THE POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY
- bauendahl
- Jun 4
- 3 min read
WHY DON'T WE LIKE BEING PHOTOGRAPHED?
Is it what's inside that counts? Unfortunately, not online. At least not at first.
Today's digital age can be brutal. It's a yes or no, a swipe left or right, leaving no room for error and no space for personal achievement.
The result is the ultra-ego. The selfie-obsessed. The ‘look how amazing my life is’ profiles.
As a headshot photographer, I often hear people say, ‘I'm not photogenic,’ ‘You can try, but good luck getting a decent photo of me,’ ‘I just need a photo that makes me look better than I really am.’
Why are people so negative about their own appearance?
I PERSONALLY BELIEVE IT IS FEAR. THERE ARE TWO MAJOR FEARS IN LIFE: FEAR OF LOSS AND FEAR OF REJECTION, AND REJECTION OFTEN FEELS LIKE LOSS.
NO ONE LIKES THIS, AND WE HUMANS DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM IT.
For the first time in history, our lives are visible to the whole world. Some try to hide by deleting their Facebook profile, while others continue with an old photo on LinkedIn so they don't have to deal with the older-looking version of themselves.
It's true that our online world can be harsh and that books are often judged by their covers, but it's difficult to remain completely offline in the digital age.
Regardless of the reason, why are we afraid to show our true selves? Have we lost our self-confidence?
Your portrait is the first thing people see of you. It is often the only thing the audience uses to decide whether you are ‘in or out,’ and it is a powerful tool. It is what sets us apart and something we should be proud of. The things we criticise about ourselves are unique to us; our insecurities don't scare anyone but ourselves. But our awkwardness can be endearing to others.
PERSONALITIES ARE NOT JUST MADE UP OF THE PARTS WE LIKE AND WANT TO BE, AND IF THEY ARE, THEN THEY ARE INGENUOUS, AND NO ONE DEVELOPES A DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE THEY CONSIDER INGENUOUS.
We humans love self-confident expressionists. Those who stand out from the crowd and don't give any energy to those who mock them. These wonderful pioneers understand that mockery serves as a shield for people, a protective wall around themselves.
When we are true to ourselves, people see that and we are invincible against rejection. How can something be rejected if it's not up for auction?
Photographers have the power to slim your legs, tighten your stomach and make your face look 15 years younger, but what does that really show? You, or an image of what you think you should be?
Most professional photographers optimise and perfect to varying degrees, but great photographers do something else. They wear every picture they take like a badge of honour; it's part of their brand and it's important. They don't just take beautiful pictures or pretend to, they understand their subject and capture it perfectly.
TO CREATE A TRULY REMARKABLE PORTRAIT THAT APPEALS TO THE VIEWER, DON'T FORGET THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF A PERSON: THEIR CHARACTER, THEIR SPIRIT, WHAT SETS THEM APART FROM OTHERS.
This is the side you show when you're not posing or behaving ‘professionally.’ When the confident voice in your head has left the building. Good photographers recognise this uniqueness and bring it out without you even noticing.
It's not an easy task, but photographers who are interested in people and able to connect on a deeper level will bring out that hidden charisma.
THE FINAL RESULT WILL BE A PICTURE THAT YOU WILL NOT ONLY ENJOY SHARING WITH OTHERS, BUT ALSO MAKE YOU SAY WITH PRIDE:
‘THAT'S ME’.
ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR HEADSHOT?
BOOK YOUR REMARKABLE PORTRAIT NOW
