Are you tired of worrying about how things will go in your next photo or video shoot? Would you prefer to relax and have fun, knowing that your portfolio will be gorgeous?
Let’s face it, mood matters. When it really comes down to it, the way we feel is what life is all about. And this applies when we’re in front of the camera, whether for a photo or video shoot. Because our feelings are conveyed through the lens. This is why it pays to prepare ourselves mentally and emotionally for a shoot, which can change the way we see ourselves and the way others see us, while providing us with the means to promote our personal or business brand with meaningful impact.
Before we continue, do you prefer to watch rather than read? If so, here you go:
Planning for a professional photo or video shoot provides a golden opportunity to think out of the box, get into the mood and step into the zone of sharing your brilliance in a fabulous way, in order to truly connect with your ideal audience – and there is no doubt that you will when you are being authentically YOU. It’s always best to align your actions with your own personal style and preference, but here are some ideas to get you started:
Visualise Success
We are born creators, constantly shaping the content of our reality. So play an active role in the outcome of your shoot before it begins, by visualising yourself in front of the camera, feeling confident, happy and radiantly beautiful, connecting effortlessly through the lens. Add power by bringing your senses into play, trying on the outfits you plan to wear, feeling the texture of the clothes on your body and breathing in your favourite perfume.
Affirm Success
Words carry instrinsic power, more so when you say them aloud to yourself. So choose the most impactful combinations for you personally – ones that trigger an unmistakable response within you. Be sure to phrase these affirmations in the most positive format possible and repeat them aloud to reinforce their effect on your conscious and subconscious mind. Here are a few examples to get you started: I’m so photogenic! I love the camera and the camera loves me. It’s natural for me to shine on camera.
Indulge Yourself
What really turns you on? How about sipping a flute of champagne, while luxuriating in a languid bubble bath the night before? There are real physical benefits to be drawn from relaxation. While you’re at it, engage in more visualisation, imagining all of your stress and any anxiety associated with your shoot – or your life and business in general – soaking through your skin into the water and disappearing down the drain when you pull the plug.
Play Vibes
Listen to your favourite mood music, whether the night before your shoot or immediately beforehand, perhaps in your car while driving there, or even at your shoot, depending on how your photographer or videographer works. Try playing a track that takes you back to a particularly joyful experience in your past. Music has incredible power to trigger our memories, so choose a really special song that puts an instant smile on your face.
Get Moving
There’s no doubt that the physical act of moving your body can release tension, shift your energy and swiftly alter your mood by releasing endorphins into your system. Take advantage of this by doing something wonderfully energetic like dancing, maybe even wildly in front of your mirror, and get yourself laughing as a reminder that the best results will come when you don’t take yourself too seriously.
Centre Yourself
Connecting with our source of cosmic creation is sure to inspire. If this resonates with you, then you’ll know that meditating in your personal sanctuary may well provide your most direct means to instil peace, poise and power within you; a perfect place from which to engage meaningfully with the camera during your shoot and truly let your inner light shine.
These are just a few suggestions to consider. My first recommendation is to explore what works most uniquely for you, and to apply your energy to it with glorious abandon.
For tips on preparing yourself physically for your photo or video shoot, which is also essential to getting the best out of it, refer to my article 5 Ways to Prep for Your Shoot. Here’s to you having a wonderful one!
Please share your own ideas in the comments below. They may just spark a paradigm shift for someone else, who could use some help to get into the mood . . .
