Look at the Camera like It's Someone You Love
Being in front of the camera can be scary. Frankly, it’s unnatural to have a device shoved in your face that can create a version of you in a flash. That kind of experience is only typical for celebrities and politicians and many of them don’t like the experience either. The difference is that they’ve had tons of practice at looking a certain way when they know their image is about to be captured.
You may not be a celebrity, but you would probably love to have an image of yourself that you love. So, here’s a simple exercise that can help you get more comfortable in front of the camera:
If you Loved your IMAGE, who would you share it with?
Francine, Macon, GA, circa 2016
Delilah and Nicholas, Bridal Portrait, Atlanta, GA, 2024
Almost no one shares images of themselves that they hate. But chances are, if you loved a photograph of yourself, there’s at least one person you’d want to share that image with. Maybe this person is your best friend, spouse, sibling, crush, or even an ex you want to make jealous. Whomever it is, when you take your next photograph, picture that person and then...
Act like that person is standing where the camera is.
If the person you’d share your portrait with was your best friend, it’s unlikely that you’d look uncomfortable in front of them. In fact, your body language might become more relaxed, your smile might become fuller, and your personality might show up more at the thought of that person.
Picturing the person you love turns out to be really easy for weddings and couples sessions because the person is usually standing right there looking at you with love and adoration. This is part of why first looks can be so powerful on a wedding day. This also works for posed portraits, such as the image on the left.
The reason this works is because photography is like time travel. Everyone who views an image sees it from the perspective of the camera and is instantly transported to the moment the image was created. How you show up in front of the camera is how the viewer see you. Maybe the viewer is your kid….or even you in 50 years. Either way, all you have to do show up in that moment for someone that you love.
