With the recent incident of a boudoir shoot being removed from Facebook for being inappropriate, I have been inspired to raise a bit of a debate about the topic. I want to find out from anyone who reads this where they believe the line should be drawn.
Photography is considered an art form and concedes to the same ideas of art in terms of every artist having their own style and work. Boudoir can be seen as a form of art where the female (or male) body is used as an instrument to express and capture a variety of messages and emotions whether they are loving and sincere or racy and sexual.
On the other hand, boudoir photography may be seen as inappropriate and over-sexed. Dictionary.com defines porn as “television shows, articles, photographs, etc., thought to create or satisfy an excessive desire for something, especially something luxurious”. Although I have never viewed boudoir as porn, for the sake of this argument, it must be explored. Boudoir photography does show bodies that are exposed, even though not completely. This is where the line can become blurry. An exposed nipple may be seen by some as inappropriate and by others as part of the art of the body.
Boudoir photography is often done as a personal present to a husband, as a confidence boost for a women, or even for fun or to celebrate something such as weight loss. In this sense, these types of shoots are completely artistic in intention and playful, but may still offend those of us who are more conservative. Whether or not there should age restrictions on the access to boudoir shoots that photographers post is still debatable, and I want to hear as many of your views and opinions as I can get.
Perhaps the major difference between porn and boudoir is the shooting itself. A boudoir shoot is designed to make the model feel comfortable and have the final result as something that they love. With pornography, the shoot is designed according to the viewer, and not in order to make the model feel comfortable and beautiful. I suppose one could argue this too.
Perhaps there is no clear line between the two. Perhaps the issue is how the images are accessed and shared publically if they are intended for a more private purpose. This blog is really intended to create a conversation and I welcome all views and opinions on the matter! I love boudoir photography and I think it is classy and fabulous – but let’s hear what everyone thinks, drop your opinion in the comments below.
