Help! I hate having my picture taken!
Oh, dear friend! I relate so much to this, and trust me when I tell you that you’re not alone in those feelings.
Anxiety in front of the camera can stem from many roots, but I want to emphasize, first and foremost: that feeling nervous is completely normal!
I do have a few suggestions that will hopefully help you to feel more confident for your session:
1. Your job is to show up. My job is to guide you.
I like to think that during a session, I'm your #1 fan first and your photographer second. You can think that's corny, it's OK, I'm a little corny.
But really, I want you to feel comfortable and then look at your delivered photos and say, "Wait, that's ME? YES!" You are capable of more than you know, but I have no expectations for you to pose like a model.
Hopefully before your session we have met and gotten to know each other, which helps alleviate some nerves, but even if our first time meeting is during your photoshoot, we will spend some time getting to know each other, and I will guide you through poses and natural interactions.
It can take as long as 20 minutes to start to relax and feel comfortable in front of the camera, but I'm right there with you every step of the way!
2. Professional photography sessions are different. They're not the same as those unexpected moments where your sweet, loving, well-intentioned relative pulls out a camera and starts snapping photos of you eating Thanksgiving dinner.
Those are the images (while maybe good memories for some) that can facilitate camera anxiety because you don't always feel your best for that moment. It's important to understand that a professional session is going to look and be executed differently from unexpected candids, and it's mostly due to preparedness.
You're going to wear your favorite outfit that exudes your best confidence; you'll seep inspiration from the beautiful location we've selected; and, most importantly, you'll be with the person you love and feel most comfortable with in the whole world.
Then there's lighting. Lighting changes everything. I chase the pretty light to create beautiful, flattering images. If this all feels too technical, let me say this: You are beautiful and you are enough. Clothes are cool and it's fun to wear makeup, but all that matters is your love and pretty smile, and you'll shine in those images. I'll take care of the rest! (P.S. Let's cheer for our fun grandmas/uncles/other relatives with the camera who care about preserving memories. Those eating-mac-n-cheese pictures will be fun in a few years, right?! Or at least a good laugh, we hope!)
3. Engagement sessions help with photography nerves on the wedding day.
I wrote more on this topic in a previous post that you can read here.
One last note: Photos should be viewed in the grand scheme of your life. Your photos are also for your family, friends, and future generations. People now and in the future who love and care for you so deeply. They want to be able to look back at an important milestone from your life and remember "who you were when."
Pictures are your legacy, and I promise no one will be concerned with perfection in 10, 25, or 100 years.
xo, Anna