Best boudoir photo angle in 3 steps

Vertical upper body allows you to
tilt the horizon (here: bed) quite a bit.
Photo from my boudoir tutorial ebook.

Do you like some secret sauce for your photographs? Read on! By choosing an cool angle you will spice up your photo quite a bit. The angles can make the difference between a boring photo and an exciting photo. And all it takes is turning the camera a little bit. In my opinion this is a tremendous bang for the buck so to speak.

Some photography schools turn the topic of angels into a very complicated science. But I think turning your camera in the optimum way, can be easily learned. In minutes. All it takes is a straight forwards 3 step process of insights:

   Graphic by ZeroOne.

Step 1: know your options

First get really clear about the fact that you have exactly 3 axes via which you can turn your camera. Think about your camera in the roll - pitch - yaw system.

This gives you basically 3 ways of tilting your camera:

Roll: turn around the aches of your lens
Pitch: point your lens higher or lower
Yaw: point your lens more left or right

Think about it: You can probably add or correct some roll-angle in post production, but pitch and yaw need to be done correctly in camera.
You did never play flight simulator and you are not familiar with roll-pitch-yaw? No problem. The mental picture that works best for me: I imagine my camera was an airplane and I can tilt and turn it like described in this handy picture of Wikipedia.

Step 2: know what to aim for

Twist and turn your camera , but place the face or the upper body of your subject in a straight vertical or horizontal line. Using your camera at an angle adds a lot of dynamic to your photo. Horizons tilt dangerously. Your subject seems to fall from the bed. The champagne wants to flow out of the glass... Be aware, there is only so much dynamic that your viewers will appreciate on a boudoir photo. To be on the save side, turn your camera in a way, so that the face and probably the whole upper body of your subject is following a straight vertical or horizontal line. If your subject is straight, then the viewer can take even dramatically tilted horizons. If arms or legs are a dominant part of the image, then it might be enough if only arms or legs follow a horizontal or vertical line. Try it out!

Step 3: know what to avoid

Tilts are for your photos what tabasco is for your pizza. They can spice up the experience but too much is just not bearable anymore. The same happens when you put the viewers of your photo completely out of balance by using your camera at the wrong angle. Here’s what you want to avoid: showing your subjects upper body AND the horizon at a similar non-vertical angle. That’s when the whole content of your photo sees to slip and fall out of the frame. If you still want to do this then at least be aware that this is actually a technique called “The jaunty angle”. It’s also known as the “dutch tilt” among cinematographers. And bear in mind that Wikipedia says that this technique is “used to portray the psychological uneasiness or tension in the subject”. You usually do not want that.

Please think one more time about this 3 steps and then let me know if that is going to help you finding cool angles when shooting your next beauty or boudoir photos.

And for that I wish you...

good light!
-- Michael