Building Trust With Boudoir Clients with Jen Rozenbaum
Every genre of photography requires different equipment. Boudoir photography is no exception to the rule. You see, boudoir photography is all about trust and intimacy between the photographer and subject. As photographers, it’s our job to create an environment and experience that cultivates confidence and is a catalyst for empowerment.
Part of building trust and confidence is closeness. In my experience, my clients more often than not will share a lot with me about their personal lives. I have heard about miscarriages, death, surgeries, abuse, divorce, marriage, births and cancer journeys. Often clients will tell me very intimate details, which in fact is my hope! After all, I don’t call myself a photographer, but a “Photogratherapist.”
Although I am not a therapist, what I do has a very therapeutic aspect to it. You might be wondering what on earth this has to do with my choice of equipment, so let me explain.
Closeness and intimacy with my client isn’t just verbal. It can also be physical distance. This is especially true when someone is confiding in you or upset. Imagine I am photographing a woman, she is telling me about the abusive relationship she left and how her ex made her feel incredibly ugly. (This is a true story, by the way!)
Every time I picked up the camera, she cried. It took us just about an hour to get the picture taken. In that hour I listened and consoled her. I told her how beautiful she is and how his truth was not THE truth. I hugged her. I told her she isn’t alone and I assured her I won’t do anything that makes her feel uncomfortable.
What did I have on my camera (the Nikon Z6) at the time? My trusty 58mm Nikkor lens. Why? Well, two reasons. First, I tend to shoot in smaller spaces (I am in New York after all), which doesn’t always lend itself to longer lenses. Secondly, distance to my client matters.
