Four looks, two hours and 126 finished photographs
If you’ve looked at my Showstopper package and wondered what a session actually looks like, this recent shoot at Lite Studio in Weedon Bec, Northamptonshire, gives you a proper example.
We worked through four different looks, used several areas of the studio and finished with a planned couples set. The final collection contained 126 edited photographs, each delivered in colour and black and white.
My client arrived excited and nervous, but eager to get going. She had outfits she wanted to try, and we’d already planned for her husband to join the final part of the session.
We started simply and built from there.
Starting with something comfortable
The first look was a purple lingerie set. We kept the opening photographs straightforward, giving her time to settle into the studio and get used to my direction.
There’s no reason to complicate those first few minutes. I’ll help with where to look, what to do with your hands and how to position yourself, then make small adjustments as we go.
You’re allowed to feel nervous and still want to get stuck in. That was very much how she arrived.
Starting with something comfortable gave us a chance to find our rhythm before moving into the other looks.
If you’re curious about posing, my guide to posing for boudoir photographs includes solo and couples ideas you can try at home. You don’t need to memorise any of them before your shoot.
Four outfits and several different settings
We worked through four sets during the session:
- Purple lingerie.
- Black lingerie with gold chains.
- Thigh-high boots with a red thong.
- Matching Calvin Klein underwear for the couples' photographs.
Across those sets, we used around four or five areas of Lite Studio, including the window, brick wall, green sofa against the black panelling and the bed.
The outfits gave us different styling to work with, while the studio offered a change of background and atmosphere without needing to move to another location.
The green sofa and black panelling gave us a very different setting from the window and brickwork. Having that variety available helps when you want a collection that feels varied rather than lots of slightly different versions of the same photograph.
You can see another session in the same space in an earlier boudoir shoot at Lite Studio.
How we used the two hours
Showstopper is a two-hour booking in total. That includes setup, changing, short breaks, and packing away.
For a session like this, the rough structure is:
- Around 10–15 minutes for setup and getting ready.
- Around 20 minutes photographing each of the four sets.
- Short breaks between sets to change, reset and take a breather.
- Around 10 minutes at the end to pack down and leave the studio.
Those timings sit within the two-hour booking. They give us a plan, with room to adjust how we use the time. Obviously, we don't need to stick to this, but it's a good guide to how a shoot can work.
Four looks worked well for this shoot. If an outfit takes longer to change into, a setup needs more attention or you want a longer break, we’ll account for that elsewhere. I’d rather photograph fewer looks properly than rush through a bag full of outfits.
If you’re deciding what to bring, my boudoir photoshoot preparation guide covers outfits and the practical bits before the day.
When she started suggesting ideas
As the session progressed, she became more adventurous and started suggesting things she wanted to try.
We tried them, and they worked.
I love that part of a shoot. I’ll guide the photography, but I want to hear your ideas too. You might arrive knowing exactly what you want, or something might occur to you once you’re in the studio.
You don’t have to wait for me to suggest everything.
For this client, becoming more involved was part of how the session developed. We had a plan, but there was still room for her to contribute and try things.
That doesn’t mean every session needs to become more revealing or adventurous. If you want to keep the same style throughout, we can do that. There’s no expectation to take things further.
A planned couples set to finish
Her husband joining the shoot was always part of the plan.
During the solo sets, he waited away from the photography in the changing room. When it was time for their photographs together, he joined her in matching Calvin Klein underwear and settled into it quickly.
We used the bed for the couples section, giving them something together alongside her individual photographs.
If you’d like a mainly solo session with your partner joining for part of it, mention that when we plan your shoot. We can work out how to divide the time and discuss what you both want beforehand.
My couples boudoir photography page has more information and examples.
Their couples photographs are staying private. Being photographed and agreeing to have those photographs published are separate decisions.
What the finished collection included
I delivered 126 edited photographs from this session, with each one supplied in colour and black and white.
That gave my client 252 finished files: two versions of each photograph.
The distinction matters. It was 126 different photographs, not 252 different shots.
That number reflects this particular session. It isn’t a target or a guaranteed total for every Showstopper booking. The finished collection depends on what we photograph and which images make the final edit.
My client loved the photographs. Between the outfits, studio areas, her own ideas and the couples section, there was plenty of variety in the collection.
What makes the Showstopper different?
Showstopper is for people who want the full edited collection from their session.
Both Signature and Showstopper currently include two hours. Signature includes 14 edited digital images, while Showstopper includes all the finished photographs selected and edited from your shoot.
At £899, Showstopper also includes:
- Your choice of a 24 × 16-inch canvas print or £125 print-store credit.
- 15% off additional prints and wall art.
If you want a smaller selection of favourites, Signature may suit you perfectly well. If you know you’ll want the full collection, Showstopper is worth considering.
You can compare the options on my boudoir packages and pricing page.
Showstopper boudoir shoot FAQs
Is the whole two hours spent taking photographs?
No. The two hours include setup, outfit changes, short breaks and packing away. We plan the photography within that time so you know what’s realistic before the session.
How many outfits can we photograph?
We photographed four looks during this session. Your own shoot might suit fewer, depending on the outfits, setups and pace you prefer. We’ll discuss your priorities beforehand rather than promise a fixed number.
Will I receive 126 photographs too?
The Showstopper package includes the full edited collection, but the number varies between sessions. This client received 126 photographs in both colour and black and white. That’s an example of one finished shoot, rather than a guaranteed quantity.
Does the full collection include unedited photographs?
No. It includes the photographs selected and fully edited from your session, rather than every frame taken or the unedited files.
Can my partner join for just part of the shoot?
Yes, we can plan a combination of solo and couples photographs. Tell me beforehand so we can allow time for both and discuss everyone’s preferences and boundaries.
Do my photographs have to appear on your website?
No. Booking a shoot doesn’t give me permission to publish your photographs. Any public use is agreed separately, and you can keep the entire collection private.
Let’s plan your shoot
You don’t need to recreate this session. Four outfits and a couples set suited what we had planned here. Yours could be entirely solo, focused on fewer looks or styled completely differently.
Have a look through my boudoir photography portfolio and see what catches your eye.
Then tell me whether you’re thinking solo or couples, the sort of photographs you like and anything you’re unsure about. You don’t need to have the whole thing worked out before getting in touch.
About Lee Charlton
I’m Lee, the photographer behind Laid Bare Productions. I plan and photograph every session, from discussing your first ideas and choosing a location through to posing, lighting and the finished images.
I photograph boudoir, dudeoir and couples sessions across the UK. My approach is straightforward: explain things clearly, give you direction when you need it and leave room for your own ideas.
