Rain Room vs. Shower: Which Photoshoot is Right for You?

Ready for tips on choosing between traditional shower boudoir and unrestrained rain room boudoir for your wet summer photoshoot? I’ve got some info about similarities and differences to help. But first…

If you get my VIP mailing list you saw this weeks ago, but stick with me! I’m trying something fancy this summer at my Philly boudoir studio and

BUILDing A RAIN ROOM!

Some of you are already excited, and I love that. If you haven’t already signed up for your session, don’t wait! But for those who need a little more information, let’s deep dive into wet sets.

What is a Rain Room?

A rain room is an immersive studio setup with custom lighting where water falls from above to simulate rain! If you’re of a certain age you might recognize the concept from Tom Holland’s iconic lip sync performance:

just tom holland in a famous television rain room with a very boudoir outfit, if I may say so!

(If you’re of a different substantially younger age, you might know it from TikTok, and if you’re of an older age think 80s video vixen)

Rain rooms have been staples of cinematic sound stages in Hollywood for decades, and now I’m bringing one to Philly! I’m so excited to put a little Neon Velvet Studio spin on the concept.

What are A Rain Room’s advantages over shower Boudoir?

Size and drama! Unlike a shower, a rain room isn’t moored in most people’s realities, so you can wear whatever you like in it without people being like ‘why are you dressed like a pouty shepherdess in the shower?’. Judgy.

But outfits aren’t the only advantage! It’s also bigger than a shower stall, offering more opportunity for dramatic poses. As the model you’ll have more freedom and space to pose your heart out. You can do your best Flashdance moment, shoes and chair and all.

And with a custom set build, I can create more variety and more moods! I can shoot from more angles, and place lights where a shower wouldn’t allow. A rain room offers so many different opportunities for the finished product.

Why Choose a Shower Photoshoot over A Rain Room Boudoir session?

Rain rooms can be built inside or outside. They won’t always have a hot water hookup; like organic rain, there might be no control over the water temperature or climate! Maybe you’re a brave soul who’s ready to risk it all for results (bless you), but if you’re not, a steamy shower might be more your vibe. A shower offers the opportunity to lean into lather, revealing or concealing with soapy foam. It’s simple, easy, sexy, great for beginners.

Shared Pros

Both styles of set offer some similar opportunities:

✧ crisp water droplets beading on wet skin
✧ sensual streams of water in motion
✧ wet t-shirt contests
✧ wet no-shirt contests
✧ slicked back hair
✧ runny makeup (optional for my messy queens)

What will I need to bring?

Any outfits you don’t mind getting wet! Great options include a white t-shirt or simple tank top, a pair of sporty bottoms like the classic cotton Calvin Klein set, or something a bit more femme! You can bring swimwear like your favorite microkini or sultry one-piece, glitzy chain harnesses and body jewelry, or shoes you won’t slip-and-slide out of when they’re wet. Most outfits from the Neon Velvet Studio closet can also be used for a wet set! Bring something cozy to wear after; I’ll have towels to dry off with, and makeup wipes in case you’re too smudgy to be out in the world.

Booking Your Philadelphia Rain Room Boudoir Photoshoot with Me

I’ll only be scheduling a limited number of these sessions this summer at my home studio in the Philly suburbs, so please plan ahead so you don’t miss it!

Why am I making a big deal about this? This might be a one-and-done theme for me, or maybe a once a year one if it’s really fun, so if you want to get wet and wild with a Neon Velvet twist, don’t miss your chance! Since it’s a huge undertaking and involves a lot of material costs, this is not something I will be setting up and taking down repeatedly!

✧ Submit your booking form and pick your session style (mini or deluxe!) and date. Current options for rain room sessions are August 25-28th, and a few more as available.

✧ Pay your retainer and/or start your payment plan

✧ Tell your friends! The more the merrier!

✧ Best value: the rain room will be available as an add on to deluxe sessions during August/September! So you can come and shoot just the Rain Room, or do a whole NV boudoir session then get your rain on! 🖤

Build your dream boudoir session now!


What Clients are Saying

“Getting boudoir shots was always on my bucket list, but getting them done with Cassie made the whole thing that much more special. She was super supportive and made sure I was comfortable with every aspect of the experience. I had a rough patch several months before my session (the passing of one of my … Continue reading Rommy D.

Rommy D.

“Cassandra is one of my favorite photographers to work with! She’s so talented and such a pleasure to hang out with. From the first time I met her I felt like we had been friends for ages. I have done makeup and hair for her shoots and also modeled for her. I loved both roles … Continue reading Jessica Saint

Jessica Saint

Bonus content: Umbrella has been stuck in my head for over a week now and I don’t see that changing soon, ella-ella-eh-eh-eh

Heavenly Bodies: A Creative Boudoir Session in the Clouds

Be the Star of A Renaissance Painting in the New Cloud Boudoir Mini Set

I’m still figuring out what to call it—Mount Olympus? Cloud Nine? Hera’s Haze? Just Like Heaven? Another secret thing yet to reveal itself?—but I’m too excited to share with you to wait. I’m bringing back cloud boudoir!

