How I Went from "No Way in Hell" to Shooting the Sexiest Boudoir in Brisbane

Hey, I’m Matthew — the guy behind Belle-Vous Photography in Brisbane. I’ve been a professional photographer for over a decade, but boudoir? That wasn’t always part of the plan.

Matthew Hamm - Brisbane Boudoir Photographer

Back in 2012, I wanted nothing to do with it. At the time, boudoir had a reputation I wasn’t interested in being associated with, too many dudes with cameras treating it like an excuse to take half-naked photos without any real respect for the craft or the client. It felt gimmicky, cheap, and honestly… kind of gross. I wanted to make images that had intention, artistry, and integrity. So I focused on headshots, fashion shoots, dancers, and model portfolios ,clean, professional, and creative work that aligned with how I saw photography.

Then one day, I got a message from a woman who worked as an escort. (She reached out to me, just to be clear.) She was a friend of some dancers I’d photographed and needed boudoir style images for her business. I hesitated not because of her job, but because boudoir still felt like murky territory. But I said yes.

That shoot changed everything.

Moody Boudoir Silhouette On Wooden Floor In Brisbane

It was fun, collaborative, and the photos turned out stunning. She came back for more. Then her friends booked me. And before I knew it, boudoir was making up more and more of my work and surprisingly, I loved it. But it wasn’t what I expected.

The best part of the shoot wasn’t the photos. It was what happened during them. Women arrived nervous, unsure, and sometimes a little awkward and by the end? They were lit up. Laughing. Owning it. Snapping the back of the camera and sending it to their friends because they couldn’t believe how good they looked. That’s when I realised: this isn’t just about lingerie or lighting. It’s about showing people what’s been there all along their beauty, their edge, their power.

Now, do I think boudoir is “empowering”? Yeah, it can be. But I don’t sell it like some kind of miracle cure. I’m not here to fix anyone. I’m here to photograph women in a way that makes them feel sexy, confident, and unapologetically themselves.

Laughing woman in lace during boudoir shoot

And style-wise? I’ve never been into the pastel-and-pink, soft-focus look. My style is moodier, more cinematic. I’m obsessed with golden-hour light so much so that I knocked out a wall in my home studio and installed giant west-facing windows just to get that perfect glow. I want my photos to feel like something out of a movie raw, beautiful, and powerful.

So yeah, I didn’t set out to be a boudoir photographer. But it turns out this is exactly where I’m meant to be. Because when you strip away the fluff and the marketing speak, what I really do is help people see themselves sexy, strong, and stunning. And honestly? That’s the best part of the job.

4 Fryer Close, Bellbowrie 4070, QLD, Australia

ABN 86 479 577 900

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