How to Style your Bathtub Session
A gorgeous bathtub. Golden carved legs. A sleek curve. Cool porcelain against your skin…
A Bathtub can add that extra bit of luxury that really pushes your photography session over the top. But, how to use that bathtub? There are quite a few different ways to be creative with them. Read through down below to see the top ways I utilize the two bathtubs in my Studio!
‘Dry-Dock’ It
‘Dry-docking’ is what I call when you don’t have any liquid in the tub at all, and instead, fill it with luxurious and soft blankets, furs, and pillows. This is the easiest way to utilize a bathtub during a boudoir session. Very little cleanup and you can see the whole body, so it’s best for showing off different poses and curves.
Also, don’t be afraid to just pose Around your tub. A bathtub in just the room design itself adds a lot of luxury to the experience, so pose and design your way around that bad boy!
2. Fake it till you Make it
If you’re not able to put any liquid in your tub, either it’s not water sound or you don’t have access to a liquid to fill it with, you can also totally fake ‘bubbles’ by adding in a bag of Polyfill ($10-20 at walmart). Smooth down the ‘bubbles’ in editing to make them look more like actual soap bubbles, and if you happen to have a fog machine, add that in too for some ‘steam’
3. Gettin’ Wet
From Bubble Baths to Milk baths and everything in between. You can really be creative when it comes to what goes in your Bathtub for a photography session.
Bubblebath is a super fun to play with and an easy avenue for a fun and creative shoot.
Another popular option (especially for expectant mothers) is to have a ‘Milk Bath’. This comes from the old tradition of bathing in cream to make the skin more smooth and supple or the ‘milky’ results from using creamy bath oils.
The big thing to remember with Milk baths is to NOT USE REAL MILK! You do not want a ton of sugary dairy water anywhere near the delicate PH of a person’s ‘Netherlands’ !
The best and most inexpensive option, that I personally use, is a combination of non-dairy, sugar free powder creamer along with a nice smelling bath oil to cover any ‘milky’ smell (make sure to clear any particular scents with your client). Depending on the amount of creamer you use, you can get a more ‘bath oil’ look (1/4-1/2 of a can), to a full on ‘Milk’ look by using a full can to two cans, depending on the amount of water you use. Cans themselves are $2-$5 and under. So, it’s a very nice alternative for the ‘milk’ look that won’t have you hauling gallons and/or giving your Clients a UTI.
I’ve also heard that using cornstarch works well, but I haven’t personally tried this out
Don’t be afraid to go wild and crazy, though! I personally LOVE experimenting with colors and florals. Sometimes just coloring clear water to pair with fruits, particular plants and greenery,
I’ve even seen one session where the bathtub was full of ‘milk’ and fruitloops!
The sky’s the limit with how many ways you can style and play with a bathtub session. I’m still Dying to book one where a client wants to do a ‘sprite’ theme with aqua colored water and slices of citris fruits lol (Contact me for a discount off your session if you want to try this)
Commonly Asked Questions
Tips for your own Bathtub Boudoir Session
Your tub doesn’t need to be hooked up to actual water!
That’s right, you don’t need to have your tub hooked up. Both of my tubs are far away from any plumbing. I generally run a hose either from the studio bathroom or the outside hose, depending on the time of year and which tub we’re using. The rest of the time I just dry-dock my tubs!How do I get out the water then, if I can’t drain it?
Pick yourself up a Sump Pump, my friend! I got mine from Lowes for just $30 and it hasn’t failed me in 5 years. That thing is amazing and the used water just goes right out to the yard, after you’re done! (or down the drain or out the window down an alley, depending on your studio situation)How does water not leak through the drain?
I caulked up the drains in both my tubs, that way they’re fully sealed and won’t leak!How did you gold gild your tub?
Good Ol’ Rustoleum Spray paint! The cheapest and brassiest one is what works the best, in my opinion. Just seal it with a nice layer of Polyurethane or acrylic so the paint doesn’t come off too easily.Tips for Flowers?
Real flowers float, fake flowers sink. Unless, it’s got styrofoam in the center, like a sunflower. But, honestly, you’re not going to want to re-use the fake flowers (esecially if you do a Milk bath). So, just go with Real. Trader Joes and local small business florists are who I tend to go with! (Or I just use what’s in my own garden or greenhouse!)
If you have any more questions or would like to book your own Bathtub Boudoir Session