Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Camera?
It’s a unique time in history. I’m not famous (yet:) but usually several times a week, I get my picture taken. Pretty much everyone I know has a cell phone with a pretty decent camera, so there are a lot of pictures of me floating around. It’s a miracle I’ve survived because let me tell you a secret...I used to hate to get my picture taken.
I think we can all agree, irrespective of gender, it really sucks to see a horrible picture of yourself. Yes, it’s stupid and it's vain, but it also feels a bit like a punch in the gut; the wind gets knocked out of you and your self-esteem dips below freezing. I have a couple friends who still actively avoid getting their pictures taken because they are convinced a good shot can't be taken of them. It’s simply not true! They just need to learn how to show the camera their best self - the one I see when I look at them.
One of my first jobs was selling cameras in a department store. This was back in the day when film was the only way to take a picture and you actually had to drop it off and wait to get your pictures back. Gasp! There was no taking a selfie 16 times until you achieved maximum cuteness. Work was a nightmare and there was no escape – it was like Halloween or Friday the 13th where the killer always manages to catch up no matter how far or fast you run. They were going to take my picture and there was nothing I could do about it.
I hated it but then...I thanked them because I started to realize that I had some control over how I looked in a picture – you only have to have it happen once before you NEVER LET ANYONE TAKE A PICTURE OF YOU FROM BELOW. Now I rarely get a truly awful pic back. I know my angles and because I do, I’m a lot more natural and spontaneous, which also makes for a better pic.
At a beach wedding with my good friend JB: We are gently suggesting the photographer raise the camera to a more flattering angle.
So for those of you who find yourselves cringing when faced with your own face, here’s your homework: Grab a friend and a bottle of wine*, which you will drink moderately to avoid tragic drunk pics, and practice, practice, practice! Have a picture party. Do standing, sitting, close-ups, etc.
Figure out the best and stop doing the worst because there's only going to be more cameras and I imagine the quality will only improve. HD here we come...
*Please note: you need both a bottle of wine AND a friend. The wine cannot double as your friend.
-KS
PS I learned a lot from InStyle magazine, and I’m only mildly ashamed to say that I tried most (all) of the advice I found in those glossy pages over the years. 10 ways to look better in pictures: