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Getting Real About Going Topless | San Diego Boudoir

Session Plans & Local Laws

This might seem like an odd topic to stumble upon, but I actually take local nudity laws very seriously when planning your session. While I am all about "getting natural" in nature, there is a difference between being in the remote wilderness and on a local trail (that may have passing hikers and/or rangers). I talk a lot about location options in terms of their privacy levels from the perspective of your comfortability, but I don't often talk about the other factors that go into choosing the perfect spot to shoot.

Modesty and personal preferences aside, this comes down to legality, and whether you agree with local laws or not, this isn't something you want to ignore during your session planning. The fact is, if you are shooting in a location where toplessness is illegal, the ramifications can range from a "slap on the wrist" ticket, to actually having to register as a s*x offender....! I would hope that this is something all boudoir photographers would be highly aware of as professionals, but I've actually never seen it talked about. So let's get into it!

This is where my session planning comes into play. Of course I want to make sure you feel fireeeeee in your outfits and the location is dreamy, but I also care about not getting the cops called on us...imagine that...lol.

Depending on the state/city of your session, there are actually a good amount of locations where toplessness is perfectly legal. For example, full states (ie. New York) and cities (ie. Boulder, CO) allow it, while other places may have specific areas for public nudity - like Black's Beach in San Diego.

(San Diego | Black's Beach Sessions: one, two, three)

snowy outdoor boudoir portraits boulder colorado photography

If implied toplessness or nudity is something you want in your outdoor session, just know that I have your back! We go over all our options during your mood board creation to narrow down everything from general vibe inspiration & wardrobe suggestions, to clear location options that fit all our needs.