Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone | Boone, NC Wedding Photographer

If you scour my yearbooks from 6th grade until my senior year in high school, you will only find my photo in two yearbooks. I used to go to great lengths to avoid having my picture taken when I was younger. I remember going to extremes in order to miss picture day, from faking sick to skipping school, I would do anything to get out of it! I hated the way that I looked in photographs.

NOT LIKING IMAGES OF OURSELVES IS UNIVERSAL
I can't tell you how many times I've heard from clients and friends that they “take horrible photos” or that they “never look good in pictures.” It pains me to hear that because I know how that feels all too well. And it's still something I battled with today. Still, no matter how much we despise it, people insist on doing it anyway! You end up submitting only because there's that thought in the back of your mind (maybe subconsciously) that you'll regret not having physical proof of who you are today to look back on.

BLAME IT ON SCIENCE

Come to find out, there may be a perfectly logical explanation for why we don't like seeing ourselves in 2D. Based on something called the Mere-Exposure Effect we like things that are familiar to us. You see, we're used to viewing a mirror reflection of ourselves, and when we are photographed that mental image is then flipped which plays mind-games on our brains. Maybe it's not that we don't like what we see in the image of ourselves, maybe it's just weird because we're not used to seeing ourselves in that way?!

PUSHING MYSELF OUTSIDE MY COMFORT ZONE

Now that you know my secret about going to ridiculous measures in order to avoid having my picture taken, you get that I can sympathize with you because I've been where you are. However, I recently stepped on the other side of the camera to experience firsthand what it's like for my clients. I'll be honest, I felt awkward at first because I had no clue what I was doing even though I direct my clients all the time. Once I was on the receiving end I sort of froze up, and just made a lot of funny faces to make up for my lack of modeling skills! Exposing myself in that way had me feeling extremely vulnerable but it was also a very freeing experience, too.

My lovely assistant/intern/mentee, Raejan, captured these images of me. She is an aspiring photographer so this was new for her, too, but we had a blast, and It wasn't so scary after all!

HOW YOU CAN LOOK YOUR BEST IN PHOTOS

Relax! And act “normal.” In other words, be yourself! You don't have to be a supermodel in order for your photographer to get great shots. Besides, having your photos made is about more than just the way you look. No one is less photogenic because they don't fit the mold of what some folks in society thinks is beautiful. We are all worthy of having our stories told! It's a matter of trusting the person behind the lens to tell yours in a way that is authentic to you. When you're comfortable and having fun your personality naturally shines!

So, tell me, how do you feel about having your picture taken?! Love it? Hate it? Let me know here in the comments or on WW FB page!

If facing your fears and being liberated by an uplifting experience that will leave you feeling like a gazillion bucks sounds like a good time, then you'll love the Limited Edition Celebrate You Sessions I am offering to welcome the awakening of SPRING! The unforgettable experience I'm offering is about CELEBRATING YOU and who you are right now, today. You'll have fun, walk away feeling more confident and beautiful, and you'll also have some gorgeous images of yourself captured that will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy! 

It's time to redefine self-love. Click here to find out why: 

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