“I’m not photogenic”, “I don’t look good in photos”, “I hate having my picture taken” – that is what many of our clients say when they first come in!
Many of you believe they can’t take good pictures, which is so sad as we think everyone deserves beautiful portraits of themselves!
So, if you think you are not photogenic, we have great news for you: it is OUR job to make you look good in photos! Yes!
You don’t need to have some special ability to naturally take good photos or know how to look at the camera. We take care of everything for you!
I. Everyone is photogenic (yes, we swear!!)
But first, what does photogenic mean? Simply to look good in photos!
1. Yes, some people seem to always know how to look good in photos
We all know these kind of people. You couldn’t take a bad picture of them, even if you tried.
So how do they get this ability to look good in photos?
It’s just down to some features that naturally photograph better than others! Nothing else.
But not fitting into this category of people doesn’t mean you can’t take good photos of yourself!
2. We have a secret for you… You are photogenic too!
Yes, we swear! Even though you may not believe it, we promise you can get beautiful portraits of yourself too!
It’s all about clever angles and a few things a professional photographer knows and can manage. And we will tell you all about it below!
II. Why do you have the feeling no one can take a good photo of yourself
1. Because no one tells you what to do in front of the camera!
When you don’t know what to do with your arms, hands, or how to look at the camera, that’s when you feel uncomfortable and take a bad picture!
And when someone takes a group or a family photo, the only direction you are given is to gather, get close and fake a smile – which leaves you with the impression of looking like this:
2. You hate having your picture taken
If you’ve had many bad pictures taken, you may now dread the next time someone asks to take a photo of you.
And the more you get “bad photos” of yourself, the worse it gets. It’s a vicious circle!
III. How we make you look good in photos (even if you believe you are not photogenic!)
Although you wouldn’t think so when looking at our gallery or Instagram page, we swear that almost all our clients thought they were not photogenic before they came to us!
So how do we achieve this result? Let us show you the few tricks we use to make you photogenic!
1. We warm you up before your shoot!
We know how the idea of finding yourself alone in front of the camera can make one feel extra nervous!
All our clients are a bit stressed when they first come in – and that’s perfectly normal!
However, we have good news for you! It’s our job to make you feel safe, relaxed, and comfortable. And that’s why we allow for a 90-minute photoshoot, leaving you enough time to:
- build trust and get comfortable with your photographer
- warm-up in front of the camera
- do some “test” shots to show you what you can achieve, and how beautiful you look in the photos!
All our clients end up being amazed at how confident and beautiful they feel (and they’re usually the ones who suggest taking off more and more clothes during the session!)
2. We pose you
When you go to a photography studio, you are guaranteed to be dealing with professionals working in an environment they can control.
Our photographers will pose you from fingers to toes – meaning you won’t have to improvise anything (which, we now know, never gives good results!)
– We know how to make you look your best!
Our photographers know which poses, angles and lighting will best suit your features.
And even if you wonder why we ask you to put your chin forward or your shoulders in a certain way when we pose you, just wait until you see the result!
That is when it all makes sense!
– We only give you tangible and REAL directions
If you dread having to give your eyes some emotion during your shoot and/or doubt your acting skills, rest assured!
We NEVER give you vague directions such as “look mysterious”, “play flirty”, or even “make love to the camera” (yes, we actually heard this one before!).
What “looking mysterious” sounds like to us
We always give you clear and concrete directions: look at this, stay neutral, place your hand here, shoulders back, chin forward… Only tangible directions everyone can master!
Plus, your photographers will always mirror these poses for you so that you can easily recreate them!
– We’ll make you try our secret facial expression
Which is simply… A neutral face!
Yes, we swear! A neutral, relaxed face is the number one expression to try for a good photo! And as a bonus, it’s also the easiest to achieve!
You are beautiful just as you are, and you don’t need to try to fake emotions to look good in photos.
– We interact with you to create genuine emotions
Even though a neutral face will give you amazing portraits, we also want you to have a variety of images to choose from!
So, when we want to capture something different (a smile, or something flirtier), we will interact with you in order to create something authentic.
We’ll tell you something funny or make you think about something to create these emotions, and then take heaps of photos! It’s that easy. Plus, it’s a lot of fun for you!
Your genuine emotions will always look good in images.
3. We help you choose the perfect photogenic outfits
We easily forget that feeling confident (inside, and in your photos) can also depend on something as simple as the clothes you’re wearing!
Prior to your session, we’ll give you a call to go through your wardrobe with you and plan your 3 outfits, keeping in mind your style and the type of photos you are after.
But as a rule of thumb, we usually recommend you bring outfits that are:
– Fitting
Unless you’re wearing an oversized item such as a boyfriend shirt or tee-shirt, always make sure the clothes you wear fit you!
Clothes that are too big or too small are rarely flattering, and this will stand out in your photos.
– Recent weight gain or loss
Weight fluctuations are normal and are a natural part of life. But it can also mean that your favourite clothes no longer fit. If this is the case for you, it means it’s time to find and love new outfits that fit better – and bring them to your shoot!
Your body is beautiful as it is, and it deserves clothes that really fit
– Flattering
Different outfits look good on different people!
Depending on your body type and skin tone, some outfits may or may not fit you, and that’s normal! Choosing outfits that truly flatter your skin and morphology will help you create amazing portraits!
You can learn more about choosing the right colours for your skin tone and the right outfits for your body type!
– In which you feel comfortable and beautiful!
It may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised by how many clients admit they don’t really like wearing the clothes they bring to their shoot, thinking it looks beautiful – but not on them.
Choosing the right outfit is a key part of making you feel confident. And when you feel confident, it shows on the camera!
4. We provide professional hair and makeup before each session
Even though we believe everyone looks good with AND without makeup, having your hair and makeup done before your session will help you see yourself in a new light and set you in the right mood for your shoot!
Whether you prefer a natural look or something more glamorous, we adapt our look to your wishes, style, and features – always making sure to highlight your best assets.
We want to look like you, on your best day!
5. We take dozens of pictures to get the one shot!
That’s probably one of the best-kept secrets of influencers and anyone who seems to be photogenic! To get the perfect shot, everyone has to take a dozen more!
And that’s our trick to get the perfect shots for our clients too!
6. We edit your images
Editing is such a hot topic these days, so let us put your mind at ease.
We only add colour and brightness corrections to make your photos more vibrant. And if needed, we also edit out things that wouldn’t normally be there – such as pimples or blemishes.
Any additional edits will only be added at your own request!
While it’s normal to compare yourself to what you see online, remember that everyone uses tricks and edits to look their best on social media!
Woo! You now know that being photogenic depends on who you choose as your photographer (and not on some magical abilities!).
Book your photoshoot with us today, and finally get those beautiful portraits of yourself you can be proud of!