Faq

The session fee is £495, paid in full when you book. It covers your welcome call, the shoot, hair and makeup if you want it, your reveal later the same day, and an overnight stay in a London apartment hotel.

Your images, prints and wall art are chosen and bought separately at your reveal. Everything is on the pricing page, including how payment plans work.

Yes. Your story is your own, and the session gets planned around it. It also matters that everyone in the room, Merv included, feels comfortable before we go ahead. Fifteen minutes, no pitch. Book one here.

East London, in an apartment hotel we know well and shoot in regularly: good light, a proper bed, and the same room for your reveal and your overnight stay. The exact address is confirmed once you’ve booked.

If you’d rather shoot at home, or somewhere that means something to you, that’s also on the table. Say so on the call and we plan around it.

Yes. And before you say it: everyone thinks their home isn’t nice enough. We’ve shot in big, small, messy and borrowed-for-the-day, and the results have been spectacular every time. Your own space often makes for the most personal images. Ask on the call.

Often, yes. The whole thing happens in one day, and the welcome call can be done from anywhere. Book the call as early as you can, tell us your dates, and we’ll be honest about whether we can make it work.

Sessions run on weekdays. Weekends happen only in exceptional circumstances, so if a weekday is impossible for you, mention it on the call and we’ll see what’s realistic.

Life happens. You can move your session up to 14 days before the date with no penalty. Changes with less than 14 days’ notice may carry a small rescheduling fee. Just message us as early as you can.

You need to be 18 or over. There’s no upper limit, and some of our favourite sessions have been with people in their fifties, sixties and beyond. More on that here.

Yes, we do gift vouchers. One honest condition: this only works when the person actually wants to do it. A surprise booking for someone who hasn’t chosen it themselves is not the gift it looks like. A voucher they can use when they’re ready is. Get in touch and we’ll sort it.

After your welcome call we send you a guide covering exactly what to do in the weeks before: outfits, skin, sleep, what to bring, what not to bother with. Your stomach will be turning by then. Trust us, that’s normal, and the testimonials will tell you what’s on the other side of it.

That’s exactly why now is the time, because there is no perfect time. We’ve heard the “I wish I’d done it sooner” story hundreds of times. This is about who you are today, and seeing yourself in a way you didn’t know existed. It’s a reframe, not a before photo. More on that here.

Absolutely. Body confidence isn’t a women-only thing, even if boudoir for men is still an unusual idea. We’re working on changing that. Read more here, then get in touch.

Yes, and you’re very welcome here. Tell us your name and pronouns on the call, tell us what you want seen and what you don’t, and that’s what we photograph. Nothing about this process assumes anything about your body or who you are.

Yes. Mastectomies, surgery scars, stomas, the lot. Some people want those parts of their story front and centre. Some change their mind halfway through the day, and that’s fine too. Before the session we’ll ask what you’d like shown and what you’d rather we didn’t touch, and nothing gets edited away. That’s the point.

Yes, and it’s a lovely time to do it. We plan the day around how you’re feeling, with plenty of sitting down. A guide to maternity boudoir is here.

Absolutely, yes. Tell us what you need on the call and we’ll be sure to make sure you have just as good an experience as anyone else. We can also discuss what your needs are throughout the day. Also, a home session is always an option if that’s easier.

Completely. Most couples who come to us have never done anything like this, and the nerves usually belong to one of you more than the other. We start with a call where both of you can ask anything, we plan what you’re comfortable with in advance, and on the day the direction comes from us so nobody has to perform. It ends up being fun. Ask anyone who’s done it.

Yes, as long as everyone involved is fully on board. It’s a very different kind of fun. If you’re bringing a friend in on the action there may be a referral discount, so ask us before you book.

It can be. Plenty of people book before a wedding, sometimes as a gift for a partner, more often as a gift to themselves. Bridal boudoir is here.

Good. So does everyone. None of it gets edited out, because none of it is a mistake. Tattoos in particular photograph beautifully. You’ll be surprised what you stop noticing once you see the images.

