Jeff Cooke Photography » Boudoir

A Splash of Boudoir

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:49:49 +0000

Not all of my boudoir clients want their photos online, but I can assure you that not all of these shoots are about skin and lace. They’re about women feeling their best while creating beautiful images using whatever concept or idea that they connect with and are comfortable with … and ultimately be left with a collection of photos that make them feel great about themselves.A big thanks to Alicia Melanson who not only pampers my clients with hair and makeup, but also lends a rooftop to help with a splashing idea.

Here Comes The Bridesmaid …

Jeff Cooke — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:51:30 +0000

Meet Shelly – shy and cute with a passion for photography, art and everything creative. When we first chatted about a concept for her shoot, she loved the idea of “bridesmaid boudoir” and was excited to make it quirky, fun and different from traditional boudoir photography …

A big thanks to Shelly for letting me share some of her shoot. She had a total blast in front of the camera and proved that it doesn’t always have to be about the bride (and that a tangled strand of christmas lights can be a lot of fun to work with). And let’s face it, who doesn’t want to be treated like a star for a day? With hair and make-up done professionally, clients totally embrace the experience while we help to create their very own “fashion spread” that will be showcased in a stunning custom-designed boudoir album.

Unbridled Boudoir

Jeff Cooke — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:31:15 +0000

This bride-to-be wanted to give her fiancé something different, something a little more sexy and fun than your typical wedding day gift. Her photos turned out to be a mix of super cute & fun to downright sexy. After all, this isn’t just a shoot… it’s an event where clients are pampered with professional hair and make-up and treated like celebrities for a few hours while they do their own personal covergirl shoot with the end result being a magazine-quality spread.

Boudoir technically means a lady’s bedroom, sitting room or dressing room, but that doesn’t necessarily mean sexy lingerie and risque poses. It should be whatever you are comfortable with and a reflection of your unique personality – it’s really all about you! It also doesn’t have to be for anyone else but you, so feel free to use whatever excuse you want to feel like a rock star for a day – you deserve it! Boudoir sessions can be scheduled in studio or in the comfort of your home (or on location if you’re feeling a little adventurous).

Be sure to check out Bill Spurr’s boudoir feature, “Uncovering Inhibitions“, appearing in the lifestyle section of this weekend’s Chronicle Herald.

B&W Boudoir in Halifax

Jeff Cooke — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 23:16:27 +0000

From a recent boudoir session that certainly reflected a sense of intimacy and sexiness, and also one of my favourites from the shoot.

“Knock Your Socks Off” Boudoir

Jeff Cooke — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 20:44:07 +0000

boudoir : a woman’s dressing room, bedroom, or private sitting room … and what better day to showcase one of my “knock your socks off” boudoir sessions than on valentine’s day. Having these photos made is a growing trend for today’s brides, being at one of the most beautiful times in their lives. But some women often gift these images to that special someone, while others choose to have the session done just for themselves. My “Knock Your Socks Off” boudoir sessions are tasteful and classy, yet sexy and fun … and who wouldn’t want to have a day of pampering with hair and makeup followed by an rockin’ photography session that’s totally designed to be all about you …

A big, big thanks to my wonderful client for allowing me to share some of her images … she absolutely rocked her session – all of these images came from her 2 hour session (I like variety)!! Please contact me if you’re interested in learning more about my knock your socks off boudoir pricing and packages.

Halifax Boudoir Photography

Jeff Cooke — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:16:02 +0000

For most clients, this is a once in a lifetime photo shoot. The concept of a boudoir shoot does not necessarily have to be the stereotypical sexy poses in lingerie. It’s about treating yourself to a fun day of pampering and leaving with a sexy and elegant collection of images that reflect your own unique sense of style and self. Sessions include a hair and make-up artist/stylist helping to create different looks, and each session includes many wardrobe changes to give you a diverse selection of beautiful images to place in a custom-designed album or to showcase as fine art prints.

The Birthday Gift

Jeff Cooke — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 19:27:30 +0000

I’ve seen such a great response to boudoir photography over the past year – more and more women are treating themselves to this once in a lifetime shoot that’s all about them. I think a lot of people don’t really understand what this type of shoot is about – they see a bit of skin and lace and are either turned-off by it, or think – “that’s not me”. But this shoot can be whatever you want it to be: it can be fun & flirty, sexy or even conservative if that’s your style. With hair and makeup by the fabulous Alicia Melanson, followed by your own private shoot and ending with a personalized “magazine spread” presented in a custom designed album – it’s simply an unforgettable experience, one that Jenn and I have a great time shooting. This post is the perfect example – one of my gorgeous clients who came by the studio to create a sexy, fun and completely different gift for her husband’s 50th birthday – and she had a wonderful time doing it, so it wasn’t just “for him” …

My good friend Heather Crosby Gionet recently did her own boudoir shoot with the Boudoir Divas in California. It’s awesome and I think her whole experience pretty much sums up what boudoir photography is really all about.

