Ashleigh Taylor Henning Asks, ‘Are You Boudoir Curious?’

Boudoir photographer Ashleigh Taylor Henning says that boudoir is a robust photograph style to shoot, however that “resulting from it’s intimate nature, it’s crucial that photographers be intentional when crafting their shoots and consumer expertise.” Right here, she solutions ten of our questions on how one can construct a boudoir model from the bottom up, what her most difficult shoot was, takeaways from her WPPI 2023 class, and far more.

1. What’s your WPPI 2023 seminar about? 

Ashleigh Taylor Henning: My discuss, “Boudoir Curious? Constructing A Worthwhile Boudoir Studio From The Floor Up”, is for the photographer who’s both interested by transitioning full-time into boudoir images or would merely like so as to add boudoir providers to their present listing of choices. It’s essential that your shoppers really feel protected, seen and naturally empowered of their physique. This class will cowl all the things from understanding your type, your mission and your why as a boudoir photographer, to crafting an empowering consumer expertise. I can even discuss pricing and advertising. 

2. What major takeaways will attendees depart your class with?

Ashleigh Taylor Henning: Attendees will learn to create an empowering consumer expertise. They are going to perceive how one can uncover their boudoir mission assertion after which how one can craft an aesthetic out of that mission. This may assist them discover their voice and their type. I’ll additionally share how I create fascinating pictures in a small, minimalist house, why it’s essential to embrace skilled pricing and how one can discover your first paying boudoir shoppers!

3. What’s trending in your style proper now?

Ashleigh Taylor Henning: I feel tradition is admittedly starting to embrace in a mainstream means the thought of self love. With Miley Cyrus’s new tune, “Flowers”, girls are realizing that heck, sure the connection I’ve with myself is a very powerful one and I’ll by no means let myself down even when romantic companions do. Why am I mentioning this? Properly it’s inextricably linked to my WHY as a boudoir photographer.

[Read: Boudoir Photography Location Ideas: 12 Alternatives to a Studio]

This style was all about getting girls to provide these pictures as presents to romantic companions, however for 12 years I’ve been advertising these shoots as a present to your self in the beginning. A boudoir shoot is about embracing your physique, seeing your self in a brand new means and appreciating your inherent magnificence and sensuality. Hey women, we will purchase ourselves flowers, lingerie and a ravishing boudoir portrait session, too. That’s the development I’m seeing now however I hate to name it a development. As a result of loving your self won’t ever exit of fashion. 

4. What do think about to be a game-changing photographic approach or advertising tip that helped modified your online business? 

Ashleigh Taylor Henning: In 2015, I started studying Fb Advertisements and in 2020 I started studying Google Advertisements. I make use of each in my enterprise and each have been invaluable to me. Advertisements enable me to scale my enterprise and get bookings with out having to be consistently doing networking conferences, handing out enterprise playing cards, and hitting pavement. Whereas I’m so grateful for the relationships constructed by my networking, it’s good to know that if I’m busy in my studio, I can have leads coming in by adverts (moderately than all the things slowing down as a result of I haven’t been networking).

[Read: 4 Strategies to Promote Your Photography Business]

Advertisements get a nasty identify  on this business and I’ve heard a whole lot of educators over time brag that they’ve by no means needed to run adverts! That’s truthfully nice when you don’t want adverts, however I don’t assume photographers ought to be shamed for working adverts both. There may be a lot worth to getting leads from adverts—and most companies massive and small depend on promoting. So why is there a lot disgrace in utilizing them within the images business? I’ll say, there is a studying curve to adverts however in case you have the persistence to be taught them they’ll repay in dividends. 

5. What’s one thing that only a few folks find out about you?

Ashleigh Taylor Henning: I used to go to the Rocky Horror Image Present each Saturday Evening at midnight as a teen! Sure, I snuck my scandalous outfits/costumes below a coat so I might get out of the home with out my mother and father realizing. I used to be a nerd—a musical theater nerd–and a weirdo who beloved that Rocky Horror tradition a lot. I additionally beloved hanging out and being accepted by self proclaimed outcasts and freaks. I look again presently and snicker as I used to be sneaking out to fill my life with lingerie, feathers, glitter, pink lipstick, corsets and fishnet stockings. All of the issues I nonetheless love as a boudoir photographer. I used to be a bizarre child and I suppose I used to be destined to be a boudoir photographer. 

6. What do you assume photographers in your style aren’t doing however ought to?

Ashleigh Taylor Henning: I don’t assume boudoir photographers perceive how advertising is not only in regards to the photos you create and present but in addition about the way you talk the expertise to potential shoppers. If you would like shoppers who want to do that shoot for themselves, you should educate them first (with copywriting and pictures) about how this shoot will rework their lives. 

7. What recommendation do you need to conserving one’s work contemporary?

Ashleigh Taylor Henning: All the time be taught new strategies and at all times discover mentors that encourage you! It doesn’t matter what stage in your profession you’re at, there’s at all times one thing new to be taught. And there’s at all times somebody to be taught from. I feel it’s actually essential to be a endlessly scholar and notice there isn’t any level of arrival. The extra we be taught from others and take a look at new strategies, the extra we develop as artists. 

8. What piece of substances or gadget are you able to not stay with out?

Ashleigh Taylor Henning: I do love my spider holster! I’ve had one for over 8 years and it modified my life. It saves my neck and shoulders and permits me to demo posing with free palms then shortly get my digital camera. 

9. What was your most difficult shoot and why? 

Ashleigh Taylor Henning: I’ve just lately began incorporating an optical spot into a whole lot of my consumer shoots. Although I do know what I’m doing with it, my studio is so brilliant with pure mild (even with the shades drawn) that it may be actually arduous to see the modeling mild. The optical spot requires a whole lot of precision, so I do discover utilizing it to be a bit traumatic when I’m with shoppers and I can’t see the modeling mild. Nevertheless, I at all times problem myself as a result of the outcomes are so killer. 

10. If not images, what would your profession be?

Ashleigh Taylor Henning: I used to need to be a tv author and filmmaker, and generally I nonetheless see an excellent episode of TV and assume, “Rattling! Perhaps I ought to have adopted that path.” I’ve at all times beloved storytelling, cinema and visible arts. I did work within the movie and TV business briefly after graduating movie college however I shortly discerned that the tradition was not for me. That’s finally after I realized I’d moderately run my very own enterprise and create portraits for folks than cope with the Hollywood politics that include screenwriting and filmmaking. I’m so pleased with my alternative, however I suppose if I went down the ‘what if’ path, a profession in movie/television would have been the choice. 

[Editor’s Note: Ashleigh’s WPPI 2023 course, “Boudoir Curious? Building A Profitable Boudoir Studio From The Ground Up”, takes place Monday, March 6, from 10:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m. Register at wppiexpo.com.]

Ashleigh Taylor Henning has been an expert full-time photographer since 2010 and is an accredited Grasp photographer and Mentor with The Portrait Masters. She began out photographing weddings however in 2013 opened her brick and mortar Boudoir & Portrait Studio in Santa Barbara and in 2016 she transitioned to capturing portraits full-time. She at present has two programs in The Portrait Masters Retailer— one which teaches photographers how one can ebook extra shoppers utilizing Instagram and one which teaches photographers the ins and outs of getting absolutely booked utilizing Fb Advertisements.