“I’m Not Photogenic”: Here's How We Handle Your Photo Shoot Anxiety
“…I should not be left to my own devices
They come with prices and vices
I end up in crisis (tale as old as time)…” - Taylor Swift
“Anti-Hero" is Taylor Swift’s longest-charting song. Sure, it’s catchy but perhaps it’s so popular because it speaks directly to our general self-critical tendencies?
We hear this at work everyday - “I really want to get my photos taken but:
I hate having my photo taken.
I’m currently overweight.
My hair is not the right length / color.
I don’t have the right outfits.
I don’t feel ready.
I’m not photogenic (the most popular)”.
Most of our self-critical tendencies surface right up when it comes to scheduling photo shoots and let me tell you, it is totally relatable.
The other day my son happened to glance at my last headshot and said, “Wow, you look so different”. Whoa. That headshot was from four years ago. It was time to update. Of course I look different today. My confidence and energy is higher. I have evolved in my career and as a person. The old headshots, however wonderful they are, do not rightly represent the “me” that I am today.
So when I sat down with Kapu to schedule my branding shots, I found myself listing out the exact same reasons as our clients most often do.
The bottomline was I wanted to get my photos taken but I just didn’t feel ready to do it.
To deal with my apprehension, we decided to put me through our KPP four-step client experience:
VISION - delving deep into our client’s psyche and understanding the WHY behind their photo shoot.
DESIGN - pulling together notes from the Wardrobe Consult to building a session based on client goals and aspirations.
EXPERIENCE - a pampering hair and make up session (while sipping our signature KPP chai and listening to music) that sets the tone for the day and brings up your happiness quotient to a 100. This is then followed by the photo shoot with outfit changes, chatter and is lovingly guided by Kapu from chin to toe. This brings up your confidence quotient to even beyond a 100.
REVEAL - I gotta say, I see our clients exclaim, scream, even cry the happy tears during their Reveal and Design session on a daily basis but I did not expect myself to be moved by my own pictures.
The feeling can only be penned down as “Move over, the old me from four years ago. I’m here now, reset and ready!”
YOU ARE SEEN
It is so cool when your vision of you gets translated and the way you want to be seen is how you are seen. Your authentic true self is not just represented but also celebrated.
Going through our KPP four-step client approach was a truly transformational experience for me and guess what, I get to relive that empowering feeling each time I look at my photos.
The cherry on top - my son loves these photos even more than the older ones.
“I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror….” No more of that. I’m looking directly at the sun and into the mirror with a big smile.
Would you like to experience your very own transformational portrait session?
