My 5 Steps on how to be more camera confident

Are you a fan of putting yourself in front of the camera and being photographed? Not many people are! It’s alright if you’ve got a professional photographer like me to put you at ease and tell you what to do, but being fully camera confident takes some time and practice.

I see so many people who struggle with being confident in front of the camera. I was once one of those people, but I’ve now overcome it and I promise you can too! Here I’m going to offer you some tips on how to feel more confident, some of which you can use in everyday situations (not just for being in front of the camera).

I mean, it’s not exactly your everyday thing, putting yourself in front of a camera and striking a pose. Especially when someone else is taking your photo! I can totally relate to this because I was once that person who hated being in front of the camera! It was completely out of my comfort zone. I used to hate how I looked because I could just see the awkwardness on my face. It can make you feel like a rabbit in headlights and you can’t relax.

But how do you get over that fear and start to relax in front of the camera?

1. Get used to seeing yourself and be kind to yourself!

One way to get more camera confident is to take lots of selfies (no-one but you has to see them!). By doing this, you can find your preferred side (if you have one!) and get used to posing more.

Pose in front of the mirror. Check out how your face and body look from different angles (just remember it’s a reversed image!). No, it’s not vain! You just need to get over it and get on with it. Do it in private if you’re worried about what others will think.

Be kind to yourself. When you look at your reflection in a mirror, be aware of any negative self-talk. Quite often we’ll put ourselves down without even realising it, and we believe what we tell ourselves. Make sure you give yourself compliments and positive statements (talk to yourself like you would a friend) and you’ll start to believe the good things you tell yourself. This is really important to boost your self-esteem.

2. What makes you feel really good and confident?

Do you have a favourite tune that you love to play over and over again? Is there a song that you turn up every time it comes on the radio? Good music can be an instant mood booster.

Maybe you have a favourite perfume that makes you feel great because you smell really yummy? What scents do you love? Maybe you love the smell of freshly cut grass, the smell of fresh bread baking or the smell of clean laundry?!

Repeat to yourself a mantra/affirmation of your choice to boost your confidence and improve your self-belief, such as “I am a strong, confident, beautiful woman and I can do this!” (obviously adapt this to suit you). What are your insecurities? Write them down and then turn them into the opposite positive statement to counteract the negative one. If you say it out loud over and over, you’ll start to believe it!

Quiet that nagging voice of self-doubt and listen to the voice of encouragement!

3. Feel good in what you’re wearing.

What clothes make you feel really confident? Do you have an outfit that makes you think “Yeah I look really good in this!” or particular colours you love to wear? Think about what suits you and flatters your figure, not just about what’s in fashion. Think about wearing similar colours that go together and accessories to go with it.

Do you have some sexy underwear that would boost your confidence just knowing that you’re wearing it (no-one else has to know!)?

How do you want to come across? Casual and laid back, smart-casual, smart and business-like, or dressy?

4. Take your mind off your insecurities…

Stop worrying about what you look like and imagine you look amazing!

Quite often people will like natural photos (usually captured at weddings) when they’re looking good and feeling good, without knowing or focussing on the fact that someone is taking a photo of them. A natural photo will come from being relaxed and focussing your mindset on something other than the camera or what you look like.

This involves a bit of imagination (and possibly meditation if you’re into that).

Here are some things you could think about instead…

• What are you passionate about?
• What do you love most about your job/home/family/friends?
• Where is your favourite happy place?
• What was the best holiday you’ve been on?

5. The 3 P’s – Posture, Posing, Practice!

Work on your posture – sit/stand up straight! One of the keys to looking great in photos is good posture and body language. You can appear more confident, even if you don’t feel it at the time. Imagine you’ve got a piece of string pulling you up from the back of your head. Make sure you’ve got your shoulders back and down and your chest lifted (and not hunched over). This can make you instantly look AND feel more confident.

You could even try standing in a good power pose (e.g. like a starfish or warrior!) for 30 seconds and see how that makes you feel.

Keep practising posing in front of the mirror. If you’d like some tips on how to pose, read my other blog below!

–> How to pose and look better in photos

Keep practising being in front of the camera. I promise you, the more you do it and the more you’re willing to succeed, the easier it gets.

Get other people to take photos of you until you’re confident in posing in front of the camera (get out of your comfort zone!)

The truth is, being yourself is one of the magical keys to being confident and engaging in front of the camera. Being natural requires you to practice until it feels like the camera isn’t there.

If you’d love to know more about my photoshoots, check out my other blogs below:

–> Boudoir shoots

–> Personal Branding shoots

Ready to have a chat about possibly booking your own photoshoot? Great! I’d love to hear from you and see how I could help.

—> Book in a free call here <—

Many thanks for reading. Feel free to share with anyone you know who needs a confidence boost!

Ginny x