Film Noir Boudoir™

This Film Noir Boudoir™ session happened at the Inn on Ferry Street in Detroit, MI- while I was in the area for a wedding. Two friends decided to pair up for their session and split the cost of the room they wanted as well as save some money on their session fees by sharing a session time! With all three of us in the room at the same time, it was practically a slumber party! I think both of the girls were much more relaxed knowing that they had a good friend there cheering them on. ;-) We had a ton of fun, and even a little bit of pillow fighting!! We'll see if the guys are lucky enough to get one of those in their album!

Film Noir Boudoir

This Film Noir Boudoir was a birthday gift for her husband! This was so much fun to photograph because there was a bit of an editorial element to it- as if they were acting out different scenes of a story. Funny enough, she doesn't actually smoke but she wanted to do an image with her smoking in the foreground with messy hair and him laying in bed in the background- suggesting a very classic Hollywood scene. The hardest part was getting the perfect stream of smoke to come out of her lips without covering her face or getting too far away from her lips! I think everyone who's done a boudoir session with me can attest to the fact that it's more work than they thought it was going to be - but the results are always AWESOME.... of course, I may be just a BIT biased, HA!! ;)

Boudoir Sessions- Thanksgiving Weekend

I've had a lot of requests for boudoir sessions recently, with people asking me if I'll be in their metropolitan area any time soon. While I'll be spending Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday with family, I'll have time that Saturday and Sunday for a few boudoir sessions, the only problem is, I don't know what city I'll be in!

You see, every year we have this dilemma about where to go for Thanksgiving. Alex's family is in Missouri, and my family is in Michigan, and we live right smack dab in the middle - 7.5 hours either way. So- to help solve the dilemma of where we should go this Thanksgiving, I'm going to leave it up to YOU to tell me what city you'd like me to do a boudoir shoot in! Detroit & Chicago will take us to my family in Michigan, and St. Louis & Kansas City will take us to Alex's family in Missouri. So, what city would you or a friend want your boudoir session in? Or maybe you're one of our family or friends who just wants to swing the vote in your favor! Whatever the case may be please vote below, and feel free to pass this along to your friends!



If you're seriously interested in a boudoir session, visit my Film Noir Boudoir site to read more about it and then send me an email letting me know your location. It might be possible that I'll be doing a session later this year or early next year in your area, so even if I don't end up in your city this time around, it may be possible in the future.

Boudoir

Just one teaser, courtesy of the bride! There are so many things I love about this image that make it a piece of art I would be proud to hang in my bathroom. From the hexagon tiles, often found in custom homes of the early 1900s, to the exposed radiator echoing the vertical lines in her stockings, which leads your eye up to just a sample of a cute and seemingly nude bottom (though her and I both know that she was covered!) Most of all, I love that it has an overall feel of a classic pin-up photo from the 1950s. I just love black & white for boudoir photos, I feel like it adds a sense of mystery that seems to be lost on color photos. Don't get me wrong, there are times when color is the way to go, but my favorites almost always end up being B&W. ;-)

Pandora

Yesterday I had a great Film Noir Boudoir shoot with Pandora (she asked that her real name not be revealed). The image above was taken with her point & shoot camera. The real images were shot on B&W film and will be processed when I get back. I don't think I'll have permission to post the rest because she's in a pretty high profile profession, so enjoy this one!!

The California scenery really is just beautiful... and I feel totally envious of the photographers who get to shoot in this beautiful SoCal light all the time! When there are clouds and the sun breaks over the mountains, it's absolutely gorgeous!

Now it's off to Vegas for a whirlwind week of workshops, meetings, and awesome photographers. If you're going to be at WPPI this week - I can't wait to see you there!!! Please don't hesitate to say HI!

PS!! Don't forget to enter for a chance to win a free tote bag!

And The Winner Is......

Before I announce the winner, let me say that everyone who entered the Valentine's Day Giveaway will receive $100 off a Film Noir Boudoir™ session- good until next Valentine's Day!!! There were so many touching and romantic stories which made this incredibly difficult to choose, especially since romance can take on so many different forms!!! But there could only be one winnner, and here is her story......

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Hi Anne,

I had a hard time choosing a romantic story for the valentine's competition because there have been so many wonderful things that my fiancee, Andrew, has done for me. So many times he has made me dinner by candlelight and given me flowers. He has suprised me, driving six hours in the middle of a a blizzard just because he knew I was really missing him. He really is a wonderful person and I am so lucky to have him. But there is one story that really takes the cake.

Two years ago we went on spring break together to Mexico and had a wonderful time. We tried to make plans for last year but it never happened because I really couldn't afford to go anywhere. So he ended up going on spring break with his friends and I stayed home moping. I was so excited when that week was over.

Now, before I tell you the next part I have to explain a little more about Andrew. His family goes on alot of vacations and when they do, they all get something they like to call a "trip gift." Anytime they go somewhere they get some sort of little present so he has started buying presents for me when he goes away.

