“I booked my photoshoot, but now I’m freaking out about it!”

I remember when I booked my own boudoir session to celebrate my upcoming (at the time) 50^th birthday. Even though I’d been a professional photographer myself, and had photographed quite a few boudoir sessions, I was super nervous! I nearly cancelled several times, even while sitting in the parking lot, but I remembered that there was a whole team that blocked their time to help me feel good about myself while I was there. I didn’t want to waste their time, and I wanted to honor the commitment I’d made - especially to myself.

Even if you aren’t having a boudoir shoot, you might be worried about being in front of a camera. Here are five ways to “keep calm” and give yourself a boost of confidence:

1. Realize that no one expects you to be an experienced model. It’s great to look at photographs for inspiration before your session but remember, it’s my job to work with you and guide you to get your best shots. You’ll feel your inner supermodel come out in no time.

2. Don’t push it. You may want to walk into your session with sky-high confidence, but you don’t need to. Once we start shooting, you will start feeling more and more self-assured as we go. Plenty of women book photoshoots because it’s a way to feel more confident, not because they have a ton of confidence already. It'll grow as we go!

3. Get out of your head and be present. Don’t overthink it or worry “am I doing this right?” You’ll end up with photos you don’t like and that weren’t even fun to take! If I see you tensing up, I’ll try to reset you. Close your eyes and breathe. Tune back into the present moment rather than self-assessing. The more relaxed you feel, the more fun you’ll have and the better your photos will be.

4. Be honest. If you’re anxious about something, let me know! Realize that I do this for a living and have worked with plenty of women who felt like you do, but still left with gorgeous photos and a feeling of accomplishment. If you don’t like a certain side or feature of your body, or if you have one you really love and want to celebrate, remember that this is your session. I don’t ever want you to feel uncomfortable.

5. Hold onto your “why.” Why did you book your shoot? Think about what made you say yes to having a portrait session. Was it to build intimacy with your partner? To celebrate your body after a baby, weight loss, or leaving a less-than-happy relationship? To feel beautiful? To share your story? I want you to leave the session with your “why” fulfilled as much as you do, so if you feel a twinge of self-doubt or self-criticism, remind yourself why you took the time to do the session in the first place.

At the end of the day, your session should be fun and empowering. Authenticity is captivating, so you really can’t get it wrong. Relax, take a breath, and go with the flow!

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Women are multi-faceted, and I love helping them share images that show their authentic, beautiful, confident shine! How do you want to be photographed? Let's meet over coffee and talk about it. Contact me: text/call 434-226-0365 or email [email protected].