Having a photo-shoot can be soooo much fun, but it’s also totally normal for this to be a daunting idea for many of us!

We might hear a questioning voice inside, raising thoughts like:

“Who am I to be visible?”

“Who am I to be investing in myself?”

“What if I look really awkward in the photos?”

“What if I look [insert your extremely specific personal concern that no one else would ever imagine you would think about yourself here] in the photos!”

I get it.

Being in front of the camera can bring up all kinds of unhelpful thoughts, feelings and sensations. And, it can be such a growth edge.

This experience of getting on camera in the name of our biz, invites us to bravely:

Acknowledge that our being seen MATTERS in order to reach our peeps and do our good work with them.
Recognise our inherent value as the human at the core of our business, and begin to own our innate worth.
Honour the work that wants to come through us (in the form of our offerings).
Attempt to suspend our self-judgement, body-image, internalised societal beauty standards, and all sorts of familial + cultural conditioning around putting ourselves ‘out there’, investing in ourselves, etc.
Show up, so that our peeps can actually find us and benefit from the gifts we have to share.

Umm... no biggie!?

Below are ten invitations to support you in feeling more confident about your next shoot.

This comes from my own personal experience of navigating visibility anxieties on camera, and from my professional experience of supporting & guiding my clients during our work together. (I am not a therapist, so these are shared as offerings and optional ideas to explore.)

Whether you + I have a session booked in (woohoo!) or it’s something you’re considering for the future, I hope you find these offerings useful as we approach the day.

If you are curious about collaborating with me on your next photo-shoot, email me here, or schedule a call here!

(And I’d love to know - what’s helped you to feel more confident about having a photo-shoot, or in front of the camera!? Comment below or email me!)

1. Choose a photographer you like, trust, and feel safe with.

Who you are being photographed by and how comfortable you feel around them makes a HUGE difference to how relaxed you feel about the experience.

Have a call or meet up with your potential photographer(s) before you think about booking, so you can get a feel for who they are, what they’re like and your compatibility.

It’s obviously important that you like the style of images they create (have a good look through their site + socials!), but it’s also very important that you feel comfortable and at ease with them, and can trust them.

If you’re feeling nervous about any part of having a photo-shoot, it’s okay to let them know that! In fact, I recommend you do. Give them the opportunity to respond to specific concerns you may have. The way they answer your questions or worries will also give you a lot of info on whether they’re the right person for you. You can read my full guide on how to choose a photographer here.

2. Wear outfits you feel really good in.

When you’re wearing clothes you feel your best in, you’ll feel so much more confident on the day than wearing clothes you’re not so sure about.

In the lead up to your shoot, notice what outfits have you feeling really good in yourself. What are you most eager to wear day-to-day? What would you wear to meet dream clients?

Take the time you need to explore your outfit ideas well before the shoot, and choose looks that help you feel like the best version of yourself. You can also check out my full guide on outfits here.

3. Define your WHY.

When we’ve got a shoot coming up, we can get laser focussed on all the practical details, which, while they are important, may have us forgetting our deeper WHY for the session.

This can take some of the fun, creativity and excitement out of it. We may find ourselves questioning why we are doing this, and those gremlin voices can get louder!

It’s helpful - while you’re feeling clear on your motivations - to jot down a list of reasons why you're doing this. This could take the form of a letter to your future self, a bullet point list, a mood board, mind-map or voice memo, to help you stay connected to your reasons for investing in your visibility and having a photo-shoot!

It could go something like:

“I am booking my photo-shoot because I am ready to connect with more great-match clients, and I know they need to see me in order to get to know me and feel comfortable to reach out! I’m excited to show up as who I am now, bring my energy, values and personality to my website and socials so that everything feels fresh, current and aligned! I’m doing this so that my potential clients can feel the love, depth of care, and dedication I have for this work through the photos, and be able to rightly trust in my gifts, ability to serve, and my integrity which runs through everything I do. I’m doing this shoot so I’ll be supplied with a beautiful library of images I can use to refresh everything with, and bring a gorgeous new look to my brand. I’m doing this so I’ll be ready to say YES to big opportunities that arise in the year ahead and have photos to support everything I’m doing. I’m booking this shoot to honour this exciting next chapter I am stepping into with my work in the world and the wider mission I am in service to.”

Obviously - you can swap the specifics for words that are true and resonant for you!

In the noisy world we live in, I know I certainly get disheartened and resistant to being visible and adding to all the noise.

But this is the world we live in, and these are the systems we are forced to operate in, and these are the tools we have to hand, and… the thing you’re doing? It’s a good thing!

So, reconnect with YOUR motivation for being visible. Realign with why YOUR visibility matters.

Remember what impact YOUR work in the world makes, the positive ripple effects, and the better, more just and joyful world you are working towards with the work you do.

(Or with the work you do that your business makes possible!).

10 ways to feel more confident about your next photo-shoot.

1. Choose a photographer you like, trust, and feel safe with.

2. Wear outfits you feel really good in.

3. Define your WHY.