Category Archives: photography

Fine Art Nude Photography Vs Boudoir

Fine art nude photography is very different from glamour and boudoir photography, yet often clients like to add some photographs of this style to their shoots.  They often feel that the fine art images can be displayed about for all to see, whereas they may find the boudoir images a bit too personal for such a public showing.

 

Boudoir and glamour photography is about making photographs to show beauty and reflect a sensual and sexy attitude.  The pose, lighting and expressions are all designed to make the woman look stunning and glamorous.  The photographer works to create an emotional response of desire in the viewer.

 

Fine art nude photographs are about showing the natural beauty of the human form.  The shapes and textures of body are photographed.   The expressions are typically serene; eye contact with the camera is less common.   Poses are often less inviting than boudoir.

 

Sometimes the photographs are abstract in nature.  The photographer limits the frame to a small portion of the body leaving the mind to ponder exactly what is shown.  It is more about the shapes and lines than the actual body.

Bodyscape 

A common style of fine art nudes are bodyscapes.   Lighting is used to create strong shadows and highlights, bringing the edge or shapes into the image.  Clients find these images especially appealing as you can’t usually tell who the image is.

 

Fine art nude photography is still heavily black and white.  Boudoir is more often photographed in color.  Both disciplines do cross over, so take this generalization with a grain of salt.  I personally tend to do my fine art in black and white.

 

Adding fine art photography to my offerings has given my clients another option for adding to their photography options during their sessions.

 

Orcatek Boudoir And Glamour Photography – Phoenix, Arizona


Natural Light – Real or Fake

Natural light is a wondrous tool for photography. I had the opportunity yesterday to shoot in a room with a wall of north facing replacement windows alpharetta. The light coming in makes it so easy to create great images.

Natural Light

Great photographers through the years have often had studios with north facing windows and/or skylights. They knew that the light would give them amazing opportunities to create their work.

So you have two options in your studio. Option one is to have a wall of north facing windows to give you that great light. Windows on any side are still better than no windows. Other directions just are more or less effective depending on time of day. Sometimes I like windows with direct light on them to create the effect I want.

The other option is to fake a wall of north facing windows. To do this you need a good sized white wall. You then turn several strobes straight at the wall powered up a pretty good amount as they will be bouncing to create the light. A single strobe on a smaller white wall can work if you limit yourself to a smaller area. I like using the large wall as it just makes it easy for your model to move around the entire shooting area.

The faked wall is good, but not quite the same as the real thing. Sunlight just has a quality that the strobes can be made to come close to, but just miss.

Orcatek Photography – Phoenix


Boudoir Fantasies

Boudoir photography is a great way to play out some fantasies.  Everyone has some fantasies, most of a wide variety.  With a little planning you can fulfill a fantasy or three during your boudoir photo session.  You may even create a new one.  Let’s talk about some of the classics to get you started.  

 

Very popular is the naughty schoolgirl.  Outfits include a short, typically red plaid skirt, a white halter top or shirt tied to a halter, and a variety of shoes.  Props include books, pens, rulers, suckers and glasses.  Movies such as “House Bunny” have kept this one popular.  The flipside is naughty teacher.

 

Cheerleader is another classic with the obvious outfit.  Props are of course pompoms.  Often the pompoms are all that’s needed to create the fantasy photographs.

 

The naughty nurse fantasy is also popular with a lot of men.  Outfits can be scrubs, a classic white nurse’s dress with stockings or a white lab coat.  Props include stethoscopes, thermometers, tongue depressors, and bandages. 

 

Then there is the bad secretary who just can’t seem to type.  Short skirts and tops with button fronts are typically all that’s needed.

 

How about cooking in the nude wearing just an apron – watch out for the bacon grease.  This of course leads to the maid who cleans more than houses.  Both are common ideas that seem to run through a man’s mind.

 

Of course the movie classic, wearing nothing but an overcoat to meet him.  It’s simple to create a wide variety of photographs with just an overcoat. 

