Gaining Confidence As A Photographer

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So there is a trick to this ‘being successful’ thing?! And you don’t have to pay for it?! WHAT!  Well, sometimes a little self-help book needs to be purchased so it might put you back 15.  Otherwise you’ve got the tools, you just need to implement them.

Success is confidence.  Success is believing in yourself.  Success is pushing past the hurdle.  Success is YOURS!  But, it doesn’t come without a lot of work.  It even requires a little ego boost conversation at some point.  I don’t mean you need others to tell you how good you will do or how great you look in those jeans, you need to be in charge of the pep talks.  When you start to feel those butterflies, when doubt kicks in, when you hear that jerk of a voice in your head saying “maybe I can’t do as good as {John Smith} the AWESOME Photographer” that’s when you say “I got this, I’m rockin it!”

Confidence is the key to any success.  The more you tell yourself you will be a good photographer, the more you will do to ensure that you are.  And hey, you are reading this so clearly you are accepting of any suggestions.

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Confidence determines how far you will get with a client (head out of the gutter please).

Will you book them?  Without confidence straight out of the gate, how will a potential client know you are worthy of capturing their special moment?  It’s the first meeting that will provide your potential client the comfort in knowing you are a fit.  It is at this time that you need to make your client trust you.  Think about it, these are special times and they are spending hard-earned mula.  You must believe in yourself so that they can believe in you.  This is where you sell yourself.

Tip #1:  Don’t talk about what you can’t do! (Don’t say:  I am not the best at posing.  Say:  I love bringing along a pose book to help give us idea’s for poses.  How do you feel about looking through Pinterest to find shots that interest you so we can come up with something ‘like’ it but with your own style?).

Tip #2:  Talk about what you are GREAT at!  This doesn’t mean to annoy someone with why you are the best at everything you do.  It means you provide them with highlighted areas of your profession.  I am known as someone who is really great at making children become themselves and calming parents during a session.  So during a consult with a potential client I let them know “hey, this is great that you want a family session because I excel at making children feel so comfortable.  Don’t worry about the awkward grins, I am going to make the memories you will cherish forever.”

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Confidence while shooting is the key to a good photograph.  

When your clients are stressed and unsure they make strange and goofy faces.  You must take control and make the situation fun and relaxing.  Everyone is looking for you to make it happen.  Work it!  Photographing is much like public speaking.  All eyes and ears are on you.  You need to take a deep breath and know that you can look like a superstar if can provide comfort and control.  It is your job to open your clients up.  Ask questions.  Pull your camera away from your shnaz and relate to them.  If busting out the MC Hammer is what it takes to break the ice and allow your client to trust you then I suggest you wear your baggy pants.  They will relax, they may wonder if you took meds maybe, but they will thank you for not being so formal.  If you don’t bring confidence and trust to the shoot, you will just be a creepy person taking photographs of them and the photos will show it.

It takes time, it takes practice, but hey that’s what your building.  Remember to spill confidence and others will believe it!  The important thing to remember is that you might now always feel it, that’s okay, we are normal.  Push on and push forward.  And don’t forget to shake what your momma gave you!

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