11 Creative Milk Bath Photoshoot Ideas

For some time now, milk bath photography has been a popular style of editorial, commercial, and artistic digital imagery. Most often, though, it is used for portraiture for mothers and newborns, and boudoir-style images. Milk bath photography is somewhat self-explanatory – a bathtub or other human-sized vessel is filled with milk, which creates a simultaneously angelic and sultry aesthetic, depending on the goal of the photoshoot. The milky surroundings allow the subject to glow through the negative white space, encouraging the viewer to focus on the model while enjoying an interesting background. Ahead, we’ll share a few incredible milk bath photoshoot ideas.

But first things first, you’ll need to source a tub or other vessel and somewhere to shoot the milk bath photography. Perhaps the vessel will come from an antique store or a props rental facility, or an appropriate container might already be in the space you rent. Peerspace is a great solution to renting an appropriate location for a couple of hours to conduct your photoshoot. Since there are thousands of Peerspaces in hundreds of cities, there’s bound to be an ideal milk bath photoshoot site. Here are 11 creative Peerspace ideas as to where you could take your pics.

1. A childhood dreamscape

Some milk bath photographers prefer to conduct infant milk bath photoshoots in kiddie pools, which makes an exceptionally fun and colorful environment. This bright preschool in Silver Lake, California would make an ideal setting for this kind of photoshoot – just situate the inflatable or plastic pool in the center of the play area to stage your shots. P.S. use your camera strap so the camera doesn’t fall on the baby’s head!

2. A trendy hair salon-slash-event space

To clarify the concept, a person’s entire body does not need to be submerged in the tub in order to create the desired milk bath portraiture effect. Imagine filling wash stations at this trendy Memphis event space salon with your milk mixture, maybe some shampoo-esque bubbles, and shooting the subject from above. It would be amazing with those bright teal walls and flattering ambient light.

3. Eclectic options near St. Louis

This bohemian loft near St. Louis has six eclectic bathrooms, most of which feature a tub-like vessel that would make a fantastic milk bath photoshoot. One of the bathrooms, in particular, features a Western-themed trough-like sink, which probably wouldn’t accommodate a full-grown person, but would make a really cool bath setting for a toddler. Other bathrooms have full-sized tubs and there’s even a mosaic wall fountain for, well, off-the-wall images.

4. A naturalistic pond

A stunning estate near the San Francisco Bay in Fairfax, California, this home features a breathtaking pond that would be ideal for Eden-like milk bath photoshoots. You might want to ask first whether it’s ok to add milk (or some other nontoxic alternative) to the water, but if so, the effect would be jaw-dropping.

5. A posh pool

The Arizona Biltmore Hotel is one of the most recognized resorts in the US Southwest, having attracted thousands of Hollywood personalities throughout its history. This gorgeous Scottsdale estate is in the neighborhood and reflects the same level of sophistication. Its tile-decked outdoor play pool would make a wonderful place to do your milk bath photoshoot.

6. Bright bungalow backyard

Bring a container of some sort to this Long Beach, California Spanish-style bungalow for a high-contrast milk bath photoshoot. The hosts might let you use their hot tub or tiled fountain as a setting. It’s worth an ask. Or just bring your own vessel. Either way, the surrounding tropical foliage and pretty light will set off a milk tub in just the right way.

7. A retro bathtub

It’s hard enough to find a loft in New York, much less one with a bathtub. Luckily, this Chinatown apartment has the bathtub of your milk bath photoshoot dreams. It’s an elevated claw foot tub, likely original to the 1920s building itself. The light in the bathroom is dappled and the loft offers views of the city.

8. A hip whiskey bar

This incredibly stylish, neon-lit whiskey bar near Pittsburgh would make an exciting place to shoot a milk batch photo session. You would be allowed to use the bar’s sinks, or bring in some other vessel for your milk concoction. The colorful backdrop would reflect in the bath fluid, adding something extra special to your portraiture.

9. An artsy warehouse

Situated in Baltimore is this arts district warehouse with just the right amount of furnishings and the perfect lighting for a milk bath photoshoot. Sunlight does come in through the windows, but it’s indirect versus glare-producing, making for the perfect ambiance.

10. Gilded tub

There’s a pro-level photography studio in Atlanta that comes complete with a cyc wall, strobe lights, various backdrops, and the coolest gold-colored bathtub imaginable. It’s large enough to fit a mother and baby, and what with all the gear and equipment included in the venue rental, the studio would be a fantastic place to conduct a milk bath photoshoot.

11. Cascading fountain

This Houston event space with an atrium features foliage surrounding a cascading pond-like fountain. The water feature is large enough to fit in and flexible enough for all sorts of milk bath photography.

Putting milk bath photoshoot ideas together

To do an effective milk bath photoshoot, you will need about a gallon or two of actual milk. The milk is what serves to create the desired cloudy effect. Fill the tub with lukewarm water (you don’t want the milk to curdle in hot water). Start with two cups of milk and add more to reach the creaminess you’re looking for. Remember that depending on the type of shoot you’re doing, you might not need to submerge your model’s entire body, so just keep the proportions in check by adding milk slowly but having a lot on hand in case you need more. You could add a bit of milk powder if you want more opacity. Should your model or photographer be vegan, non-dairy creamer works the same way – you’ll just need a lot of it. Or you can use plant-based “milks” or even thinned body-safe paint.

You can add extra liquids, like almond oil or another food-safe extract, to create shimmery swirls. Start with just a little and add more as required. You might also want to add in some color, which can be sourced from vegetal dye or a bath bomb, body paints, or even powdered drink mix.

Common props to include in the milk bath are flower petals, branches, floating toys – the sky is the limit. And speaking of the sky, it’s a good idea to shoot milk bath photography from above, so you might need a ladder. And use low light lest your subject appear washed out – as it were.

Models can wear absolutely anything in the milk bath – from going nude (as with a baby or a special Valentine’s Day image) to silky gowns or surreal costumes for more artistic shots.

Milk bath photoshoot ideas come to life with Peerspace

All of these incredible milk bath photoshoot ideas come to life with Peerspace, the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals. Check out the types of milk bath studios we have available near you. Then, book your favorite space and unleash your creativity.

Find unique milk bath photoshoot venues on Peerspace