YouShine® Boudoir STYLE GUIDE

BEAUTY. EMPOWERMENT. SENSUALITY.

HELLO, BEAUTIFUL!

I (Kapu Patel Photography) are excited to be photographing you! Please go through this Style Guide so you know exactly how to prepare and exactly what to expect throughout the whole process.

WARDROBE TIPS

Please, please, please don’t stress out over wardrobe. Don’t feel the need to run out and buy all new things. I can do a completely versatile and awesome shoot with a single scarf, or the sheets, or a sweater. Here’s some wardrobe tips to calm your nerves and help you decide what to bring: The number one wardrobe rule is:

Do not bring outfits that you don’t love!
I can’t tell you how many women show up with outfits that prompt them to say, “I really don’t like the way I look in this one, but I’ll leave it up to you!”. If you don’t like the outfit, it’s likely that you won’t like photos of you in the outfit. Leave it at home.
Lingerie is not a must for boudoir: Don’t be afraid to get creative!
For a boudoir style shoot, a garter belt and thigh high fish nets would go great with a cropped sweater or graphic tee. A gorgeous bra can be paired with no pants. A sheet can be used for everything. This is about you and your authentic personality, not about being someone you aren’t.
Structured Pieces & Solids look great on camera as well as items with texture, and those that are form fitting to show your figure.
Your favorite blazer or jacket, a cocktail dress with an interesting neckline, or just a bodysuit and jeans….We want you to look and feel like yourself (just on your best day). When in doubt, just bring in some of your favorite wardrobe items and let me style them for you. It’s part of the service and I’m happy to do it. We can even go for the “I woke up like this” look. For that look, wardrobe is even less of a obstacle.
If wearing thigh-highs, buy them 1-2 sizes too big according to the size chart on the back.
Buying them in a size that supposedly “fits” according to the package size chart will likely result in the stockings giving a bit of thigh muffin top ;0) We can get them to stay up for each “pose”, or you can wear a garter belt to keep them from slipping. Have yourself properly fitted for lingerie if you will be wearing it for your session.
Avoid tiny busy patterns & neon colors.
They are often harsh on-camera and a bit unflattering so try to avoid them.
Have several outfits picked out.
We can go through them together before your shoot to determine what will photograph best.
Try to incorporate a variety of pieces into your wardrobe selections.
Having 5 different bra and panty sets won’t allow for a whole lot of variety in your photos. Rather, have something formal, something casual, something super textured and fun, something more modest, to something black and sleek...you get the idea. It doesn’t have to be complicated…in fact, we welcome simplicity! We love to work with pretty scarves, sheets, white button down shirts, jackets and coats, or anything you love.
Pressed and Pretty.
Make sure your wardrobe selections aren’t wrinkled, and cut all the tags off of your sheer items before arriving.
Avoid Props unless you’re super crazy confident and comfortable!
Props and uncertainty go together like…like…awkward school portraits. ;0)
If you are worried about Headlights in your bras, we recommend covers, Bezi makes good reusable ones.

GET YOUR BEAUTY SLEEP

SERIOUSLY! PHOTOSHOP CAN’T FIX TIRED.

PLAN AHEAD.
Nothing puts a damper on a fun and relaxing photo shoot like feeling rushed or late! You should plan for traffic and arrive about 5 minutes before your scheduled start time.
PAMPER YOURSELF.
Use this an opportunity to pamper yourself. Before your shoot, get a manicure and pedicure! This will give you a finished, polished look. Chipped polish can be distracting.
BRUSH YOUR LIPS.
Sounds weird, right? Dry lips are very hard to fix in post processing. In the days leading up to your photoshoot, use your toothbrush while brushing your teeth to also make a few passes over that pucker of yours. This will help shed dead skin. After that, apply a moisturizing lip balm...repeat, repeat, repeat.
Pssst - if you’re looking for a great product recommendation. Try DR. LIPP’S MIRACLE BALM. You can score a tube of it on Amazon, and don’t be surprised if you see it referring to being a Nipple Balm in the description. It’s a jack-of-all trades balm that was originally released as a lip conditioner, but because it’s 100% lanolin and odorless/tasteless/colorless, people soon discovered you could do nearly anything with it.
HAVE EXTRA WARDROBE OPTIONS.
Bring at least 4-5 different outfits, a couple pair of shoes if you’re a shoe girl, and accessories only if you usually wear them. We may not use it all, but it never hurts to have options. Often clients will bring a smattering of wardrobe options and We’ll just style up some different looks that they maybe weren’t thinking and they end up loving them.
LATHER ON THE LOTION.
Supple is key for beautiful skin! Be sure to moisturize twice a day for the week leading up to your shoot. On the day of your shoot, use a non-bronzer illuminizing lotion. If you’re having a hard time finding an illuminizing lotion without color, you can absolutely just go with an oil based lotion like Argan Oil Moisturizer or Coconut Oil Moisturizer. Don’t use tinted lotions or anything with color.
MAKE A PLAYLIST!
Music will really help you get into the super model zone! Try to select music that matches the concept of your shoot. We have a bluetooth speaker at the studio to stream your tunes if you bring them!
BRING A SOFT, LIGHT WEIGHT ROBE.
Without any undergarments on while getting your makeup done. This will allow for any marks from tight bras, etc to even out so they don’t show up in your images. Avoid your big furry winter robe as that will tend to leave little dimples in your skin AND I find that most clients have a higher body temperature while they are getting makeup done because of nerves...it’s hard to do makeup when you’re sweating!
TRUST ME and TRUST YOURSELF.

