While women often have hang-ups about their looks, especially in the bright light conditions required for a photo shoot, I don’t know of any man alive who doesn’t drool at the thought of his lover memorialized in semi-compromising, or simply sexy, positions.

Case in point: I recently complained to a male friend of mine that my hair had gotten way too long and I wouldn’t be appearing in any photos until I got it cut.

“Ooh, sexy,” he replied. “More to grab onto.”

See what I mean?

So, ladies, set aside your inhibitions and give your man a special treat – let him take your picture – over and over again. We’re ready here at Vibrator.com with tips to get over your shyness and look your best!

Take it slow.
Don’t want to pose in your birthday suit the first time out? Totally understandable. Start with an outfit that makes you feel good – from a business suit to a little black dress. Then unbutton a few buttons, life the hemline or pull down a strap, and take it from there. Fully-clothed can be just as sexy as seeing all nine yards. The key is to be comfortable.

Use appropriate lighting.
Flashes are decidedly unsexy. Better DSLR cameras let you adjust the F-stop to let in more light, so you can take photos in low light conditions without a flash. But that’s getting too technical for most people, who might be using a point-and-shoot digital camera. (Did you zone out when I said f-stop?)
If possible, take photos in natural daylight… but don’t stand next to the window. There’s an obvious reason for that (unless you’re an exhibitionist) but there’s an artistic reason, as well. Light creates harsh shadows, and, in most cases, harsh shadows on a model’s face (and the curves of her body) is decidedly unsexy. Instead, use a reflector – a white card, white sheet, shiny metallic surface or a mirror to reflect light from the original source. Keep the light source in front of the model.

Pose at an angle.
Professional models and Hollywood superstars use this technique all time. Never stand straight ahead facing the camera. Instead, stand partially sideways, with one foot in front of the other. Point your toe toward the camera, putting your weight on your back foot. For a sexy glance, look slightly away from the camera, or look up at the camera to show off big bedroom eyes. Don’t be afraid to suck in your stomach and puff out your chest – but not too much! Experiment with different poses until you find your favorites – we promise the photographer won’t mind!

Employ the rule of thirds.
This doesn’t have anything to do with threesomes (although I highly recommend them to make a photo shoot even more interesting!) When you take a picture, divide what you can see into nine equal parts (think tic-tac-toe board). The photo’s main subject should fall on or near one of the intersections of those lines to create maximum interest. Do not place the subject in the dead center of the photo.

Frame the shot.
The setting helps to make the picture. Sure, all eyes will be on you (should you choose to show the photos to anyone at all) but pay attention to what’s in the background. It’s all about setting the scene.

Some sexy props to include on camera? A bed with sexy red sheets and rose petals. Sex toys. A carefully arranged plate of fruit, especially strawberry, bananas, mango and papaya. Porn movies on a flat screen. If you get really brave, play with the sex toys, teasing at penetration… or go all the way if you feel inclined.

Most importantly, relax, do whatever feels comfortable, and have fun. Remember, every digital camera has a delete button.

Yes, yes, we know. Valentine’s Day is a commercialized, “Hallmark” holiday. It’s all about the chocolate and roses. The overcrowded restaurants. And let’s not think about all that pressure to find the perfect gift and create the perfect experience so you don’t wind up in the dog house until spring.

Relax. Let’s look at Valentine’s Day in a different light.

As our lives get busy, we often don’t take time to think about the things that really matter, like the person we love. It’s important to spend grown-up, one-on-one time together, getting back in touch with the personality aspects that brought us together as a couple in the first place. And Valentine’s Day gives us the perfect excuse to do just that.

So why not ditch the crowded restaurants and skip the overpriced roses this year and focus on pampering your lover in a variety of low-cost ways? Here are some suggestions to celebrate Valentine’s Day on a budget.

Romantic dinner at home. For about ¼ of the price of a restaurant meal, you can enjoy filet mignon, lobster tails, or your choice of culinary indulgence right at home. Make sure to include foods with aphrodisiac properties, http://blog.vibrator.com/do-aphrodisiacs-exist.html like oysters and asparagus. For dessert? Fresh strawberries dipped in dark chocolate.

Visit the place where you first met or had your first date. What better way to get in touch with the person you fell in love with than to go back to those hangouts from your early dating days? You can re-enact your first date, or pay a visit to the bar, park or store where you first met. If you met in a more unique location, even better! When you get there, spend some time talking about what first attracted you to each other.

This thought crossed my mind the other day and I thought it would be fun. Unfortunately, if my husband and I were to go back to the site of our first date – a casual but classy locally-owned restaurant and grill – we’d wind up at an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. It’s a shame, really.

Sexy photo album
Put together a racy photo album for his-or-her eyes only. You can use a service like Snapfish.com or Shutterfly to put together the photo album digitally, or buy an inexpensive photo album and photo prints. If you’re afraid of facing the kid behind the counter at CVS, you can print them yourself. (Highly recommended!)

