It is typical for professional photography studios to primarily use either high key (bright) or low key (dark) lighting for their boudoir sessions, depending on how their studios are set up. However, one of the many features that makes The Adore Girls’ Nashville boudoir photography studio so unique is the fact we are able to offer BOTH styles of lighting (and then some) to accommodate all of our clients’ unique aesthetic preferences, be it dark & moody, light & airy, or a mix of both!

Dark & Moody Boudoir Style

If you are mostly drawn towards dark-colored lingerie/wardrobe styles and boudoir photos that could be described as “edgy,” “domineering,” “seductive,” or “sultry,” then chances are good that you have a more dark & moody aesthetic. While we are able to achieve this type of “look” in each of the seven individual boudoir sets located within The Adore Girls’ two-story, 3100 sq-ft studio, the two sets where this low key type of lighting style is utilized the most are on the sets we call The Dark Room and The Sitting Room. This is because we only shoot with natural light in these rooms, which better lends itself to a super-sultry style. However, as mentioned, we are definitely not limited to shooting on just these two sets in order to create dark & moody images. Artificial lighting and a change of camera settings can also be used to create this same type of look on our other boudoir sets, as well.

The types of wardrobe that tend to work best for an edgy boudoir photo shoot are darker-colored lingerie pieces or other wardrobe items that make you feel like a sexy badass when you wear them (like a black leather jacket worn over a red thong with thigh-high boots, or a faux leather bra & panty set with stilettos). You might also consider adding the Honey Birdette Bondage Collection, a Wet T-Shirt / Tank Top set, or gunslate gray Angel Wings to really crank things up a notch!

The strong use of shadows is what qualifies a boudoir photo as being “dark & moody,” as well as a stark contrast between shadows and light. As you’ll see in the examples below, if one side of the face and body is brightly lit, the other side will be very dark. Or, if the entire face and body are brightly lit, they’re done so in a “spotlight” type of way so that the rest of the surrounding environment is very dark. Sexy silhouettes are also very a popular choice for dark & moody boudoir photos.

Light & Airy Boudoir Style

If your style preference leans more towards lingerie and other wardrobe items in lighter, softer shades and boudoir photos that could be described as “bright,” “ethereal,” “soft,” or even “flirty,” then you probably have a more light & airy aesthetic. Just as we are able to create darker images throughout our studio, artificial lights and the proper camera settings can be also used to create a high key lighting effect on most of our studio sets. However, there are two sets, in particular, where a light & airy boudoir style is used almost exclusively, The Upstairs Foyer and our Outdoor Patio Set (available from May - September).

The types of wardrobe that tend to work best for a light-filled boudoir photo shoot are lingerie and other items that are considered to be a little more on the delicate side (like a long, elegant negligee or a sheer robe worn over a lace teddy). Bridal boudoir sessions are often photographed in this light & airy style, as well as our white Angel Wings!

As you can probably guess, the predominant use of light and minimal use of shadows is what qualifies a boudoir photo as being “light & airy.” As you’ll see in the examples below, all of the subjects and their surrounding environments are very well lit. Even if the photo is completely backlit (with all of the light coming from behind the subject rather than directly lighting her face), there is no detail lost in the shadows and there is an overall dreamy, radiant quality to the image.

A Mix of Light and Dark Boudoir Styles

If you love both the light and dark boudoir photography styles discussed above and you don’t want to have to choose between them for your upcoming boudoir session, then you’re in luck, because you won’t have to! Our photography studio is so versatile that we are not limited to using only one type of lighting during a photo shoot.

Here is a look into one session with a single client and the variety we can get throughout our boudoir studio.

So, whether you’re ready to “go to the dark side” or if you prefer to “see the light” during your photo shoot, you can rest assured that, either way, The Adore Girls have got your boudoir photography style covered!

Now, all you have to do is book the session!

Contact our office Monday - Friday, 9:00-5:00, via call to 615-336-4256

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