Boudoir Photography How To

There's been a movement in boudoir photography circles lately to keep posing and lighting simple to produce beautiful imagery that highlights dramatic sensuality and we're here for it. Recently, boudoir photographer Critsey Rowe shared her one posing secret with us and now Yuliya Panchenko explains how you only need one light and one pose to capture stunning boudoir photos.

"Today I'm going to show you my top selling pose that every single client wants to have in her album on a big spread," Panchenko explains in the video below.

To demonstrate the pose and one-light set-up, Panchenko photographs model Hannah Jo in a moody and dramatic setting in her studio. For the lighting, Panchenko uses one continuous light, the Stella Pro CLx10 by Light and Motion at 40% power (4000 Lumens) and a strip box by Elinchrome with a grid on top for the shot. She's shooting with a Nikon D850 DSLR and 24-70mm lens.

"I'm positioning my light on the side so it's going to be a side lighting," Panchenko explains before demonstrating the pose so Hannah can replicate it in the shoot.

The pose involves a lounge chair with the subject lying back and bending her knees to create two triangles. The subject then arches her back while supporting their head on the arm rest. The subject's arm is then brought to the head to create another triangle while framing the face.  Eyes are closed and the subject inhales before the shot with toes pointed out.

If it sounds complicated it's not and it's fun to watch Panchenko demonstrate this pose, which has become her "money maker" for boudoir album sales. Her camera settings are ISO 1000, 1/100 sec, f/2.8 at 35mm.

Watch it all below and see if you can use it during your next boudoir shoot. Then make sure to subscribe to Panchenko's channel to get all of her boudoir content.