What is Modern Portrait, Glamour, and Boudoir Photography

Here at Made by Ten we like to do a little bit of everything. It keeps us on our heels and although we have a distinct style, we aren’t afraid to veer from it to make great images. If you take a look at our inspiration examples in “Women in Art” dropdown you’ll see we have “Modern Portrait”, “Modern Glamour”, and “Modern Boudoir”. While we consider all of our work “modern”, these stand out the most as a departure from “traditional” or what we like to call…”old”. Are these “modern” versions right for you? P.S. It makes a special Valentine’s Day gift!

 

MODERN BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY

Let’s start with modern boudoir. Boudoir is (or at least was) taken in lingerie or other revealing garments. For us, modern boudoir is taking the essence that you get from it and presenting it in a new way. In particular, we still capture a “for you eyes only” feel with a very sensual composition centred around a woman’s body. We depart traditional thoughts of boudoir by appreciating that some women either:

• Are not comfortable in typical lingerie
• Feel more confident in other cloths
• Know that their partner (if it is for someone else) likes to see them in something different

Boudoir photos range from full body to close-up of curves and is usually less posed than pin-up for example. Pin-up is much more focused on a glamourous look and has an almost acting-like element to it – from a look of surprise to a tantalizing wink. We bring a modern approach to boudoir by using modern themes, clothing, and allowing for more complex backgrounds. Think “Netflix and chill”!

 

MODERN PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

The accessibility cameras and the popularity of social media platforms like Instagram have dramatically changed the landscape of photography; let alone portrait photography. “Lifestyle” shots have become more diverse and are relied upon by countless bloggers to get their voices heard. Traditional portraits are very statuesque. Modern portraits are much more complex because of:

• The diversity of clothing available
• Modern advances in camera technologies which allow shooting in difficult locations
• The changing roles and expectations of women
• The nurturing of more creative photographers to provide these services
• Education through makeup and fashion websites, blogs, vlogs, etc.

We find it extremely rewarding to create the unique look and feel that each woman wants in their photos. Everyone is different and that’s why a modern approach is so important. With all these changes in the world we shouldn’t have to limit ourselves to tried and tested angles and poses. Ours is a time of discovery, experiment, and experience.  Portraits are more than just the end result of having a digital copy or print, it’s about the steps taken to get to those goals. That may include overcoming fears, increasing confidence, diving into hidden emotions, reflecting on self-worth, getting pampered, and not being afraid to put yourself first for a change.

 

MODERN GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

Modern glamour is much like modern portrait photography. Beauty ads love to show close-ups of perfectly-symmetrical women with the most beautiful makeup applications. Although we love to make those kinds of photos as well, we also love to do creative themes. Glamour likes to focus on the face, but we like to focus on the person. The makeup is still lovely, but making sure that the person behind the makeup shines much brighter.

 

GET MADE BY TEN

If you’re located in the GTA (or not) and you’re looking to create beautiful, modern images of yourself or a loved one then please check out our inspiration samples. We travel everywhere, but if you’re looking for someone more local, hopefully some of those examples are a good starting point to seeing what’s possible. Express your uniqueness and don’t be afraid to love yourself! Remember #allwomenarereal women and you’re just as beautiful as anyone else in front of a camera!

---

 

Jonathan How is the photographer behind Made by Ten and calls Milton his home. He specializes in creating beautiful, creative portraits of real women. He uses photography (and this blog) to help them build confidence and love for themselves and creates artistic images for their homes and offices. You can see him driving around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in Ontario, Canada from portrait to fashion shoot and back again.