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Whether it’s a maternity or mini shoot at my studio in Buckinghamshire, or a gorgeous pre-wedding shoot out on location, one thing I often hear from my clients is how they’re worried about how they’ll look on the day.
“I don’t feel my best right now”, “I don’t like how I look at the moment” and “I’m not feeling very confident in my body” are all phrases I regularly hear.
As a photographer, it is so sad to hear so many people commenting on their appearance so negatively. We are always our own harshest critics. But whilst I always hear these comments before a shoot, I very rarely hear them afterwards, with my clients always loving their galleries and not worrying for a second about the body hang ups they had a few weeks before.
And that’s because how you feel about how you look is not only ever-changing and temporary, but also very rarely a true representation of how you actually look, either.
Shooting you and your family in a natural way means I capture the real you. The version of you that you probably don’t even realise exists. The crinkles around your mouth when you smile, the dimples that appear when you laugh, the freckles across your nose… all things that make up the very beautiful you!
I can say all this and more to try to convince you that you’re perfect as you are. I can guarantee you I’ll deliver you a gallery of timeless heirlooms that I know you’ll adore and cherish forever. But more practically, I can offer you some handy tips that you can consider to try and boost your body confidence and make you feel happier in front of the camera!
1) Plan an outfit you feel good in. Not what you think you should be wearing, or something that perfectly matches your partners outfit but feels horrible to wear. If you’re uncomfortable it’s going to show. A feel-good outfit is going to have you looking and feeling your best on camera.
2) Practice some poses at home before your shoot. Whilst I don’t do overly staged or posed photos, and much prefer to capture you and your family engaging with each other naturally, it can help to know how you are going to feel and look best on camera beforehand. Remember posture is everything! Try not to slouch, keep your shoulders back and remember to smile!
3) Relax! If you’re feeling tense or stressed, that’s going to show on camera and you’re not going to look your best. Try not to think too much about how you’re going to look on camera ahead of your session. Instead, try to focus on how much fun it will be – especially if it’s for a big milestone, like a cake smash or a pre-wedding shoot!
4) Talk to me. You can always ask to see how the photos are turning out or ask my opinion on poses and angles. I will always try to capture you in your best light and will be happy to share advice with you if it is asked for!
Shoots with me are so much fun (if I do say so myself!) and I can guarantee that throughout the shoot, the last thing you’ll be thinking of is how you look. We’ll be laughing and joking together, talking about you and your family and suddenly the shoot will be over and I’ll have a collection of beautiful images to share with you.
If you’re feeling worried ahead of a shoot, feel free to drop me a message. I’m always happy to try and boost your confidence and be your number one fan girl!
If nothing else works, then remember this: you are so much more than your body. It is the least interesting thing about you. When you look back at these happy family photos in years to come, no one is going to comment on your shape or size. They’ll only want to talk about the happy memories attached to the images – and that makes a shoot with me so worthwhile.
If you'd like to book a shoot with me and capture some of your own family memories for you to cherish forever, get in touch with me here.
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