Being Yourself


If you’re a photographer, you’ve probably felt this feeling. A shoots coming up, you’re feeling nervous, maybe had a hard time sleeping the night before. Could be your experience, could be your gear… But there’s one that most people feel no matter what:


The social anxiety.


As a photographer, part of your job is getting along with the client. What if you don’t mesh? What if you’re not funny, or charming, or can’t get them comfortable?

That issue is one that always floats around in photographers minds. I had thought for a long time that there was something that you had to do as a result of how other jobs work, and that was to be professional. I would wear my nicest button up shirt, put on a watch, act formal…

I couldn’t help but feel difficulty in getting myself to feel comfortable, and that showed in the clients and their photos. What was the issue? It wasn’t a quick resolution that I found, but it came through working with others that I discovered the answer.



The first realization came when I worked with a photographer who I’m a big fan of - @brimarie - while shooting a wedding. She was the real deal, shooting beautiful photos, getting the clients so amped and excited, and I noticed something. She wasn’t stressed, she was wearing what she liked, being herself. And not only that, but her photo style showed the same! She edited her photos how she liked them, and the clients that liked her style went out of their way to work with her.


”CLIENTS WHO YOU APPEAL TO WILL LOOK FOR YOU”


And that’s where the snowball started rolling. For a long time I thought “I have to appeal to the client”, but in reality, the answer is that clients who you appeal to will look for you. It’s not going to be the button up shirt or the leather shoes that make someone like you, but you being yourself that drags them in. And guess what? It goes further than just their appeal to your work. While posing and guidance is certainly of value in a photoshoot, most people are much more capable of looking good in a photo than they realize! And there’s a very simple solution: to feel comfortable.


There is a type of simple understanding that I like to remind myself before photoshoots and online expression, and it is that the people that I want to work with are the people who appreciate what I do and who I am. The more sincere and genuine I am, the more likely I will connect with people that recognize my qualities as a person and as a photographer, and will go out of the way to work with me. Those are known as dream clients! Those clients are likely to love working with you and already know exactly what they’re getting into ahead of time.


So now we know that the people we want to work with are the people who appreciate us for who we are, and who like the work we make… so what do we have to be nervous about?? Being ourselves can only lead to better results, more comfortable clients, and a more fun photoshoot. Wear the clothes you feel yourself in, edit in the style that you love, and go about the process that works best for you. In time, the feeling of anxiety will fade when you realize that being comfortable is exactly what brings the success!


The photos in this blog were from a shoot with a couple friends of mine, Derek and Madison. Once the comfort in front of the camera opened up, the emotion on their faces and willingness to dance in front of the camera became obvious. The creative process was made easy, and everyone pitched in their creativity to make beauty happen.