A renaissance art inspired creative boudoir photo. Features a pale, curvy tattooed woman with dark hair. She's wearing pale pink and draped in rosy fabric and wearing a radiant golden crown. she stands on glowing golden golden clouds and is surrounded by a sunset cloudy scene of teals and burnt oranges. cloud boudoir meets renaissance painting photography at Neon Velvet Studio in suburban philadelphia!

SAY LESS I’M ALREADY READY FOR HEAVEN

Schedule Your Free COnsultation

Embody your goddess energy for a Renaissance painting-inspired boudoir cloud mini photo session, featuring lush golden colors, dreamy fabric drapery, and glowy soft fluffy heaven! These ethereal sessions will put you in photos that look like fine art paintings, with gorgeous buttery lighting and angelic haze. You can be a serene and benevolent god, or a sultry avenging angel. You can be a holy mother, or an unholy terror. The choice is yours.

It’s like a Renaissance art photoshoot and an intimate cloud boudoir mini set all in one!

This creative boudoir session in the clouds is perfect for:

Customize Your Cloud Boudoir mini shoot

As always, the Neon Velvet boudoir client closet is available to help you achieve your dreamiest most heavenly version of yourself, but here are some ideas to inspire your mood board for your creative boudoir session:

✧ Accessorize with gold, silver, leather, jewels, harnesses, and more
✧ Fresh flowers for a spring goddess, lush greenery for summer, a cornucopia for harvest gods, a sheaf of wheat, a spear, a candle
✧ A lantern to guide souls to (or from) the underworld
✧ A bow, a harp, a halo, or wings to keep it classic and angelic
✧ Chains and swords to be a fallen angel
✧ Fantasy ears, crystal crowns, leather accessories if you want to dress like your favorite bat boy (I see you, booktok girlies)
✧ Gold leafing painted on you, and nothing else

Honestly the sky’s the limit (I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m just pandering to my audience!) and I’d be delighted to hear which divine being, fantasy figure, or virtue you vibe with! Let’s brainstorm unique elements together in your consultation. And if you don’t have a concept but you want to join in the fun, I have ideas to spare and will tailor one to fit you!

So… are you ready to join the Cloud Coven?

Build your dream boudoir session now!


What Clients are Saying

“I have worked with Cassie multiple times now, on a variety of projects, over years. She has a unique eye for visuals and can work magic to bring the imagined to life. To top it off, every single shoot I have done with her has been with kindness, relatability, respect, fun, and overall enjoyment. Cassie … Continue reading Kat L.

Kat L.

“Getting boudoir shots was always on my bucket list, but getting them done with Cassie made the whole thing that much more special. She was super supportive and made sure I was comfortable with every aspect of the experience. I had a rough patch several months before my session (the passing of one of my … Continue reading Rommy D.

Rommy D.

I’ve used too many parentheses here. Sorry, I’m over-caffeinated.

Halloween Boudoir is So Fun it’s Scary!

halloween boudoir inspiration! Queer boudoir for LGBTQ+ people by Philly queer photographer Neon Velvet Studio

Italian horror boudoir with dramatic lighting and moody film noir vibes

Crown yourself queen of your favorite romantic fantasy with limited edition sets like the Dark Garden of Eden at Neon Velvet Studio! Photography by Cassandra Panek in Philadelphia, PA

It’s Halloween Boudoir season again, so let’s get into a few ways you can add a little pumpkin spice to your boudoir session! 👻

I’m a gay goth goblin so it’s probably no surprise to hear I love Halloween and the season that surrounds it. It’s leather jacket weather, the air is crisp but not too cold, leaves crunch when you step on them, and I’m not the only one listening to The Cramps and hanging out in cemeteries. I’ve got a great group of spooky friends and clients, so it’s only natural that energy creeps into my boudoir photography.

Let’s look at four basic categories of halloween hottie!

Sweet Treats

This one’s for my lifestyle spooky babes, who keep halloween in their hearts year-round. Your perfect boudoir session is dark and moody, atmospheric, dramatic, a little creepy cute, smolderingly sexy. Maybe you dream of witchy boudoir to help you cast a spell on your sweetie with a one-of-a-kind photo album!

Maybe you're a witchy woman looking to hex your ex this Valentine's Day? Or want a halloween session that's more cute than creepy? No judgment, bestie!

Spicy Pumpkins

Where are my sirens? Those who embrace sensuality all the time, and are looking to Halloween for an excuse to live out their particular dark romance fantasies! Maybe that scream mask hair pull TikTok awakened something in you. Your dream session a mix of drama, kink, nudity, and maybe fake blood or Evil Dead style black ooze. (Note: I’m keeping reference images here suuuuper PG but please don’t feel limited by that!)

