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How to Feel Comfortable in Front
of a Camera

"I'm not photogenic." It's the first thing about half my clients tell me. And almost without exception, by the end of the session they're looking at their camera roll in disbelief. Not because I did something magical — but because "not photogenic" usually just means "I've never been photographed in a way that felt natural." Here's what actually helps.

The first 15 minutes are the hardest

Every session starts a little awkward. That's completely normal. Your body doesn't know what to do with itself, you're hyperaware of every expression, and nothing feels natural. The trick is to know that this passes — usually around the 15-minute mark, once you've started walking, talking, and forgotten to think about the camera. I structure the start of every session to ease into it slowly, without demanding anything from you right away.

Move, don't pose

The worst thing you can do is stand still and wait to be photographed. The best shots almost always happen when people are in motion — walking, turning, laughing at something. When I give direction, it's almost never "stand like this." It's more like "walk toward that wall and then look back." The movement creates natural expressions that no amount of posing can replicate.

Talk to each other, not the camera

For couples especially: the camera is not the subject of the session, you are. If you spend the whole time thinking about how you look in the frame, you'll look stiff. If you're talking to your partner, teasing each other, or just having a normal conversation, you'll forget the camera is there — and that's exactly when the best photos happen. I'll often ask questions mid-shoot just to get you out of your head and into each other.

Don't wait to feel ready

A lot of people put off booking a session because they want to lose weight first, or get a haircut, or feel more confident. The sessions I look back on most fondly were with people who showed up exactly as they were and stopped thinking about it. The camera picks up on self-consciousness more than it picks up on any physical thing you might be worried about.

Tell me what makes you uncomfortable

Before every session, I ask clients if there's anything they'd like to avoid — a side they don't like, a type of shot they're not comfortable with, something that makes them tense. Knowing that upfront means I can work around it without drawing attention to it. Nothing is too small to mention.

The short version

Show up. Move around. Talk to each other. Trust that the first few minutes will feel awkward and then it won't. That's it. The photos will take care of themselves.