People often ask me, “Why do you specialize in boudoir and nude photography? Can you actually earn a living from it? Is it advisable to venture into these genres as a photographer?” The response is rather intricate. Most photographers begin with street or nature photography, but it’s the human connection that ultimately changes our direction. I’ve come to realize that we don’t choose our photography niche; rather, it chooses us.
When the time feels right to start your own business, you soon discover that leveraging social media to expand your reach is the greatest challenge. Although our clients view our work as art, social media platforms often fail to distinguish between pornographic and boudoir photography. Like many in my field, we face the issue of being “shadow banned,” where our content receives diminishing exposure, and in severe cases, some accounts are temporarily banned or restricted as a punishment for supposed rule violations. Over recent years, it feels like we are being subtly pushed out of social media platforms.
Nude art is celebrated in the world’s most renowned museums, major galleries, movies, magazines, and books, tracing back to the Renaissance and even to 6th century BC, where daily life was depicted on ceramic vessels.
Curtailing the display of boudoir and nude photography could lead us back to a more conservative and darker era where nudity and pornography are viewed as synonymous.
So, would I recommend starting a boudoir photography business under the current circumstances? Unless there is a significant shift in censorship policies soon, my advice would be to approach with caution. Nowadays, people depend on social media to find photographers, and merely having your own website often isn’t enough to secure work. Without a steady influx of new clients, surviving in this industry is becoming increasingly difficult.
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