What are the steps involved in a Boudoir Shoot?
Glad you asked! We took a moment to list all steps involved from start to finish of your session.
1. The first step is to get familiar with our boudoir packages and decide which package works best for you!
2. Once you are sure about a specific package, click on the "Booking Options" button to complete your booking.
3. We will contact you within 24 hours (usually much sooner) to schedule your shoot date and time. It is also the perfect time to check out the necessary preparation checklist page for information on what to wear, what to bring and how to prepare for your upcoming session.
4. Once your shoot is booked be sure to show up on time for your photoshoot!
5. After your shoot we will meticulously sort through hundreds of photos of your session and remove any unacceptable or duped images that may have made their way into our memory cards, we will email you once your private proofing gallery is ready!
6. Upon logging in you can pick and choose the images you like as well as select from a number of post shoot products & services that we have available.
7. High-res digital images will be available for instant download after payment has been completed. If you selected additional image options like re-touching or professional editing for certain images, we will need 2-3 weeks time to digitally deliver those to you.
I'm Nervous, is this something I should be feeling?
It's completely normal to feel a bit anxious right before your shoot! We are very easy going and will make you feel comfortable in no time, we do this a lot! So enjoy a glass of bubbly and we will start you off by styling your hair and makeup! We promise that by the end of your shoot you'll wanna do it all over again! It's great to remember that most of our clients experience some level of anxiety right before their shoot, but as soon as they jump right into the session all of that melts away.
Do you offer cheaper more competitive packages? No.
We strive to make our services as affordable to our clients as possible, but there also needs to be a feasible way to provide a quality service that is upheld by our professional integrity and commitment to deliver premium products. We feel that such bargain pricing trivializes the importance of capturing exceptional photos, as one must take into consideration that to deliver quality images a photographer requires the right equipment, ample time and most importantly professional experience. We are not in this business to make you feel rushed by treating you and our studio as if it were an assembly line, we create all of our packages with that in mind. It's important to us as professional photographers that our clients unwind during their shoot, and experience boudoir photography the way it is meant to be experienced.
I have paid my retainer/deposit. Whats next?
Once your session retainer is paid in full, please allow up to 24 hours from the time of payment for us to contact you and schedule your session. Please note that paying with credit card, paypal or e-transfer is virtually instant, however if you paid through certified cheque it may take a while longer for your funds to be received. We highly recommend using your credit card or paypal due to the instant nature of the transactions.
My photoshoot is over. What now?
Once we complete your photoshoot session we will carefully go through all proofs and choose the best ones to make available for you inside a private proofing gallery that only you will be able to access. When your proofing gallery of the session is ready you will receive an email containing a unique gallery link where you can access your gallery and choose the photos you would like to purchase. Please allow up 3 days from the completion of your shoot for the private proofing gallery to become available, it's usually much sooner than that however.
When can I settle the remaining balance?
Within a few days after the completion of your shoot, we will go through your photos and setup an online proofing gallery. To access this gallery the remainder of your session balance will need to be paid to unlock access to view your photos, this can be done at the gallery link provided in the email we will send you. If however you prefer to receive an invoice ahead of time, please get in touch and we can make that happen as well, in that case your gallery will be unlocked. If you're looking to pay the remaining balance using cash, you can bring the funds to the shoot and pay on location.
What is a private proofs gallery?
A private proofs gallery is a collection of session specific photos that have been hand picked and delivered within 72 hours of the completion of your photo shoot. Private proofing galleries cannot be accessed by anyone else and will be assigned to a specific member account upon the settlement of the remaining balance. Private proofing galleries expire after 14 days of being made available to our clients, so be sure to access your gallery and select the photos and services you would like.
My proofs gallery expired before I had a chance to pick my images! What now?
Because of privacy reasons and the large file size nature of the images being stored (8-10 MB each!), we have a 14 day life span for each proofing gallery. All proofing galleries are automatically purged on the 15th day to make space for new proofing galleries. If for whatever reason you need to access your proofing gallery after it has been purged, please read below.
To restore your proofing gallery we will need to locate your image backup, re-upload your images, and then go through the process of re-creating your proofing gallery and re-assigning you access. There is a standard $50 dollar charge for this which will need to be paid before we start the recovery process. Please note that for privacy reasons we store your images for a maximum of 1 year and then remove them permanently, you can also request to have your images deleted at any time and will honour that request.
Do I bring my own outfits or do you provide them?
