Barbarella in the boudoir!

I just love it when a plan comes together! I have been thinking for ages about doing a Barberella inspired shoot - all blonde hair but hardcore with it.
When Kim rocked up with her bouncy girls and leopard print I couldn't believe it! My prayers had been answered.
Added to that the most stunning location - the penthouse suite at the Great Victoria Hotel in Bradford and I was in my element!

Dolly's Boudoir Magazine - Issue Two!

So here it is, issue two of Dolly's Magazine. Click on it for the full screen version to enjoy examples of Dolly's boudoir work, album design and rock star treatment finishing techniques!
Hope you like it!

Scarlett's Bar - A Different Style of Boudoir!

The thing I love about boudoir photography is its verstility - there are so many different routes you could take, and a lot of it depends on your location and client.
Nancy's fabulous outfit centred around a few key pieces, not least of which some vintage gloves that were her grandmas. For this portion of the shoot, we kept it a little retro.

And for luck, a smoky black and white that adds to that jazzy blues flavour...

Boudoir at Brooklands - Continued!

Brooklands Hotel in Barnsley has this fabulous venue called Scarlett's Bar. It's a corss between a retro jazz longue and a 50s diner! It has these fabulous red leather booths, with classy murals and trendy trimmings.
It's used as a bit of a party venue - and up until now has never been used for a boudoir shoot before!
Here we are actually ON Scarlett's Bar with Nancy working it...I love this as a fresh take on boudoir photography. It shows the sheer variety of shots you can get!

New: Dolly Magazine, issue one!

There are loads of excellent photographers out there, really talented creative types who I learn from and who inspire me. For Dolly Photography, I always strive to be different...to offer things other people don't; to be original and eyecatching and different.
So, I had this idea..what about if I make my clients famous? If I can create my own Dolly Magazine that features my best shots. A magazine they can share with their friends and family.
So here it is, issue one of the magazine, featuring Nancy. The online magazine will be offered FREE OF CHARGE to all boudoir clients who buy printed albums. I will design and create it for you and host it on my site (can be password protected so only your friends can view it) and - if you are feeling brave, I can even help you put it on your facebook site!
I hope you like it! Tip: if you want to view the full screen version then click on it!

What happens in Dolly's boudoir? The results...

So a few loyal blogstalkers may remember my post about what happens on a boudoir shoot. I posted some pictures of me testing the light, those who don't recall it click here: what happens?
Here are the results with Nancy - these are the 'real' photos taken on the day, with Dolly's extra special processing to make them pop! Hope you like them.
I have so many favourites in this series - the shadows cast by Nancy's legs on the shot above I adore; and speaking of legs...

She did a much better job of working the four poster than I did...

And finally, Nancy's favourite from the shoot:

Magazine inspiration!

Every now and again, I see things that inspire me. I keep a little inspiration book, and in there there is a whole manner of pencil sketches, magazine clippings and generally random musings that inspire me.
I have always loved the dark and dramatic nature of 50s photography, the smokiness of them appeals to me.
I once remember seeing an old Vanity Fair cover, from decades gone by, that was lit so prettily!
I tried to recreate this look on my shoot at the bridal suite in Brooklands Hotel, Barnsley - here are the results.

Good Golly, Miss Dolly - Nancy in the boudoir!

At Dolly, we always try to be different. There are lots of extremely talented photographers out there - and so we have to have that competitive edge.
Every image on a Good Golly, Miss Dolly shoot is given the Dolly Rock Star Treatment - a special formula I create to add a little pop and sparkle.
My clients don't need it - but they like the look it gives their photographs, a bit of an editorial, magazine style edge.
Here's Nancy - she is sickeningly gorgeous and an absolute pleasure to shoot. We had a blast on our bridal suite boudoir and I have so many favourite pictures, I can't even blog them all at once so watch this space.


Nancy's boudoir make-up was skillfully done by Dolly's number one make-up artist, Keeley. We had two make-up changes but I just love this pretty look that matches Nancy's lingerie.

Dolly's boudoir is super-flexible - we do home-shoots, studio shoots and we have some big news coming about a top-secret deal with a fabulous hotel!
So if you are thinking of a boudoir party, mail me because girls, it's gonna get hot!! :-)

Good Golly Miss Dolly - promotional flyers!

So I have so much going on with my boudoir stuff right now, I just wanted to show one of my promotional flyers.
If you are in Sheffield, Barnsley, Leeds, Wakefield, Huddersfield or in fact most of Yorkshire you will have hopefully seen this advertising my boudoir photography.
Special thanks to my graphics wizard Kyle Wilkinson, who designed all my logo, branding and promotional materials. He is a genius. If you saw my attempts...well, it was embarrassing!
I actually have a funkier version hitting the streets soon, keep checking back. If you would like to go for a Good Golly, Miss Dolly boudoir shoot then be sure to contact me through my website or email me at info@dollyphotography.co.uk.

Our first wedding fair - at Brooklands Hotel!

Firstly many thanks to everyone who came on our boudoir stand at Brooklands Wedding Fair in Barnsley on Sunday.
Everyone - visitors and exhibitors - made us feel right at home for our debut. Our boudoir stand certainly was eye-catching. Hopefully if you were there you saw us and may be tempted to give our Good Golly, Miss Dolly boudoir packages a go!
Don't forget, we do hen parties too in some lush venues and our prices start from just £100.
Anyway, all that aside, I thought I would blog some pictures of our stand, so that I have a permenent record of Dolly's maiden voyage into the world of wedding fairs.

