The Adore Girls’ Nashville boudoir photography studio first decided to offer couples boudoir photo sessions back in 2017. We had a lot of fun during our test shoots, and we learned a lot of Do’s and Don’ts in the process. We were actually pretty psyched about adding this new service to our menu, too! Unfortunately, though, we eventually stopped offering couples boudoir sessions because the demand simply was not there at that time.

Fast forward to 2021, and suddenly we started receiving a lot of inquiries from couples wanting boudoir sessions. At first, we thought it might be just a fad, but after about a year of turning down couples’ photo shoot requests, we realized that there might finally be a real demand for this service, which is why The Adore Girls are now proud to announce the re-addition of Couples Boudoir Photography to our menu!

If having a sultry photo shoot with your significant other sounds like a fun and exciting experience (because it is!), then keep reading to find out Everything You Need to Know About Couples Boudoir Photography!

What is Couples Boudoir?

Couples boudoir photography is all about capturing the genuine, intimate connection that is shared between two romantic partners. It is a unique opportunity for couples to not only celebrate their soulful connection, but to actually see their relationship from a perspective outside of themselves.

While couples boudoir photos can sometimes portray various levels of sexuality, we want to make perfectly clear that couples boudoir photography is NOT the same as “erotic photography.” The main difference is that a couple’s boudoir session is sensual, romantic, focuses on the relationship, and any type of sexuality or foreplay portrayed in the photos is purely implied; whereas an erotic photo session focuses primarily on sex and the photography is much more explicit. (As The Adore Girls’ owner and photographer, Jamie Pfister, likes to say, “Erotic photography is great and all, but that’s a whole other genre from what we do, and I don’t charge enough money to take those types of photos.”)

So, if you are interested in being photographed with your partner while engaging in sexual activities, then a couples boudoir session is NOT what you are looking for. However, if you and your significant other love the idea of having intimate portraits taken that celebrate your relationship and highlight the sexual chemistry you share, but without crossing the line of what is considered “erotic photography,” then a couples boudoir photo shoot is definitely for you!

How Do I Convince My Partner to Have a Couple’s Boudoir Session?

This is the million dollar question that often comes up while speaking with a potential client about booking a couples boudoir shoot. Often, the person inquiring about a couples boudoir session is very excited by the idea, but they aren’t sure if their partner will be as excited or even willing to participate. Unfortunately, whenever this is the case, we recognize it as a potential red flag, because in order for us to help a couple create beautiful, intimate photographs together, it is extremely important that BOTH partners be 100% on board with doing the photo shoot. Otherwise, the authenticity of their connection may not come through in their photos due to the fact that one of them was embarrassed, uncomfortable, or even annoyed about having to be there.

Therefore, our best advice when approaching your partner about this idea is to be as transparent with them as possible about ALL aspects of couples boudoir photography, including the cost. Share your own personal reasons for wanting to have a couples boudoir session, show them examples of poses you like, and make sure they understand that it is not a pornographic photo shoot in any way. Hopefully, they will share in your enthusiasm and see the value in having a couples boudoir experience together! If not, though, we highly recommend waiting to book a couples session until your significant other finally comes around to the idea and actually wants to do it, rather than convincing them to participate simply because it will make YOU happy.

What Happens During a Couples Boudoir Photo Shoot?

First, a phone consultation with Jamie Pfister (owner/photographer) is required before all couples’ boudoir sessions to ensure that everyone is on the same page about what to expect and to make sure the couple understands our studio’s policies regarding couples’ photo shoots. (For example, men are required to wear underwear at ALL TIMES during the photo session.)

On the day of the photo shoot, we will begin by looking through the wardrobe options you both brought in and discuss which outfits we think will look best on our unique boudoir studio sets. Once the outfits have been chosen, professional hair & makeup services will be provided for our female clients, which takes approximately 1-1/2 hours. During that time, the photographer will be busy planning out the photo shoot. Once both partners are ready, the photographer will give a quick spiel to explain the order in which she’ll be photographing your wardrobe, as well as a run-down about how the posing process works. Then, it’s show time!

Now, you should know that a boudoir session at The Adore Girls’ studio is always a goofy, good time, and our couples boudoir sessions are definitely no exception! There’s always good music playing, and we’re constantly cutting up with our clients throughout the photo shoot. This is why we often say, “Your boudoir photos will be super sexy, but the process is not.” In fact, this is a great time to reiterate that, even though a couple’s boudoir photos might look like they were only seconds away from doing “the deed” during the photo shoot, we can assure you that is NEVER the case at our studio. We’re just really good at what we do. ;)

While we’re on this subject, though, we are also sometimes asked about what happens if a male client becomes visibly aroused during the session. Believe it or not, this actually hasn’t happened as much during our couples’ boudoir sessions as you might expect, but it DOES occasionally happen. (After all, we’re photographing human beings, not robots!) If this issue “comes up” during a couple’s shoot (see what we did there?), we simply give the gentleman a moment to think about his Mom or envision sad, homeless puppies, or whatever else he needs to think about until he is ready to resume the session. (Side note: We actually had a couple tell us once that, to avoid having to deal with this type of situation during their photo shoot, they decided to have sex before going to the studio, just to get it out of their systems, so to speak. We have no idea if that strategy works for everyone, but hey…feel free to give it a try!)

After the photo session is finished and you and your partner have gotten dressed, you’ll sit down with the photographer to schedule your Image Debut & Ordering Session appointment. This is when you’ll return to view a gorgeous slideshow of your boudoir images and decide which digital photos and/or products you’d like to purchase! The Image Debut usually takes place 1-2 weeks after the photo shoot, and you can expect it to last for about an hour (depending on how decisive you are).

And there you have it! Everything you need to know about couples boudoir photography! Of course, if you still have more questions, we will be more than happy to answer them during a complimentary phone consultation. In the meantime, here is a small sampling of some steamy couples boudoir images that Jamie Pfister has photographed recently, and there’s even more where these came from over in our Couples Gallery!

We can’t wait to have you and your partner in the studio for a Couple’s Boudoir Session!

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