We do not provide any outfits/lingerie. We tend to feel that you know your body best and thus can decide what works for you. We suggest to bring outfits that are flattering to your body type and that will suit the looks you're aiming to achieve, be it sexy, flirtatious, or romantic. The more outfits you bring the better, as Iwona will assist in choosing the final outfits you'll wear for the shoot. Check out our pinterest page for inspiration!
Who chooses the final images that go to editing? Can I choose my own?
You do of course! You will receive an email with access to your private proofing gallery generally 2-3 days after the completion of your shoot. This gallery will contain all image proofs from your session that have been carefully selected to remove any unsatisfactory images. From there you can select your favorite images with the option to add editing options to each photo as you see fit.
How much do you edit? I have scars / stretch marks / acne / cellulite / uneven skin tones etc.
All high-res images available in the proofing gallery have 2 available editing options: "re-touching" and "professional editing". To learn more about the editing options we provide, please check out our post-shoot products & services guide.
I can't make it to the shoot, can I reschedule?
Yes. We totally understand that sometimes things just don't go as planned and for whatever reason rescheduling a session makes the most sense. To reschedule your session date simply get in touch with us, and let us know your situation and we will work with you to figure out a new date for your shoot. We charge a modest rescheduling fee of $50 that goes towards partially covering the costs associated with rescheduling. If you have any further questions in regards to the rescheduling fee, please contact us.
I don't feel comfortable with my body size, can you photo edit me skinny?
We feel that all women should feel confident and love their bodies no matter what shape/size/age they are, but we understand you want to look your absolute best in these photos. We are experts in posing and directing our clients to show off their best features and capture the best angles. However, if you want the extra help, we do offer a professional editing service for each image for that magazine quality look in which we will enhance your figure further with our shaping and sculpting capabilities!
Is hair and makeup included?
Hair and makeup is automatically included in all of our packages (excluding the 'A La Carte' package). If you choose to have your hair and makeup done elsewhere, the price of your package will not change, however roughly 30 additional minutes will be added to your total photography time. If you'd like to see examples of our work be sure to check out our boudoir gallery.
Will you keep my images private?
We take your privacy very seriously. We will never use your images on our website without your signed consent to do so. All of the ladies featured on our website, ads and or social media platforms have signed a physical release form granting us full permission to use their images. For those of you who are curious, we do indeed reward you for letting us display your images! You will receive early sneak peeks of professionally edited images as well as other fantastic perks like an additional $50 credit towards your alomia.ca account.
Below are the steps we take to protect your privacy:
* We store a backup of your images for 1 year on a physical drive that is not connected to the internet at any point. If for whatever reason you loose your images, we will be able to retrieve them during this time. After 1 year those images are removed permanently.
* We grant you access to your images during the proofing process via a private proofing gallery that is available only to you after the completion of your shoot.
* We automatically remove proofing galleries within 14 days from their creation date, at which point all images are removed from the website.
Can I bring my friends to the shoot?
The nature of Boudoir is very private and intimate, although having a friend there for support might seem like a good idea, having an extra audience member might backfire and cause you to feel tense and uncomfortable (this will reflect in your photos). If you absolutely need a friend there, we limit it to one person.
What is a full session digital download?
A full session digital download allows you to download all high quality raw (unedited) session photos. This option is available for purchase with every package, and goes up in price due to the amount of images available with each session. You can also add the option to ship a physical CD/DVD and/or a USB Stick containing all selected images.
Do you have a refund policy?
We do not offer refunds on photography sessions because of the personal nature of the service provided. Your photos are not a product we can resell to recoup the cost of the session.
How long will I need to wait for my re-touched/professionally edited images? And my Hi Def Photo book?
It takes 2-4 weeks (on average) for the final images to be ready. Please keep this in mind if you intend to use your photos as a gift, a product, or for a special occasion. Priority editing is available for an additional $150 and will guarantee your finished photos 7 days after you send us your final images. The arrival of your Hi Def Photo book depends on how promptly the final images are chosen and edited. The standard estimated arrival time from the moment we order your Hi Def book is 4-6 weeks. Priority shipping is available for $50 with a 2-3 week arrival time.
OK! I'm ready to book, what now?
You can go to our boudoir packages area to locate the session package that works best for you and click on the "Book it Now" button. Type in your package name and all session details with an additional drop down menu for selecting a date and time that works best for you. Follow directions to pay and upon completion you will get a confirmation of your purchase. We will then call/text/email you (it's best to leave your phone number) within 24 hours to schedule your session. In case you can't make it to your shoot, you have 48h prior to your session to reschedule. A $50 rescheduling fee will be applied to your account.
