Pesky anxieties that stop you getting photos
I spend a lot of my days talking about photography, about how much I love it and how special it can be for us all. Sometimes I worry that I keep banging on repetitively about the same things - until I have another interaction with a client/future client or follower that involves them being FULL of anxiety and resistance to having their photo taken. I’m telling you - it’s almost a daily occurrence. I can predict almost to the minute when someone will say something harsh about themselves in a session…’if you could just make it look like I’m 10 kilos lighter!’ or ‘better use photoshop on my face to make me look younger!’. All said with humor of course, but boy oh boy my heart breaks a little every time
Rest assured - your feelings are the same as EVERY SINGLE LEGEND that gets in front of a camera. Let me help identify some of the common anxieties you may feel before and during a shoot so you know you're not alone:
I’m not photogenic
A classic amiright? You're worried that the photos won’t align with how you see yourself, and that's a potentially confronting AF situation
My body isn't how I want it to be / I feel awkward AF
I mean - this is a larger discussion about how we all feel our weight/age/face isn’t how I want it to be, and therefore ugly. Let alone the fear of being in a new situation (profesh shoot) and not having a clue what to do.
Fear of Judgement/Vulnerability/Comparison
When we do things out of our norm, we all seem to have a little voice inside that whispers all those judgmental thoughts, compares you to other people who seem at ease and ‘beautiful’ - let alone the sometimes deeply buried fear of being exposed to others
Overthinking/Stage fright
You’ve bit the bullet and booked the shoot - queue that absolute spiral of overthinking the whole thing. From outfits, to how to stand, to ‘am I doing this right’. Standing in front of that lens, and freezing up completely and then panicking because you don’t feel ‘natural’
Pricing/Time/Effort
Good lord it is OVERWHLEMING. Finding a photographer, finding a date, paying so much money. AND THEN - after all that stress, wanting the photos to be absolute perfection despite our idea of perfection potentially being a bit wonky from all of the above thoughts and fears.
I mean…no wonder we hesitate to book and try and ease our feelings in the moment with jokes and photoshop requests. You’d have to be the most secure person on the planet to calmly walk into a shoot, full of confidence, no negative inner chatter and see the results with no critiques. I don’t know about you - but that seems bloody unrealistic.
Never fear though - I would never leave you hanging after exposing all of your fears! There are some small, gentle ways to ease the anxiety the best we can.
Normalise your nerves. We all have them - including the photographer who wants the session to be everything you are dreaming of. We can acknowledge that the nerves will be there regardless, they aren’t the enemy - they are your brain’s way of protecting you from the new and unknown.
Find a photographer that offers support and guidance. Someone who doesn’t dismiss all of the above. Look for that special human who creates a safe space with their lens - you’ll be transformed by experiencing how much of a difference that will make.
Ask to see a few photos at the start of the shoot in the back of the camera. Granted - some photographers may resist this, BUT laying eyes on the photos at the start can be so reassuring and help ease some of that initial worry and stage fright.
Deep dive into the photographers website and look for past client testimonials, or go with a photographer a mate has already shot with. First hand experience is the best recommendation there is!
Don’t be afraid to have a few chats BEFORE the shoot. Ask if the photographer is open to giving some gentle guidance, ask what they recommend you wear - ask if they have any blogs or information that may help inform you about what's coming. Photographers usually have a wealth of info ratling about in their heads - don’t be afraid to pick their brains!
