You do not have to feel ready to have your portrait taken

Can we talk about the sentence I hear before so many portrait sessions?

‘I just need to feel a little more confident first.’

I get it. Being photographed can bring up a surprising amount. Suddenly we are thinking about our clothes, our bodies, our expressions, what our hands are doing… all at once. A camera has a way of making us very aware that we are visible.

But you do not need to arrive knowing how to pose. You are bringing yourself. I am bringing an eye, a direction, and a process we can move through together.

First, tell me what these photographs are for

A portrait for your website has a different job from a photograph you want to hang in your home. Maybe you are marking a transition. Maybe you want images that feel expressive and a little unexpected. Maybe you simply realized that you have hundreds of photographs of everyone you love and almost none of yourself.

Tell me that part. It helps me recommend the setting, pacing and kind of session that fits. My personal portrait work makes room for self-expression; a straightforward professional headshot can stay focused on the clean, useful images you need.

Choose clothes you can actually move in

Try your outfit on before the session. Sit down. Raise your arms. Walk around. If something needs adjusting every thirty seconds, you will notice it when we are photographing.

Bring pieces that feel connected to you, rather than trying to dress like a stranger whose Pinterest board you admire. Texture, a beautiful silhouette, an interesting sleeve or a color you love can give us plenty to work with. If you are choosing between outfits, send me your options while we plan.

A location should support you

Santa Cruz gives us coast, trees and urban textures. That does not mean every session needs all three. One considered location often gives us more time to settle in than an afternoon spent driving between backdrops.

Think about access, walking distance and how comfortable you will be changing or moving there. I would rather make a strong photograph somewhere that lets you breathe than rush you toward a dramatic location that feels wrong for your body or your day.

You can tell me what feels uncomfortable

You are allowed to say that a direction does not feel like you. You are allowed to need a moment. Movement can help: walking, shifting your weight, letting your hair move, taking a breath before looking toward the lens. We can begin there.

The portraits of Gaby and Baylee shown here have very different energies. That is part of the point. Your session is not an audition for someone else’s personality.

If you want to prepare one thing, finish this sentence: ‘I want these photographs to feel…’ Bring me your answer, even if it is messy. That gives us somewhere real to start.