Camera shy? Why the best portraits come from conversation, not posing
If you hate having your photo taken, you're not alone. Most of the people I photograph tell me the same thing in the first five minutes. The good news is that it doesn't matter. The best portraits don't come from posing. They come from conversation.
Why it feels so awkward
There's a simple reason most people dislike photos of themselves. You're used to your face in the mirror, which is reversed. A photo shows you the way everyone else sees you, and that version feels slightly wrong. Psychologists have studied this for decades: we prefer the face we see most often.
Then there's the pressure. Someone points a lens at you and says "relax", and your shoulders go up. You start thinking about your chin, your hands, your smile. Your personality leaves the room.
And for some of us, there's something older going on. If you were raised to keep your head down and let the work speak, being the subject feels unnatural. I understand that one personally. It's a big part of why I work the way I do.
What makes the difference
Conversation, not instructions. Before I pick up the camera, we talk. What you do, who you do it for, what you'd like people to feel when they see your photo. Once you're talking about your work, you stop thinking about your face. That's when the real expressions arrive.
Direction, not posing. I'll guide you on where to stand and how to turn. Small things, given one at a time, so you never have to think about them.
Seeing the pictures as we go. I shoot with an iPad alongside, so you see the images as they come in. Most people relax the moment they see a good one. It turns the session into something we're doing together.
The right place. Somewhere you're comfortable: your office, a calm spot nearby, or a place that means something to your work. Familiar surroundings do half the work.
What a session looks like
A relaxed headshot/portrait session on-location in Cambridge
A Headshot Session is 45 minutes.
Ten minutes of talking. About you, your work and where the photos will be used.
A warm-up. The first frames are never the keepers, and that's the point. They're how you get used to the camera.
The real shoot. A few looks, a couple of settings, lots of chatting.
Choosing together. We look through the images on the iPad and you pick your favourites on the spot.
Your edited images arrive within 7 days.
Three things to do beforehand
Think about where the photo will live. LinkedIn, your website, a speaker bio. It changes the framing and what you wear.
Bring two or three tops you feel good in. Plain colours that suit you, nothing brand new and stiff.
Tell me if you're nervous. Honestly, it helps. I'll plan the session around it.
What clients say
“Rajen took some headshots of me at the Bradfield Centre in Cambridge a while back, and I’ve been collecting compliments ever since.”
-Jesamine Harvey. Creative Copywriter
Lee Wardell came to his shoot uncomfortable on camera. Afterwards he said I was "bringing out exactly the right characteristics".
Katie at the Cambridgeshire Deaf Association booked headshots for her team, shy members included. Her verdict: "brilliant at putting people at ease".
And Jesamine Harvey, photographed at the Bradfield Centre: "I've been collecting compliments ever since."
Why it matters
People decide whether they trust a face in a fraction of a second. Your headshot is often the first thing a client, a collaborator or an employer sees. If it looks like a stiff version of you, it says the wrong thing before you've said a word. If it looks like you on a good day, it does the opposite.
Headshot of Katie Rustill
Cambridgeshire Deaf Association
Ready when you are
A Headshot Session is 45 minutes and three edited images for £295, at your office or a spot nearby in Cambridge. See Headshots or get in touch and tell me what you're dreading. We'll sort it out together.
Want more than a headshot? A Portrait session starts at £550, with more time, more looks and more than one setting.