FAQ: What’s the Difference Between Boudoir Photography & Porn?

A: Great question! As a Christian, I’ve definitely had to think about this a ton to make sure I’m in alignment with God and in order to be able to explain what I do to others who don’t really understand. Here’s some key differences between boudoir photography & porn:

1. The purpose for the images is different

What I do empowers women, while porn degrades women. The women who book me are singles, wives, Moms, & grandmas, all with one thing in common: They want more confidence in their lives. Some grew up with someone telling them they’re fat & ugly, others are breast cancer survivors learning how to re-love their bodies, others want to put a spark back into their marriage, and still others do a boudoir shoot because they want to learn how to love themselves as they are, and often, that requires embracing their skin. It’s one thing to look in the mirror feeling ok about yourself when all the rolls & cellulite are covered. But how do you feel when you’re in a swimsuit? That’s the power of a boudoir shoot. If you don’t believe that boudoir is empowering rather than degrading, check out this review from one of my past clients who describes how watching the video from her boudoir shoot that was done 2 whole years ago still has an impact on her life today:

You can read even more reviews my clients have written here.

2. There are boundaries in boudoir, there are none in porn

I have very clear boundaries. I won’t photograph anything that’s more than what you can see at a normal beach. This means that I don’t photograph full nudes showing private parts. Any implied nudes I do photograph have all sensitive areas covered and the only environment in which they can be publicly viewed is within my women’s-only Facebook group. They aren’t even on my website. I’m not completely against implied nudity because I feel that the female form is beautiful & one day I plan to gift my future husband with some implied nude photographs. Porn in contrast, shows EVERYTHING.

3. Boudoir is about beauty, porn is about sex

With boudoir, I do my best to create images that capture beauty. I work hard to make sure my work is tasteful which means I won’t do photographs of simulated sexual acts. I also currently don’t do couple’s boudoir because the only thing I’d be comfortable with doing is what I’d want myself, which is a more lifestyle type of couple’s shoot like the ones on my Pinterest board below…but really, I’ve decided I prefer to just photograph one person at a time. I like focusing on the individual, but I will probably do a shoot like this with my husband one day. 🙂

4. What I do restores rather than destroys marriages

Finally, sexual intimacy is important for a healthy marriage, and what I do ignites passion for married couples. Porn on the other hand, destroys marriages because it creates an addiction to sexual gratification that can only be fulfilled by looking at someone other than the spouse.

I hope this helps explain the differences!! 🙂