WEBSITE www.kansascityboudoirphotography.com EMAIL petra@kansascityboudoirphotography.com TELEPHONE 2016 Session Guide 816.607.1267 Studio Cell 913.231.6033 ADDRESS 1800 Central Street, Suite No. 201 Kansas City, MO 64108
A BIT ABOUT ME As a boudoir photographer it is my goal to capture the perfect blend of romantic and sensual, even bold and daring with just a hint of naughty - for all women. Through posing and light, I sculpt the body and tell a story that invites any admirer to come close. Five years ago I chose to specialize in the boudoir genre so that I could focus entirely on capturing what makes my heart sing. I am a 44 year old mom of three beautiful children and one adorable grandson, my "mister" and I have been together for 11 years and I am a breast cancer survivor. I am on a mission to give women of all ages, shapes and sizes an amazing way to embrace their sensuality and bare their beauty. To tell the story of who they are, right now. I am a true believer in the power of intimate portraiture. My clients inevitably tell me that their boudoir session gave them new selfconfidence, turned up the heat in their relationships, and helped them be more accepting of their bodies. I know this personally because I ve done four boudoir sessions myself. I've prepared this guide to assist you as you prepare for your boudoir session with me. If at any time you have questions or concerns please, do not hesitate to get in contact with me as I am happy to assist you in any way that I can. -Petra
STYLING: SO MANY OPTIONS The best advice I can give to you is to make sure that whatever you select as part of your boudoir wardrobe, be completely comfortable wearing it. Proper fit is extremely important. For just the right amount of variety, I recommend bringing three sets plus one outfit totally out of your comfort zone. You don t have to wear it, but you just might want to! BRA & PANTY SETS There are so many different options out there for sexy bra/panty sets out there. When shopping for these, proper fit is extremely important. Be careful of push up bras as they often make you look unnatural. Make sure the area near your armpit looks nice and smooth and you are not coming out of the cups. That makes it more flattering in camera. CORSET Corsets are meant to cinch your waist and give you killer curves. They usually have ties in the back that help create your shape. They are hard to put on, but don t worry I can help you! BUSTIER A bustier is similar to a corset in coverage, but it has cups built in that give nice breast support. They don t normally cinch the waist like corsets do, but there are some hybrid styles out there that combine a little waist cinching and breast lifting. TEDDY A teddy is a garment that covers the torso and crotch in one garment. It is a similar style of garment to a one-piece swimsuit or bodysuit but is typically more sheer and definitely sexier. BODYSUIT A close-fitting, one-piece stretch garment for women. They are considered clothing, but they are great boudoir too! BABYDOLL A babydoll is a short, sleeveless, loose-fitting nightgown. It sometimes has formed cups called a bralette for cleavage with an attached, loosefitting skirt falling, in length, usually between the upper thigh and the belly button. GARTER BELTS, GARTERS & THIGH HIGHS A Garter Belt is a belt worn around the waist or hips with attached garters or fasteners to hold up stockings. Sometimes Garters are built into lingerie so a belt isn t needed. The stockings they hold up are called Thigh Highs (because they pull up to the thigh). There are two different types of thigh highs: Some have a rubber material on the inside to help them stay up. This is REALLY important to know. If the stockings have the rubber inside they are NOT meant for garters. They are meant to be worn without them. The rubber allows them to stay up on their own. If you try to pair these stocking with garters, they are very hard to attach because of the thickness of them. Stockings without the rubber are much more desirable for garters. There is an art to attaching the stockings but don t worry, I can easily help you and teach you how it s done. SHAPEWEAR Shape wear is a type of tight-fitting underwear intended to control and shape the figure. There are many beautiful options out there these days. (Not the ones that are meant to be hidden, but styles that flatter and are also pleasing to the eye). SLIP Think of them as dresses that are meant to be worn under a dress, often with cups built in for support. Some slips can fit into the shape wear category but many do not. NOTHING AT ALL A white sheet. Sometimes less is more and who knows what you re wearing under there...