Then don’t book yet. Take the free Camera Confidence Test instead. Two minutes, no pitch, and it takes the scary bits off the table one at a time. Come back when it feels like a yes.

Morning: hair and makeup if you’ve chosen it, then around two hours of shooting with all the posing and direction coming from us. Then you head out for a long lunch while we prepare your images.

Afternoon: back to the same room to see your photos for the first time on screen, set to music. You choose the ones you want to keep. Then the room is yours for the night.

Plan for the whole day, and don’t book anything for the evening. Roughly: an hour of hair and makeup if you want it, two hours shooting, a long lunch, about an hour for your reveal, then the night is yours.

Never more than three people: you, Merv, and the hair and makeup artist if you’ve opted for one. Once they leave, it’s just the two of us. By then you’ll have forgotten to be nervous. If you’re not comfortable and having fun, it doesn’t happen.

You can bring one person, and there are two house rules. Positive vibes only (“that bra doesn’t fit right” is not helpful, however much they love you). And they leave the posing to us.

One honest thought first, though: most people find it easier to be bold in front of someone they don’t know well than in front of a lifelong friend who’s never seen them on all fours in their underwear. Have a think about how you’ll feel. If they’re coming, tell them to bring pom-poms.

To the call, yes. To the shoot itself, no, and it’s not personal. Whenever a partner is in the room, the person being photographed holds back. Now there are two people watching, and it’s intimidating in a way that has nothing to do with how much you love each other. We’ve seen it too many times. You get better photos without them, and they get a better surprise.

No. There is no expectation to do anything you don’t want to do, and that goes double for how covered or uncovered you are. Before the shoot you’ll tell us your comfort level, and we build a private mood board together so nothing on the day is a surprise.

Yes, and I know more about lingerie than you’d expect. On your welcome call we plan what to pack: three to five looks is plenty, and there’s no need to buy anything new. Simple usually wins. Honest opinions on what works for your shape and skin tone, if you ask for them.

If you’d rather shop together, that’s a thing we do. Mention it on the call. What to wear for a boudoir shoot covers the rest.

Only what you’d do anyway. Your body as it is today is the brief. The one practical warning: fake tan the day before is a gamble (patchy hands and knees never look better on camera). The prep guide covers the rest.

Perfect. We’ll set up a private Pinterest board together where you can drop anything you like the look of. If you’ve done your research already, extra brownie points.

It’s your call, and it’s part of the session fee if you want it. Some clients prefer to arrive as themselves, and the photos work either way. If you do want it, one of our trusted artists is booked for you.

If something isn’t right, say so straight away and we start again. Just say it before the artist leaves, because after that it’s a lot harder to fix.

There’ll be something with bubbles in it to toast you afterwards, and a glass during hair and makeup is fine. Two at most. We don’t want drunk eyes in the photos, lightweight.

Before you arrive, though, please don’t. We know a drink feels like it would help the nerves, but the whole point is that you did this, fully, as yourself. Don’t let future you take any credit away because you did it half cut.

You won’t freeze. We’ve worked with the most introverted, self-declared awkward people going, and every pose and every expression comes from us. And if you cry, you’re in very good company. Most people do at the reveal. We bring the tissues.

It happens more than you’d think and it has never stopped a shoot. Tell us when you arrive (or before), and we work around it. Nobody will know from the photos.

Your music, so send a playlist or tell us what you love. A few props depending on the look. Flash almost never; it’s natural light nearly all of the time. None of it is anything you need to think about.

You’ll get glimpses on the back of the camera when it helps you relax, but the proper first look is the reveal, on a big screen, set to music, later that day. We’ve done this 850+ times and we promise that’s the way to see them.

The same apartment we shot in is yours for the night. Most people stay in, order a takeaway, and let the day land. It’s a much softer ending than the Tube home. If you’d like someone to join you in the evening, ask on the call and we’ll confirm what the hotel allows.

