How do you get ready for a nude or erotic photo shoot? Pretty much the same as for any photo shoot, and a bit of preparation will make the experience all the more pleasant for you.

First, the obvious:

Be freshly bathed or showered (either or; I'm not picky about which), hair washed. You will feel better, your skin and hair will look much better and you will feel much more confident which will translate into better photos.

Dress comfortably.

Avoid tight or restrictive clothes for your trip to the studio. These will cause marks on your skin, which will take some time to fade. Consider instead a track suit or sweat suit and we can keep the corsets and such for the end of the shoot.

Don't be in a rush.

Give yourself plenty of time before so you can arrive relaxed rather than rushed. Don't schedule anything right after the shoot either 'cause you'll probably be late for it anyways. What's more, you'll be worrying about time rather than enjoying the experience.

If you're planning to get hair and make-up done before you come to the studio, allow lots of time in between in case things take longer than expected. On the other hand, if you plan to do hair and make-up at the studio please advise the photographer (that would be me) when booking the shoot so that he can schedule his time accordingly.

Eat something!

Don't show up for a photo shoot on an empty stomach. Hungry models quickly become cranky models and this will negatively impact your experience as well as the resulting images. Don't over-eat either; you'll feel bloated and uncomfortable even if it doesn't actually show. (Honest, it doesn't.) Eat normally and you'll feel fine and look great.

Bring stuff.

Bring as many outfits and accessories as you can or care to - anything that you think looks great on you. We won't use it all but it's always nice to have choices. Even if you're planning to pose fully nude, you may want more casual photos as well. Better to have and not want than to want and not have.

Bring your favourite music. It's always fun to have good music playing in the background during a photo shoot to set the mood.

Bring a snack. If you think you might get a case of the nibbles, having a snack handy is an excellent idea for reasons outlined above (re: Eat something!).

Come with a friend.

If you want to do a professional sexy photo shoot but the idea of posing partly, mostly or all undressed for a complete stranger makes you uncomfortable, then by all means, bring a trusted friend, assistant or co-conspirator if it will make you feel more at ease.

A last bit of advice:

If for any reason you are feeling under the weather on the day of, please don't hesitate to call ahead in order to postpone your photo shoot. Trying to look sexy and sultry when you're suffering from, say for instance, a biserable head cold ad a ruddy dose is just no fun.

The Bottom Line:

The more relaxed and comfortable you feel, the better the experience and the resulting pictures.

Enjoy!