Lark - Elegant Boudoir Photography : Lighting, Posing, and Design for Exquisite Images

Copyright 2014 by Jessica Lark.

All rights reserved.

All photographs by the author unless otherwise noted.

Published by:

Amherst Media, Inc.

P.O. Box 586

Buffalo, N.Y. 14226

Fax: 716-874-4508

www.AmherstMedia.com

Publisher: Craig Alesse

Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins

Associate Editor: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt

Associate Publisher: Kate Neaverth

Editorial Assistance from: Carey A. Miller, Sally Jarzab, John S. Loder

Business Manager: Adam Richards

Warehouse and Fulfillment Manager: Roger Singo

ISBN-13: 978-1-60895-728-6

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013952490

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher.

Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the authors experience and opinions. The author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.

Contents

L ike so many other things, we become fascinated by the enigma. We gravitate toward it, drawn like moths to the flames glimmering dance, intoxicated by its mesmerizing whisper. We are consumed by it, by the desire to understand it, to possess it... and then it becomes mainstream. The infatuation is now acceptable, no longer taboo, and the essence dissipates as it becomes over-saturated with cheapened imitations. The intrigue of it is lost in the noise and it is relinquished to lie dormant in secret places. A great victim of this common fate is the art of the intimate portrait, often referred to as boudoir photography.

I have a strong affection for the French language. Romance itself is widely claimed to have begun with the French, and sentiments spoken in their tongue sound sweeter. Yet, while the term boudoir comes from this beautiful language, in photographic circles it has come to mean little more than an image of a woman in relatively little (if any) clothing. Often, little care is given to lighting and composition. Posing has devolved from even the standards of popular mens magazines to a few clich, social-network profile-picture stances. Girls and their photographers have been sadly misinformed that sexually explicit and seductive are synonymous. This is a tragedy both visually and in the realms of sensual captivation.

The term boudoir derives from the French verb boudeur meaning to be sulky. A boudoir was a place of solace and refuge. Adjacent to a womans bedroom, it was a place for bathing and making herself up. It was also used as a personal drawing room and retreat. For a woman to allow a man into this domain was a seduction in and of itself, a private secret she shared wordlessly. With the candlelight kissing her skin in the reflection of the vanity mirror, its glow in places he dare only imagine, his fingers would be permitted to trespass. The thunderous pounding of his own heart in his ears would drown out any words.

As you can see, boudoir is not a word we should take literally. A boudoir is essentially a large bathroom with a vanity and closet where a woman can shower, do her hair and makeup, and get dressed with comfortable seating. In and of itself, its nothing immensely special. It is the privacy of these activities that creates the allure. It is an intimate place for her alone and cries of a secrecy through which he cannot help but allow his imagination to meander. He is intoxicated by the possibilities of the rituals that take place within.