Privacy Please

Jeff Cooke — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:59:10 +0000

Although most of my boudoir clients prefer to keep things private, I always get excited when I can share a few of their images …

Basement Boudoir

Jeff Cooke — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:19:32 +0000

After some well-deserved pampering, this mother of two chose a dark basement for a boudoir experience that was far from traditional …

Give to Live … with a little Boudoir

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:51:08 +0000

A few weeks ago, Give to Live hosted a fun, sexy lingerie fashion show that ended with a silent auction with all proceeds going towards the fight on cancer. Keeping with the spirit of the event, I donated a studio boudoir session and recently had the chance to work with the auction winner. She was looking for something dark and sexy for her husband to be, and after a little pre-shoot pampering (including hair and makeup by the wonderful Alicia Melanson), stopped by the studio for a very fun shoot. I’m so happy to have been able to contribute to the success of the evening, and a big thanks to the auction winner (who shall remain nameless) for letting me share a few images …

And a BIG congratulations to the entire Give to Live team who are currently peddling a 5,000 km bike journey from Vancouver, British Columbia to Austin Texas where they’ll meet up with 3000 other rides to take part in the Livestrong Challenge, all in an effort to end Cancer by inspiring people to lead healthy and happy lives through exercise, altruism, and achieving the extraordinary. Simply amazing!

Boudoir On Location

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:59:08 +0000

Hollie was looking for a really unique and creative concept when it came to her wedding and boudoir photography. Because Liam and I were both bouncing around a lot of really fun ideas, an Applehead Studio & Jeff Cooke Photography collaboration was born. Our first stop was a 100 year old saw mill on Hollie’s grandfather’s property in Chester for a unique boudoir shoot in a setting that caused our jaws to drop the second we set our sights on the location (and of course the stunning Hollie). It was an unbelievable location and Hollie’s choices in hair, makeup and wardrobe fit the scene perfectly, trading high heels for rubber boots. With all of these elements together, it was like letting two kids run wild in Disneyland, and the whole shoot was a creative collaboration between the two of us. It was certainly was a very different boudoir shoot, and Hollie completely rocked it. There’s more to come on her Chester wedding this fall and after this shoot, I’m excited to see what Liam and I come up with next.

Check out Liam’s blog post here: Applehead Studio.

Trash the Dress + Boudoir

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:02:54 +0000

Annica wanted to do something fun and creative with the dress she wore to her wedding in 2006. She researched Trash the Dress photography and fell in love with the idea of creating artistic, fashion-inspired images of a bride in her gown. She had also just lost an astounding 65 pounds and felt it was the perfect time to celebrate this major accomplishment. While reading about TTD sessions, Annica came across my site and after a few emails, traveled from Boston to Halifax for our trash the dress session. Of course we spent a lot of time planning and brainstorming before the shoot – beaches, swamps, barns had all been done, and we both wanted to do something a little different. We decided on a late night shoot around downtown Halifax – I loved the unique look the city offers after dark and thought it would perfectly compliment this style of photography. We didn’t want to ruin the dress, but definitely wanted a bit of edge to the shoot, so we threw in a little “boudoir” with a black corset for some of the shots. Annica brought a friend (and her favorite guitar), I brought my talented assistant, Jenn, and we all had an amazing evening together – until 3 am in fact! I always love how in the end, with hair and make-up combined with a very cool concept, even the shy or more reserved clients always seem to eventually let loose and “work it” in front of the camera. And doesn’t every woman deserve to rock a photo shoot after a little pampering every once in a while?

A big thanks to our amazing hair stylist Keagan Coolen, and the talented makeup artistry of Naphtali Carlton … both did an incredible job of bringing out Annica’s best features and adding a little bit of edginess to her look.

Let’s Hear It For The Girls

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:02:15 +0000

Let’s face it ladies, you deserve to be treated like a celebrity on your wedding day. Your hair, make-up and nails are perfectly done and, to top it all off, you are surrounded by friends and family in those moments leading up to your wedding. I really enjoy starting the day off with the bride and her favorite gals to break the ice and have some fun in those hours leading up to the wedding as there are lots of fun, impromptu moments. You and the girls will have a blast being treated like models for a day and we’ll have some fun creating your own personal version of the “Americas Next Top Model” pose (don’t be surprised if you hear me use the word “smize”!). I’m sure most will agree that these recent photos from Kim & Dan’s wedding make the old, cliche “dress shot” and “getting ready” pictures a lot more interesting (a big thanks to Kim for letting me share her images):

In all seriousness though, my shots leading up to the wedding don’t necessarily mean bridal boudoir, or just “the dress”, or “the shoes”, but are meant to be pictures with your unique spin on things to help tell the entire story of your wedding day.