Camera shy? Camera confidence..

Firstly let's take a breath.. Just breathe.

Now I do 100% empathise with my clients if they tell me (or show me) in some small ways that they are a little camera shy. Some may subtlety bite their lower lip others may tense up a little. We all do it..!

These subtle signs & signals become more & more easy to spot the more empathetic you are as a person. It's absolutely natural for most people to have mild jitters! So unless you model for a living or you've had some experience in front of a camera then it can be quite a daunting experience. You feel utterly open & exposed. Any introvert's worst nightmare!

The jitters.. You can actually get some real sweet photos from semi-nervous jitters. You know, like a “real” natural shy look, but this only works when it's cute jitters!!! It won't work with “rabbit in the headlight” jitters.. even though I'm sure that THEY have their place in a fine-art stylized “deep emotional photographic piece” when done well. The fact is.. Art is subjective.
I'm really not dissing any artists that actually like to highlight the wide eyed rabbit look.

There comes a point in a shoot when people just relax, they let down their guard (hopefully because they completely trust you!) but I'll take for whatever reason! Maybe they can't fake the funk no more.. so i’ll take that too! So anyway then.. that's when the magic happens. When someone relaxes, their inner confidence shines! Young, old.. Whatever age we all have that inner sparkle and a photographer's job is to highlight that sparkle.

I recognise these very, very small subliminal signals in people because I don't really feel at home in front of the camera. I feel some REAL camera fear (which I'm conquering in my own way) but the way I see it, I'm a photographer. I'm not necessarily a model. However I do feel it's important to be the other side of the camera & i’m becoming comfortable with the idea of modeling for a profile photo. :/

​Side note. this is all just my personal take on it all so tbh it may or may not relate or work for you! You may well even be saying “well pfft that's obvious Yvette” well.. great! I'm glad that you obviously have a high level of inner confidence and are well at ease when it comes to being photographed.

This is aimed for “new people” photographers/models if you're new to the idea of photography, photo shoots or modeling. If you're new to being photographed & maybe even you have some pre-photo shoot anticipation or nerves. You may be thinking of jumping into trying a fresh new photoshoot experience! Facing your fears, expanding your experiences, whatever I hope that this little snippet in some way helps at least one person to remember to breathe.. relax and (mostly) just have fun!

To your next photo shoot adventure!

Love
Yvette X


Tips for feeling comfortable as a model.

# have your hair/makeup professionally done
# look online for style ideas, Pinterest is a great source of inspiration. Take your time to think about what vibe’ you want to show. i.e beach, glitz, boho, what is your style?
# take a few different accessories, tops, coats, scarfs to mix and match creating different looks.
# take a flask! a nice warm drink can act as a good refresh break, esp if you're outdoors.
# blankets, head pieces, Angel wings or other props can all be used. The limit is your imagination!
# lastly, feel comfortable. Don't squeeze into things just for looks. Feel comfy in your new shoes, hat, coat! Relax & have fun! YJ x