This post is part of an ongoing series focused on getting you and your family ready for a photo session. Read other installments on the Do’s and Don’ts of What to Wear and 5 Stressing Relieving Tips To Not Have A Breakdown During Your Session, and check back for more soon.

It’s almost second nature for humans to be self-critical. We nitpick at our hair, our faces, our figure, our parenting, our relationships. You name it and we’re critical of it, and the sad truth is that we’re usually hardest on ourselves.

How is it that others can easily see the beauty in us, when we have such a hard time seeing it ourselves?

And while I don’t have the answer to that eternal question, I do know that, unfortunately, this mindset often means that we put off taking professional photos until we’ve lost those “last few pounds,” or until our hair grows out, or we find the perfect location and outfit, or until, until, until.

The problem with waiting until everything is “perfect” is that, well, you might be waiting for a while to finally get those pictures taken. There’s always an excuse not to if you have that mindset.

I might be a little biased, but indefinitely postponing portraits means you’re missing out on meaningful photographs that you and your family will ultimately treasure for many years to come. Or, it expand this idea further, professional photos might just be that extra oomph that sets your LinkedIn profile or small business website or social media apart from the competition.

So, to help you feel more comfortable during your next photo shoot — whenever it may be and whether it’s a family session, new headshots, or something else entirely — I’ve outlined a few things to keep in mind. Now, I know this won’t eliminate all your fears, but hopefully help ease some of your anxiety.

Bottom line. Don’t let your desire for perfection hold you back from this experience. Perfect doesn’t exist. Instead, let’s make some perfectly-imperfect magic together.

I’ve Got the TOOLS + Skills to Make You Look Amazing.

Did you know that those selfies we all take with cameras phones not only distort the way your face actually looks, but that it’s even lead to a rise in cosmetic surgery and treatments? Even non-professional DSLRs are known for distorting facial proportions or using on-camera flashes that lead to unflattering shadows.

As a professional, I not only have the best equipment to make you look amazing, but also know my way around the best lenses, light, angles, and all that good stuff. Like Vidal Sassoon used to say, “If you don’t look good, I don’t look good.”

I’ll Tell You Exactly What to Do.

I also have the experience and knowledge (going on 10+ yrs now) on how best to pose and direct you.

A very common thing I hear before a session is something to the effect of, “I don’t know how to stand. I’m always so awkward. I hate every photo of myself!” I say these things, too, y’all are not alone.

Trust me when I say that you won’t have to think about how to pose, what to do with your hands, how to tilt your head, or any of that during our session. I will walk you through it all, and you’ll look incredible.

YEARS FROM NOW, You’ll Be So Glad You Took ‘Em.

I touched on this already, but it’s such a huge point that I feel like it deserves to be repeated.

Years from now you will be so glad that you took these photos. You’ll look back on the day and think about how much fun you had and get nostalgic about what that period in your life was like. Your family and friends will treasure those images, too.

If you still feel like you don’t want your picture taken, do it for future you and those you love.