Let me just begin by saying… taking a “nice” photo of me is extremely difficult. I grew up in a household where my loving mother LOVED photos of me. When I was a small child, I loved photos. I posed crazily in front of them and smiled whenever there was a camera in sight… but then I grew up and became shy and awkward–some like to call this the middle school awkward phase. :)

I love taking photos with friends (I don’t mind smiling for those), but when it comes to solos, or too many photos, my face just instantaneously can not hold still for the life of me. I will squirm, make ridiculous faces, laugh, anything but what the photographer wants me to do. I guess it’s a part of me that thinks, “Well, at least if I MAKE my photo purposely ‘ugly’, it won’t be as embarrassing as if I tried and I didn’t end up liking it?” Haha! I’m sure I’m not the only one that thinks this! And I mean, I’ll try to look nice, but I can only hold it for a couple seconds.

Needless to say, I feel much more comfortable behind the camera than in front. :)

BUT, because I am this way, I do feel like I have learned that people do need patience and guidance and they need help feeling confident when they take photos–which I love to make sure I help my clients feel during their sessions. I’ve learned a lot about the needed communication and connection between the person in front of the camera, and the person behind it. I have learned to use my own initial uneasiness in front of a camera to help me master how to help my clients grow comfortable in front mine. :)

A couple weeks ago, I had to take a few headshots for a project I’m working on with John, my second shooter and graphic designer, and Chris, my videographer friend! Here’s a summary of what happened during the shoot while John was trying to photograph me. Chris took a couple of the behind the scene shots!

First of all, I couldn’t stop laughing because I saw how John was standing. HAHA I’m pretty sure this is the “asian dad stance” in those gifs of how different people hold their camera!

This is what I mean by I can’t do things right the first time when I’m in front of the camera. This is how my nervousness comes out. I had worse, “derp-ier” photos, but I didn’t think the world could handle how ugly they came out. Haha

 

John had to take me and show me how we couldn’t use any of these photos because I couldn’t hold still.. HAHA so sad…

 

 

So then, I cooperated to get things over with. :)

 

 

And this is how I ended up with my new “About Me”  photo. :)

 

 

And thus, you don’t have to be a model to be in front of the camera–TRUST ME, I feel you. :) But portraits are a great way to commemorate special times in your life, and also allow you to go back and see how you looked like a couple years ago! I’m always told by my mom and dad that when we get older, we will cherish seeing photos and cherish taking photos of our children! So at the very least, if you don’t want them for yourself, remember that your family (present and future) will love and cherish these special memories!

My tip on looking better in photos? Pick a photographer you find yourself comfortable with! A photographer who who you can relate to! They will know how to capture who you are! :)

Happy Friday! :D