Tips for Boosting Confidence and Getting Comfortable For Dance Photoshoots
Real talk: being comfortable in front of a camera is not something that comes naturally to most of us.
Like most things, it takes practice to feel comfortable with a camera all up in your face, along with setting yourself up for success. I’m going to share with you some helpful tips to feel confident and comfortable for your next photoshoot!
This article is broken up into two sections of tips: Before the shoot and Day of the shoot
Before the shoot
Schedule your photoshoot with plenty of time to prep
For my sessions, I like to recommend that clients book their sessions with at least 3-6 weeks to prepare. Sure, that sounds like a lot of time, but life gets busy and sometimes we forget to check our email for a full week. It happens, trust me.
Think about it this way, if you book your session one week in advance, you have to set up all the logistics first (date, time, availability, location, payments, that sort of thing) - with back and forth between photographer and client, this itself can sometimes take up to a week or two to nail down. With limited time, you are only limiting yourself on your planning and preparation time, from choosing what to wear, what your goals and intentions are for the shoot, how you ultimately want to use your photos and so much more.
Not to say that planning a session with limited time isn’t doable! It totally can be with the right tools and by letting your photographer know from the get go that you’re in a time crunch for the photos. Once we work together a couple of times, we can usually plan a fully thought out, unique session together much quicker than the first time. You’re likely reading this article because you need help with becoming comfy on camera. So my advice, leave time to plan.
2. Identify your goals for wanting photos in the first place
This tip doesn’t seem like it is necessary for being comfortable on camera… buuuut it is. Let me explain.
Have you ever shown up at a restaurant with a big group without a reservation? You think you know how many people are in your party, but aren’t 100% sure. You likely have to wait for a really long time because you didn’t plan ahead and get a reservation. You usually end up having stragglers or extra people join you and there aren’t enough seats. Your server ends up being frustrated with your group because of all the changes. You probably don’t get what you ordered because of all the confusion. And the night feels way more chaotic than it needed to be than if you all had just sat down, figured out a plan, how many people will actually join for dinner, and just made a reservation in advance. Been there? I know I have (both as a member of the group and as the one waiting the table😬)
By setting even a remote intention and goal for your shoot (it doesn’t have to be super in-depth, we will work on that part together), you are already easing your mind about the possible stresses that can come from being in front of the camera.
Write down your goals for wanting these photos (auditions, sharing on social, promoting classes) - this will help you narrow in your focus for what types of shots we should capture while we’re together - don’t worry, I send out a detailed questionnaire for you to focus in on these goals and so I can also be on the same page for those goals - I will help you dive into capturing your strengths and personality too!
3. Plan your outfits
Taking time to go through your closet or do some shopping for pieces that really showcase you and align with the goals you set for the shoot, is another good practice for creating a comfortable environment.
Think about your goal for these photos, then lay out every possible option for outfits on your bed. Piece together different outfits and see how they look. Narrow it down to the ones you love the most then try them on. While you’re trying on the outfit options, move around in them. Pay close attention to how comfortable you are in this outfit. For dance sessions, I recommend doing some dancing in the outfits to make sure that nothing falls in a weird way, that the material is flexible, and that it flows. You may find out that your favorite jeans don’t have as much range for a dance shoot as you would have hoped. Doing this ahead of time eliminates those realizations on the day of the shoot, which ultimately add more stress to your session and make you look not fully confident on camera.
Go the extra step and prop up your phone and get some video footage of yourself moving around in your outfits. This will show you all of your angles, not just what you see in the mirror.
When in doubt, text or email your photographer your outfit options! They’ve done this many times before and can give you insight on what works and what doesn’t for a photoshoot! I encourage all my clients to send my outfit ideas so I can encourage and validate their choices, as well as educate them on what works and what doesn’t!
4. Practice your hair and makeup beforehand
Trust me, mistakes happen and you do not want to be caught in a mistake of hair or makeup 10 minutes before you have to leave for the shoot. Nothing screams stressful more than this happening.
Take a little time to practice how you’re going to do your hair and makeup for the shoot. Especially if it’s a different look than your everyday hair and makeup!
And leave plenty of time the day of your session to do your hair and makeup so if you do run into any issues, you have time to fix them!
5. Start thinking about some dynamic shots for the shoot
You do not need to plan out every single shot for your session. Personally, I direct dance photo sessions with a bit of a flow. We will have discussed your strengths, goals, and so much more in a personalized questionnaire prior to your session date, so I have an idea of how to direct your photoshoot. We will photograph the shots that you want and tweak angles to make them best showcase your talents.
How do you come up with poses though?!
I suggest thinking about your strengths, your favorite dance skills, moments, and tricks. Write them down and bring them to the shoot.
I also am a big advocate for improvisation. Prop up your phone and video yourself improvising on camera. When you play the video back, pause it and go frame by frame through the video to see what moments capture well in a still photo.
Going through a piece of your favorite choreography is another great method of generating movements you enjoy performing and feel good in your body.
Videoing yourself will help you get to know what angles and shapes work for you and what you like on yourself! It’ll also get you more acclimated to seeing yourself on camera!
Again, with my direction, we will come up with plenty of awesome shots together before and during your session. I don’t leave you hanging when it comes to this and I don’t want you to stress over coming up with ideas beforehand if that doesn’t feel right to you!
Day of the session:
Leave plenty of time to get ready
Allow yourself time to warm up your body well before the shoot
Leave ample time to do your hair and makeup and get dressed
Schedule in extra time for any last minute things that may come up
Leave early and allow plenty of time to get to the photoshoot location in case of traffic or parking.
2. Hype yourself up!
Play your favorite music
Do something that makes you feel amazing
Treat yourself kindly and use positive self talk
Hell, even write your favorite things about yourself on a sticky note and put it on the mirror while you get ready!
These little things will all help boost your confidence and make the final preparation for your shoot fun and stress-free!
3. Bring music you like to groove to on the shoot to have playing in the background!
4. Bring extra clothing/outfit options in case your originals don’t feel right on set
Sometimes clothing feels different or doesn’t feel the same as it did when you first tried it on. I am all for switching it up if you aren’t feeling 100% in the original outfits you chose.
5. Be open to new ideas and willing to play and explore!
Because dance is a moving and fleeting art form, not every dance movement translates well in still photos. And that’s okay! Be willing to try different approaches or nixing an idea altogether if something isn’t working!
6. Don’t be overly critical on the shoot
You’re here. You showed up for yourself and for your dancing. If you’re having negative thoughts about yourself, it will show in your photos. Staying positive and joyful during your session are just as important as all the prep work you put into it!
How do you feel after reading this article? Ready to get in front of the camera? Ready to feel ultra confident to showcase your talent? Ready to conquer the world? Let me know which tip you think will help you the most!