In this digital age, images are the language of the internet. Swoonworthy Instagram feeds are enough to make a girl feel like a lousy loser if she doesn’t keep her comparison reflex in check. It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that everyone else is naturally photogenic, that their business is on fire and that they’re all living the high life, while you sit in your onesie at your computer, with a piece of dry, crusty cereal stuck to your chin.
One way to ensure the envy monster doesn’t get you every time you scroll through your feed is to ensure that you have your own gorgeous gallery of images that represent your beautiful authentic self, the reality of your business, and how you’re able to serve your clients and customers – and doing this all with a touch of glam, of course.
Here’s 5 ways to ensure your professional photos make you and your business look and feel confident.
Get Clarity
The first step in getting the gorgeous images for your online profile is to get clear about what you want. You must decide what ‘gorgeous’ looks like for you. Your brand is as unique as you are, and you need to make the decisions about how to represent the different traits and aspects of you and your business.
Decide on everything, from the outfits you’ll wear, to the style of your hair and makeup, to where the shoot should take place, and what props or additional elements you want to include in the images. It’s useful to get clear on where you’ll be using these images and how they’ll work on the given platform. Make a list of all the shots you need.
Research Your Photographers
Don’t just get a friend or a neighbor’s son to take the photos for you. If you want your business to be taken seriously, you have to take it seriously, and that means hiring a professional. Do your research for local photographers, check out their websites and their online portfolios. Make sure their work is in line with the style of images that you’ve decided on, and ensure that they’ve posted examples of their work in the last few weeks.
Get a feel for the type of person they are. Their energy and personality is just as important as the quality of their work when it comes to getting the best out of you during this session. It’s best to meet with the photographer before the shoot so that you can ensure that you’re a good match and that you’ll get on well.
Communicate
When you meet with your photographer to discuss your shoot and ideas, be very clear about what you have in mind for your images. If you’ve ever gone to a hairdresser and told them “Do whatever you want!” you’ll understand why this is so important. It’s the job of the portrait photographer to relay the essence of who you are and what you do through the images. What you need to do is share that information in a very clear way.
If it means creating an inspiration or mood board to get your point across, do that. Don’t let there be room for ambiguity and misinterpretation. Be certain that you’re both on the same page before your shoot date.
Prepare
Do your preparation ahead of the shoot. From wrapping up your to-do list and activating your ‘out-of-office’ for the next day, to gathering all the items and outfits you’ll need, to doing your pampering routine to ensure you have glowing skin and glossy locks that are camera-ready! It’s advisable to have everything ready by midday the day before your shoot so that you have time to yourself, to relax and rejuvenate.
Enjoy The Process
Perhaps do some meditation or yoga or exercise out in nature on the morning of your shoot to get your energy centered and to start your day present in the moment.
Once you arrive at the studio, surrender. Hand over all decision making to the professionals. You’ve done your part, you’ve communicated your desires, you’ve done the preparation, now it’s time for you to let go and enjoy the process. Really revel in the moment, tap into the feeling of joy and focus on the positive impact you have on the clients and customers you serve. Let that confidence shine through!
If you follow these 5 steps, you’re far more likely to get the quality of professional images that represent your true, authentic self. And once you start sharing them on your website, blog or Instagram feed, I guarantee your self-confidence will soar!
Abigail is a Confidence Crusader. She helps women recognize and cultivate their confidence through her specialist women’s portrait photography, her online course Conscious-Confidence.com, her blog and her professional speaking.