I totally get what you’re doing running off to Pinterest and Instagram and Facebook to look through boudoir images before your upcoming session. You’re looking for inspiration, for posing examples, and maybe even trying to pump yourself up for the shoot. But you know how Google searching your health symptoms can leave you feeling overwhelmed — not to mention convinced you’ve contracted one of the world’s rarest diseases? Well, falling into the social media hole before your boudoir photography session can have a similar effect.

Below are three reasons why going overboard on the ol’ image search might not be so wise:

1. Every photographer’s style is different — Usually, when clients search through images they’ll send their favorites my way. I’m OK with taking a wee bit of inspiration from another creative, but each photographer has their own style and tends to stick with that approach. Make sure to choose a Boudoir photographer whose style you love, and don’t expect them to bend too much to fit another photographer’s vibe.

2. It can psych you out — Looking at a ton of images of other women leads to an awful game of self-comparison. No bueno.

3. You’re better off trying on lingerie in-person — while you can definitely get some outfit inspiration for your shoot, it’s honestly just better to try things on in person to see what makes you feel and look your best. You can also ask your boudoir photographer for some help with that!

4. It can be a time-suck — in other words, you can end up spiralling into a deep dark hole. At best you’ve lost a lot of time, at worst you end up feeling insecure, more nervous, or unsure of yourself.

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