I want you to imagine the following mental picture. The picture I want to paint you is this, you’ve a photoshoot tomorrow. Your excited, scared, nervous and unsure.
You’ve gone through your wardrobe a thousand times, trying to decide what items you should take to the shoot and which ones to leave behind.
The only guidance you’ve been given, is to take whatever you feel is right for your shoot, but everything you see suddenly see feels wrong. So, you decide to just take everything that fits the vague picture in your mind, from clothes to accessories….
Really, what should you wear? What’s too formal? What’s too casual?
Then you try to wind down for the night, but your mind is racing, and you can’t quiet sleep as the nervous energy floats through your body and mind.
“Why am I doing this to myself! I would be better off going to the dentist!”
Sound familiar?
Even those that are confident in front of the camera, need reassurance. You would be amazed at the clients I have seen, who on the outside are super confident. Still arrive on the day, nervous and unsure.
YOUR PERSONAL BRANDING SHOOT
You can understand why that situation would feel a little daunting. Especially if you have ever experienced the above. So how do you get around this and find the confident you? Well there are varying factors that can help you find your confidence. What I will show you is how vital communication is on a shoot, it’s a two-way street between you and your photographer of choice. The more freedom there is to talk the easier the shoot will become. Second you have to get past certain fears that you have allowed (through no fault of your own) to be programed into our mind, such as…
Are you good enough? Are you photogenic? Can we truly represent and be the face of our brand?
In this blog, I will address some of those concerns, while applying my own experience and knowledge that I have learnt during my career as a photographer. My aim is to help you feel enlightened and empowered to action.
First let me take you back to the beginning, where I too, faced the front of the camera, in order to understand your fears.
HERE’S MY STORY!
When I first trained as a photographer I felt the same. I hated being in front of the camera. I also found translating my instructions and needs to my client difficult.
I know that a lot of photographers have and do feel the same. Then one day, I asked my mentor Roger, how to get around this obstacle I knew it was a challenge I had to face.
Which lead to a plan, where Roger asked me to come to an evening class that same day, as they had a model booked in. I could watch and partake and see how adult learners worked through this process. This was a great idea, I could make notes all from a distance. I arrived at the class, quiet and trying to hide in the corner.
That was till my mentor turned around and spotted me, and said a sentence that I will never ever forget!!
“ah! Here’s our model for the evening!!!”
“WHAT!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING!! THIS IS A JOKE RIGHT!”
Nope, it wasn’t a joke, I sucked it up and got on with the task (even though I was dying in side. With all the fears flashing before my eyes. I was in my slobs, as I thought I would be working as a STUDENT).
THE BEST LESSON I COULD HAVE LEARNT
What that evening taught was the most valuable lesson I could have ever wished to learn. Becoming the model, on the other side of the camera, helped me to fully understand the questions that pop up in your head when you need direction. How essential that continual guidance and reassurance is all the way through the shoot.
From then on, I developed methods that would help guide my clients through each step of their shoot. Helping keep a positive vibe the whole way through, so that confidence would grow rather than be lost. I made sure that communication was never lost, my shoots became a conversation between myself, my camera and my client. I have had clients say that they forgot the camera was there!
PHOTOGENIC IS JUST A MYTH
I always think I take an awful photo… as I never like any holiday pictures of myself. I’m my worst critic. I don’t look at my face, or how my smile looks, I look at all the bits I don’t like. Why? Because I have allowed my brain to be programed this way. Even my husband said, it’s because you’re not photogenic. Which I think is a pile of crap!!!