Yay!! Summer has arrived!! The sun is gorgeously beaming down on us in a more consistent fashion and we are no longer bundled from head to toe. So why a PSA? Because tan lines...that's why.
I get that we want to be outside more and enjoy the great outdoors, but if you have a boudoir sesh scheduled for this summer/fall I highly recommend being mindful of what you are wearing when you are outside. It's not that I cannot take care of tan lines, it's that it adds a lot more time into the editing process and for clients that translates into a higher bill. Extreme tan lines/editing is charged at $100/hr if you do not want them in your images. Personally, I am a fan of tan lines.
Especially when bums are pale compared to the legs and tummy. An old advisor once told me the same thing, because it lets the viewer know that they are seeing parts of the body that normally are hidden from society, so it adds to the voyeurism. So, if you come in with crazy farm tans from mowing the lawn or some ridiculous tan pattern as a result of those mesh bathing suits that are all the rage I may forewarn you about the additional cost and give you the option of letting the tan lines stay in.
Also, protecting yourself from the sun is just a good idea in general as you don't want to damage your skin any more than you have to. My recommendation is to be liberal with your sunscreen, be wary of the types of outfits you are wearing leading up to your session, and plan your session wardrobe accordingly in case you do get some interesting lines that you want to conceal.
And since we are on the topic of tanning, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD NO SPRAY TANS, LOTIONS, OR OTHER MAGICAL THINGS! My prep guide specifies this, but the main reason for this is A)it will leave orange streaks the furniture/bedding, but more importantly B) it may look fine in person, but translates terribly on camera. The camera picks up every streaky bit and tends to pick up the residue in the joints (knuckles, elbows, arm pits, etc.) and can make you look dirty. These are NOT the things that you want when you come in for a sexified session. Also, your skin is yours and it should reflect YOU not some stupid ideal that society seems to this is "beautiful". Pale? Love it. Naturally tan? Fab. Dark? Perf.
Now, go forth and enjoy your summer, my hot babes!