You don’t have to be a model to nail that feeling of body confidence and achieve flattering pictures from a photography session. A body positive attitude might not come naturally to all of us but if you work with the right professional photographer, they can help you to embrace who you are, enjoy the moment, and create pictures that you can truly cherish.
What to expect from your photography session
Knowing what to expect ahead of time is one of the best ways you can prepare yourself and build your confidence for a photoshoot. That’s why I’ve put together my guide on how to prepare, what to expect on the day and how to pose for photos—to help you feel empowered and achieve the professional pictures you desire.
Preparing for the photoshoot
Speak with your photographer. A professional photographer isn’t just there to take the photos on the day, they can help you plan what style of photography you’re looking to achieve, what your likes and dislikes are and can even help you work through what barriers you might have to feeling confident.
Choose colours that suit you. Familiarising yourself with colour theory and doing a colour analysis can help you to discover which colours are the most flattering for your complexion and hair colour. Not only can this help you feel your most confident on the day, but it can also help to elevate your photography and add a touch of your personality to the image.
Plan your outfit. Choose an outfit that brings you joy and makes you feel confident and empowered. Avoid fussy prints and patterns as they may not translate well through the lens, but don’t feel put off from choosing something that helps your best self shine through.
On the day
To make the most of your portrait session it’s a good idea to block out that section of the day in your diary—or even take the whole day off for yourself if you can. This will prevent you from feeling rushed or pressured to fit it around your schedule and will help you to relax into it and enjoy the time. Planning something for yourself after the session—perhaps meeting a friend—can also help you to feel confident and empowered about your day.
How to pose for pictures
As part of your photoshoot your photographer will suggest ways to pose—which can be standing or sitting—depending on your body and your range of movements.
Tips for flattering poses include:
- Stand or lean forward
- Pull your arms back to shift your weight back and loosen your posture
- Create angles with your body—using your shoulders, hips, feet, etc following the guidance of the photographer
- Lean on a wall to relax, soften and remove awkwardness from your pose
- Sit on a stool with your feet on a block
- Lean on your front knee whilst in a sitting pose.
For more advice on how to feel confident and empowered during your shoot and to understand how I work, book a call with me for a discovery chat.
You can also read my guides on what makes a great headshot and tips and ideas for a portrait photography session.