Confidence

How to Feel Confident in Front of the Camera

By Glen · August 2026 · 5 min read

"I hate having my photo taken." "I'm so awkward in pictures." "I wouldn't know what to do with my face, let alone my hands." If that's you, read on — because nearly every single person I photograph says a version of exactly that, and walks out feeling completely different.

The big secret: you don't need to fix this first

Here's the thing most people get backwards. They think they need to become confident, and then book a shoot. In reality it works the other way round: the shoot is what builds the confidence. Seeing yourself looking incredible — often for the first time in years — is the thing that shifts how you feel. You don't need to arrive confident. You just need to arrive.

1. Remember it's a guided experience, not a test

You're not expected to know how to pose. I direct everything — where to put your hands, your chin, your weight, how to angle, how to breathe into it. There's no way to "get it wrong" because I'm steering the whole time. Take that pressure off yourself completely; it's genuinely not your job.

2. The first ten minutes are the hardest — and they pass

Almost everyone feels stiff at the start. That's normal and expected, and it always melts away. We begin gentle and easy, have a chat, and let you settle. By a little way in, most people forget to be nervous because they're actually enjoying it. I'll show you shots on the back of the camera early so you can see it working — that's usually the moment it clicks.

3. Bring your music and someone you trust

A playlist you love changes the whole energy of a room. And if it helps, bring a friend or your partner along for support — plenty of people do, and it makes the space feel easier.

4. Wear something that makes you feel like you

Confidence often starts with comfort. Pieces that fit well and feel you beat anything brand new or borrowed. (I've got a whole what-to-wear guide if that's the bit you're stuck on.)

5. Stop waiting to be "ready"

"When I've lost a stone." "When my skin's better." "When I feel more like myself again." I hear it constantly — and the honest truth is that day rarely arrives on its own. You are allowed to feel amazing about yourself exactly as you are, right now. That's not a reward for later; it's the whole point.

Don't just take my word for it — nearly every review on my site is from someone who'd never done a shoot before and was nervous walking in.