Once your session is booked, the question I get asked most is how to prepare for boudoir session day so you arrive feeling ready rather than rattled. This is the checklist I wish every client had in front of her from the moment she books, because most of it has nothing to do with looking a certain way and everything to do with feeling settled.

Before I trained as a photographer, I spent years as a nurse manager, and a lot of what I know about skin, sleep and calming a nervous body comes from that life, not this one. So take this checklist as it is meant, practical and a little bit clinical in places, in the best way.

The month before

This is the window for the slower, kinder preparation, not the panic. If you are going to buy new lingerie or outfits, give yourself this month to do it, so nothing arrives the week of your shoot feeling rushed or wrong. My guide to what to wear to a boudoir shoot is worth reading early, so you have time to actually enjoy choosing pieces rather than scrambling.

This is also the time to leave your skin alone. If you have been considering a new skincare product, a facial peel, a new retinol, or any treatment you have not tried before, do not start it now. Skin can react unpredictably to anything new, and the last thing you want a week out is redness, breakouts or peeling from a product that has never touched your face before. If you love a treatment and know your skin handles it well, that is different. New is the operative word to avoid.

Please do not start a crash diet in this window either. Rapid weight loss in the weeks before a shoot tends to leave skin looking tired rather than toned, and it adds a layer of pressure to a day that was never meant to be about shrinking yourself. Come as you are now. That is who I am photographing.

The week before

Sleep becomes the priority here. As someone who spent years working night shifts and watching what sleep deprivation does to a body, I can tell you plainly that under-slept skin and an under-slept nervous system both show up on camera, not because you will look unwell, but because you will feel flat, and that flatness reads through the lens. Aim for a proper run of decent sleep in the seven days before your session, not just the night before.

Drink more water than usual this week. Hydrated skin catches studio light beautifully, and it is one of the simplest things within your control. Keep moisturising daily, morning and night, with whatever product your skin already knows and likes.

Sort your nails this week too. They do not need to be elaborate. A neat, tidy, neutral polish or a fresh manicure both photograph well, since hands appear in a lot of boudoir images and chipped polish is one of those small details that is easy to fix in advance and hard to fix on the day.

Grooming timing

If waxing, threading or any grooming is part of your routine, book it two to three days before your session rather than the day before. Skin often needs a short window to settle after waxing in particular, and doing it too close to your shoot can leave redness or irritation that a couple of days would have resolved on its own. If you shave, the day before or the morning of both work well. There is more detail on this in my guide to shaving and grooming before your boudoir session if you want the full breakdown.

The night before

Pack your bag the night before, not the morning of, so the morning itself is calm. Lay out every outfit you plan to bring, along with any jewellery, robes or accessories you want in the mix. Three to four outfits is the usual sweet spot, and it helps to have them hanging or folded and ready rather than pulled from the wardrobe in a rush at seven the next morning.

Moisturise well before bed. Go easy on alcohol, since it tends to show in puffiness the next morning. Try to get to bed at a reasonable hour, even if you do not think you will sleep well from nerves. Rest still counts even when full sleep does not come easily.

What to pack

Beyond your outfits, a few extras are worth adding to your bag. Bring any jewellery you want included, earrings, a necklace, a ring that means something to you, since small details like these often become a favourite part of a finished image. Pack a robe if you have one you love, even if you are also borrowing one from the studio, and bring shoes only if a particular pair matters to a specific outfit.

Bring a water bottle for the drive over, and any snack you might want in the car beforehand if breakfast feels like a long time ago by the time you leave the house. Leave valuables you do not need at home, and bring your phone on silent so you can be fully present once the session begins.

The morning of

Eat breakfast. This sounds obvious, but nerves make plenty of women skip it, and a three to four hour session on an empty stomach is a rough way to spend a morning. Something simple and not too heavy is ideal.

Arrive with a clean face, no makeup, so your makeup artist has a fresh base to work with. Wash your hair the night before or that morning and let it air dry if you can, since it needs to be dry and unstyled when you arrive. There is more on exactly why in my piece on whether hair and makeup is included in your session.

What you wear to the studio matters more than most people expect. Choose loose, comfortable clothing for the drive over. Skip tight socks, fitted waistbands or bras with structured underwire that morning, since all of them can leave marks on your skin that take time to fade, and we want your skin looking like your skin, not like it has spent the morning in something restrictive. A soft dress, loose trousers or leggings without tight ankle bands, and a comfortable top all work well.

Getting to the studio

My studio is at 13 Beaurepaire Parade in Footscray, and there is street parking nearby along with a short walk from Footscray station if you are coming by train. Give yourself more time than you think you need to get here, particularly if you are travelling in from another suburb or further afield. Arriving flustered from a tight parking search undoes a lot of the calm you have built in the days before. Aim to arrive a few minutes early rather than right on time, so you can take a breath before we begin. You can read more about the space itself in my guide to the Footscray studio.

One last thing

None of this needs to be perfect. I have photographed women who forgot their jewellery, women who arrived five minutes late because of the Footscray one way streets, women who cried a little in the makeup chair from nerves before settling completely by the time we started shooting. All of it turned out beautifully. This checklist is here to make the day easier, not to give you one more thing to get exactly right.

If you have questions about anything on this list, or about how to prepare for your particular situation, you are always welcome to send me a message and ask before your session.

How to prepare for boudoir session: quick answers

How should I prepare for my boudoir session in the days before?

In the week before, prioritise sleep and hydration, keep up your normal moisturising routine, and get your nails tidy or freshly done. Avoid starting any new skincare products or treatments so close to your shoot, since new products can react unpredictably.

What should I wear to the studio on the morning of my session?

Wear loose, comfortable clothing and avoid tight socks, fitted waistbands or structured bras that morning, since they can leave marks on your skin. Arrive with a clean face and dry, unstyled hair so your hair and makeup artist has a fresh base to work with.

Should I diet or lose weight before my boudoir shoot?

No, crash dieting before your session tends to leave skin looking tired rather than toned and adds unnecessary pressure. Come as you are on the day, since that is who I am there to photograph.

Michelle x
My Story Boudoir, Footscray, Melbourne

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