If you feel awkward in front of the camera, you’re not alone

At some stage leading up to a photo session, a lot of my clients tell me that they just don’t like having their photo taken. I get it. I’m the same. Or at least I was until I found the right photographer.

Have you ever been in a situation where the most normal, everyday actions feel… awkward? Or have you been in a situation where you’ve had to perform under pressure – and you’ve choked?

I have to tell you about the time I forgot how to sit. Yes, something that I do for many hours a day, all of a sudden became really difficult.

I was in a job interview. Now, just to give you some perspective, when I was younger I preferred to go to the dentist than to have a job interview. I was shy, had terrible confidence and was really bad at selling myself. I was so nervous that I just couldn’t be myself.

So there I was in this interview, and I was racking my brain trying to remember how I usually sit. Was I supposed to cross my legs? Sit up straight? Slouch a bit so that I seemed relaxed? Rest my arm on the chair next to me? Nothing felt right and everything felt so awkward.

This situation has stuck in my mind so clearly because I remember walking away wondering how on earth I could forget how normal people sit!

(Believe it or not, I actually got the job.)

Even the professionals choke when the pressure’s on

I heard a podcast about sportspeople who choke under pressure and thought it was fascinating. One sportswoman was talking about how she’d been playing really well all day, and then as soon as she found out that there was a talent scout there to watch her, it all just went downhill. She started playing really badly and the scout lost interest in her.

The point is that some actions come so naturally to us that we will perform so much better if we allow ourselves to just turn on autopilot and stop thinking.

What does this have to do with photography?

A lot. I meet so many people who don’t feel comfortable in front of the camera. They don’t know what to do with themselves and it shows in the photos that they are nervous and feeling awkward.

I think this is pretty common. I think a lot of people even put off booking a photo session because they dread having their photo taken. We focus so much on the camera and what we think we should be doing, that horrible phrase ‘I’m so unphotogenic!’ goes round and round in our head and we forget how to just relax and be ourselves.

This is why it’s so important that you choose a photographer that you can relax with

Someone who understands you and can help you to be yourself. This is one of the reasons why I love storytelling photography so much. When you have permission to just be yourself and actually do something that comes naturally to you, you will automatically look better and more natural in your photos. Find someone who has the right energy and personality for you and who will guide you through the session to bring out the very best in you.

 Can you relate? Leave a comment below and let me know how you feel in front of the camera.

I would love the chance to help more soulful entrepreneurs put themselves out there and be the face of their company (because I KNOW this will attract more customers). I want to change the story going around in people’s minds and get rid of this false belief that they are ‘unphotogenic’. It’s just not true. If you have never had photos taken that you’re happy with, it’s because you haven’t found the right photographer.

If you want to have a conversation about how I can help and what stories could suit you and your business, click on the button and get in touch.