How Boudoir Photography Is Actually Empowerment Photography

There’s a certain image that comes to mind when you hear the term “boudoir”. Usually, it’s one of women clad in lingerie or completely nude, dolled up in glamorous hair and makeup, and draped seductively across the floor, bed, couch, etc. While this image is not necessarily inaccurate, it just barely scratches the surface of what boudoir actually accomplishes.

In fact, many people in the industry are going so far as to argue that boudoir has opened up an entirely new genre of photography called empowerment photography—and we at The Pouting Room totally agree with them! Let’s dive a little deeper into what these terms really mean and how they’re irrevocably intertwined.

What is boudoir photography?

Boudoir is traditionally defined as a style of photography that creates artfully intimate, sensual, and sometimes erotic images that highlight the beauty of women. Most people expect nude posing, lingerie, sexiness, and femininity in a boudoir shoot.

Over the last few decades though, women have taken back the power of boudoir and redefined it as a means to express yourself, recognize your own strength, and gain confidence from putting your inner and outer beauty on display.

What is empowerment photography?

The concept behind empowerment photography is pretty much exactly what it sounds like—images of a person that make them feel empowered. An empowerment photoshoot is one in which you can freely explore different facets of yourself that make you more confident and secure in who you are.

Boudoir obviously falls under the category of empowerment photography. So, why does it matter if we tell a woman she’s coming in for a “boudoir” session or an “empowerment” session?

It matters because it changes the intent of the experience, and the intent of a photo experience affects every single aspect from how you pose and dress down to the lighting, angles, and editing. Boudoir has a lot of association with sexiness and femininity, so in calling an experience “boudoir”, we are tying it to the expectations of those associations.

But some women don’t feel empowered by looking sexy or feminine.

Feeling “empowered” can mean something different to everyone—sexy, smart, in control, carefree. You might feel empowered when you put on your best business suit and sit at a desk with your name and title plaque. Your best friend might feel empowered when she’s wearing a sports bra and workout leggings with a pair of dumbbells in her hand. It just depends on the individual.

By instead calling it “empowerment photography”, we can strip away those preconceived expectations and focus on what truly makes YOU feel empowered. In turn, your experience and photos become tailored to reflect YOUR definition of authentic empowerment.

Empowering women through photography is the motivation for everything we do at The Pouting Room.

When you book a photoshoot with us, we’ll dig deep into what makes you feel like a strong and beautiful woman. Then, we’ll give you an experience and photos to walk away with that will make you feel empowered every day that follows.

Give us a call at 508-748-0870 to schedule your session today!