What Are B-pics?

B-pics is short for boudoir photography - lots of brides are having sexy, fun pictures taken to give to their fiance. Some deliver them the morning of the wedding as a way to remind him of the fun to come -- others surprise him with it the day they leave for their honeymoon. However you deliver the pictures, Paul and Brenda make it a little better -- instead of a handful of prints, you have a beautiful book! Our experience shooting hundreds and hundreds of model portfolio sessions over the last five years gives us the experience to create b-pics that no other photographer in the Capital Region can match!

To introduce you to our b-pics photography, we have put together a photo montage called "Of the Senses," and you can view it by clicking below (contains brief artistic nudity).

                          All photos by Paul Grupp or Brenda Tompkins, Copyright © Paul Grupp. All rights reserved.

Our champagne b-pics sessions start at just $200, which includes a 20-page softcover book and a CD with all the best images from your shoot!

There are as many different styles of b-pics photography as there are different women, and we shoot it all -- cool and fashionable, hot and sultry, elegant and refined, or edgy and alternative. You decide -- create something so tasteful you could show your mom, or something a little naughtier and fun just for that special someone! 

What We Offer 

We aren't a cookie-cutter "glamour shots" mall-store kind of studio with a bunch of feather boas and a pose book that will make you look just like every other woman they've shot. And we don't provide wardrobe -- you bring your own clothes and lingerie. What we DO offer is the knowledge and years of experience to make you look your very best, to put you into settings and locations with incredibly beautiful lighting, and help you feel comfortable and at ease being photographed.

How sexy and how undressed you become for the camera is entirely up to you -- everyone has different comfort levels -- we can produce great images with anyone from the shyest introvert to the most outgoing. We promise that whatever your personality is, we'll create wonderful, fun, and artistic images, and make you feel totally at ease while you're doing it!

Our work ranges in style from beautiful old Hollywood glamour (think black and white with dramatic lighting), to hot FHM and Maxim "tease," to Playboy-style nudity, to alternative/goth. What direction we go in is entirely up to you -- we'll provide the settings, lighting, and photographic style to perfectly complement your look.

Who's There?

Some women are a bit shy or just want to be able to concentrate on how they look, and want a closed set with only the photographers in the room. Other women like a party atmosphere, and bring the whole posse and a cooler full of champagne (a glamour session is the perfect way to start your bacholerette party evening!). We've even had moms come along on glamour sessions. Whatever your wishes, we can work with you. We know how to make everyone comfortable and keep the experience enjoyable and fun.

Location

In terms of the photo session, you have four choices for location:

• We can shoot in our studio, which offers a variety of different looks. It has the advantage of being inexpensive, and we have all our lighting equipment here to make you look your best. For a lot of looks and styles, the studio is the perfect choice. And we're always adding new settings, fabrics, looks to our studio -- it gets better all the time.
  

• We can shoot outdoors - we know some beautiful locations. When shooting outdoors, we have to work during the time of day with the best light -- usually very early in the morning, or late in the afternoon. We often do combination shoots both in the studio, and outdoors. Outdoor shoots tend to be very artful and sensual, as opposed to the more "in your face" sexiness of a studio shoot.
  

• If you have a good selection of lingerie and are looking for a luxurious classic "boudoir" look, we can shoot in a bed and breakfast room. The settings can be stunningly beautiful, but of course, you have to pay for the room for one night.
  

• Finally, some people have access to interesting or beautiful spaces to shoot in, and we can shoot at a location you provide. Our lighting gear is compact and portable, and we can set up anywhere.
  

Style

The next choice is style. The choices are almost infinite; it really depends on your personality, the wardrobe choices you bring, the location we use, and a million other variables. Usually Brenda likes to chat with you on the phone or in person before the shoot so that we come up with a shooting plan that gives you a look and style that you are happy with. We are definitely not a "cookie cutter" studio, and we work really hard to do artistic, creative work that suits your personality and style.

Makeup

You can do your own makeup, you can hire an in-studio professional artist to be there throughout the shoot, or you can have it done at a salon or spa before you come to the shoot. If you are planning to expose a little skin, avoid the temptation to do tanning unless you are VERY familiar with it and have done it before. A lot of people come out streaky the first time, and it can be almost impossible to fix the streaks in photoshop.

Time

Generally, a b-pics shoot takes around two hours, depending on the complexity of the setup, makeup, whether we shoot in just one location or several, and so on. We'll never rush you or hurry you out the door -- we shoot until we are confident we have a good selection of great images!

Making You Comfortable

We understand that some women have never had anything like b-pics photos taken before, and we do everything possible to make you comfortable and at ease. When you arrive, you'll find a bottle of chilled champage on ice in your dressing room, along with a selection of water, soda, and snacks. If you have asked for a makeup artist, she will get down to work right away (makeup usually takes around 45 minutes to an hour). When you're ready, Paul and Brenda will start shooting -- generally, Paul handles the technical side (lighting, etc.) while Brenda helps you find poses and makes sure that you look your best. Bring your own music on CD or iPod to play through our studio sound system if you like! 

After the Photo Shoot

OK, so once we have taken the photos and gone through and edited them, we upload them to a private password-protected secure web site that only you can access.  Then, we ask you to tell us which pictures you DON'T like. Then we retouch the rest and make you look gorgeous. We shouldn't have to say it, but we respect your privacy, and your pictures are YOUR pictures, and we never display them or post them on our website, in our portfolios or anything else. All the images you see here are models who have given their permission for us to use their images.

After that, there are several options for delivery. We always provide the hi-res images on a CD. But beyond that, one of our favorites is a beautiful little 6x8-inch, 20 page softcover book.  They're very inexpensive, and look awesome. We can also do a one-year calendar, with an image from your shoot on each month. We can create a video montage on DVD, similar to the one you see on this page.  And of course, we can make prints in a wide range of sizes from 4x6 up to 16x20 mounted on canvas. The turn-around time on the books and prints is very fast - usually just over a week after you approve the layout.

How Much Does It Cost?

Our basic package is $200 -- $125 for photography and $75 for a 6x9 book and a CD with the best images from the shoot. Having a makeup artist on-site adds $150. Shooting at a bed and breakfast requires you to cover the cost of a room for one night. Payment is due either in advance via credit card, cash or check.

Whatever you want, we'll work within your budget to get you the best photographs possible. We love our work and will surpass your expectations!

In terms of availability, we can usually book on short notice for late afternoons and weeknights, and need a little more time for weekends because we are heavily booked months in advance. During the spring, summer and early fall, we are busy shooting weddings on most Saturdays, but we have some Sundays available.

To discuss YOUR b-pics photo shoot, call Paul at 518-526-9969, or Brenda at 518-526-9970! 

Here is a sample layout of one of our b-pics books: 

                          All photos by Paul Grupp or Brenda Tompkins, Copyright © Paul Grupp. All rights reserved.

Great Gift for your Maid of Honor Too!

Have you considered giving a b-pics photo session at Upstate Photographers to your Maid of Honor, or other members of your bridal party? a b-pics session makes a great "thank you" gift, and if you book your shoot for the same day, we'll give you each a $50 discount off your photo sessions! 

* Please add 8% NY State Sales Tax to all prices shown. All photos Copyright © Paul Grupp. All Rights Reserved.