Start off with some fun, fully-clothed photos of you and your sweetie having good times, and let the photos get sexier and sexier with each page, until you’re giving your guy the full “Hustler” view.

The coupon book of his (or her) dreams. Make your lover’s fantasies come true. The X-Rated Hugs and Kisses coupon book provides plenty of fun suggestions. Or you can make your own – don’t forget to leave one coupon as a “fill-in-the-blank,” so your lover can redeem it for something you may not have thought about!

Enjoy one of your favorite hobbies together. Couples that play together — play together after hours, too. If you’re like most couples, you and your Valentine probably have plenty of common interests… and too little time to pursue them all. Reserve February 14 to pursue a hobby you both love – perhaps something you haven’t done together in a while.

Keep up the tradition after Valentine’s Day, too, taking at least one day or weekend a month to bond over your favorite sports, games or interests.

Yikes! We have less than two weeks until Valentine’s Day. If you’re like many of us, you’ve just finished (or started) paying off the bills from Christmas. But Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about spending a lot of money. Take time to show your lover you really care by giving them the oh-so-important gifts of your time and undivided attention.

Add a few toys from Vibrator.com to make your playtime on Valentine’s Day evening more fun and you’ve got the recipe for a successful holiday celebration. Order now to get delivery by Valentine’s Day.

We’ve compiled a list of our favorite Valentine’s Day picks for every budget. You’ll find the perfect present in every category, and we’ve selected a “steal” and a “splurge” for each one. Whether you want to spend a little or a lot, we’ve got you covered. (Or, um, not covered very much at all, as the case may be… make sure to check out the lingerie!)

Gift Sets

The Steal: Basket of Love: Looking to create a steamy night and still have money left over for champagne? This gift set comes in an adorable red basket and contains massage lotion, Hot Stuff warming massage oil, incense cones to set the mood, edible body paint to play with, and Spanish Fly sex drops to enhance the most romantic night of the year – all for under $20.

The Splurge: Lover’s Choice Enchanted Evening Kit: Everything about this gift set exudes luxury, including the classy box it comes packaged in. Best of all, what is more quintessentially Valentine’s Day than rose petals, champagne flutes, candles and chocolate? Splurge on this kit and you’re all set, with very berry warming massage oil, cocoalicious chocolate body paint (and a paintbrush) glass champagne flutes, scented silk rose petals and four tealights. Plus a guide book with some creative ideas for ways to spend your night.

Vibrators

The Steal: Doc Johnson’s Candy Ripples: Candy and Valentine’s Day just go together. For only $13, Doc Johnson’s 6.5-inch textured Candy Ripples vibrator will leave you with enough left over to splurge on some chocolate in a heart-shaped box, as well. This vibrator comes in a choice of three iridescent colors perfect for Valentine’s Day: Hot Pink, Purple Passion and Ivory Drop.

The Splurge: Lelo INA: You can’t go wrong with any of Lelo’s line of  ergonomically designed luxury vibrators. But we especially like the  INA, a dual-action, rabbit-style vibrator with two motors for the ultimate control. (And what lady doesn’t love being in control?) INA features eight variable stimulation modes, and comes in a gift box and satin pouch. Super-silent vibrations last up to 4 hours after a 2-hour charge. If you’re looking for a sex toy that says “class,” look no further than INA.

Toys for the Guys

The Steal: Dr. Joel Kaplan’s Prostate Massager: Priced at just $20, this slim prostate massager offers all the features of more expensive toys.  It’s waterproof, multi-speed, and perfectly shaped for easy prostate stimulation.  At this price, can spring for the extra large bottle of lube, too.

The Splurge: Aneros Helix: If your man has never experienced the joys of prostate massage, make this Valentine’s Day a very memorable “first” for him. And you may as well start him out with one of the best – the Anerox Helix. The only toy of its kind with a patented design, the Aneros Helix provides hands-free anal pleasure for the beginner or novice – alone or with a partner.

Lingerie

The Steal: Sweet Afterthought Babydoll w/ Thong: We love this sexy white and oh-so-revealing baby doll top with matching g-string thong. He’ll know he’s not an afterthought in your mind when you greet him at the door in this sexy ensemble.

Another Deal: Roses are Red Babydoll w/ Thong: We also couldn’t resist, for just a few dollars more, this white babydoll sleepwear set with satin bow and ribbon hem details. It includes a matching thong and a bag of red rose pedals to set the Valentine’s Day mood.

The Splurge: Peek-a-boo set w/ bows: We admit, the lingerie at Vibrator.com is so reasonably priced, it was a challenge to find a splurge! Whatever you choose, you’ll find a deal, with most items $25 and under. Spend just a little bit more, though, and treat someone special to this 3-piece mesh peek-a-boo set with bows. Or buy it for yourself and let your significant other “unwrap” you for Valentine’s Day.