the details

I hope you've had a chance to see my welcome pages and find out how I approach boudoir. (If you haven't, start here.) Here are some final details such as pricing, info about me, and frequently asked questions.

investment

My session fee is $495. It's kind of inaccurate to call it a session fee, because it covers so much more than your actual session. This fee covers your entire one-on-one experience with me, from planning your session to the session itself (including hair and makeup!) to a later session where you'll see the best of what we shot and have a chance to order your finished items, plus so much more. I tailor your experience to your wishes and preferences, ready to help you with whatever questions you have or fulfill any special requests.

Because each client is unique in what they will want as their keepsakes, I have separated my session fee from my finished items such as books, prints, digitals, and more. You can expect your total investment to be between $795 and $4000+; most of my clients' total spend is approximately $2500.

Your Session includes

detailed 1-on-1 session planning

20% off lingerie from Pink Bunny

3 hour session with up to six outfits/settings

Full makeup and hair included*

Gourmet snacks tailored for you

Custom playlist of your favorite music

Access to studio wardrobe and accessories included

Ordering session at a later date

*If you prefer to handle makeup and hair yourself, you will receive a $200 credit toward finished items.

a portrait of the artist as a (youthful!) middle-aged man

who am I, and how did I start doing boudoir? (spoiler alert: it was an accident!)

Hi, I'm Cheshire, and yes, I became a boudoir photographer kind of by accident. In 2015 I'd already been doing headshots and other types of individualized portraiture for a while. One day I was registering for a site to connect me with potential clients, and it asked what kinds of photography I wanted to do. Boudoir was one of the options, and I clicked it even though I didn't know much about it. (I had shot some maternity boudoir with my wife five years before that, not realizing there was even a term for what we were shooting!)

Not long after that, though, I met a potential client whose story I'll never forget. She was in her early 30s and was facing a double mastectomy. For various medical reasons, she wasn't a candidate for reconstructive surgery, but she wanted to do a session post-surgery that showed her scars. She wanted to create images that she could share with her daughters to show them that there isn't just one way of defining beauty.

From that moment, I understood the power of this area of photography. It quickly became the most emotionally rewarding work I do. It never worked out for me to shoot with her, but over the years, I have helped hundreds of people celebrate and honor themselves and their joys and hardships. Boudoir is such an empowering, liberating experience, and it is such an honor for me to be part of each person's journey.

There are so many ways society tells us no. I love creating boudoir as a place of YES. I'm passionate about finding out what you want to express and making your vision come to life. Together you and I will create a space where you can truly be yourself, with images that celebrate who you are inside and out.

A few more bits of info about me: before becoming a pro photographer I was an art director (my design skills enable me to make killer unique books for my clients). I love to cook (you may reap the benefit of that too), read, hike, travel, play games, crush it at karaoke, and more. Though my studio is in Oakland, I live in Emeryville with my wife, our daughter, and our cat, Ari (Not Sorry).

Enough about me — I want to hear about you!

other questions you might have

If you have other questions that aren't answered here, please don't hesitate to ask!