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Photography is an art form that best capture human emotions. This art is able to generate its very own special excitement that has the capability to transform the visual aesthetic of its subject, making it a challenging endeavor. Although almost all the things we see today can become the subjects of photography, women are perhaps the most enduring subjects captured in film. As a matter of fact, photographing women is what made it possible to somehow liberate women from the confines of their domestic roles.

Under the guise of photography, women within the society were able to emanate from their private worlds towards the eyes of the public sphere. This is especially true in Boudoir photography, a process of portraiture that is gaining a wide following among women. Boudoir is a genre of photography that captures mostly the images of women but can also be done by men in sensual or sexually stimulating poses or setting with little or no nudity at all. Boudoir is distinct from erotic photography as it gives emphasis on the subject's aesthetic qualities rather than the sexually provoking nature of the portrait.

The term boudoir is rooted from the French term "bouder" which means to pout. However, throughout history boudoir has been used to refer to private rooms such as sitting room, dressing room but more importantly the bedroom. Such uses of the term resulted for the concept of photographing women in their bedrooms to emerge, which is why boudoir could also be referred to as "bedroom photography," although it can also be carried out in different private settings. Although it was already during the later parts of photography that the term boudoir was used, this genre is in fact already existent since the earliest process of photography and was the precursor of pinup photo shoots of the 1940s and 1950s.

Usually, women who serve as the subjects of boudoir photography are not actually models. They are ordinary women who wish to show a different side of their characters in the camera. The idea is to let loose of their inhibitions for a while in order to commemorate female sensuality without the need to shed all their clothes, rather they artistically use their bodies to angle themselves in suggestive poses to express their emotions. Unlike erotic photos that are usually digitally manipulated to achieve perfection, boudoir leaves a room for the bodily flaws of the subject to be visible in order to heighten the realism of the image.

Boudoir photography is fast becoming a popular portraiture trend. Oftentimes, the photo shoot is commissioned by the subject but its purposes differ from one client to another. For instance, a wife might give the photo as a Valentine's gift to her husband, or a young aspiring lad could use the photo as an audition piece for a magazine's centerfold. Whatever their reasons might be, boudoir is one good way to feel comfortable about yourself in front of the camera regardless of your flaws.

In Southern California, modern boudoir was introduced six years ago and has since been gaining a wide following especially from women. If you are living in Orange County and you'd like to have your own mini-fashion shoot to immortalize your sensuality, you can easily find an Orange County photographer that specializes in boudoir, but before you touch that dial make sure to do your own background check in order to ensure that the photographer of your choice would give you your expected results. Overall, boudoir is a genre of photography that not only commemorates a woman's individuality, but more importantly it gives emphasis on the importance of confidence and positive self perception.