What Happens During a Boudoir Session? A First-Timer's Guide
Last Updated: 02/23/26
A boudoir session at Fox and Vixen runs about three and a half to four hours from start to finish: approximately one hour for professional makeup, two to two and a half hours of photography across multiple looks, and a few minutes at the end to set your ordering appointment date. You'll arrive with your hair already done. Here's exactly what that looks like.
Most people searching this question aren't really asking about logistics. They're asking something quieter: Will I be okay? Will I feel ridiculous? If I don't know what I'm doing, will someone help me?
The answer to all three is yes. But since "trust us, it'll be great" isn't useful to someone who's never done this before, here's the actual walk-through.
Before You Arrive
The prep work starts well before your session day, which is part of why it goes so smoothly.
After you book, Mike and Angi send you a private Pinterest board. You get a link that adds it directly to your own boards. It's shared only between you and them, invisible to anyone else. The ask is simple: pin ten to fifteen images that reflect your vision of what you want to feel like. Not fifty. Not a full wardrobe board. Just enough to give Mike and Angi a feel for your aesthetic. Are you drawn to soft and romantic? Edgier and bold? Mostly covered or more revealing? The board is less about recreating specific images and more about helping them understand what "beautiful" means to you.
Alongside that, an email sequence goes out every two to three days leading up to your session. About seven or eight emails in total. They cover where to shop, which lingerie styles photograph well (and which ones don't), what to bring, how to pack, how to get ready on session day, and even a few yoga stretches to do beforehand so your body isn't sore from the movements involved. By the time you arrive, you won't be walking in cold.
Sessions are mostly Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings at 6pm. If your schedule makes evenings difficult, let us know during the consultation and we'll work something out.
When You Arrive
You come in, get settled, and head straight to the makeup chair.
One thing to know before you arrive: hair styling is not included in your session. You'll come in with your hair already done. Plan for it so it's not a surprise.
The makeup artist handles makeup from start to finish. This isn't a quick touch-up. It's a full professional makeup application designed to hold under studio lighting, and it takes about an hour. Studio lighting reads differently than natural light, and the makeup is applied accordingly.
Ms C, who spent her days in the same scrubs, described it this way: "I loved getting my makeup done. I felt very pampered. It just felt good to sit and relax for once."
Use this time. Have a glass of wine if you'd like. You don't need to do anything yet.
Reviewing Your Outfits
While your makeup is finishing up, Mike and Angi come in together to go through everything you brought. This is the planning session: they look at each piece, talk through which sets it works best with, and build out a sequence for the shoot. The bedroom set, the chaise, the white chair: each set has its own feel, and certain outfits belong in certain places.
If you've packed something that's going to be difficult to photograph, they'll tell you then. If you forgot something, they may have options in the studio. This part of the day goes quickly, maybe 10 to 15 minutes, but it's where the session gets structured. By the time you walk out for your first look, everyone knows the plan.
The Shoot Itself
The photography portion runs two to two and a half hours, typically covering five to six looks depending on outfit changes and how the session flows.
You don't need to know how to pose. Mike and Angi direct every pose, every hand placement, every angle. Their job is to make you look good. Yours is to relax and follow their lead.
The first few minutes can feel strange. That's normal. You're in your lingerie under studio lights with a camera pointed at you. Some people feel self-conscious, some feel excited, some feel a little of both. What almost everyone notices is that the awkwardness fades faster than expected. Ms B put it plainly: "The funny part was it started off a little awkward, then by the end I was feeling very confident."
At points during the shoot, Mike hands the camera to Angi to show you what's been captured. These aren't final images. They're straight-out-of-camera previews, no retouching. But they're enough to show you what's working. Most clients find this moment settles something. You stop imagining the worst and start seeing what's actually there.
Between looks, you change and take a breather. Mike and Angi reset the set and may adjust the plan based on how things are going. The session is structured but not rigid.
A Note on Retouching
After the shoot, Mike and Angi narrow your images down to the 40 to 60 strongest from the day and send them to a professional retoucher.
The retouching works like foundation and makeup for the final image. It covers the things that aren't really you: blemishes, stray strap marks, position creases, temporary skin variations. It does not alter your body proportions or make you look significantly younger. You'll look like yourself. A very well-lit, well-posed version of yourself, but you.
