How to be confident in front of the camera

I am leading a session in this area as part of my BOSStalks Mastermind group. If you are a female entrepreneur and don’t know what BOSStalks is please visit their insta @bosstalks.ca and get yourself informed!! Andrea @herplace and Carly @webofwords are amazing women and inspiring, follow them NOW!

You are probably asking yourself what is BOSStalks Masterminds? So here is a little intro. It’s a community. It’s a place where you will meet weekly with other like minded but very different female entrepreneurs and speak about varies topics in business. Your membership is a 6 month commitment where you will attend a weekly one hour meeting. You will start the meeting with each member talking about their wins, losses and learns for the week which is so great and informative. Then a topic will be lead by a member and you will be able to have time for questions at the end as well as share any “asks” for the week (example if you are having a launch, promo, sale ect).I have been in the group since October and have loved every minute of it. I have met some amazing women, learned a lot and have been completely inspired. So please do yourselves a favour and go and follow @BOSStalks.ca today!

Now onto today’s topic “How to be confident in front of the camera”

#1 Be Yourself

There are many aspects to look at in this area but for the most part when people see photos of you they want to feel like they know you. Be genuine, be real. If you are a person who teaches Yoga and lives that sweat life then you should be showing up and being authentic.

2. Choose a wardrobe that suits your style.

This is different for every person, but you should feel comfortable in what you are wearing. If, you aren’t comfortable it will show in the photos and you may not get the results you were aiming for.
If you are involved with a team you work with or your significant other make sure to coordinate your outfits to compliment one another not to match one another. Please don’t come come in blue jeans and a white t-shirt, let's leave that one to the 90’s.
Choose a colour scheme that suits your style/brand.
Try not to over do it on patterns as this can get distracting from the eye.
Wear layers, example add a jacket/cardigan. Scarf, hat mittens. This is a nice subtle way to add patterns, pops of colours to your session as well as change up the overall look without fully changing outfits.
Don’t forget about jewellery and your shoes!

3. Makeup and Hair

For the love of all things, invest in both of these services and get them done. Having your hair and makeup done has proven to increase confidence and make a person feel their very best.

DO NOT show up to a session hungover with bags under yours eyes and say to the photographer “ well you can just photoshop makeup in after and fix me up”. I am not joking when I have literally had clients say this to me. My answer will be to laugh in your face. And it will be incredibly costly to photoshop each image and could run you into the thousands instead of $100-200 investment for makeup and hair.
I also tell people to try to book a session in the morning/afternoon so you can benefit from having your hair and makeup done for the whole day and plan a date night afterwards!

AFTERMakeup by @courtneynicolemakeup — AFTER
Makeup by @courtneynicolemakeup

4. Let your personality shine.

If you are a fun and goofy person then let it show in your images. Play around and remember to have fun.

If you are branding then make sure you have your environment ready for your session that show your audience who you are and what you do. Ex- A baker may want to showcase themselves in the kitchen they bake in. A fitness trainer may want to be in a gym. Make sure your environment is clutter free. Again garbage will not be photoshopped out of your photos, this is up tp you to make sure your environment is clean.
If this is a personal session think about who you are as an individual, couple or family. Are you the type that loves the beach? Then head to the water and splash around. If you are known as a family who loves camping then get a fire going and have fun by making s’mores!

#2 Posture/Position

Remember to stand/sit upright. This will make your images look professional and tailored oppose to sloppy. When you sit up straight it also elongates your torso and neck which helps get rid of those tummy rolls and triple chins even in slim people.
Hold shoulders back. Again this helps with elongating your posture and giving you a polished look.
Practice your smile and poses prior to your session. Get yourself or whoever is going to be in the session in front of a mirror and practice. Getting comfortable as a group or couple is important and can help to make your photos more natural.
Remember not to take yourself too seriously and leave “duckface” at home.
Don’t be afraid to sit/stand/lay-down in different positions.

SIT. Cross legged, legs out front, legs to the side, one leg up etc.
STAND. Forward, side angles, looking over your shoulder, arms in the air, hugging, kissing, dancing etc
LAYING DOWN. On stomach, on your back, head prompt on hands ect.

#3 Have fun!

Laugh. Please have fun during your session, the more natural you are the more you will like your final images. The best photos I have are when I was playing around with my husband and we were really laughing. This is the same for my clients.

2. Move! Movement always adds depth to photos.

Try walking towards and away from the camera.
Play with your hair.
Move your hands and play with a piece of jewellery you are wearing.
Dance
Piggyback rides
Bump and wobble etc

3. Props

Do bring props to your session
Business sesh, you may want your computer, day planner or items that have to do with your business.
Personal session, pop a bottle of bubbly, have a session indoors with pizza and beers.
The sky is the limit with props but at the end of the day don’t overdo it with a prop in every single picture. Get a few cute shots here and there and then go back to just you and the camera.

EXTRA TIPS

Drink lots of water the week of your session. H20 helps to hydrate your skin.
Get a restful sleep the night before.
Do Not try a new spray tan the day before the session. If you love a certain lotion that gives you a natural glow and you have used it before then go for it. But the day before the session is not the time to “try” a new product.
Consider having your nails done if you are going to be taking any kind of close ups.
Think about having your roots touched up before your session.
If this is a session where you will be displaying your images think about the environment they will be in and make sure they suit your style/branding.

Hope you enjoyed the tips! Follow me on insta for daily pics, tips and nonsense lol @barephotography