TIPS & TRICKS A killer pair of heels lengthens the legs, rounds out the derriere. To visually elongate, make selections with vertical lines. Avoid horizontals lines. Embrace your curves, don t try to camouflage. Corsets and teddies that accentuate the curves will be more flattering than a loose fitting baby doll that will add visual bulk. G-strings, thongs and T-straps do nothing for a rear-end. For a delectible derrier, your best options are skirted thongs or a cheeky style of panty as they reveal just the right amount of booty. Try a high waisted panty for a vintage inspired look that accentuates your waistline. Most colors work really well in camera. Some that do not include fluorescent colors. If you like red, look for a deeper red something not too bright. Black is always classic and looks great on everyone. PROTECT While some ladies prefer tanned skin, it is important to not be exposed to direct sunlight in the weeks leading up to your session. Not only can this cause sunburn but also increases the chance of tan lines which are both unflattering and time consuming to edit out of your images. If you must be in direct sunlight please limit your exposure and protect your skin with a high SPF sunscreen. HYDRATE Make sure you drink plenty of water in the days leading up to your session. Water flushes toxins from your body making your skin look more healthy and also helps shed extra water weight. It is also a good idea to not partake in alcohol beverages the night before your shoot. REST It is important to get a good nights rest the night before your shoot. This will ensure your do not appear tired and have plenty of energy to focus on posing and having fun at your session. It also decreases the chance of having under eye circles. GROOM If you plan on having grooming services done please do them at least 3 days before your session. This ensures that all red bumps or reactions are at a minimum. If you plan on having your hair cut or dyed please do so at least a week in advance to ensure you have time to repair any mistakes that may occur. CLEAN Please arrive to the studio with clean and dry hair and skin. Your session includes the services of a professional hair and makeup artist. This will ensure the best and most timely results with your styling. If you are prone to oily hair and skin then please wash them the morning of your shoot and arrive with hair dry. ARRIVE Please be sure to arrive at your session no earlier or later than your designated time.
SESSION DAY After your hair and makeup transformation, it will be time to get into wardrobe. We will begin with a quick run through of 'what to expect' in posing. I know that you may feel anxious and nervous right now, but that is completely normal. Sometimes it takes a little time to warmup to the camera. I use the first 5 to 10 minutes to see how the light is falling on your face and body and to find different angles that will compliment your body. Take this time to just breathe and listen to my direction as I set up a few poses. You ll soon find that there is no need to rush through the session. The feeling of being in front of the camera will start to disappear as you get more comfortable and find your confidence. If you ever have any questions or concerns during the session, please let me know. Constant communication between us will help to ensure that we are on the same page and that no one feels awkward or uncomfortable - neither of which make for gorgeous images! That being said, keep in mind that you hired me because you relate to my work and trust my professional opinion. AFTER THE SESSION Advanced beauty retouching is fundamental in creating my signature look. After your session, the best images will be selected for your reveal. Each image chosen will be retouched to reflect your beauty and to minimize the appearance of any blemishes. Please note that while I do retouch all images that I include within your proofing gallery it is important to understand the process in which I retouch. I do not do excessive editing such as body resizing or reshaping. Tattoos or tan lines resulting from tanning beds or spray tans will not be removed or retouched. Within one week of your session, your proofs will become available to you in a scheduled, private proofing consultation at the studio. Here we will discuss your options and products and samples will be available to assist in your selections. Orders are expected to be made at this time. Should you choose to display your portraits within an album, you can expect a digital proof within 2-3 days of your proofing consultation. Approval of the design is required prior to submitting the design to our manufacturer.
