4 Photo No-No's

During a portrait session, there’s opportunities to create a wealth of visual variety based on your body language, facial expression and activities in which you’re engaged in front of the camera.

And that’s magical.

But, with all of that experimentation comes opportunities to produce not so magical photos that should never make their way into your image portfolio - EVER.

Let's start with the infamous, arms crossed portrait.

Sure, some believe that it conveys the "I mean business" vibe, but for others, it reads as "I'm completely unapproachable." Your aim is to engage and inspire, not intimidate and alienate.

People connect with open, inviting body language. Crossed arms? Eh, not so much.

Next up, a candid portrait of you reading your own book.

We get it. You wrote a book. That’s awesome.

But pretending to read it? Not so awesome. What’s a better photo to share is one of your readers thumbing through the book - it’s less weird and narcissistic that way :)

How about that classic photo of you typing on your laptop, holding a coffee cup, and looking into the camera?

You can multitask - congrats on that.

But, this photo feels so contrived it hurts. Your audience wants to see you in action, doing what you do best, not performing a magic trick. Separate those activities into individual photos and the world would be a much better place :)

Lastly, the unnatural posing.

You're not a mannequin or a fashion model, so why pose like one? You're a dynamic, inspiring expert - let your images reflect that.

Allow your photographer to inspire natural body language that’s optimized for the camera to to establish a real connection with your audience.

Remember, your photos are not just for show. They're a tool for connection, for building trust, for sharing your magic with the world.

Ditch the forced stuff and lean more into who you are, and that will resonate more deeply with who you serve.