DON’T…

SPRAY TAN BEFORE YOUR SHOOT.
I know you think that you look better with a tan...but I assure you, even if you don’t see the streaks and unevenness with your naked eye, the camera will pick them up. You will photograph a lot more tan than you think you look (especially given that my specialty is low-key lighting and black and white imagery), and spray tans will photograph orange in color images.
PARTY THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR SHOOT.
If you’re nervous, try a bubble bath and a yoga class.
DRINK RED WINE TO CALM YOUR NERVES.
FORGET TO STRETCH.
Take a few minutes on the morning of your shoot to stretch your arms, legs, hips, and especially your back. People are surprised to see how sore their muscles get after something as silly as a photo shoot, so any extra flexibility you can add by a quick yoga flow will only benefit you.
GET A NEW HAIRCUT / COLOR IMMEDIATELY BEFORE YOUR SHOOT.
Now isn’t the time to experiment with a whole new look.
TALK SMACK ON YOURSELF.
Did you know we charge $1 for every smack? Instead of “how you hate your hips” “how about how you LOVE your legs”. A great attitude will go a long way in having a fabulous and upbeat experience! HOWEVER...if you really have to let me know try “I love my ___, but my biggest insecurity is my ___”. We will give more camera time to what you love.

YOU ARE AMAZING TODAY!

A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE YOU SHOOT,
you can expect to get a confirmation from me, just making sure we are on the same page about your makeup start time, shoot start and end time, and location...and I’ll also ask if you have any last minute questions!
As you are getting hair and makeup done at the studio:
- Please wash your hair the night before.
ON THE DAY OF YOUR SHOOT,
your hair and makeup will be done by a member of our glam squad unless you’ve requested a natural beauty shoot. You should have your face clean and moisturized, and your hair dry and ready to be heat styled when you arrive.
Please bring along your favorite lipstick and matte powder for touch ups.
Make sure to wear loose-fitting clothing or a lightweight robe while getting makeup done and let us know in advance if you have any skin allergies at all. While you’re getting lovely, We will take a peek at your wardrobe selections and start putting together looks so we can hit the ground running when you’re done with hair and makeup. Once you’re done with makeup, you can get into your first look and throw a robe on over it.
ONCE THE SHOOT BEGINS,
you can expect me to give you tons of encouragement and direction. I will not expect you to super model pose throughout your shoot. I will show you what to do, and encourage improvising whenever you feel comfortable. The poses generally aren’t very comfortable and your shoot will give you more of a workout than you anticipate. But I assure you, I know what I’m doing. Get a good stretch in the morning of your session, and the evening after your session. A couple of ibuprofen might need to happen for those lower back aches, but it will allll be worth it!
YOUR SHOOT TIME will FLY by.
That’s a good thing! That means it wasn’t awkward or boring. Just the right amount of fun!
AT THE END OF YOUR SHOOT,
we will help you pack up your things, we’ll get confirm your design consult appointment so you know exactly when you’ll be seeing your portraits. We’ll also give you a high five because, GIRL, you rocked it.
AT YOUR PHOTO REVEAL appointment,
we’ll relax on the couch and show you a cinematic slide show of some of the highlight portraits from your session. You’ll have the opportunity to flip through our beautiful album options and see all of our other available products. We know you’re going to love your portraits, and these reveal appointments are so much fun. We can’t wait to share your photos with you!
WITHIN WEEKS of your photo reveal appointment,
all of your purchased products will be ready for pickup! We’ll send you an e-mail letting you know when your products are ready for pickup, or with your tracking number if you live out of the area and we are shipping to you.
WITHIN 6 MONTHS of your photo reveal appointment,
you’ll want to do this again. Trust us ;0) Existing clients get dibs on photo shoot time slots because we believe in special treatment!

ANY QUESTIONS? Please don’t hesitate to ask, dahhling! I’m here to help!

YOU ARE AMAZING TODAY AND I CAN’T WAIT TO SHOW YOU!

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