Playtime, not punishment

One key to creating a compelling and valuable image portfolio during a portrait session is the diversity in emotions conveyed from shot to shot. 

The way to achieve this diversity is through a variety of facial expressions displayed in front of the camera. 

While some of the changes in expression may be as subtle as adjusting your smirk into a smile, that minute change makes a gigantic difference in the emotion conveyed. 

And, those changes can be leveraged in completely different ways when creating online content and other visual assets.

While it seems pretty straight-forward and simple, therein lies a challenge:

The subject needs to be open and willing enough to display these expression changes. 

If you’re feeling subconscious, disinterested or even resentful of the process, your face barely moves. 

The expressions captured will resemble those negative sentiments, which means that they’ll be totally unable. 

And that would suck.

So, how do you avoid wasting your investment of time and money in this way?

Suspend disbelief and allow yourself to see the entire portrait experience as an opportunity to play, and not as a punishment. 

Listen, we all have hangups about our appearance.

But, what drives us nuts has nothing to do with the way in which those that could use our help perceive us. 

In many cases, they don’t even notice the perceived imperfection that you obsess over. 

Whether it’s weight, an asymmetrical smile, blemished skin, wrinkles, or fill in the blank, NO ONE BESIDES YOU GIVES A SHIT, especially those who are determining whether you’re the solution to their problem. 

You could have three eyes, 4 ears, an extra arm, or lizard skin, but, if you can provide them with hope and a game plan to help them get past what’s holding them back, that’s what matters MOST. 

And that’s ALL that matters to them.

Long story short, get over yourself. Get past the hangups. Quiet the head garbage. Engage the photographer during your session. Allow yourself the chance to enjoy the process. 

And capture magical photos that help attract the types of clients you serve.