 

Of course if he is a fan of Mardi Gras, plenty of beads and a “flasher” top is all you need.  Or add a feathered mask to go from Bourbon Street to the boudoir.  Both are a fun way to bring create a mood.

 

And of some reason men really like they idea of two women together.  So bring a friend who might be willing to add to your photos.  I often just bring the second woman into the shots so she can remain anonymous.  An arm across your body, a leg wrapped around yours is all it takes.  If he doesn’t know who the other woman is it adds to the fantasy as in his mind he tries to figure it out.

 

Librarians, biker gals, ski bunnies, sports illustrated bikini model, Victoria’s Secret Angels, TV characters, hookers, massage therapist, nudist, delivery girl, mechanic,  cowgirl, military, cigars, police, fire, construction worker, hitchhiker the list goes on and on.  The only limits are your imagination.  Think about what interests he has, and bet you can find a fantasy that fits it.

 

So discuss the fantasies you want to fulfill with your boudoir photographer.   And of course you can use the session to show some of your fantasies too.

 

Orcatek Boudoir and Glamour Photography – Phoenix


Photography on Location

Working on location with clients on location can be both fun and challenging.  The resulting images though make it work the extra work required. 

 

One of the biggest challenges faced when shooting on location is the lighting.   Frequently these locations are outdoors so you have the sun to work with.  Then comes the supplemental light needed to make the image come to life.  Sometimes its reflectors, other times it is portable strobes.  More often than not it is a combination.  I personally like to use my speedlights as they are small and run on batteries.

© Copyright Dean Farrell, Orcatek Photography
© Copyright Dean Farrell, Orcatek Photography

 

 

 

 

The Pocket Wizard company has come up with a new version of their product that really makes this work well.  Radio Poppers has also been selling a product to provide very similar features, albeit in a very different way.  The end result is wireless control of your flashes using full ETTL in environments where the built-in IR method was difficult if not impossible to use.  Both these products really add to options for location photography.

 

Another challenge on location is permission.  Phoenix requires a permit to shoot anywhere in town that is not private property.   Private property owners control their property.  The city is actually pretty easy to work with, and the permit is not expensive if you meet the requirements.   Private property owners can be hit or miss.  Some are great, others are huge corporations that you can’t even find a person to say “yes or no”.

 

Other cities are in the Phoenix area are not so clear cut.  I have contacted most of them and they say no photographer permit for small shoots that I typically do.  However I have had police and park rangers ask for my photography permits.  I always tell them the truth; I was told I don’t need them.  If they insist, I ask them where I get them.   In any case, I still have been run off a few times, and on follow-up found that no permit was required.   Better to take walk away on your own, then in handcuffs, so I prefer not to fight it too much.

 

So check the rules in your area.  Get some portable light control.  And produce some great location images.

 

Orcatek Photography – Phoenix


Before Baby Boudoir

A request that seems to becoming more frequent is the before baby boudoir photography session.  The desire to preserve the memory of the time before becoming a mom brings many clients into the studio.  This also leads to the wonders of a maternity session 7 to 8 months later to remember this special time.  As it turns out, there is always a time to capture the beauty of a women worth remembering, each one special for it’s own reason.

 

My clients give a variety of reasons for wanting a before baby boudoir photography session.  Each one unique in their own special way.   In the end it creates a memory for both him and her that will last a lifetime.  Some feel the won’t feel sexy after the baby arrives, other are concerned about body changes that can occur,  and still some just feel that is something that a mom “can’t do,” so they should do it now.

 

Whatever the reason, every woman deserves to feel beautiful and sexy at any time in her life.  And that is what boudoir photography is all about, capturing the wonderful beauty that resides in every woman at any time. 

 

In the end I have had many clients how came in before baby and returned after baby to do it again.  They found that being sexy was not limited by having a baby.   They tell me that doing the sessions before and after baby was the perfect way to celebrate themselves.

 

 

Orcatek Boudoir And Glamour Photography – Phoenix, Arizona


Power of Black and White

When color photography first came out, everyone was excited.  Now we could see things in the colors they actually are seen.   Slowly over time black and white faded out and was seldom used.   Along came digital and it started in color as we expected color from digital, just like we did from our film.

