Three top tips to get great photos when you are really nervous and don't think you're photogenic
First up, I want you to know that you are far from alone in thinking you’re not photogenic. Or it’s impossible to get a good photo of you. Or that you are really way too nervous!
Approximately 99.99% of the thousands of individuals I’ve photographed, over my 18 years of photographing people, have felt the same way.
And I KNOW you’re looking at photos of my clients and thinking “Um, lies! She/he/they look really confident - there’s no way THEY were nervous!”. And, well, yay! That means what I do works!
You are here to learn how to get better photos of yourself, and I am here to help.
It is so normal to feel nervous before your photoshoot
Below are some of my clients when they first arrived at my studio.
These are normal, every day women like you, like your friends, like when you look around you at the supermarket!
In their Before Styling photos you can see excitement, nerves, a whole bunch of emotions. These feelings are so normal and a beautiful part of who you are. No matter how nervous you may feel - you will get beautiful photos - just like they may have felt hecking nervous before their photoshoot with me, but they got themselves to my studio, and they trusted I would help them through it - and they got stunning photos.
>> Keep scrolling to the end of this post for top tips plus a peek at more before styling and photoshoot results after coaching and guidance from me
Three top tips to getting photos you love
1. Confidence.
Let me help you gain some more confidence (I also have a free guide for my Guide To Using Your Personal Branding Photos Online and a free guide to discovering my Insider Secrets to Looking Great In Photos - have you got it / read it yet? More details at the bottom of this post). You don’t have to do this on your own!
First up, knowledge is power!
Knowing that feeling nervous is completely normal can help. Also, did you know that our bodies experience the emotions of feeling nervous and feeling excited in the same way? Our brains can sometimes jumble, or misinterpret the two feelings - so you think you’re nervous when you’re actually excited... Brains are weird.
It can be as easy as making a time and turning up!
Making a time and planning for your shoot, and then getting yourself and your things (clothes, accessories, props) to the location on time - that’s all you need to worry about. A good photographer will walk you through every step of the way. In my experience, I’ve found even the most nervous of clients were able to have successful photoshoots resulting in photos they loved - just because they made a booking and got themselves to my studio.
A small bit of brave now - a big leap of confidence later.
Another thing that pumps up that internal confidence meter is when you do something that requires you being brave. Remember learning to drive - and now driving is second nature? Or learning to walk - if you can walk, you had to start by falling down. A lot. And being brave and standing up and trying again and again. And now you’re a fricking professional at putting one foot in front of the other. Speaking of being a brave professional, how about starting your own business?! That takes a boat-load of being brave.
The first time you do anything new, it can feel scary - and after doing that thing for a while, you feel more and more confidence that you know what you’re doing, right? Same thing with having your photo taken. While they are nervous to begin, the confidence my clients feel after having their photoshoot is off the charts.
Fake it ‘til you make it? Haha yes! I guide my clients through poses and expressions that help them LOOK confident - even if they didn’t start off feeling it. They feel more and more confident as their photoshoot goes on, until they truly feel it for themselves.
It get even better…
I talk with my clients about who they aspire to be - that version of themselves they want to become. While they may not be there yet, their photos will reflect that aspirational version of themselves.
Here’s the best part:
When you see that version of yourself reflected back to you in your photos, you will feel like that now.
My clients feel even more inspired to achieve their goals and dreams - and even feel more confident after they see those photos of themselves!
If you can see it, you can be it.
2. Preparation.
Feeling prepared can help you feel like you got this.
Knowing what to bring to your photoshoot is key. Your photographer will help you think about what to wear for your photoshoot and why.
I speak with my personal branding clients about their brand colours, the personality of their brand, their brand style. What they wear to their photoshoot will become much more apparent through that conversation. Clients who feel they need that extra bit of help might decide to use the services of a Personal Stylist (If this is you, talk to me - I know some excellent Stylists!). The right colours for you and your brand, the right fit and style of clothes, this will all help you feel more confident in your photoshoot.
For personal branding photography, you may need to bring in some props to help personalise your shoot and get images that will be extra helpful for you in telling your brand story. As a business owner, you want your customers to get a feel for who you are and what it’s like to work with you. For example, an Interior Designer might bring in fabric swatches, paint samples, cushions, moodboards, sketch pad and pens - you get the idea.
For those who are after personal portraiture - photos of themselves for themselves - we will chat more in-depth about what you would love, and what to wear, and what to bring along. I guide you through the entire way so you don’t have to guess. I help you to get the best photos of you you’ve ever seen.
A big part of feeling nervous is gaining knowledge, so you aren’t feeling in the dark. While there is a touch of magic and mystery in the art of photography, it’s my job to give you the information you need to get to my studio - and I guide you the rest of the way from there.
Would you like to know some insider secrets to looking great in photos? I got you: you can get my FREE insider guide here.
3. Guidance.
Another important point to know when getting your photos taken, is that the person behind the camera will guide you through your photoshoot!
Don’t think it’s possible to look good in photos? Your photographer will make a HUGE difference to the outcome of your images.
I often have clients show me photos of them as ‘evidence’ they are ‘unphotogenic’. I use quote marks here because I don’t believe in being ‘photogenic’ or not. It is more likely that those photos you hate were taken in bad lighting, or at a bad angle, or while you were in the middle of talking / laughing / eating and CLICK the photo was taken at the wrong moment, which was far from flattering. It’s not you, it’s them!
The best professional portrait photographers will guide you through poses and expressions - they’ll help you every step of the way through your photoshoot. They know how to get great photos of you laughing without five unwanted extra chins.
Knowing that your photographer has your back and is coaching you through so you get fantastic photos that you love, can really ease that anxiety and help you relax - and even enjoy! - your photoshoot.
What else is there?
A huge part of getting great photos of you involves feeling confident, prepared, and well-guided. Having someone behind the camera you like and trust has the skills to get great photos of you will make it all so much easier.
But there is more to it - professional portrait photographers know how to light you, and how to bring everything together in a process that is clear and helps you get the images you want and need.
If you would like to talk about having a personal branding or a personal modern portraiture photoshoot with me, I would love to chat. Get in in touch and let me know what you would love for your photos to represent you, or for your business, and connect with your ideal clients.
This post is a part of a series to help you gain confidence in looking confident in front of the camera and making strong connections with your ideal audience. Want to learn more? Sign up for my tips and tricks, and insider goss at my email newsletter.
Look at the confidence radiating out from them!
You can see how much their confidence has grown
I have the Best job.
And you could have that experience for yourself. Get in touch to chat.
Want top tips for connecting with your ideal audience?
Have you read my guide created especially for people in business to help them use their personal branding photos online really effectively? In it I share some of my tips and insider secrets to attracting and connecting with your ideal clients that I’ve learned over the years. It’s pretty savvy, and I’m giving it away for free now to help people just like you!
Want to know the secret to looking great in photos?
Have you checked out the guide I made chock full of insider tip and tricks I’ve learned from over 20 years specialising in photographing people?! In this guide you’ll discover why some people look SO GOOD in photos, and how you can, too. Discover actionable tips for the top two you can work on right now: Expression and Posing.