We stuck with our black and pink company colours, using basques and feather boas to add to the boudoir flavour...

And as a special welcome to all the new people we met, we had some custom made corset cookies to hand out!

If I met you on Sunday then thanks so much for your support - and I hope to be shooting you soon!
Keep checking back soon for some exciting promotional offers you won't want to miss out on!

Fran in the boudoir!

Fran is one of those sickening lucky people who just have the 'bones' for photography.
Her face is incredibly photogenic (though like every woman in the world she would likely disagree!)
Thanks Fran, for taking the time to pose for me and allowing me to show a glimpse of your hotness :-).
Don't forget, if you want to step into Dolly's Boudoir and be a Good Golly, Miss Dolly model yourself, then come to see us at the Brooklands Hotel Wedding Fair in Barnsley, I think it starts at 10am!

Louise in monochrome - my thoughts!

Okay, so...here's the thing. I am going to have to bend on the black and whites (for my boudoir work ONLY :-)!!)
As my blogreaders will know, I have a 'thing' with black and white. It is not my friend. It sneaks up on me when I am not looking and steals my favourite chocolate. It waits until I am out and deletes Project Runway from my Sky+. It makes inappropriate passes at my husband. We. Are. Not. On. Friendly. Terms.
I love my colour, cheerful, bright, happy colour. BUT I admit when I am wrong. To previously exclude black and white from my boudoir was a bit, well, ridiculous.
So, here's the thing. Me and Mono are going to relationship counselling. We are talking through our problems. We are putting ourselves on more amicable grounds...
Black and white does have a place in Dolly's Boudoir...and here is Louise in all her retro Hollywood glory to prove it.

Good Golly, Miss Dolly - it's Louise!

In preparation for my show at Brooklands Hotel in Barnsley I have been pushing forth on my boudoir work. Thankfully, it's a great time of year for this type of photography. With Valentine's Day creeping ever closer, it makes a surprising pressie for your other half!
Louise was another boudoir client kind enough to let me show some pictures from her shoot (this isn't essential, if you want to keep them to yourself, that's fine: I always ask consent before I blog!)
The light loves Louise, just check out her bone structure here. Wowzer!

Good Golly, Miss Dolly - it's Mary!

People take to boudoir photography in different ways - some are outright throwing themselves into it, others are a little more wary.
Mary brought a quietness to her shoot, a little shyness maybe but I think she looked amazing.
She had on the most beautiful dusty pink satin wrap and when I came to process it with my usual pop-your-eyeballs-out-of-your-head bright colour popping style, it just did not work.
So I tried something new, a little old-fashioned cross-processing technique that I think suits these photos, and Mary, down to the ground.
Many thanks to Mary for giving her permission to use this piccies on the world wide web - it's a brave thing to do so thankyou. Hopefully it will give more quieter ladies the confidence to say, 'let's have a go', themselves!


I so rarely do black and whites, but on the odd occasion a photo calls for it. This was one of them. I felt it had an arty 50s vibe that suited the old bw treatment.

What happens in Dolly's boudoir?

I have had a lot of ladies ask me what actually happens during a boudoir shoot.
Quite often, they fail to realise that - if they had any concerns about feeling daft or silly - they really should leave them at the door.
Before any shoot, I always have a little play with the space, figure out the best possible shapes and shots I can get...and I always practice on myself!
So, while you are comfortably having your makeup done, I am flinging myself around like a madwoman working out the angles.
And trust me, I look a fool. So there's no reason for people to feel awkward about it, cos I am there all the way : been there done it!
To illustrate here's what I mean. This is me at work. Check out how glam I am! I am a right state - we were snowed in, I had left my hair straighteners and make up at my mum-in-laws and my fashion statement is more lumberjack that Loubotin.
My husband, God love him, calls me Scarecrow...yes, I can see you nodding in agreement. So here I am, in all my curvy, spotty, none made-up stupidity to say to you ladies, come into my boudoir! Let's have fun! :-)




P.S. Remember, these are the prep shots! Watch this space for the 'real' pictures taken of the fabulous Nancy at this boudoir shoot, in conjuction with my guru Dave Sander, at 1Click Photography.

Jill rocks it out!

Jill has just been promoted at work and to celebrate decided to treat herself to some Good Golly, Miss Dolly boudoir shots!

We had a fine old time, Jill brought a suitcase full of props (I was worried she might be moving in to one of our spare bedrooms!) and we spent hours changing costumes, laughing, and generally aiming for the Moulin Rouge look!

It was great fun and afterwards we had a good cup of tea and a chatter which was lovely - though Jill did email me the next day to say she could barely move as I had made her work for it!

I hope it was worth it Jill, here are some of my favourites from the shoot. And congratulations on the new job!

Good Golly, Miss Dolly!

Boudoir photography started off in America, I think. Brides wanted cheeky gifts to give their hubbies 'special' presents for their wedding nights. But slowly, and with the help of Gok Wan on How To Look Good Naked, the art of boudoir photography crossed the pond.

It's one of my fave things to do - because it is such a laugh and so great to see people's reaction when they see their photos (which have had the glam treatment with my post-processing secret recipe, yum yum!)