How to Pose for Pictures With Confidence
Professional Image captured by Aeto’s Arts Photography
How to Pose for Pictures With Confidence
You’re not the only one who is getting nervous about pictures. As common as it becoming to book personal photos, it is a big decision and investment. Photos are a great way to capture your spirit and tell someone who you are initially. It’s a great way to capture a moment in time, like a milestone or event. But even then, we can get fixated on what we will look like or “showing our bad side”. There are a lot of things that are in our control to prepare for personal photoshoots. Here’s how you can pose for pictures with confidence.
Stock image provided by Unsplash
Choose a look that you love and feel best in
You have control over certain things: your outfit, how your hair and make-up are done, and other ways to accessorize and show your energy and personality. What colours, styles, and fits appeal to you? Some people use others’ photos as a guideline, but they aren’t you! You want to choose things that make you feel good and give you a boost of confidence. You’ll also want to consider what kind of theme you want to have for your photos. Is there a colour scheme, emotion, or element that you want to come through? Consider treating yourself to a new outfit, or getting your hair and makeup done just for the photos. You’ll be glad you invested in yourself for the long-lasting memories.
Stock image provided by Unsplash
Look at old photos of yourself
I mean it. Think about your favourite pictures of yourself. Maybe from a special event like a wedding or gettogether. Or a specific memory of an experience. What is it that you love about that photo? Is it the memories you made? Is it the joy in your smile or the well-rested twinkle in your eye? Or maybe you don’t know what specifically it is, but the photographer did a really great job of capturing “you”. If you struggle with this, consider asking someone close to you like a spouse or bestie: Are there any pictures that you really love of me? Why do you love them? What do they show you or remind you of me? You can also send these pictures to your photographer and tell them these are my favourite pictures of myself. It will give them an idea of what you are looking for.
Stock image provided by Unsplash
Decide what you want to show of yourself
We all have those pictures that don’t show our true selves. It might have been the “Chandler smile” or you didn’t like the outfit you were in. Think about the message or memory you want to create. If you’re getting headshots done, you might want your clients to see a serious, confident professional that they can trust. If you are making memories with your family, you likely want your kids to see the best version of mommy! I remember getting our family photos done when my daughter was 6 months old, and I wore a poncho because I was still struggling with my postpartum body. I didn’t want to show my waistline. But you know what? Our kids aren’t going to look at these photos and wonder why mommy was wearing a poncho. They’re going to look at pictures of them being little and rambunctious. They’re going to see how their mommy and daddy loved each other in some of the toughest years. I’m so glad our photographer captured that family joy.
Professional photo by Emptage Photography
I’ve since grown in this area. I no longer get frustrated if I don’t fit in clothing. I move on and find something that I like and fits well. There may be parts of your body that you don’t appreciate or feel uncomfortable in. If you are interested in changing this, check out my other blog post, 5 Easy Steps to Body Confidence.
Talk to your photographer
Photographers work with so many kinds of people, from temperamental babies to super confident divas. They observe human behaviour through a different lens, literally! If there are things that you do and don’t want to show or amplify in your photos, tell them! Ask them where they specialize or what kind of image they like to bring out. They may have some ideas on how to photograph you to look more joyful, fun or peaceful (to name a few). Your photographer will have sets and props in mind. They are going to suggest poses and angles that highlight your amazing curves and show a different kind of boldness that you already have in real life! This leads me to the most important thing you need to do:
Trust your photographer
Chances are, you’ve hired someone who either does this because it’s their job, or they’re really passionate and they want to make it their job. Either way, it’s literally their job to make you look good! Sure, you can send them pictures that you’d like to replicate, but they also will see you in a different way than you might see yourself. Consider that they may take on a new perspective or be inspired to amplify a beautiful feature that you have. Try new things. When they say reach, bend, twist, perch, etc it’s because they have a vision and they want to see you in it. In my maternity photos, I had to contort and hold some weird poses, but man did it pay off! My photographer knew how to create lines and angles that best accentuated my beautiful baby belly!
Ultimately there is a bigger reason you are investing in photos. Maybe it’s because you want to capture your family, relationship, or a specific time into a visual keepsake. If you’re doing a professional photoshoot or headshots, you want a confident version of yourself to shine through and gain trust from potential clientele. Whatever the reason, getting photos done is a great way to connect with others now and in the future.
By the way, you don’t have to have a reason. If you want to get pictures done, get them done! Do it for family. Do it for your business. Do it for you.
How confident do you feel when you have professional photos? If you need a boost, I highly recommend downloading my 20 I Am Affirmations Free Guide to boost confidence.
