5 keys to master the art of Self-confidence in front of a camera
strategies for confidence in front of a camera
Whether you are posing for a personal portrait, or representing a brand, having ones picture taken can be nerve-wracking for many people.
Building confidence is an art form. While it seems like something that would be natural to all humans, it isn’t. Why is that? We are surrounded all the time by images that leave most people feeling less than or not good enough. But inside we know this is not the truth!
We are good enough, beautiful enough, capable enough.
Sometimes we need a reminder of this. In this article, professional fine art photographer Mary Redente shares her insider tips to mastering self confidence before a photo session. Read on to learn the 5 Keys that strengthen the mental muscle of confidence we all have inside of us.
There are many simple tricks that can help you feel more relaxed and confident in front of a camera, and in life. Learning how to embody a sense of confidence that overcomes the fear of being seen is the key to a great portrait. Let’s explore this topic together.
Key 1: Preparation
After booking a photo session begins the preparation process for it. The following suggestions support building the muscle of confidence before a photo shoot:
Don’t Leave Wardrobe Decisions to the Last Minute. The last thing you’ll want before a photo shoot is to be scrambling around trying to figure out what to wear. This will be highly stressful and is the opposite of how to be prepared. I suggest to select more than one outfit, as some photo sessions you’ll want more than one look, or may want to have a backup plan on hand just in case. I recommend Pinterest if you’re looking for some fashion inspiration.
Start Planning Your Wardrobe Now. Follow the advice shared in this blog post I wrote to learn all the fine points on things to consider when selecting the right outfit to rock a photo shoot. The main point of what to wear is to feel good in it. Confidence starts on the inside, before it can be seen externally.
Key 2: Practice
Practice Makes Perfect. We’ve all heard this phrase, and this timeless wisdom applies to all things, including a photo session. Once you have an outfit selected, wear it in front of a long mirror and begin to take note of your favorite postures and body angles in this outfit. You can also set up a phone on timer-mode or have someone take a few shots of you in the outfit to get some feedback on how this translates into a photo. Use the information collected to your advantage at the photo session.
Practice Feeling It. You’ve probably also heard the phrase ‘Dance like nobody’s watching’, well the same principle applies when working with a photographer. Practice posing in the privacy of your home while in front of a mirror. Take mental note of what it feels and looks like to boldly and confidently express yourself. Don’t be shy, because right now no one is watching. This practice is an excellent way to build your confidence in preparation for a photo shoot, and that’s the attitude a photographer is looking to capture. Bring this confidence to the photo session. You really can’t do anything wrong doing a shoot, and even if you try a pose that’s not your greatest moment, fear not because a good photographer will not show you unflattering images of yourself. During a photo session, a good photographer will guide you and offer posing suggestions when needed, so don’t worry about getting it right.
Practice Facial Expressions. You know your face better than anyone and probably know exactly what facial expressions you most prefer in pictures of yourself. Become a master of your unique expressions, and let those be the ones you show to the camera.
Practice Your Hair and Makeup. If you are not confident in these areas, consider working with a professional makeup artist or hair stylist to nail the look you’re going for. Guys (or ladies) do you need a haircut? Before the photo session would be a good time to get one. I recently worked with a young man who did not take this into consideration before our photo session, and I literally had to ask him to go trim his bangs before the shoot because I couldn’t see his eyes! Please don’t let this be you.
Key 3: Trust
Trust Your Photographer. Pick a professional who’s style you love. Have confidence in their work and their ability to deliver the best to you. A good photographer does not deliver bad, unattractive images to their client, so trust that this will be the same for your session. Part of the editing process is to cull through all the images that were taken during a photo shoot to select the cream of the crop. Those are the only photos I share with a client. Trust the photographer you’ve hired to give you the best of the best. Clients wouldn’t write glowing reviews if they didn’t like how they looked, or the results they received from their photo session.
Trust Yourself. I go more deeply into this point in the next key, but have faith in the choices you’ve made and the work you’ve done leading up to the photo shoot. It will pay off. Everyone wants to see you at your best. Know that. Trust that. Embody that! That is confidence.
Key 4: Positive Mental strategy
Have A Positive Inner Narrative. This is one of the most lucrative keys to mastering the art of self confidence, and a pillar of happiness. Our thoughts affect our life experience. Believing negative thoughts about oneself is not the way to feel strong and confident before a photo shoot, or anytime in life for that matter.
In sports, do you think an athlete focuses on loosing a game before playing it? Or do you think a coach would prepare a team to go out in win by telling them how bad they are before they start the game? Absolutely not! You are your own life coach, and therefore you need to be your own positive voice of encouragement. We tend to be our own worst critics, but do not fall prey to this mental trap, for it will take you down if you believe in this false narrative.
Do Not Compare Yourself To Others, nor let the world define what beautiful means to you. Only you can decide this for yourself, for beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. In the Book of Genesis it says we were “created in the image and likeness of God”, so therefore we were all created in the image and likeness of perfection. From a photographic perspective this is how I see people, and believing we are ‘perfect just the way we are’ is an important aspect to the secret of confidence. Because we are human there are things we could all improve upon in our lives. But now is not the time to focus on that. Trust yourself as you are. Trust your photographer. And trust God. Let the voice in your head be a confident, uplifting and encouraging one.
Be Confident In Who You Are, no matter what that looks like.
Key 5: Invest in Yourself
Health is one of the best investments we can make in ourselves, for that is one of the greatest forms of wealth. Real beauty starts on the inside and flows outward. The time you have leading up to a photo session is an excellent motivational opportunity to focus on healthy habits. The extra effort you put in will shine through in the photos, and you’ll be glad you did as you look back on them over time.
The best ways to make noticeable, positive differences in our appearance are through a healthy diet full of nutrient dense foods (low in sugar, refined carbs and unprocessed), a regular exercise routine, substance detoxing, and stress-reduction practices like salt baths, massages, sauna sweats or breath work/meditation. I can say from personal experience when I put extra effort into taking better care of myself in these ways it comes through in how my skin looks and in my physique.
A Little Extra Effort Goes A Long Way. Healthy habits are a small sacrifice that yield big returns. And it doesn’t take long to start seeing results once we start making these changes! Who doesn’t want to see their best self in a picture?
The better we feel, the better we look
Bonus: picking up some new good habits may just stick after the photo shoot. That would truly be the best investment you could make into yourself, providing greater peace of mind, which is priceless.
As we’ve learned here, the more we take the time to prepare and present ourselves in the best light, the easier it will be to relax into the experience. Self confidence is part mental, part physical, and possible for anyone to master.
The confidence strategies shared here aren’t solely for a photo shoot. They apply to all areas of life where increased confidence would come in handy such as a job interview, first date, preparing for a presentation or speaking on stage.
In a nutshell self confidence boils down to this:
Love and take good care of yourself, and Trust that will shine through.
