I don’t know about you, but I have all sorts of stories in my head about how I look.
When someone asks me to take a photo, my mind starts churning:
UGG – my chin!
CRAP – my hair!
NOOO! – my skin!
NOPE! – I need to lose weight!
No matter how “GOOD LOOKING” my clients are according to the world’s standards of beauty. Most of them have this story in their head!
In 2010 I was in my studio at the end of the week and we had already shot 12 clients in four days.
My team and I were exhausted, and a young actress came in she was overweight, very shy, and incredibly nervous.
“I’m NOT PHOTOGENIC and I take TERRIBLE pictures,” she said right off the bat. “I’m fat and not pretty”
Essentially – this girl said she was “UGLY” compared to the world’s standards.
My makeup artist and I rolled our eyes behind her back “This shoot was NOT going to be easy” we both thought. How would we have a successful shoot with this client and have her walk out of here happy?
My attitude needed an adjustment, but I wasn’t budging.
We went through the motions – figured out her wardrobe, talked about where she wanted to go with her career, did her makeup, and TRIED to calm her down.
When I got her in front of the camera, I walked her through my five-step process that I had come up with to teach her how to work with the camera. I wanted her to focus on the techniques I was teaching her, NOT her “FLAWS”
When we were done with her first wardrobe selection I showed her new headshots. She teared up and started crying – ruining her makeup. I was devastated, frustrated, and OVER IT.
“I NEVER KNEW I COULD LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL,” she said through her tears.
My pride, ego, and bad attitude BROKE at that moment and I started crying too.
We fixed her makeup and she walked into her next three wardrobe changes with so much confidence that she took the best photos of her life
I later found out that she became a very successful commercial actress and I see her on TV at least a few times a year. That’s a HUGE accomplishment.
“I came to you because you are known for shooting beautiful photos of people like me,” she said as she left.
WHAT I REALIZED all those years ago is that REAL beauty comes from within.
EVERYONE is beautiful – EVEN YOU.
I learned that my five-step process I walk each client through brings out the JOY in people and THAT’S what makes people beautiful.
So in my world, my motto is “I NEVER SHOOT UGLY PEOPLE”
Because what makes a connection to the camera – to the person looking at the photo – THE PERSON – their energy and JOY that comes from within. Not from looking from the distorted view of the worlds set of standards
