Scarlet Carson’s Alternative Boudoir Photoshoot | Boudoir Photographer Scotland

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing Scarlet Carson last week, and this was one of those boudoir photoshoots where you know from the moment your client walks through the door that you’re going to create something a little bit different.

Scarlet describes herself as a sinister and sultry burlesque performer and model with a passion for the obscure and macabre — and honestly, I think that description tells you everything you need to know about the vibe of this shoot!

Based in Perth, I welcome clients from all over Scotland for boudoir photography, and Scarlet travelled from Dunfermline to have her photoshoot with me. She also opted to have her hair and makeup professionally done before we got started, which was the perfect way to get into the mood for the session.

And what a fun session it was.

A boudoir photoshoot completely directed by Scarlet

One of my favourite things about photographing someone who already knows their own style is seeing their ideas come to life.

Scarlet came into the studio knowing exactly what she wanted.

She knew the outfits.

She knew which sections she wanted to shoot.

She knew the mood and the vibe she was looking for.

Rather than simply arriving and asking me what I thought she should do, Scarlet very much directed the session alongside me, bringing her own personality, creativity and ideas into every part of the shoot.

And I absolutely loved it.

Boudoir photography doesn’t have to fit into one particular aesthetic. It doesn’t have to be soft, romantic or traditionally feminine.

It can be dark.

It can be dramatic.

It can be alternative.

It can be playful, powerful, theatrical, mysterious or completely and utterly you.

For Scarlet, that meant bringing elements of her own burlesque and alternative style into the shoot and creating something that felt authentically hers.

Over 500 unedited boudoir photographs

One of the things I love about my boudoir photography experience is that my clients get to see the full collection of images from their session before choosing their favourites for editing.

Scarlet received a RAW, unedited gallery of more than 500 photographs from her photoshoot.

And I’m absolutely delighted that she has very kindly given me permission to share a selection of those images.

This is something I never take for granted.

Boudoir photography is incredibly personal, and every client gets to decide whether their photographs can be shared publicly. Privacy is always important to me, and nobody is ever under any obligation to allow me to use their images.

So when someone like Scarlet says yes, I’m bloody delighted!

It also means I can show future clients the incredible variety that can be created during a boudoir photoshoot in Scotland.

Alternative boudoir photography in Scotland

If you’ve ever looked at boudoir photography and thought that it wasn’t really “you”, I hope Scarlet’s session demonstrates just how individual a boudoir photoshoot can be.

There isn’t a single way to do boudoir.

You don’t have to arrive looking like a professional model.

You don’t have to know how to pose.

And you definitely don’t have to fit into somebody else’s idea of what a boudoir photograph should look like.

You can bring your own outfits, your own ideas and your own personality.

You can show me photographs you’ve saved for inspiration.

You can tell me what you love.

You can tell me what you absolutely don’t want.

And together, we can create a session around you.

Scarlet was particularly confident in directing the creative side of her shoot, but if you’re reading this thinking, “I’d have absolutely no idea what to do in front of a camera,” don’t panic.

That’s something I help with every single day.

I’ve now photographed more than 4,500 women, and one of the most common things I hear before a boudoir session is:

“I don’t know how to pose.”

You don’t need to.

That’s my job.

I’ll guide you through the poses, help you with positioning and make sure you’re comfortable throughout the session. (Robyn Allan Photography⁠)

From Dunfermline to Perth for a boudoir photoshoot

Scarlet travelled from Dunfermline to Perth for her session, and I regularly welcome clients who travel to my studio from across Scotland.

Being based in Perth makes the studio a great option for clients travelling from Perthshire, Fife, Dundee, Dunfermline and beyond.

And if you’re travelling for your boudoir photoshoot, you can make the experience feel like a proper day for yourself — get your hair and makeup done, bring outfits that make you feel amazing and spend a few hours completely focused on yourself.

That’s something I really love about boudoir photography.

It isn’t simply about the photographs.

It’s about the experience of stepping away from normal life for a few hours and doing something that’s completely about you.

Thank you, Scarlet!

Scarlet, thank you for travelling from Dunfermline, trusting me with your vision and allowing me to share some of your photographs.

It was such a fun session, and I absolutely loved the darker, alternative and slightly sinister direction you brought to the shoot.

You knew exactly what you wanted, and that made creating these images together so much fun.

And thank you for letting me share them — because I think people are going to bloody love them!

If you’d like to see more of Scarlet’s work, you can find her on social media at @_scarlet_carson.

Looking for a boudoir photographer in Scotland?

If Scarlet’s alternative boudoir photoshoot has inspired you to create something of your own, I’d love to hear from you.

I’m Robyn Allan, a boudoir photographer based in Perth, Scotland, specialising in personal, confidence-building and completely individual boudoir photography.

Whether your style is soft and romantic, dark and alternative, glamorous, playful, dramatic or somewhere completely different, your photoshoot should be about you.

You bring the outfits and the ideas.

I’ll bring the camera, the posing direction and the experience.

And together, we’ll create photographs you’ll absolutely love.

Looking for boudoir photography in Scotland? Get in touch with Robyn Allan Photography to find out more about your photoshoot.