The Difference Between Boudoir Photography and Erotica
When someone asks me what I do for a living, I generally respond with just, “I am a photographer.” If they are truly interested, they will ask what kind of photography I shoot, and then I get to smile big and say, “Boudoir and erotica.”
The “Erotica” part is still new as of the time this post is being written. For a few years, it was just, “Boudoir.” I rarely need to explain what boudoir photography is. Most people understand that boudoir is, at a basic level, taking sexy pictures of people.
The erotica part is where people really start asking questions. I will usually describe erotica as, “Boudoir but even more sexy!” Then I will start listing the differences between boudoir and erotica to help clarify what I mean.
Boudoir vs Erotica
An Erotic Experience will usually start out like a Boudoir Experience. They end up in a very different place.
Imagine there is a sexy picture spectrum.
At one end you have boudoir and at the other end you have erotica.
Boudoir is implicit
Focuses on the sensual.
Nudity is not required.
Nudity is usually limited to topless and implied nudity.
Full nudity of women from the side, or so it does not actually show or get up close to the private parts.
Toys and props may be shown and held but are not actually used to their intended purpose.
Sexual stimulation may be implied in the facial expressions, body positioning, and placement of hands and toys.
There is no penetration or bodily fluids.
Erotica is explicit
Focuses on the sexual.
Almost always some nudity.
Nudity can, and probably will be, full frontal for men and women.
Private parts can be photographed if desired.
Toys and props can be used to their intended purpose and more.
There can be full penetration and engagement of sexual acts.
Bodily fluids may be present, and ejaculations may be photographed.
Often a greater emphasis on kink scenes.
I like to think of boudoir and erotica on a spectrum because there are no rules about what your Boudoir Experience or Erotic Experience must be. Everyone who comes into the studio has their own comfort level with nudity.
Many of our Boudoir Experiences involve no nudity at all.
Erotic Experiences do not have to include sex acts.
You are always in charge.
Erotica Requires Extra Planning
Boudoir photography incorporates toys and props to highlight and accentuate the subject. They are still sexy but are just for show.
Even though an Erotic Experience can start out looking like a Boudoir Experience in the studio, the fact that it can end up someplace very different means that we must do some extra planning for an Erotic Experience.
We have a more detailed and explicit questionnaire that we send out for Erotic Experiences. The Erotica questionnaire helps us understand what kind of sexual activity you want to capture in your shoot and what preparations we might need to make for the studio.
We always offer a consultation before any Boudoir Experience so that clients have a chance to talk to their photographer and ask any questions they might have, but we require a consultation ahead of time for Erotic Experiences. It’s extra important with an Erotic Experience that everyone have an opportunity to talk about their expectations and their limits.
There are also some paperwork differences that we must take care of before we can shoot. The federal government requires that erotica photographers keep a copy of the ID of everyone involved in the photo shoot and document their name and age. We also have a special contract specifically for Erotic Experiences. None of this is meant to sound scary, it’s just something we are required to collect for legal and liability reasons.
A Boudoir Experience is Not an Erotic Experience
One other big difference between boudoir and erotica is that we will not turn a Boudoir Experience into an Erotic Experience during a shoot. We know how intimidating coming in for a boudoir shoot can be. We always tell our clients that it is normal to be both excited and nervous. It is always important that clients know that our studio is a safe space and that we will never ask them to do something that they are not comfortable with.
However, I can tell you from experience, that after a few minutes in front of the camera, just about everybody turns into a model rockstar. We start feeling sexy and uninhibited and powerful in ways we did not know were possible.
This is normal and natural. It’s so important to me as your photographer that you take that feeling away with you when you leave. That is why I became a boudoir photographer in the first place. I do not want you leaving with regrets or feeling that you got talked into doing something you are not ready for.
If you come into the studio for a Boudoir Experience and decide you want to try an Erotic Experience, we will happily book you for another session so that you can prepare properly and come in with a plan for what you are comfortable exploring.
Many of our clients interested in erotica are repeat clients, clients who came for a Boudoir Experience and want to take things to the next level. Not to say you must start with boudoir. If you want an Erotic Experience, then we will make some amazing erotica together, but it must be planned that way from the beginning.
Erotica is more overtly sexual, and toys are used and not just shown.
Erotica is NOT Porn?
Let me just say that again to be clear:
Erotica is NOT porn.
Erotica photography really is just boudoir photography, but even sexier. Yes, anytime photographers shoot a certain level of nudity or actual sex acts, then we must collect more information to keep on file. That absolutely does not make it porn.
Although if calling it porn gets you more interested, we won’t argue!
In all seriousness, erotica is not porn because the goal is different. Porn is about business. Porn is about taking photos and videos of explicit nudity and sex acts for public and commercial uses.
Erotica, like boudoir, is a personal experience. Most of our clients interested in erotica are looking for the same kind of self-empowerment and self-fulfillment that our boudoir clients are looking for, they just find that self-empowerment and self-fulfillment in more explicitly sexual experiences and photos.
Erotica is about capturing your beauty and unleashing your inner Sex Goddess or Sex God. Erotica is art and our clients are creating a masterwork for their own pleasure.
Get Naked with J Anderson
Boudoir or Erotica: Nudity is always optional
When I first started my boudoir studio, I had a t-shirt designed with the words “GET NAKED” in bold print above my logo. Whether you are coming to see us for a boudoir shoot or an erotica shoot, that t-shirt is a cheeky way of telling you all you need to know about what kind of pictures we are going to be taking, but it is also just the beginning.
Boudoir photography is an exploration of your individual beauty and power. Erotica goes a step further to explore your sexuality and mysterious desires. Both are a force for empowerment.