Wrapping Up
When the photography ends, you'll sit down with Mike and Angi briefly to set a date for your ordering appointment, typically 1–2 weeks out.
The Ordering Appointment
The ordering appointment tends to land differently than people expect.
You come in, and Mike plays a full slideshow of your retouched images set to music. For the first few minutes, you just watch. No decisions yet.
Ms M described her first reaction this way: "My heart stopped when I saw how beautiful the photos came out."
After the slideshow, Mike and Angi walk you through a process they've used for years to help you narrow down your selections. First you identify the images you really love. Then you talk through packages. Then, once your album images are finalized, you make choices for your other products. It's a guided process at every step. You're never left staring at 60 images trying to figure out where to go next.
For Over 40 and Fabulous participants, this is also when you choose your project image: the one that will appear in the Fox and Vixen participant magazine and gallery exhibition.
The appointment typically runs under 90 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the whole thing take? Plan for about three and a half to four hours on session day: approximately one hour for makeup and two to two and a half hours for the shoot, plus a few minutes at the end to set your ordering appointment. The ordering appointment itself is a separate visit, typically 1–2 weeks later, and runs under 90 minutes.
Will I feel awkward the whole time? Probably for the first few minutes. Almost nobody walks in completely comfortable. But the awkwardness tends to go away on its own once the session gets moving. Mike and Angi direct every pose, which means you're never left wondering what to do with your body. As Ms K put it: "I was awkward at first, but just relaxed and had fun."
What if I want to stop? You can stop at any point, for any reason, no questions asked. You're in control of this session from start to finish. If you need a break, say so. If something doesn't feel right, say so.
What if I don't like how the images on the back of the camera look? Let them know. That's why they show you the camera throughout the session. If a look isn't working, they can adjust the posing, the set, or the lighting. Sometimes a minor shift changes everything. Occasionally an outfit just doesn't cooperate and you move on to the next one. There's no attachment to any particular look making it into your final images.
Can I see photos during the shoot? Yes. At points during the shoot, Mike hands the camera to Angi to show you what's been captured. These are unretouched and not final, but they show you what's working and give you a real-time sense of how things are going. Most clients find this genuinely helpful.
What if I get emotional? It does happen occasionally, and it's completely fine when it does. Some clients get a little emotional at the ordering appointment when they see their images for the first time. If you do, you're in good company and there's no pressure to hold it together. Ms H put it well: "Be patient with yourself and the emotions you will experience."
What if I have concerns about being photographed by a man? Women come to this question from different places. Some are concerned about safety and privacy. Others carry a quieter worry: whose perspective is behind the camera, and whether the images will reflect how they see themselves rather than how a man sees them. Both are fair things to think about.
On safety and privacy: Mike and Angi work together throughout every session. Angi is present for outfit planning, the shoot itself, and the ordering appointment. She's actively involved in directing and adjusting. The session isn't Mike working alone.
On whose perspective is behind the camera: you are the customer. The images are made for you, and the only outcome that works for anyone is that you love them. Mike and Angi's entire focus is on making sure that happens. That's not a reassurance. It's just how the business works.
Clients who had questions going in tend to mention afterward that the session felt different than they expected. Ms L said she "was surprised that it didn't feel awkward at all working with a couple." Ms S: "Angi and Mike make you feel so comfortable and at ease. I was not nervous, not one time."
If this is on your mind, the consultation call is a good place to raise it.
Ready to See How It Works?
The consultation call is free, low-pressure, and where Mike and Angi walk through the full process and answer anything specific to your situation.
If you're 40 or older, the Over 40 & Fabulous project page is worth reading first. The session fee and public participation requirement are different from a standard session, and it's worth understanding both options before you reach out.
Written by Mike Fox | Fox & Vixen Boudoir Photography | Pearland, TX Mike Fox has been photographing boudoir portraits since 2012, working alongside his wife Angi to create a studio environment that's guided, personal, and specifically built around the experience of women over 40. Mike and Angi have been selected to speak at Shutterfest, one of the photography industry's leading conferences, two years running, teaching classes on their Over 40 & Fabulous project and lighting. Fox & Vixen serves clients across the greater Houston area.