When it comes to crossing off items on your to-do list in preparation for your upcoming boudoir photoshoot, getting a sun-kissed tan to make yourself look even more incredible may have crossed your mind! I mean, why not? Tans make people look great in real life so that should translate into photography right? Well, not really. You see, tanning can affect your boudoir photos negatively.
When it comes to getting a tan before your photoshoot, especially a boudoir photoshoot, the best thing that you can do is skip the tan and come into your photoshoot as naturally as possible. Here’s why!
Beware of Tan Lines!
The first, and most obvious, thing to be wary of when it comes to getting a tan before your boudoir photoshoot is that tan lines will be incredibly visible in your photos. Bathing suit and bikini lines will stick out like a sore thumb and even if you do tan in the nude, you still run the risk of having an uneven tan on your body.
Clings to Dry Skin
Are you more of a fan of spray tans than you are of tanning in the sun or on a tanning bed? Well, then you know that tanning oils and lotion can dry unevenly on your body where your skin is drier than not. Because tanning lotions cling to your skin on different parts of your body like on your knees, elbows, and face. Not to mention, the tanning solution will rub off on your hands a lot sooner than it will other parts of your body. Because of this, it can be pretty obvious that you have a spray tan in images.
It’s best to just avoid spray tans all together before your boudoir session.
Not to Mention Cancer
This is more of a cautionary point more so than a point about how tanning can affect your boudoir photos but it is important to remember that whenever your tan, either in the sun or artificially, there is a risk of skin cancer. In the United States alone there are more than 400,000 cases of skin cancer that are linked to indoor tanning. That’s not to mention the skin cancer cases from overexposure to the sun’s UV rays.
But If You Must…
Regardless of whether you are naturally fair-skinned or not, there is something to be said about loving your natural skin tone. Sometimes a light, natural tan can be the perfect thing to accentuate your body’s natural color.
If you absolutely MUST get a tan before your photoshoot, it’s not the end of the world. There are still very cool images that we can capture when you’re nice and tan. When you go into the tanning salon, be sure to ask for a natural tan!
Now that you know how tanning can affect your boudoir photos, you’re all set to book your boudoir photography session! Contact us today!