I have always wanted to do a boudoir style photo shoot – an opportunity as a makeup artist to get creative in more of a ‘smouldering’ way than usual – so when SJ of Sarah-Jane Ethan Photography asked me to be the makeup artist for one of her shoots, I jumped at the chance. I was particularly excited to hear that SJ creates boudoir shoots with a difference; no dark and dingy rooms with feather boas and cowgirl hats (not that I’m adverse to the odd comedy accessory), but instead carefully selected venues around the north east with style and elegance in mind.
SJ explained her take on boudoir shoots;
Every woman is beautiful but not every woman feels it. My boudoir shoots are a celebration of femininity, I want to help women of all shapes and sizes to feel beautiful without being over sexualised. Some women spend their lives hiding from cameras because they think they aren’t photogenic; I want to help them see themselves in a new and beautiful light, to feel comfortable with me and with the situation while having fun in the process. One of the best parts of the process is watching as my clients confidence soars, both during and after doing a boudoir shoot”
Eshott Hall was the venue of choice for this particular shoot and I was delighted to be working here again. A grade two listed country manor in Northumberland, Eshott Hall oozes grandeur yet feels extremely cosy with understated elegance and glamor running throughout the interior design.
The creative team behind this shoot included Sarah Jane behind the camera, Kara Scott on hair duties and me with my rose&bird box of tricks creating the makeup. The client wanted to wear her hair down and wavy with lots of volume so Kara worked her magic creating just that! She explained that she rarely wore makeup so wanted the opportunity to look and feel more feminine than usual without looking ‘over done’; I used a mix of bronze and brown cream shadow with Mac kohl pencil smudged all the way around the eyes for a subtle smokey eye. The skin looked flawless with the help of Laura Mercier radiance primer and secret concealer, Mac foundation and By Terry finishing powder. I finished the look with a touch of flush on the cheeks using Laura Mercier coral and a Benefit lipgloss to complement the eyes and the cheeks.
SJ offers women a rare and personal opportunity to not only feel positive about themselves, but to have visible evidence of this! A boudoir shoot with her is an opportunity to capture yourself in a new light and perhaps allow your partner to see you a little differently, away from the stresses and monotony of every day life. I particularly liked the package she offers brides to be, a pre-wedding boudoir style shoot with the results in print, delivered to the groom on the morning of the wedding. I’m sure many grooms will agree that this is a great way to start a marriage!
For your own personal boudoir style shoot Contact Amy or Sarah-Jane Ethan Photography for more details.
