Boudoir: a woman’s bedroom or private room. Boudoir photography can be a variety of things, but it is basically intimate photos in a private setting.

Boudoir makes up a good portion of the type of photography I do. I’d say 45% boudoir, 45% concerts, 10% everything else. Boudoir photography can be intimidating, both as the photographer and the model/client. It is an intimate experience. It can be an awkward experience. But it is also a lighthearted and fun experience. It’s basically hanging out with me and listening to my ramblings. However, you will most likely be in various stages of undress. But ultimately, this is YOUR shoot. It is whatever you want to make of it. It starts and stops at whatever you are comfortable with. I am by no means an expert on the subject but I have learned a few things over the years and some frequently asked questions.

Q: What to expect:

My studio is at 2040 E Maple Ave in the Flint/Burton/Grand Blanc area. It is in a Sears craftsman house built in 1904. The house is shared with 3 other awesome businesses. Those businesses operate during the day and out of respect for my clients, those business owners, and their customers, I typically try to book after those businesses have closed for the day. It is a private studio so should we shoot during their business hours, we can make arrangements to maintain privacy. You are welcome to arrive a little early and shop and we can begin our session once they close.

Before we shoot, we will go over what vibe you are going for, what you are comfortable with, like levels of undress, poses, lighting, anything you want to accentuate or hide, and price. In the words of Eartha Kitten and Lilith Von Tal, consent is not only sexy, it’s mandatory. We will never do anything you are uncomfortable with. On the flip side of that, so I know what we are doing, please let me know what you are planning. I am comfortable and open-minded, but I would like to be made aware as well. We can discuss the plan to make sure your vision and vibe are clear and I am both comfortable shooting it and can deliver what you want. If we determine that our visions don’t align, totally cool. I can try to refer you to a photographer that better meets your needs.

Q: What should I wear?

You can wear as much or as little as you want. You can start fully clothed and work your way nude. You can start fully nude and work your way clothed. You can start and end somewhere in the middle. It is entirely up to you and your comfort level. Boudoir is more of a style and state of mind. I’ve had clients who have come in wearing a loose fitting dress commando so there weren’t underwire/underwear lines in their skin. I’ve had clients wear an oversize t-shirt of their husbands and some socks and the rest is implied. Jeans and a t-shirt, lingerie, tank top and tube socks, LBD. Ultimately how you feel is what will show up on the camera. If you are uncomfortable, it will show.

Q: What should I bring?

First and foremost: Positive energy. The camera not only captures your image, but your energy. I do my absolute best to make this as positive experience as possible. Second. This is your shoot. Bring anything you would like to wear or incorporate into your shoot. If you have a prop, you can bring that. For example, one client brought their partner’s guitar. Another has brought their partner’s leather jacket. Bring a couple outfits. Bring touch up makeup.

Q: Can I bring a friend?

If you want to bring a friend, you are 100% welcome to do so. I will admit that I am a dude, I know very little about makeup. If you bring a friend to make sure your look is as how you want it, that will help. Also personally, I don’t like to touch people or be touched. So if you have a friend that can get a stray hair out of your face or straighten a bra strap for you, that works better for me. Additionally to help out, my wife is on hand to adjust lights and assist me. She is a licensed (but not practicing) cosmetologist. So she has an eye for makeup and hair and can assist.

Q: What can be done within my scheduled time frame?

1 hour can usually comfortably fit in 3 outfits or so. It gives time to change, to touch up hair and makeup. I’ll adjust lighting and backdrop/setting during that time to allow your session to move smoothly. It’s best to arrive with your hair and makeup already done to maximize our allotted time.

Q: Ricky Bobby Syndrome: “I don’t know what to do with my hands.” AKA “I don’t know how to pose.”

Posing can be awkward. Where do I look? Do I look at the camera, the wall, up, down, eyes open, eyes close. What do I do with my hands? Want to avoid your pics looking like 90’s glamour shots? I will do my best to guide you. I have resources with pictures to help. Before our session, I recommend either pintrest or reddit.com/r/boudoir and reddit.com/r/theboudoir. These are good resources for not only pose ideas, but also vibe idea. Do you want your session to be more laid back, more sultry, or more funny? Is there a particular style you want to emulate? You might find some inspiration of ideas you hadn’t previously thought of.

Q: Who will see my pictures?

That’s entirely up to you. Some people book a shoot strictly for themselves. To test the waters, to feel good about themselves, to check off a bucket list item, to see what all the hoopla is about. Some people book “For your eyes only,” a shoot as a Valentine’s day, Sweetests’ day, birthday, or a wedding gift for that special someone, or just because. Some people book to use them as promo pics for other projects, like burlesque performances or OF content. What you do with your pics is completely up to you. BUT what I do with your pics is also completely up to you. I WILL NOT post your pics without your permission. And you also decide which pictures I post. If you aren’t keen on a picture, I won’t post it.

Q: What to expect afterwards.

I pride myself on having a quick turn around time. I will do my best to get you your pictures within a week. If you need them sooner for a gift or something, please let me know. I will upload your pics to a google drive folder. You can download them from there. At this time, I don’t do printing but I can recommend some good printers that will print NSFW photos. I can provide you a Photographer Copyright Release Form should the printer require it. And you are free to do with them what you like. Once you pay for the pics, they are yours. As a photographer, I maintain the copyright as well. In your google drive will also be a Model Release Form that will outline if you will allow me to post the pictures on my portfolio and social media. There will also be times I may ask for your permission to submit a picture to an art show and we can discuss this when the time comes.

Other odds and ends:

I have been a photographer for almost a decade. I’ve won multiple awards and have been in galleries across the country. I got my start doing boudoir photography by networking at burlesque shows. 3 very awesome people trusted me enough to help me jump start my career doing this; Leena Allure, Veronica Lockhart, and Dede Devain. Then Eartha Kitten, Caffeyne Luv, and I did a photoshoot in an awesome house in Detroit. I was able to build a portfolio with their help and it grew from there. I am infinitely grateful to everyone who has been on the other end of my lens.

“I’m an aspiring photographer. Can I shadow you during your next session?” No, absolutely not. For the safety and comfort of anyone I work with, it will be limited to me, the client, whoever the client wants to bring, and my wife. I am happy to give you advice and if you want, I will critique your work.

“Is boudoir only for women? I’m a (guy, gay, they, couple, poly).” Boudoir is for everyone. Josh Justice Photography has always been and will always be a safe place for LGBTQ+. My only requirement is you bring positive energy to your shoot. Size, shape, skin color, experience level, literally none of that matters. What matters is this is your shoot to be you. Realistically, I do as minimal photoshopping as I can because I don’t want to take away from who you are. I prefer to play with the lighting and colors and create moods. If you have an area you aren’t happy with, I will do my best to photoshop it. But at the end of the day, I really try not to.

“When are payments due?” Payments are due at the end of the session. At that point, I will begin editing the pics. Editing cannot take place until funds are received.