How to Securely Store Your Boudoir Photos
Have you ever considered a boudoir session but felt hesitant because of privacy concerns or uncertainty about how your photos would be handled? Boudoir photography can be an incredibly empowering experience, but ensuring your images are stored and shared securely is key to fully embracing the process.
How to Keep Boudoir Photos Private
Working with a boudoir photographer can be one of the most freeing and confidence-boosting moments you’ll ever experience. Especially in a world filled with body shaming, judgment, and self-doubt for women, choosing self-love and empowerment is a huge accomplishment and worthy of celebration.
As a boudoir photographer myself, I always love it when my clients have a newfound appreciation for their unique body, strength, and beauty, and are comfortable sharing these images we created together online. But I also completely understand and respect those who want to keep images private.
It can be challenging to protect your privacy and securely store boudoir images without risk of unwanted exposure online. You deserve the opportunity to share the images you want others to see, and the right to protect the ones you don’t.
So I’ve put together a few helpful tips below to help you securely store your boudoir photos for years to come.
First: Ask Your Boudoir Photographer About Their Process
Whether you work with me or someone else, you should feel confident that your images will remain as private as you’d like them to be and only shared online with your permission. This should all be laid out in a signed contract before your session begins, to legally protect you from the start.
It’s also helpful to ask your boudoir photographer some additional clarifying questions about their process, such as:
- How are images securely stored during the editing process? Ex: edited using hard drives vs. stored on the cloud
- How will the images be delivered to you (hard copy vs an online gallery)?
- What happens to the files after delivery — are they deleted or archived?
- Will any AI programs be used to edit the images?
You should also keep in mind, though, that any files uploaded online (including password-protected photo galleries) have a risk of being hacked without warning.
Use a Password-Protected Photo Gallery
If your photographer delivers galleries to clients online, you can ask for the gallery to be password-protected that only you have access to. Be sure to practice strong password guidelines:
- Avoid the use of simple password numbers (12345)
- Don’t use common identifying information (your birthdate, pet names, etc)
- Make them long (ideally at least 10-15 characters or longer)
- Include special characters if possible
Be sure to regularly update your passwords and avoid reusing passwords for multiple platforms.
And if the gallery system offers it, always activate two-factor authentication so you can block any unwanted attempts to access your gallery should your password be exposed or data stolen online.
Choose Which Boudoir Photos You Want to Share (If Any)
Photographers always love to share your favorite images, especially since it helps diversify their portfolio (because all bodies are beautiful!) and supports their growing business.
So if there are any boudoir photos you are comfortable sharing online – such as ones exposing less skin or images without any identifying features – be sure to let your photographer know which one(s) you’d give permission to share.
Otherwise, you can choose to keep the boudoir gallery entirely private and/or only share with a handful of people, such as your spouse, partner, or close friends.
Avoid Storing Boudoir Images on Your Computer, Phone, or Tablet
Hacks and malware can happen on any of your devices at any time if you aren’t careful. Limit your risk of boudoir photos being stolen or used for ransomware scams by storing them on an encrypted hard drive or flash drive (or a few if you’d like multiple backup copies), which you can then store in a safe place.
Use a Trusted Photo Lab for Boudoir Prints
Seeing yourself in print can be one of the most rewarding and empowering experiences in addition to the boudoir session itself. But not all photo labs are made equal for sensitive photos: it’s important to work with one that specializes in private or secure services for boudoir photography.
Ask your boudoir photographer what kinds of products they offer, such as albums, prints, and wall art, and what kind of photo lab they work with. For my own boudoir photo clients, my albums and prints are all hand-made by women only at a company specializing in boudoir images, so you know your photos will never be tampered with.
Keep Boudoir Files and Prints in a Safety Box
Be sure to store hard drives / flash drives of your images and sensitive photographs in a safety box, such as a personal safe you keep hidden in your home or in a safety deposit box at your local bank. This limits who has access to your digital files and prints.
If you opt for a safety box with a code, be sure it isn’t a set of easy-to-guess numbers (such as your birthdate or anniversary).
Contact a Boudoir Photographer in Denver
Your boudoir photos are a reflection of your beauty and strength, and safeguarding them ensures that they remain as private and special as you’d like. Whether you choose to share them with the world or keep them for yourself, taking the right steps will give you peace of mind.
Ready to celebrate your beauty with a boudoir session? I’m Katie, a boudoir photographer based near Denver and Boulder, Colorado. I’m here to help you every step of the way—from creating a secure environment to ensuring your images are protected. Let’s chat about how we can create a session that leaves you feeling empowered and confident.