H&M Boudoir Dreams

I am loving the purple trend right now! Eggplant and plum shadows on eyes (especially brown eyes) are really pretty. Try using deep purple shades to create a very seductive smokey eye.
I am hearing from a lot of brides that they are choosing purple for their wedding colors too.
I love when a color I didn't care all that much for totally becomes re-invented and trendy, especially a totally wearable color like purple (the orange trend was cool... but not so wearable in the real world.)

Anyway, check out this awesome pallette of purples from H&M (ironically named Boudoir Dreams).

Boudoir Makeup

With 2010 right around the corner I thought I would do a little research about what the experts think will be the big makeup trends for this coming year so I could share them here.

A few seconds in I realized that trends are just that - trends. They won't necessarily flatter you, they may look dated in time, etc. So! With that in mind, we still want to look current and hot, right?

So let me share a few of my favorite makeup looks for boudoir photography:

Eyes: Dramtic eye makeup is great for boudoir photography. Smokey eyes are really popular and the look really photographs well and is super sexy.

Lips: I have always been told to do either dramatic eyes or dramatic lips, not both. However, you can be a touch more bold for this type of photography than you would want to be for just every day wear. Most women are surprised at how well they can actually pull off red lipstick. It just all depends on the shade and application. You don't need harshly lined lips, think more of a cherry stained look, like what you get after eating a bright red popsicle.

Nude lips can also be really sexy, but you will want lots of shine. And don't be fooled, nude colored lips aren't bare, makeup artists will put a touch of lipstick in a neutral shade on and then gloss over that. This will give a nice even and full appearance.

Skin: Super matte skin and super glowy (i.e. shiny) skin don't photograph well. You want something in the middle. You want to look fresh and dewey, not overly made up. Great makeup artists will also do a touch of contouring which will look very natural in photographs.

Keep in mind that makeup for photography should be a little heavier than normal, especially with the studio lights that I use. They can wash you out a touch.

If you are doing a session that includes 2 makeup looks it's best to start with a more natural look and then change it up a little and do a really dramatic look. It's easier to apply darker colors over lighter colors. Doing two looks also gives you the opportunity to try something new with the second look and it will give you more of a variety of images to choose from.

If you are doing a mini-session you will need to come with your hair and makeup already done and ready to shoot. If you are doing your makeup yourself make sure to practice. Stop by a MAC counter in the mall (Denise at the Fashion Place Mall is the best! She is one of my favorite hair and makeup artists) and they can show you makeup that will look great on you and you can buy everything you need there. Make sure to bring your makeup along with you for touchups.

Studio Enizio

I took a minute today and ran over to visit Enizio's new studio - Studio Enizio
Cynthia gave me a tour. It has an amazingly gorgeous pampering feeling. They feature Kerastase products and have really great artists (I would know, I work with them).

They are located just around the point of the mountain in the very North end of Utah county. It's super convenient to get to from the freeway.

I hope Cynthia doesn't mind but I borrowed this image from her blog. I thought it would be helpful to post a picture. I got a little lost but that was mainly because I got caught in today's snow storm, which was the most inconvenient time to find out my window washer fluid was out.

FAQs: What if I don't look like a model?

I will let you in on a little secret - Even models don't look like models every day (of course you already knew that, but sometimes we forget). The women you see in the movies and in the magazines have a team consisting of makeup artists, hairstylists, photographers and editors that know how to make them look their absolute best.
At our studio you get the same treatment.
When getting boudoir portraits done you want someone with specific experience in this genre of photography. Posing and lighting are so important. You will also want someone who knows how to properly apply makeup for photography. Studio lighting requires different application of makeup than what you would normally wear.
Touchups on the finished photographs are also very important. There is nothing wrong with editing images to enhance them. It helps to realize that all the stars you see on the cover of magazines are airbrushed extensively. Photo editing is a skill. Poor quality editing can leave the image looking fake and plastic. Subtle touchups are usually all that is required to perfect an already sexy image.
With all the work we do on our end to help you look stunning, you have to realize that the true beauty lies within you already. Nothing is sexier than a confident woman who radiates with her own special brand of beauty.
Working in this field I have come to realize that every single woman is beautiful and sexy and should be confident enough to book a boudoir portrait session.

Why are we different?

What makes us different from the other photographers out there? Well, let me tell you :)

Besides being a female photographer, I work with an amazing female hair and makeup artist. Her artistry has been performed on some pretty high profile celebrities as well as for my own beautiful clients. She works on set to make sure every hair is in place and that your look stays flawless.

We have a studio dedicated to shooting boudoir photography. That means you don't have to pay for an expensive hotel. Although the hotel option is available, we think our studio is perfect. It's private and versatile.

I use glamour lighting techniques that are used for fashion and glamour magazines. This means you will look like a supermodel. I also have over 10 years experience with photo editing software (I don't want to tell exactly HOW many years, I prefer to pretend I am still 20). I do touchups on all images. You will see these touchups before you order your prints and books. If you prefer something changed I will be happy to do it. I don't charge extra for touching up because honestly I enjoy it and believe every image you see should be it's best.

The style we offer is a sexy fusion of glamour and boudoir photography. We are very experienced, professional (although expect to have a lot of giggly fun), and we LOVE what we do.