By far, the most common reason people give me for why they can't do a photoshoot is, "I am not photogenic."
"I can't do a photoshoot, I don't like pictures of myself. I am not photogenic."
I hear this all the time!
Guess what!?
It doesn’t matter if you think you are not "photogenic."
It turns out, that it isn’t your responsibility. You are only responsible for wanting to have beautiful photos of yourself and finding the right photographer for you.
My job as your photographer is to make sure you shine in the best light. You don't have to be "photogenic" to do that.
People also like to tell me, "oh, well I don't know what to do in photos, so I could never do a photoshoot."
But that isn't true!
People who tend to be more "photogenic" usually have just spent more time in front of a camera. They already know how they like to look and how to get there.
Sure, actors and models always look good on camera. That is because they know how to pose themselves. Once you know how to pose you can hit it in a snap, and suddenly, you are "Photogenic."
Brad Pitt is a good example of this, actually. If you look at some of his early photos on the red carpet, you can tell he doesn't have his posing down yet.
After some time you can see he finds it, and it's all you see in photos after that. Now he looks like "Brad Pitt" the actor.
But, for everyone else who doesn't get work based on their appearance. Being photogenic comes down to having a good photographer and being a good listener.
For a real-life example of this, we have the lovely Ms. A. Who is in the photo for this article. She had never done a Fine Art Boudoir (FAB) photo session before our shoot together. She was nervous and excited when we started and did a fantastic job of listening to my instructions and having fun with the process.
As you can see from the photo she looks amazing! But that isn’t because she has some super-secret modeling powers.
It is my job as your photographer to coach you on how to model and pose. You don't have to know the first thing about modeling when you come in for a session.
I would actually prefer photographing someone who doesn't know the first thing about posing but is excited to shoot over someone who is a great model but doesn't care at all about creating art.
Your talent for model yoga is meaningless if you don't care. It will show in your face and eyes. But, if you are excited and open to the experience, you will do great no matter what!
I like to walk everyone through poses and guide them on the adjustments to make. Just like a yoga class or dancing lessons. I want you to look your best too, and that happens through good instruction and communication.
My favorite way to coach people is by doing the pose I want them to do. You get to see all 6 foot 3 inches, of my goofy self, in a pose. I show you how to start and what to do.
Then once you are in the pose we work on the details. Like what to do with your hands, where to look, what kind of expression to go for. From the top of your head to the tip of your toes.
If you are willing to listen and have fun with the process of model yoga, you will be amazing!
This is supposed to be fun, after all!
How often in your day to day life do you get to be a model?
How often do you get a team of people pampering you, doing your make up, styling your outfits and coaching you on how to pose?
Probably not every day right?
So enjoy it!
Have fun and don't worry about failing or messing something up, because you can't.
This is art, it is about expressing yourself positively and creatively. There is no wrong way to do that.
If you want to see yourself as a strong and empowered person. Someone beautiful and confident. It doesn’t matter if you are photogenic. What matters is having the right photographer.
Want more information about your Fine Art Boudoir (FAB) session? Check out The Experience HERE!
Are you ready to book your shoot? Do you have questions? You can email me at jake@workhorsephotography.com. I can’t wait to hear from you!