GETTING PICTURES TAKEN WHEN WE ARE SELF-CONSCIOUS
This is a photo of me. I felt very self-conscious when taking it.
It is not unusual when I am talking to someone about my photography and art business, whether that person is a client, potential client, or another photographer, for them to say to me that they are uncomfortable with the idea of getting portraits done. A few more questions will usually lead to the person saying they are not photogenic or they want to lose a little weight first or something like that. So what should we do about getting pictures taken when we are self-conscious?
All of us can have this problem. in fact it is so common that I feel like it is the ones who are comfortable in front of the camera who are not the norm. Even I do not feel comfortable in front of the camera. I think I look goofy and see all my flaws. The funny thing is that I have been told several times that I am photogenic, which I take to mean that I look better in person than in real life. So I should love being photographed, right? Nope.
Why are we, especially women, so often so critical of ourselves that we forget the value of photographs for others? How many times have you sat down and looked though old albums at pictures of your ancestors to see whom you resemble or to think “So that is where my nose shape comes from!” or something like that? How often have you revisited your wedding album or your child’s newborn pictures? Photographs help us to remember and connect with the past and to celebrate our relationships.
When you look at those photos, do you ever think “Grandma should have not have had that picture taken because she needed to lose twenty pounds and get a better haircut?” No, we don’t do that. We cherish those pictures, so much that I am working to restore photographs of my great grandparents and great great grandmother. When there is a funeral do we think, “I am glad we don’t have any pictures of grandad because he was bald and had a gut.” Those questions sound absurd, don’t they?
The truth is we cherish our loved ones just the way they are. Children love their mom whether her hair is done or not, whether she ever lost the extra baby weight or not, etc. When my father died I looked for every image I could find of him. Photographs are things we value. If we value them, why are we sometimes so hesitant to get them?
Our society puts so much pressure on people to measure up to almost impossible standards that some people feel like they are not picture worthy if they are not movie star pretty or handsome, and they become self-conscious. Internet trolls have not helped our thinking on this matter at all.
So what do we do? We know getting pictures taken when we are self-conscious is hard and so we wait. Recently a friend told me of a friend who died and the only recent images they had of her were some unflattering cell phone shots. This woman’s family have no good memories because this woman probably wanted to wait until she felt better about herself.
What is my point? You need some photographs of yourself, whether headshots for work, new images for social media and dating sites, or images for your family. You should realize that most photographers, including myself, completely understand how you feel. We have the same anxieties and fears. We tend to procrastinate updating our photos too, so we are going to support you and help you relax.
If you are self-conscious, a professional photographer can help because we are trained to pose you and light you in the most flattering ways. We can help you pick out clothes that will look good in your images and perhaps recommend a makeup artist. We can make you look like you on your best days,and that will be something your family will cherish. Now is the time to get images done, for yourself, for your family, for the future. I am located in Columbia, Maryland and serve the mid-maryland area as well as parts of Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington D.C.
For more ideas on planning your wardrobe: Planning What to Wear
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