Tips/tricks
to help you navigate your session with as much ease and comfortability as possible.
My hope is that both clients and photogs can benefit from a topic that has been on my heart.
If you’re a photographer, I’m sure you’ve heard the cringe-worthy, “This is awkward” a time or two. And if you’re a client, I’m sure you’ve either muttered those words or thought them, even if it was for the first however many seconds of your session.
Listen. Getting in front of a lens exposes vulnerable parts of who we are. It strips us away from our snapchat filters and our highlight reels. It gives complete control to the photographer- who sees you in a totally different light than you see yourself.
Maybe you just got into an argument with a friend or you’ve had a shitty day at work.
Maybe you’ve put on a few lbs or you don’t feel as comfortable in your skin as you would like to.
Maybe you’ve had clear skin for months and then 2 days before your session, your face decided to hate you and break out.
I hear you. I’ve been there. I’ve LIVED it.
But listen. What you put INTO your session is what will be reflected through your images. Put all of those insecurities and doubts down friends-they get heavy. Let’s talk about how we can prep for our session(s) to ease anxiety, increase confidence, and have some FREAKING FUN.
- Practice poses beforehand. No, I’m not kidding! Go scoop your boo and practice in the mirror. Start by standing next to each other holding hands- you can wrap up underneath his arm and lean onto his shoulder. Then, start to move other parts. And don’t be afraid to MOVE. Move direction, sit, stand, kneel, lay, etc. Feel out what works well and what doesn’t. In some cases, fellas may be shorter than their ladies. There are certain poses that are going to look a little better than others. If something doesn’t look right, try not to get frustrated and give up. Instead, accept it and move onto something that feels a little better for both of you. Team work makes the dream work.
- Inspo is AMAZING but don’t get lost in it. What I mean by this is- make your Pinterest boards but don’t get so tangled in it that you lose sight of your own session. This is your OWN for a reason. This is not someone else’s story. So try not to get hung up on doing every single pose that you’ve pinned and just let the session flow.
- When narrowing down a location, make sure it is a place that mirrors who you are as a couple. Pay attention to where you gravitate toward- is it the city or the country? Is the vibe more edgy? Or would you rather go for something more delicate, like an open field? What would you like to incorporate in session to tell your story? These are all important things to consider.
- Be prepared for movement aka bring water and a snack. We may walk a little, talk a lot, and I can guarantee if you book a session with us, we’ll have you moving constantly 🙂 having something on hand to cool you down and hydrate can help so much!
- Allow room for imperfection. Please. We are human beings and we were never created to walk this earth perfectly. So if your hair decides to lose a little curl, or you have an annoying pimple on your face, or you just did that pose on your “bad side”, or you had a double chin from laughing hysterically, it’s okay. It’s more than okay. Practice being gentle with yourself and giving yourself grace.
- Choose outfits that you’re going to be comfortable in. Get really real with yourself about what makes you self-conscious, and then find clothes that compliment areas of your body that you absolutely love. You can even practice taking pictures of yourself in your outfits ahead of time so that you can see how they photograph. If something really bothers you and you feel that it may be shown in session, consult with your photographer so that he/she knows and can accommodate you throughout.
- Be present. Allow yourself to be in the moment and process it all as it comes. Being on your phone and having distractions can take away from the session.
- Be authentic. Be true to yourselves and show up EXACTLY as you are!
Signing off!! Hope this resonated with you in some way. If you’d like to book a session with us, head on over to the contact us section and shoot us an inquiry!
All my love,
Casey