None. We think Photoshop has done real damage to what people believe they’re supposed to look like. Anything short-term goes if you want it to: a spot, a bruise. Your body shape stays exactly as it is. We’ll also ask if there’s anything you’d rather we didn’t touch, like a scar or a mole. That’s different for everyone.

The same day. While you’re at lunch we prepare the images, and later that afternoon you come back to the same room and see them on screen, set to music. No waiting weeks for a gallery link. This is the bit people remember.

In 850+ sessions this has happened exactly zero times. We plan to such a degree, and keep you in the loop throughout, that it’s close to impossible. But just in case you’re the first: the Photo ❤️ Guarantee. Not thrilled? We reshoot at no extra cost.

Everything from a single print to wall art to a full album. Two favourites: the album, made in Italy and delivered in a presentation box, and the private mobile app, which keeps your images on your phone’s home screen instead of lost somewhere in your camera roll (people used to lose their digital files constantly; the app fixed that). See a sample app here, on your phone.

Whatever you choose comes with the same images as digital files too. We walk you through the options at your reveal, with recommendations, and you decide.

Digital files within about 10 days of your reveal. Albums and wall art take longer because they’re made to order; we’ll give you the timing on the day.

Not with a drill, no. But we’ll happily talk you through what to think about: which wall, what size for the room, framing, hanging, and how to go about it. Ask at the reveal or afterwards.

The images you choose we keep for years, so there’s always a copy if you ever need one. The ones you don’t choose are deleted after six months. So yes, you can come back for more, but only within that window.

They’re your images to keep, print and share however you choose. If you post them publicly, a credit is always appreciated but never required.

Not unless you say so, in writing. At your reveal we’ll ask which images, if any, you’re happy for us to share. Plenty of clients say yes because they’re proud of them. Plenty say no. Both are the right answer. And we don’t tag clients on social media, full stop.

Yes. Your online gallery is password-protected, with a separate PIN to download. On our side, every laptop and hard drive your images touch is encrypted, and so are the backups. Nobody sees them who shouldn’t.

Yes. Photos not enough? A short video can be part of your session, with all the direction coming from us. It’s easier than it looks. Have a look at some here.

The £495 session fee is paid in full when you book. Your images, prints and wall art are chosen and paid for at your reveal, once you’ve seen them. Nothing is decided before you’ve looked.

Yes, for your images. 25% at the reveal, the rest interest-free over 3 or 6 months. No credit checks, no catches. We give recommendations, you decide what works for you, and we make it happen.

No. Some studios start you at £899 or more before you’ve seen a single image. We don’t. The pricing page has the honest comparison.

It varies a lot, and it’s your decision, made after you’ve seen the photos. Some people take a handful of digitals. Some walk away with an album and a piece for the wall. We’ll give you honest ballpark figures on the welcome call so nothing at the reveal is a surprise.

Yeah. Sorry to break it to you. It was hard for my parents to accept too.

A male photographer isn’t for everyone and that’s completely fine. Hopefully the testimonials and the photos do the talking on my behalf. If that’s not enough, book a call, meet me, and follow your gut. I’m a hoot. Or at least that’s what my mother says.

Long story, nearly a decade of it, and it starts with my own relationship with the mirror rather than with a camera. The full version is on the about page. The short version: I found out what happens when someone is properly seen, and I haven’t wanted to do anything else since.

Yes, every three to six months. I wouldn’t ask anyone to do something I don’t do myself, and I know first-hand what this work does. It’s also a useful reminder of how the nerves feel from the other side of the camera.

I keep my private life completely separate from my work, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to answer that here. What I can tell you is that the room is professional, boundaried and safe, every single time. That’s the bit that matters.

I’m a photographer who has spent nearly ten years watching what happens when people see themselves properly. I’m not a therapist, and this isn’t therapy, though plenty of clients say it did something therapy hadn’t. If you’re in a rough place right now, a session can still be a good thing, and we’ll talk honestly on the call about whether the timing is right.

Yes. I teach body confidence photography internationally and mentor photographers one to one. Start here.