I wouldn't say I grew up a shy child; our home videos paint a picture of a loud, bossy 6-year-old putting on performances for anyone who looked her in the eye, belting out the lyrics to Little Girls from the 'Annie' Soundtrack. I had zero shame & was clearly thirsty for the spotlight.
With age, I grew increasingly self-aware and somewhat insecure of myself – as most teens and young adults do. It probably started as a result of innocent middle-school bullying – by innocent I'm referring to petty teasing; nothing permanent or detrimental to my lifestyle today. Nonetheless it was enough for me to feel uncomfortable whenever several pairs of eyes aimed in my direction, for whatever reason.
..Hilarious that I used to fear attention during this time in my life, only to end up in a career that demands it!
So when I started my blog and began focusing on it as a business, one of the bigger things I knew I'd have to overcome is my insecurity of taking photos in public. Living in any major city means not having the luxury of locations to yourself. If I wanted the shot, I'd have to prepare to be captured in front of a crowd of bystanders, tourists, and attempting photo bombers.
There are still times when I feel insecure taking photos, especially when people around me stop & stare or make comments about what I'm doing. But at the end of the day, my goal is to get the shot at all costs. So I had to come up with a strategy to mentally get myself through the insecurity in order to see the job through.
The number of selfie sticks and tourists taking pictures is uncountable. You're not the only one trying to capture the moment.
Ask yourself if you've thought about someone you saw being photographed for the rest of your day. Chances are you completely forgot about him/her less than a minute after walking past them. The same goes for the people walking by you; they truly don't care.
For the people that stop & stare, most often it's because they think you're part of a professional photo shoot or something alike. If they take pictures of you on their own, then it's probably more a precaution for them to have proof they saw you getting photographed before whatever publication they think you'll be in comes out. Similar to if you see a celeb on the street casually walking by, you just want the photographic evidence you saw him/her in that moment. My advice: OWN IT.
There's a 97% chance you'll NEVER see these people watching you get photographed again. It's not like high school where you'll constantly run into someone and be reminded of a weird pose you did (or if your dress blows up with the wind…lol) So don't let little awkward moments get to you if they happen; most of the time they do & you can't do anything about it. So own the shoot, be daring with your poses, and treat each photo session like it's your last – because it technically is for that current audience watching you.
What are your tricks to posing in public? I'd love to hear what works for you in the comments below!
Great tips! i don't feel to insecure about shooting in public. If there is a large group of people around, i might.. but i love your points. no one is paying that much attention… and right! if they are looking I try to pretend I am part of some big fashion shoot!
Love the top, what texture and beautiful colors. Those earrings really caught my eye!
You're so lucky! I'm probably similar now that you said that – the larger the crowd, the easier it is for me to feel like I'm "blending in" but any time in someplace out in the open, especially when I'm in my hometown in NJ and guaranteed to be seen by someone I actually know, I get weirdly anxious! It usually takes me about 2 outfits to warm up before the feeling settles haha.
it's definitely nerve wrecking taking photos in public at first.
This is so true! I love the part where you say that no one is looking at you! We tend to get into our own minds when we step out of our comfort zone!
Great tips! I will remind you next time I see a fab location that just happens to be popular!
I actually love taking photos and being in the photo so no problem there. The issue I have is when I have to pose in so many different ways. A standard photo of stand there and smile is all good with me but when I have to think of another pose to accentuate my clothes or accessories then that gets me stressed out. I love your top btw. Very pretty and those fringes are just too adorable!
I take all my pictures by myself with a tripod. I used to ONLY use it in my backyard. I've been working up to taking pictures and now I feel comfortable using my camera and a tripod pretty much anywhere. I've learned that most people just look or comment that they like my outfit. Very few have actually asked what and why I'm taking pictures. When I do they all have been impressed!
These are excellent tips, Tilden. It's true, most people are only curious and it's best to be flattered by their attention! Thank you for sharing this excellent post with the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Hope you are having a great week!
One of my least favorite parts of being a blogger has been posing for street style photos. Which no one understands because I chose to do it. But I love these tips!
Loved these tips! One of the biggest parts about being a blogger is finding the confidence to take tons of pictures with everyone around you. I love your reassurance that everyone does it in the city and probably don't care that you are!
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