THE BUSINESS END OF THINGS Policies, Privacy, Copyright, etc. RESERVING YOUR SESSION Your session fee serves as a retainer of service and is due within three days of scheduling. Payment of the retainer is the final step in reserving your session. For your convenience, Bella Boudoir will accept cash, personal checks and most major credit cards online via Paypal or by phone. Sessions booked and not retained will be cancelled by default and your chosen date and time will be offered to other clients unless other arrangements have been made. SESSION AGREEMENT If you booked your session online you may skip this section. In an effort to be as green as possible, our session agreement is now online. The link has been provided to you via e-mail. Please read the session agreement thoroughly as I believe that clear communication is vital to the success of our relationship and the services I am to provide. The session agreement also outlines the business policies of Bella Boudoir. Please complete the session agreement to the best of your abilities and submit at your earliest convenience. RESCHEDULING POLICY I would share your disappointment if it were to become necessary to cancel or postpone your session and please know that it is my goal to be flexible in my rescheduling policies however, these policies are necessary to deter casual and last-minute cancellations. Should you find it necessary to reschedule your session, the following conditions apply: Sessions rescheduled prior to 96 hours of your reserved session your retainer will be transferred to a new session date without penalty. Sessions rescheduled within 96 hours of your reserved session your retainer will be transferred to a new session date less $75.00 inconvenience fee. Should you find it necessary to cancel your session, the following conditions apply: Sessions cancelled prior to 96 hours of your reserved session your retainer will be transferred to a credit issued by Bella Boudoir. Credit expires one year to the date of your originally scheduled session. Credit is transferable if requested in writing. Sessions cancelled within 96 hours of your reserved session the retainer will be considered forfeit. Exceptions to the non-refundable retainer policy: If Bella Boudoir cannot perform your reserved session due to fire or other casualty, strike, act of God, or other cause beyond the control of Bella Boudoir, or due to illness or emergency, then Bella Boudoir shall return the session retainer. All communications regarding your reserved session must be made in writing. Email is considered an acceptable form of writing. Unacceptable forms of communication include text messaging or messaging via social networks. Please email any correspondence regarding your session to petra@kansascityboudoirphotography.com
DELIVERY AND TERMS Most products are completed and ready for delivery within 7-10 days of order completion. Exceptions may include customized albums. Due to the customized nature of these products, payment is due upon ordering and orders are not processed until full payment is received. ARCHIVAL POLICY Any unordered images are archived for 60 days and additional orders may be placed at any time within that time period. YOUR SATISFACTION Bella Boudoir believes in relationships, trust and integrity. With a long term relationship in mind, please be assured that your complete satisfaction is my priority. Upon initial inspection, should your customized product contain defects, we will gladly reprint at no additional charge to you. Bella Boudoir cannot warrant the longevity in quality of any digital media or files delivered. The client bears the sole responsibility for backing up, archiving and maintaining the integrity of the files. Due to the very nature of digital media, refunds are not available with this purchase. COPYRIGHT AND ARTISTIC LICENSE Bella Boudoir maintains free creative license with regards to the artistry, retouching style and composition of images. As stated in federal law, Bella Boudoir retains copyright to all images captured at your session. If a Digital Collection is chosen as part of your purchase, Bella Boudoir grants the Client unlimited reproduction for personal use. Personal use does not include the sale or publication of images without the written consent of myself as the owner of Bella Boudoir. It is therefore unlawful to reproduce the work of Bella Boudoir without written consent. Please respect my livelihood and the care and attention paid to each of your images by adhering to copyright law. Scanned images or images captured by screen shot are both illegal and a degradation of my work and reputation. PRIVACY POLICY Your privacy is held in the highest regard as I believe that the portraits we create are private by their very nature. Please be assured that I will not publish the images captured at your session for marketing or purposes of self-promotion without your written permission. Without consent, your images will only been seen by those necessary to produce your ordered products. Client-Photographer Confidentiality Agreements are available upon your request. Bella Boudoir exclusively utilizes the services of professional labs to safeguard the privacy and quality of your commissioned portraits. 2015 & 2016 Petra Herrmann and Bella Boudoir