Why Is Boudoir So Expensive?
If you’ve ever found yourself Googling “why is boudoir photography so expensive?”—hi. You’re not alone. It’s a real question, and a fair one.
Boudoir can feel like a big investment. And depending on what you’re comparing it to, it might seem wild at first glance. It’s not a mini headshot session, and it’s not your old prom photos with more cleavage. It’s not something you squeeze in on a whim while running errands (that your be your passport photo).
Your boudoir photography session is a curated, intentional, vulnerable experience; one that will yield photos of yourself that are differe than any images you’ve ever seen of yourself.
But yeah, it costs money. So let’s talk about what you’re actually paying for when you book a session with me—and why I believe in offering both accessible and luxury options.
1. You’re Paying for Art—Of Your Body
This isn’t about snapping a few cute pics and slapping a filter on them. This is about working with an artist to create intentional artwork of yourself.
You’re not just paying for a camera and some direction. You’re paying for vision, aesthetic, and the ability to take how you feel: strong, soft, powerful, sensual, raw, and translate that into actual art. This is personal.
It’s also high-touch. I shoot, direct, light, edit, and retouch every single session myself. You’re not getting some assistant behind the scenes who batch-edits everything the same. This is handcrafted, like the experience itself.
2. You’re Paying for a Safe, Intimate Experience—Not Just a Shoot
I shoot out of a room in my home in San Francisco. It’s small and sun-filled, and the window light is honestly magical. It’s not a big commercial studio, and that’s by design.
Boudoir is personal. and vulnerable. Sometimes it’s weird and emotional and unexpectedly joyful. That’s why I’ve built this as a calm, intimate space, where you can take a breath, laugh, and just be.
This isn’t about rushing you through 20 poses in 10 minutes. This is about presence. About creating a little pocket of the city where you can feel safe being fully seen. That level of care isn’t an afterthought, it’s part of the investment.
3. You’re Paying for Creative Direction That Elevates the Whole Thing
Boudoir photography is 10% posing, 90% vibe.
My job isn’t to make you look like someone else. It’s to show you how magnetic you already are.
I guide every movement and every moment of stillness. I watch how the light hits your collarbone. I coach your hands, and I help you shift your gaze until it feels natural instead of forced. I hype you up while also helping you drop into your body—not perform for the camera.
That transformation—that shift from “oh my god what do I do with my face” to “holy fuck that’s me” doesn’t happen on its own. It’s part of the work. And it’s why people leave their sessions feeling like they just did something big. Because they did.
4. You’re Paying for Options—Not Pressure
Yes, I offer luxury packages. Yes, I believe in beautiful, hand-bound, heirloom albums.
But I also believe in accessibility.
This city is wild. We make a lot, we spend a lot. Not everyone has $3,000 sitting around—and I don’t think that should disqualify someone from doing this kind of session.
That’s why I offer:
The Quickie ($875) – A shorter, simpler session for people who really want this but aren’t in a financial position to go all in yet. It’s not what I recommend if you want the full experience—it’s fast, and it normally takes time for people to warm up—but I offer it because I believe in this work being reachable.
The Primary ($1,200) – My most popular session, and the one I personally recommend most. It’s enough time to settle in (1.5 hours shooting), get comfortable, explore different lighting, moods, and outfits—and walk away with something really special.
The Luxe ($3,500+) – A full-scale editorial experience held in a gorgeous, styled rental space. Think: designer interiors, more time, more range, more images. This one is for clients who want to go all out and are ready to invest in their artwork in a big way.
Whatever you choose, I meet you there—with care and creativity.
5. You’re Paying for Artwork That Lasts
If you do decide to invest in printed artwork (and I hope you do)—you’re not getting something mass-produced.
I source my albums from a small artisan team in Canada who literally hand-press every single album. These are:
Handmade and hand-bound
Customizable with leather, linen, velvet, embossing, metallic foil, and more
Built to last a lifetime, not just a couple moves (think of looking at your album in your 80s)
These are not casual. They are meant to feel like treasure. And no—you don’t have to buy one. You can walk away with just digitals if that’s what works for you right now. But if you fall in love with your images (and most people do), having a physical object to hold is powerful.
And if now’s not the time? Maybe it will be later. Clients can book a Quickie, fall in love with the photos, and come back a year later for a full session and a luxe album. There’s no timeline you have to follow.
6. You’re Paying to See Yourself Differently
And finally—this is the part you can’t put on a pricing guide.
You’re paying for the moment where you sit down to view your images and say, “I didn’t know I could look like that.”
One of the hardest parts of my job is helping people choose which images to keep. Not because they don’t like any—but because they love too many. That’s when I know we nailed it.
It’s a beautiful thing to love what you see, and no one ever regrets that.
So… Why Is Boudoir So Expensive?
Because it’s worth more than the images.
You’re paying for art, care, direction, safety, time, and transformation. You’re paying to say, yes, I matter enough to do this. Even if you’re nervous. Even if you’re still learning how to love your body.
You’re investing in something you can return to—physically, emotionally, artistically—again and again.
And if you’re not ready for the full thing right now? That’s okay. That’s why I offer options.
But if you are ready—if something in you is saying maybe, yes, I think I want this—you deserve to listen.
Curious about which session is right for you?
Head over to [the pricing page] or book a quick consult.
I’ll help you find the session that fits your energy and your budget.
Because no matter where you are in your journey of life— you deserve this!