On the day
How do you prepare if you feel uncomfortable in front of the camera?
You do not need to know how to pose, and you do not need to feel photogenic in ordinary photographs. I direct the entire session, which means your only task is to follow small, specific instructions while I watch the light and the angle for you. Almost every woman who arrives at the studio tells me she is not a model, and the photographs still look like her.
The first ten minutes are the ones that matter least
I begin photographing early in the session, but I do not expect much of those first frames, and neither should you. Ten minutes in, most women are still adjusting to the light, to the quiet, and to the fact of being looked at, and the shoulders usually sit somewhere near the ears. That is ordinary, and I plan the running order around it. By the second look your face has softened, you have stopped tracking the lens, and that is where the majority of your gallery comes from. Knowing this in advance is what takes the weight off the beginning.
What the direction actually sounds like
Direction here is specific and small, and it never leaves you guessing. I will tell you where to put your weight, how far to turn your hips, what to do with each hand, where to lower your chin, where to look, and when to breathe out. You will not hear me tell you to relax and be natural, because that instruction gives a person nothing to do with her body. If a position feels strange, say so and we change it; nothing is held for long. Posing, posture, hand placement, chin and expression are guided from the first frame to the last.
How to prepare in the days before
Decide your looks before the day rather than in the studio, because choosing under pressure is what tires people out. Have something to eat before you arrive, and give yourself enough time in the car that you are not walking in out of breath. If being fully finished before the first frame would settle you, professional hair and makeup may be added to an eligible package for $399, and it is included with Premium. Bring your partner if their presence steadies you; partner and children are included with the Comfort and Premium experiences. If a quieter day appeals to you, booking Monday through Friday adds two extra edited images with the code WEEKDAY2.
Wardrobe that gives your hands something to do
Nervous hands are the most common thing I correct, so I choose wardrobe that gives them a job. A gown with length and weight, a long piece of flowing fabric, a sleeve to hold, a hem to gather: each of these turns an awkward pause into a movement, and movement photographs well. The studio wardrobe holds gowns, flowing fabrics, bodysuits, accessories and statement pieces, and we choose from it together. I style by what you want from the photographs and never by your size, whether that means more coverage, the belly emphasized, a longer line, support for a fuller bust, or something bolder and more editorial.
Feeling uncomfortable in front of a camera is not a flaw you need to fix before you arrive. It is simply the first ten minutes, and the session is built so that those minutes cost you nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Almost every client says that sentence within the first ten minutes. Being photogenic is largely a matter of angle, light and direction, and all three of those are my responsibility rather than yours. You are guided through every pose, so there is nothing you need to already know.
No. Practicing tends to produce a stiffer, more self-conscious version of a pose than the one I would give you in the room. Come as you are and let me direct you.
Yes, with the right experience. Partner and children are included with the Comfort and Premium experiences. The Light experience is for you alone.
The Light session runs one hour, Comfort runs an hour and a half, and Premium runs two hours. The opening minutes are a warm-up, and the pace is set by me rather than by a clock you have to watch.
For many women it does, because it removes one thing to think about before the first frame. It may be added to an eligible package for $399, and it is included with the Premium experience.
Retouching completes a photograph without erasing the person in it. Unedited proofs reach your private gallery in approximately one to two days, and the retouched photographs are delivered within twenty-one business days of your selections.