So I was expecting something silly like a t-shirt or a hat. But what I got was so much more. It was a picture frame, but to my suprise it was already filled with pictures. It had four slots for pictures and three of them were filled with pictures of us from the year before in Mexico. The fourth was filled with a letter. The letter said:

Erin
Please let me fill this slot in the frame with a picture from next year's spring break. I 'll go wherever you want and wished I would have never left you this spring break. I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.
Love,
Andrew

Then before I could speak he told me the reason he filled the frame with pictures from the year before was because he wanted to remember his spring breaks as being spent with me instead of without me and he was just going to pretend we had spent that last one together. Then before I could respond he suprised me with the biggest suprise of all......he had booked a trip for two to Paris the following spring to make sure that it didn't happen again!

Anne, I really want to win this for him because I cannot think of anything more romantic than Paris in the springtime and a person who truly loves you.

Thank you,
Erin
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Congratulations Erin (& Andrew)!!! We'll be in touch to schedule your free Film Noir Boudoir™ session at the romantic and historic Yellow Rose Inn in Indianapolis, IN!!

Valentine's Day Giveaway: Film Noir Boudoir™

This giveaway is sponsored by Anne Ruthmann Photography and The Yellow Rose Inn. Please click on the links to learn more about the sponsors.
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Updated: 2/10/07

I've received some responses saying, "I'd love to enter the contest, but I'm already married." This is not just for single people (it's also not just for women)!! Married couples are probably the most deserving of a boudoir photography session. I've also had several people ask me "can we still do boudoir photography with you if we don't win?" and the answer is ABSOLUTELY!!! So, here are a few more details about my special Film Noir Boudoir™ sessions:

MODESTY- Modesty can range anywhere from Victoria's Secret ad, to 1950's pin-up girl, to fine art nudity. The style is always romantic, elegant, artistic, and sensual... sometimes even playful, but it will never cross the line into trashy. My intent is to create art out of the human form.

PRIVACY- In order to protect your utmost privacy, I only use black & white film and do not post these images anywhere online unless you have given very specific permission for the use of any photo (ie: headshot only, or an unidentifiable abstract shot). I store the negatives in an undisclosed and locked location so that there is no chance of anyone accidentally finding them or making reproductions from the negatives. Negatives, prints, and albums can be fully destroyed if ever neccessary.

BODY TYPE- You don't have to be skinny and you don't have to look like a model. Take it from me, who is far from skinny or model-condition, to find a way to flatter your figure- whatever shape it may be. The beauty of photography is that we can focus on the most beautiful parts of who you are and disguise everything else that makes you self-conscious when you look in the mirror. You also need to remember that your fiancé or spouse already loves you just as you are and that any tangible gift you can give them to remind them of the beauty they see in you will be treasured.

COMFORT- I understand how insecure and vulnerable we can feel when being photographed by a stranger in such an intimate setting. Because of this, you can rest assured that I will be the only one behind the lens and that I will be coaching you to help you bring out your best. If you want to bring a friend, fiancé, or spouse along for comfort and support, I'm happy to have them there. The most beautiful images are captured when you are most comfortable, and if that means that we spend an extra hour before your session just getting to know each other and developing trust, we will do that.

CAPTURE- Black & White film is becoming a lost art and many photographers who only shoot digitally have never been able to achieve the same beautiful texture, tone, and subtlety that exists in an image captured on black & white film. Not only is B&W film incredibly forgiving, but it is also timeless and will remain beautiful for many years to come.

PRICE- The session is regularly $300 which includes approximately two hours of shooting on location and up to 4 rolls of film. There are a wide variety of prints, albums, and specialty products to choose from that allow you to be as economical or as extravagant with your images as you'd like. I work with each person individually to find something that fits both their budget and vision of how they'd like to use the images.

LOCATION- "On Location" can be anywhere from your fabulous home, to a beautiful hotel room, or even an exotic location. The location should be something that makes you feel comfortable and inspires you to feel sensual and beautiful. It's even better when it's a place that you and your partner enjoy together because the images will help draw on the memories you have or will create there. You would be responsible for obtaining any permissions or covering fees associated with using the location, but as long as there's a way for me to get there, the opportunities are endless.

TRAVEL- Travel is included up to 100 miles from Terre Haute, IN. However, I often travel across the country for various weddings and photography related events and am happy to save you a travel fee by arranging a session that coincides with a time that I will be in a city near you. In the event that you would like me to travel at a time that is more convenient for you, please email me for a quote on travel costs. Here are a few Illinois and Indiana cities located within 100 miles of Terre Haute: Champaign, IL; Decatur, IL; Effingham, IL; Bloomington, IN; Indianapolis, IN; Lafayette, IN; Carmel, IN; Evansville, IN.

If you know of someone who has been looking for a boudoir photographer but just hasn't been sure about the experience, feel free to share this link with them by clicking on the email icon below so they can see if Film Noir Boudoir™ is the right thing for them.