 

Now black and white images get noticed as they stand out from the sea of color photographs.  They add an artistic value in the eyes of many consumers of photography.  They create a feeling and look that just isn’t there in color.

Power of Black and White - Orcatek Photography 

Take the image show here.  It would be very different in color.  Sure it would contain more information about the tone of her skin, is she pale, tan, darker or lighter than you.  In black and white it is difficult to infer.  What becomes more important is the shapes and how light catches it.

 

Shadows vs light become the key to defining an image.  Creating a digital image is not as simple as choosing black and white on your camera or in Photoshop.  You need to plan ahead of time to create the textures and mood you desire.   Lighting will be planned differently to get the contrast desired.

 

Sure I use the B&W setting on my camera to preview the idea.  I also tweak those settings to fit my vision of the shot to aid in my set-up. 

 

Colored filters are often used to create to change the color relationships when converted to black and white.  In color it would throw a skin tone way off, but in black and white it can enhance or reduce features as you desire.

 

I like to explore black and white when create boudoir images as it brings them to another level.  I find clients all love seem to love it too.

 

Orcatek Boudoir And Glamour Photography – Phoenix, Arizona


Digital in the Studio

This week I had the chance to work with a wide variety of clients, with all different needs.   They all had one thing in common though; they wanted to look great and were nervous about getting their picture done.

 

The advantage of using a digital camera quickly becomes obvious.  There are several major benefits to using a digital camera.  It becomes a valuable tool in putting a client at ease.

 

First with the instant feed back you can show them instant feedback from the rear of the camera as to what the shots are looking like.  Clients what to know that they are “doing it right” when giving them direction.  By showing how good the photography looks, they can relax and make the pictures even better.

 

Second it allows for proofing during a shoot.  When shooting a head shot I will shoot in batches.   Shoot a batch review on a computer to either select a shot, or use as a point of discussion to discover what they like and tune the shoot to get the shot they desire.  Very often when the client sees the shots on the computer they find that they like a pose that they had never considered.

 

And of course digital allows for quick deletion of those really bad shots where clients blink or anything else.   This gives the client a much better set of proofs from which to select their photographs.

 

Lastly digital allows the photographer to capture more frames.  The cost per frame is much lower than film.  I find photographers in the digital age more willing to experiment, knowing that it is very cheap to do so. 

 

I know digital has made my clients happier, and it has made me more productive.   

 

Orcatek Photography – Phoenix


The Rush for Valentines Boudoir

What a week.  Valentines Day is rapidly approaching and I have so many boudoir and glamour sets to edit and print for a wonderful bunch of clients.  The shoots are always fun and always different as each person has their own personality we work to bring through during the shoot.

 

I had special requests this year for cars, motorcycles, cigars, feet, guns, basketballs, poker, flowers, balloons, candy and groups to name a few.  It was always interesting and sometimes challenging, but always fun.  Making the photographs look sexy without looking trashy is what creates images that are fun to show off.

Cigar Boudoir 

This year I had more clients bring in samples of what they would like to have done.  This always helpful as it lets me get a feeling for their style.   Sometimes they are pages from magazines, but more often it is images they have found on the web.  These sample photographs give ideas where to go with their shoot.  Do they prefer B&W or lots of shadows or maybe some high-key photographs.

 

I have my own sample book of boudoir and glamour photographs that I have at the shoots to let them look through if they do not bring any samples.  It is interesting as during the shoot as they relax they often ask for some styles that they had not mentioned before.  Digital cameras allow them to see what they are looking like and they realize that I will make them look great in photographs they didn’t think they could do.

 

I better get back to sorting out the proofs, deleting the blinks and other odd photographs and send them off to the client.

 

Orcatek Boudoir and Glamour Photography – Phoenix.


The Implied Nude

The implied nude image is very popular in today’s boudoir photography.  The image by definition does not show body parts that would be considered part of a nude image.  These photographs allow the client to appear very sexy while remaining modest.  It creates a photograph they could “show their mother.”

