year we hold “marathon” boudoir sessions. Certainly no race! At intervals throughout the year we hold these marathons where women choose a specific dates of the year. You can also arrange to have a boudoir party with your friends if you can get a minimum of four women to attend. I have even had brides give these sessions to their bridesmaids as gifts!
Q. What exactly is Custom Portraiture?
Custom Portraiture is more than your usual shopping centre photography experience, it is the investment in individually created fine art created by a visual artist. This type of Portrait Photography is individually tailored to each client and each image, from the location chosen, to the selection of clothing and the intensive handcrafting of digital images into fine art that you will be proud to hang on your walls for generations to come. The Custom Portraiture Photographer spends a lot of time on each and every client unlike your shopping centre photographer and gives the client an experience to treasure.
Q. Why are Custom Portraiture Prints more expensive?
The process that each image goes through before being printed can take hours, and is very skilled work, so we charge accordingly for this service. This is why there is such a big price difference between taking a digital negative to your local neighborhood photo lab and a professional lab. The professional lab that our studio uses has processing that is carefully matched to our workflow and guarantees colour, crispness, archival quality & longevity that local labs can’t. You are paying for whatever time it takes us to carefully tweak and retouch the image so that it is a piece of art that you will be proud to display in your home and will stand the test of time. Our professional lab can guarantee the longevity & protection of images by providing quality archival prints specially treated & mounted so they won’t perish or fade like inferior prints you’ll get from your local kiosk. This requires expensive computer software and hardware, as well as time & commitment to detail. For large prints we also have a special process that allows us to enlarge the image to any size without loss of quality. This is something that you just can’t get at your local supermarket chain kiosk.
Q. When do I get to see my photos?
Editing your photos will commence the same or following day your portraits are taken. Firstly, (only if you have given permission) we will blog about your session within the first few days to give you a sneak peak. We will then start the intensive editing of your images. Following completion of the editing work & depending on the package you choose, we will make arrangements to meet for your viewing or you can choose your images online from your private gallery. The editing process will take around 3 weeks and during peak times may take 3-4 weeks.
If you order your prints & products within the first 7 days that your proofs are online you are eligible to receive a complimentary 11×14 as our gift.
Q. How many images will I have to choose from ?
Many images are captured during your session. Following your session, each image is put through a careful selection process. You will see only the images that meet the high standards of Cindy Lee Photography. Images with closed or blinking eyes, unflattering poses and duplicate images are removed permanently during the selection process.
Q. I have chosen my photos, when can we expect to receive my prints or products?
We ask that you expect to wait around 2 weeks for delivery of your images once ordered. We understand clients are keen to get their images, but it is important not to rush this process. We inspect every single image to make sure everything is perfect. If it isn’t, we will have it re-printed before you even see the print. As equally as you, we want the prints that grace your walls to be amazing. Canvas & Wall Mounts can take up to 4 weeks and Albums & Magazine books can take up to 6 weeks.
Q. Will my images be shown on your website or in your studio ?
The images shown on our website, blog and in studio displays are shown with the client’s permission only. In your private online client area you will be given an opportunity to sign an optional model release form that is completely voluntary to sign. If you choose not to sign the release, your images will not be seen by anyone other than employees of Cindy Lee Photography. We fully understand and respect that many of our clients do not want their images shown.
Q. Can I buy the digital files?
Absolutely! We know how important those files are to you and your loved one and we want to make sure you have them FOREVER! That’s why we offer a high resolution CD from our a la carte menu with the purchase of a print package or custom designed album.
Q. Why do I have to purchase a print package before the files are available?
We run a high end, custom, boutique studio, and as such are eager to provide our clients with only the very best finished product. With so many photo printers around these days, it’s easy to find a cheap place to make enlargements of your digital files. What’s not so easy, is finding a place that will consistently do a GREAT job with those files. As much as we want you to have your files, we also want you to have some really nice professional quality prints from your session.
Knowing what goes into making an image a stellar piece of art, we feel our prices are a true reflection of the value of the finished product, and we will not allow anything to leave our studio bearing our name if it doesn’t reflect our standards for quality and craftsmanship.
After all, you invested in a professional to photograph you for the highest quality results, why would you throw that away on cheap unreliable prints?
Q. I have a friend who is excited to book an intimate session as well.
For each new client that you refer to us for a full or half session, you will receive a credit towards additional printed products from your session or towards an additional session for yourself. Take advantage of our referral program as often as you like by spreading the word !
Credits are awarded once the full session fee is received from the new client. Credits have no cash value and can only be used by the original referrer and are not transferable.
Q. I’d love to give a session as a gift. Can I do that ?
Certainly! Gift Certificates are available for session fees and/or products. Find out more
Q. What cameras do you use?
We only use professional camera equipment for Professional Photographers. Our Artisans use both Nikon & Canon. Our lenses are all genuine products also. We are always endeavoring to keep our equipment up-to-date with the latest technology so we can provide the best possible photos for our clients. We are passionate about photography and strive to learn & develop.
Q. Do you teach people how to take photos like you?
This is a question that we have been getting a lot lately and whilst Cindy has conducted workshops in the past, she is currently not offering any workshops.
I have a question that isn’t listed above.
If your question is not answered here, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are more than happy to speak with you on an individual basis.
