Time and again, people ask me: “Do you make a short video as well? A Reel, for Instagram?” Or: “Do you film a ‘making-of’ on the side?”
My answer is always the same: no. I don’t do videos. No Reels, no clips, no behind-the-scenes footage, no camera running in the background.
That’s not a technical issue. My camera is capable of filming. It’s a conscious decision – and I’d like to explain to you why I made it.
A photo is a moment. A video is everything in between.
A photograph captures a single moment: the moment when light, posture and expression all come together. We search for this moment together. I show you the pose, we make adjustments, I press the shutter – and it is precisely this one moment that is preserved.
A video, on the other hand, captures everything. The way you adjust the strap. The laughter because you’ve got yourself tangled up. The moment when you’re briefly unsure. The walk from the armchair to the bed. All of that is part and parcel of a photoshoot, and it’s perfectly fine – but it shouldn’t be captured on camera.
Boudoir photography is about showing yourself as you feel in your most powerful moments. It’s not about documenting every single second.
You should be allowed to forget that someone is watching
Most of the women who come to me are standing in front of a camera like this for the first time. At the start, there’s always a bit of nervousness – and that’s perfectly normal. After a while, something lovely happens: you relax, you laugh, you forget about the camera for a moment.
That only works if you know you’re not being filmed all the time. When a video camera’s rolling, you’re never quite yourself. You’re conscious of every movement, every facial expression, every step. With me, you know this: I’ll take a photo once we’ve worked out a pose together. In between, you’re free to just be yourself – without it being saved anywhere.
Your safety comes first
A boudoir photoshoot is a very personal experience. That’s why it’s important to me that you’re in control at all times of what images of yourself are taken.
With photos, it’s straightforward: we look at the pictures, you decide which ones to keep, and you know exactly which pictures of yourself are out there. With videos, it would be different. A clip can be quickly cut out, taken out of context and shared. Moving images are also easier to manipulate these days, and nobody wants to find intimate footage of themselves popping up somewhere on the internet.
The less material you produce, the less is likely to fall into the wrong hands. For me, that’s part of my promise to you – just like everything else in my code of conduct.
No secret clips, no ‘just a quick one for Instagram’
On social media, you often see short behind-the-scenes videos of boudoir photo shoots. They look lovely and generate reach. Even so, I don’t do that – not even on my mobile, and not even ‘just for a moment’.
Because even if you agree at that moment: things often feel easier in the studio than they do later on, when the video is online and colleagues, neighbours or family might see it. I never want to put you in a position where you have to say ‘no’ when you’re actually just wanting to enjoy yourself.
That’s why I only post photos on my channels – and only those for which you have given me your explicit permission.
You have my undivided attention
There’s another very practical reason: I work on my own – just a camera and my full attention on you. I pay close attention to how the light falls on your skin, whether you’re comfortable, whether you’re feeling cold, and whether you need a break.
If I were to film as well, I’d have to sort out a second camera, different shots and a different perspective. That would be at your expense. I’d rather do one thing really well than two things half-heartedly.
Photos that last
In the end, you’ll have photos you can hold in your hands. An album you can open whenever you want to remind yourself just how strong you are. A print on the wall or in your wardrobe, just for you.
A good photograph invites you to look at it and linger over it. It leaves room for whatever you see in it. For me, that is precisely the power of photography – and that is why I stick with it.
And what if you do fancy a video?
That’s perfectly legitimate – in which case I’m simply not the right person for the job. There are colleagues who offer boudoir videos and do so with great sensitivity.
But if you’re longing for a photoshoot where you can just be yourself, without every second being captured – then you’ve come to the right place. Let’s have a relaxed chat about it during a no-obligation preliminary meeting.
I’m looking forward to seeing you.
Leif Sundelius