 

There is a art to creating the this look, and the photographer should be aware of the variety of ways to create this look.  The primary methods are props, poses, shadows and Photoshop.  Sometimes a combination is used to create that perfect photograph.

Implied Nude 

The easiest way is through the use of props.  A perfect example was the recent issue of GQ where Jennifer Aniston used a men’s tie to cover her body.   A sheet is often used, held to cover key areas, yet exposing as much as possible.  In my studio I often use a simple wooden chair, where careful posing can hide the few key inches here and there.

 

Poses are where a photographer’s skill comes more into the mix.  For a great image, it really needs to look as if the pose was not trying to hide body parts, but the hiding was merely incidental.  The typical example of a “bad” image is the hands grabbing the chest to hide it.  A draped arm like is this sample covers the body, yet remains classy.

 

Shadows are the most difficult method for a photographer to master.  Understanding exactly how the light will fall is key to success.  I prefer to work with modeling lights when possible to allow me to more easily visualize how the shadows fall so I can fine tune the pose and the light placement.  Other times I go from experience in environments where this level of control is not possible. 

 

Finally I include Photoshop.  Typically this is used to remove a thong strap from a photograph for the client to create the look while allowing their modesty during the shoot.  Many women, who are comfortable being topless at a photo shoot, do not want to be totally nude.  With the use of Photoshop they can still get the photographs they want to have created and be within their comfort zone.

 

It is pretty easy to see how a combination of these methods can be used to create a greater variety of options for implied nude photographs.  Most of my images usually use a combination of methods, allowing me to make sure there is something unique for each client.

 

Boudoir clients often want to be very sexy, yet still be conservative.  Implied nudes fill that need making them a great addition to boudoir and glamour photographer’s bag of tricks.

 

Orcatek Boudoir and Glamour Photography – Phoenix


Canon 50D does Barrett-Jackson

I love January in Phoenix as it is the time of year when all the car auctions come to town.  I enjoy the opportunity to see so many wonderful cars all gathered in one location.  Last week I spent some time at Barrett-Jackson with my Canon 50D.

 Tents

The lighting is all over the board at these auctions – full sun, open shade, tungsten, and mixed.  I knew this would give the 50D a good chance to be tested.  I had done some shooting with it outdoors and in studio, so I knew it worked well in these environments, but the indoor shots with random lighting seemed like it would be a challenge.

 

With prior cameras I would just crank up the ISO and shoot in AV mode keeping an eye on the shutter speed vs the focal length, tweaking the ISO where I could get away with it.  The 50D now has an auto mode for ISO that I decided to get a test shooting the stage.  As the cars move across the stage the lighting varies dramatically, and I wanted to get the cars in the clear, so I there was no one spot that they could be shot.

 

And not being a bidder, this meant I had to shoot from the cheap seats, so flash was out of the question.  So I decided to switch the ISO to auto and see how the camera behaved.  The ISO swung from 400 to 1250 depending on where I had the camera pointed and what aperture I selected.  It kept the shutter speed within acceptable hand holding for the focal and length and never seemed to falter.

 

Upon reviewing the shots I was quite pleased with the results.  Even though the noise level is acceptable for this type of work at the highest range the camera selected, it was nice to have even cleaner shots available when the light was better.   I can really see where this feature can come in handy and why the Nikon users have always spoken so highly about the usefulness of this setting.

Auto ISO put to the test

 

 

 

 

Auto-focus is also something I got a chance to test under the poor lighting and the 50D did great.  I was very happy to see that it locked quickly and accurately under some tough conditions.  The images were focused correctly and the camera only hunted when it faced the toughest targets where there was no contract to be seen.  Experience has taught me to just focus on an edge and then recompose to the low contrast area as needed.

 

I will feel quite comfortable using the Canon 50D for this type of event in the future.  Next week I hope to spend some time with my 5DII in the studio.

 

Orcatek Photograrphy – Phoenix


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