Tell me: have you ever done one of these things?

• Put off booking a brand photoshoot because you felt self-conscious
• “Jokingly” asked if a photographer can Photoshop out your wrinkles and make you look skinnier
• Literally run away from the camera at an event

Sound like you? No judgment here, because I get it. Stepping in front of the camera is daunting, even for a photographer like me. I know the sweat-inducing nervousness that accompanies posing for the camera. You start to analyze everything, from your hand placement to the part of your arms you’re self-conscious about. You might even think, “there’s no way I will look good in these photos.”

Feeling bummed out? Me too! Wouldn’t you rather step in front of the camera feeling confident, accepting, and trusting? In this post, I’m teaching you how to look confident in your brand photos in 3 steps. Firstly, you need a willingness to jump in despite what your fear may be telling you (hello tough love!). Next, you need to hire a team of experts, and to learn the basics of posing. Ready to learn the how? Let’s get to it!

Thanks to my friend Hilary Johnson of Hatch Tribe for being such a great model of confidence in her brand photos!

1. Take the Plunge

We’re getting right to the tough love when it comes to camera confidence! Above all, you have to be willing to take a chance on yourself and step in front of the camera. While your insecurities might never go away completely, you can quiet them by taking action. No one ever thought their way to confidence, they acted their way to it. Take it from one of my favorite online educators and podcasters, Jenna Kutcher.

Episode #157 “What’s a Visual Brand and Why Do You Need One?” quickly became one of my favorite episodes of her podcast The Goal Digger Podcast. Jenna speaks about how creative business owners can share their stories visually. She argues that creating a human connection through social media is absolutely essential. I completely agree with her. When you share photos of yourself doing what you love and your brand values, your people will jump on board.

Jenna also offers a few ideas of how to share your visual story. This one almost made me cry:

“You can show headshots. Beautiful, clean images of you, your team, your family, whatever you feel comfortable sharing that offers this human connection. If you haven’t had updated headshots my friend, now is the time. You are worthy. You need to stop waiting to lose the next 10 pounds, stop waiting for your face to clear up, stop waiting for your eyebrows to get plucked and just SHOW UP. You are worthy of investing in headshots!”

This is what I’m shouting in my head all of the time when women around me are shying away from the camera and making jokes. The camera does not have to be your enemy. In fact, it’s one of your greatest allies in business. People need to see the face behind your business. They’re craving authenticity and they want to see the real you. You deserve amazing photos of yourself and your work. So, take the plunge and book your brand shoot, despite your hesitancies. You won’t regret it.

2. Hire a Team of Experts

In my opinion, a brand photographer should have the experience and skills to guide you through the brand shoot process. It’s not all on your shoulders to show up full of Beyonce-level confidence! It’s my responsibility as an expert to teach you how to look confident in your brand photos. While it may seem enticing to hire a hobbyist photographer or one that’s just getting started in brand photography, they most likely won’t have the knowledge it takes to make you look your best on camera.

Only the photographer can see what’s happening through the lens, and they should have the knowledge and instincts to create the most flattering images of you. In order to find this unicorn of a brand photographer, read my post 4 Essential Traits to Look for in a Branding Photographer. You’ll be guaranteed to book with a brand photographer that helps you shine from every angle.

You can even take it a step further by hiring a hair and makeup artist and wardrobe stylist to ensure your look is on-point on shoot day. These experts know exactly how to make your best features pop! They’ll also allow you to take one more thing off your plate as you plan and prep for your brand shoot.

3. Learn the Basics of Posing

Finally, a little posing knowledge in your back pocket can’t hurt! If you’re worried about looking awkward on camera, check out my post How to Pose for a Photoshoot. This post takes you through the do’s and don’ts of posing with easy-to-follow examples. Your expert brand photographer will, of course, walk you through the most flattering ways to pose. But, these posing tips will help ease your mind as you step in front of the camera. You’ll be ahead of the game and ready to rock your posing!

I hope these tips have shown you how to look confident in your brand photos without all the stress. You are capable of stepping in front of the camera with a bit more confidence and trust. As I have shown, by jumping in, hiring a team of experts, and learning the basics of posing, you’ll be well on your way to looking and feeling great on camera.

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