When picking out the lingerie and outfits for your boudoir session, I always recommend having a color story in mind! A fluent color story meticulously manufactured ensures that your album has an esthetic visual flow. When planning your session, I always have your album in mind! When you are wrapping up in glam with my hair and makeup artist, I come in to go through all the pieces you brought. We talk about the pieces you feel your most confident self in, those with sentimental value, or the ones you just need to incorporate and go from there. When looking at your pieces, I pick ones that will create fluent visuals while flipping through your album. You don't want a neon orange body suit and a muted green two-piece on the next; it is visually jarring! Instead, we want to have colors of the same general tones, ones that complement each other, triadic colors, or monochromatic colors! Yes, this sounds a bit overwhelming and nitpicky, BUT trust me when I say the little details are EVERYTHING.
With all this in mind, I know you are thinking, okay, well, where do I start?? First, I recommend reading my blog on finding colors that compliment you! This blog will help you find the colors, tones, and saturations that look amazing on you! From there, we can build a color story for you! Remember that this is just a guide to help you in the right direction, NOT A RULE BOOK! If you like specific colors and love how they look together, GIRL, IT IS ALL UP TO YOU!
I will discuss four different color schemes; monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and triadic! I do not want anyone to think I am limiting them in any way, shape, or form when it comes to picking different colors to wear; I just am here to be your guide! This is why I give tips about creating your own custom color story at the end if none of these are your jam!
First, we will start with the easiest, monochromatic! A monochromatic color story features varying tones and shades of one color! This could be your favorite color or a color you look stellar in! You pick brighter and darker versions of that same color from there! Think blue, for example; you can incorporate a deep blue, pastel blue, true blue, muted blue, etc.! Adding in a few black or white pieces works amazingly when choosing a monochromatic color story! A monochrome color palette is super easy to complete, but it is not everyone's cup of tea! Very rarely do I have clients just pick a monochromatic story! The most popular are clients coming in with all black and white pieces!
Examples of monochromatic color palettes;
Next, let's talk analogous color stories! These color stories are made up of three colors that are next to each other on a traditional 12-spoke color wheel! Think of the way a sunset has hints of red, orange, and yellow. When you have your three colors chosen, then you can incorporate different tones and shades of those colors to create a very interesting visual! This option is great if you prefer just warm tones or just cool tones. You are able to pick three warm or three cool and go from there!
Aid for finding three colors:
Analogous color story examples:
Next is complementary colors! This is done by combining colors from the direct opposite side of the 12-spoke color wheel! This is usually compiled of only two colors, but much like the other options, incorporating different tones and shades of those colors creates a more enhanced visual and variety! For example, green and red are opposites on the color wheel (and I know what you are thinking- Christmas colors) BUT instead, think of muted greens, emerald greens, salmon pink, and muted orange... are you seeing the picture now?? Breathtaking! This option would be great for someone with a neutral undertone or who likes to wear warm and cool tones; you will get the best of both worlds with complementary colors!
Complementary color story examples:
Lastly, and maybe my favorite, is triadic! This color story is made of hues equally spaced around the 12-spoke color week! This is a color scheme that has a wide variety of colors! You will be dealing with three key colors! This would be a fantastic option for someone with neutral undertones as it features colors that are both warm and cool-toned! Examples of a triadic color story; think burnt orange, emerald green, and deep pinks!
Creating a custom color story; if none of these suit your fancy, try making your own custom color story! Pick colors of the same tone, brightness, saturation, value, etc. Picking colors with this in mind will ensure your pieces still have an esthetic visual flow! Think jewel tones (rich and deep colors), earthy tones (muted and more neutral), bright colors, or pastels! Jewel tones look AMAZING on every skin tone and are a dream to photograph. When in doubt, go to Pinterest, look up different color palettes, and find one you love! This doesn't have to be complicated or cause any stress!
Jewel tone color story example:
Earth tone color story example:
Pastel color story example:
As I said before, this is in no way a rule book by any means. As your boudoir photographer, I am here to give you all my expert knowledge! I am always here to guide you and give you the best experience possible.
Link to what helped me create this blog!