Over the past few years, I have been involved in several photo sessions where I have been in front of the camera. Mike has been dragged along to a few too,  and aside from having a whole stack of really gorgeous images of the two of us as a result, there are a bunch of other reasons why I have found this be invaluable for me personally as well as professionally.

It puts me in your shoes. I definitely don’t like being the centre of attention, the spotlight just isn’t my natural habitat. I find it really difficult being looked at so intensely, especially for a good hour or two. It positively makes me wriggle, and takes me a while to get into it. I find myself having these weird thoughts of ‘what do arms usually do?’,  ‘where do I look?’, ‘let me try arrange my face in a semi normal expression…’ to name a few. It forces me to step right out of my comfort zone. When I am safely back behind the camera, this does mean that I can appreciate exactly how you feel. I literally have been there, feeling what you are feeling, not knowing what to do. I feel like this helps me bring you into a more comfortable space for your shoot, realise that I need to explain what to expect, and exactly what to do and where to look.

My confidence has grown so much. Over the past few years, I have been involved in styled shoots, a bridal shoot and couple shoot amongst others. I love seeing how different each photographer approaches the session, and works to make you feel comfortable, whether its with a lot of direction, conversation or something entirely different. But most of all I love how even before I have seen a single one of the images from a photo session, I feel a little taller (no short jokes here people!), more comfortable in my own skin. There’s an amount of trust that you need to have in the person who is photographing you, which is freeing and fantastic all rolled into one.

It forces me to take time out. Even if it’s for a day, or an hour, that time is mine (or ours) to just be. I don’t have to be anywhere else for that time period, and I love that. With today’s busy lifestyle that we lead, trying to juggle family, friends, loved ones, work, keeping fit and just life in general, it can be hard to just sit and take the time to reflect, hang out and enjoy. I love that being photographed gives this to you. To me this time feels like a real gift.

Our photos trigger memories instantly. When I look at the image which I have printed of Mike and I in bedroom, laughing like crazy people in a forest in West Sussex, it remind me if exactly what he was saying to me at that moment. The image is placed in time, at a specific time in our lives. For this particular image, it was around two weeks before we got engaged – extremely happy times! This image makes me smile a big teary smile when I see it. Every single time.

I would love to hear about your experiences of being in front of the camera. Did you find it difficult at first like me, or was it a breeze from the start? I would love it if you shared an image with me on Facebook or Instagram from when you have been photographed, and include whether there were any unexpected bonuses about having your photo taken (other than the gorgeous images themselves of course!).

Ps. A massive THANK YOU to Tiree Dawson, Kelly Swan and Jo Brown for capturing these images included in today’s post Xx