Moody Boudoir Session at Nobu Chicago

Woman in black lingerie sitting on a bed against a dark teal wall in a moody Chicago boudoir session
Wide view of hotel room with floor to ceiling windows and woman on bed in lingerie

There’s something about this space at Nobu that makes everything slow down a bit.

The light sits differently here. A little softer, a little moodier, especially later in the day. I typically shoot boudoir sessions in the morning when the light is bright and easy, but this one was in the last hour or two before sunset, and it completely changed the feel.

It felt quieter. More understated.

This was someone I’ve worked with before, though not for boudoir, and it was really fun to see a different side of her. She’s naturally very warm and happy, but in this setting, with this light, she leaned into something a little more still. A little more sensual.

We kept everything simple.

She started in a light blue button down with cozy socks, which felt perfect against the darker tones of the room. Then a soft blue set with delicate floral details, and finally a black set that brought in a bit more contrast as the light dropped.

There’s a deep blue-green wall behind the bed that her skin tone stood out against in the most beautiful way, and most of the session unfolded there. We moved through the space a bit too, using the soaking tub and the floor to ceiling windows, but everything stayed very minimal.

Even late in the day, the corner unit still gives you just enough natural light to keep things soft, just with a little more depth. We leaned into that instead of trying to brighten it.

This one felt less about movement and more about stillness. Letting moments sit a little longer. Not rushing anything.

For anyone curious, this was photographed in the Zen Suite at Nobu Chicago, which I’ve used a couple of times now and always come back to.

Woman in oversized light blue button down sitting on bench adjusting cozy socks by window
Woman in button down shirt sitting on bench by window in natural light boudoir photo
Woman lying on bed in black lingerie resting on pillow, soft natural light
Boudoir portrait of woman standing by floor to ceiling windows in Chicago hotel room
Black and white boudoir photo of woman lying on bed in delicate lingerie
Minimal bed scene with dark teal wall and soft natural light
Woman in button down shirt standing on chair near window in boudoir session
Woman in oversized shirt by window with hands on hips, natural light
Woman smiling in button down shirt near window, relaxed boudoir moment
Woman in black lingerie lying on bed with city skyline in background
Moody boudoir portrait of woman seated on bed against dark teal wall
Sheer curtains blowing in soft natural light by window
Woman smiling while lying on bed in black lingerie, relaxed expression
Close up of woman reclining on bed in light blue lingerie, soft natural light
Woman lying across bed in black lingerie with city view through window
21. Black and white boudoir photo of woman leaning back on bed

If a session like this has been on your mind, you can read more about the boudoir experience and how it all comes together here.

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