BEST FACE FORWARD
Image by Popperipopp (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Photo shoots…
There have been two photo shoots for my daughter this week – and no, I’m not some glitzy, showbiz mum despite my daughter’s best daydreams! One photo shoot was for the Edinburgh Gang Show which my daughter’s very excited to be in this year and the other was for this year’s school photo. What struck me as quite remarkable about both of these photo shoots was my daughter’s reaction to them – she didn’t stress about them at all! Now, tell the majority of small business owners that they’re to attend a photo shoot and you can virtually guarantee that there will be an immediate flurry of activity, panic and questions of the “What will I wear? What about jewellery? Should I accessorize? Does my bum look big in this?” type. To be fair, my daughter already knew that she’d be wearing her Brownie and school uniforms to the shoots but, that aside, the only preparation was a hair wash. No angst, no trauma, just a cute, happy smile.
Why do we feel intimidated by a camera pointed in our direction?
So, why is it that we adults (and I do include myself in this) can feel so intimidated by the sight of a camera pointed in our direction? The quick and easy answer is… Judgement. We worry so much about how other people will perceive us and react to us that it inhibits us and can prevent us from being our natural selves. Do you have a specific camera pose that you adopt? You know, that smile, tilt of the head, flick of the hair, how you angle your body, where you place your hands? Most people do. And have you checked your profile lately? You may already know that, generally speaking, our faces are not symmetrical and, in fact, I'm sure it was Madonna who used to insist on only being photographed/recorded on one particular side which she knew to be her better profile.
Our many faces...
And of course, none of us is just one person. We are all somebody’s child, parent, partner, sibling, coach, client or service provider and each role comes with a different hat – or face. So, which face do we show? Or do we show all of them? Because a video is not just a pose where the viewer can judge us on what we wear and on our hair and make-up. No, in a video we have to speak, use our tone of voice, facial expressions and body language and that can open up a whole new box of delights for our insecurities. So which face do you show to your audience?
Through the lens…
For me, the best course of action is to speak to the camera as if you’re talking to your best friend. I don’t mean be all intimate and tell us about your latest escapades – too much information! Simply breathe, relax and imagine your best friend is standing just through the camera lens and you’re telling THEM what you want US to know. That way you can allow yourself to be ‘you’ without your camera pose going into action and your audience (or clients) can concentrate on WHAT you are SAYING rather than on what you are wearing and who you are trying to be. So, go on, give it a go and see which face you show to the camera!
Whether you want to make your own video or have it produced for you,
Julie Neilson Media can help you to harness the power of video. So, get in touch and visualise YOUR business!
Fully insured and a member of Disclosure Scotland’s PVG Scheme Membership.