Will you be the hero or the villain in a dark romantic fantasy? Limited edition sets like the Dark Garden of Eden at Neon Velvet Studio! Photography by Cassandra Panek in Philadelphia, PA

Spooky Cuties

You’re a halloween movie buff! Are you planning a Beetlejuice boudoir look while you’re reading this? Maybe you’ve been working on a sexy cosplay of an original character or a fan favorite. You’re delighted by fantasy boudoir, elaborate costumes, theme sets. More is more, and you really bring your best this time of year.

witchy halloween boudoir with candles and skulls for creepy queer cuties by LGBTQ photographer Neon Velvet Studio in suburban Philadelphia, PA

Autumn Vibes

This is for my babes who aren’t into all the halloween stuff. They want a little candy, some pretty leaves, and a nice latte! You love dress up but like to keep it cute, so maybe you’re a Pink Pony Girl looking for your fantasy dance club photoshoot. Your perfect halloween mask involves lace and rhinestones, more masquerade than mask. You get the picture.

is your halloween boudoir vibe more masquerade than mask?

Halloween Boudoir Inspiration: How to Get the Halloween Spirit

You’ve got a lot of options to make your photos a scream, whether you’re doing a professional boudoir photography session or taking some sexy spooky selfies! Here’s some things to help you prepare:

  • Choose your vibe: are you silly, spooky, or scary? Horror comedy, or dark thriller?
  • Pick thematic outfits. This can be anything from goth lingerie to something straight from the scenes of your favorite final girl or haunted horror.
  • Get atmospheric. Setting is huge! Maybe you’re a Scream fan, so you want to do your session in an oversized sweater in a kitchen while making some stovetop popcorn! Or the isolated woods are calling you.
  • Lighting matters! Deep ominous shadows and color gels can help create a dark and moody boudoir vibe to perfect your scenery and get that Dracula vibe.
  • The devil’s in the details. What little elements can you add to really put the last nails in the coffin? Claw-like fingernails, fantasy contact lenses, ominous ooze? Props are great so don’t forget candles, candy, jack-o-lanterns, or your favorite crystal ball.
  • Shy? Halloween boudoir is a great opportunity to wear a mask or get out of your shell and into character.

Final Girl Final Thoughts

The most important part of boudoir in general–and halloween boudoir in particular–is to have fun. In my opinion classic boudoir photography is a great opportunity to see yourself in a new way, and themed boudoir sessions are perfect for trying something fun and maybe a little unusual for you! So what are you waiting for? Get your selfie setup and start snapping, or schedule your free consultation for a session with me!

Explore Your Dark Fantasy in the Dark Garden of Eden

Star in your own dark fantasy romance

Did the Dark Garden set building post make you curious for more? Let me help you picture yourself in the Dark Garden of Eden.

Are you:
✧ Corporeal (possibly involuntarily, because you’ve been cursed by a witch)
✧ Extremely into halloween, cosplay, or sweeping dramatically into a room in a floor-length gown
✧ Looking for any excuse to wear a crown
✧ Someone who looks at fantasy romances and thinks, ‘hmm, could be gayer.’
✧ Exploring your sensual side (ominous, possibly as a threat)
✧ Ready to risk it all for forbidden knowledge of the arcane
✧ A will-o-the-wisp
✧ A crone who Knows Too Much
✧ Lowkey obsessed with being a Fae Prince (in a very hot and genderqueer way)
✧ Afraid for your mother to see just which books you read last year (ahem, dark romance readers)
✧ Into the Dark Maximalism or Dark Academia aesthetic

If you answered yes to three or more of the above, it sounds like your butt belongs in the Dark Garden!

Set Building: Dark Garden of Eden

Maybe it’s because I’m a photographer and a set building nerd, but I love to see process photos of how a series of images or a set are conceptualized and created! Here’s the first inkling of the Dark Garden of Eden set:

As you can see, the inspiration was darkness, gold, and roses. Maybe you’re looking at this thinking, ‘Wow, Cassie really loves red!’ and in 2024 that’s probably true! But it still feels surprising to me because I so rarely shot with a heavy red influence until the last few years!

I wanted greenery but not too green. I wanted it to be lush and detailed but not chaotic. So I began building…

…and this is when the Eden portion arrives! I thought, ‘More gold!’ and started buying and painting toy snakes, a totally normal expense to have to explain to my accountant as a boudoir photographer!

https://www.tiktok.com/@neonvelvetstudio/video/7128810239994137902?_r=1&_t=8imjYMhyBze

It’s difficult to paint with one hand and video with the other. But the vibe continued to expand as I added light and tested how it would look with the prisms I like to use when shooting…

https://www.tiktok.com/@neonvelvetstudio/video/7129185240781786414?_r=1&_t=8imjcuZkGbu

… and here we are, after hundreds of red fairy lights, dozens of roses, yards of black lace and greenery panels!

A versatile and moody fantasy boudoir vibe for all my dark queens and kings (and queer-coded villains, I love you). It’s a little bit fairy tale, but the dark foreboding kind that suggests maybe you’re more witch than princess. It’s a set in which you can be your own dark romance.

Dark Garden of Eden returns for a limited time in my suburban Philadelphia studio June 2024 for your choice of a mini session, deluxe session, or couples session (bring a sweetheart or a friend, or if you’re into booktok tropes, a friend you’re hoping might become a sweetheart?). Prepayment plans are available! Come see what romantic vibes are in the air.