Are You Comfortable in Front of a Camera?

Updated on September 24, 2011
R.D. asks from Richmond, VA
11 answers

I LOVE looking at professional burlesque dancer/model photos. They're so comfortable in their own skin!!... and the camera loves them! I admire that so much about women who do that... they love themselves and make the camera love them too.

Maybe it's because I'm always on the OTHER end of the camera, but whenever someone takes an un-candid picture of me, I'm NOTORIOUS for intentionally goofing up the shot. Every time, I can't help it. I'm always sticking my tongue out or something ;)

I really, really want to be more comfortable in front of a camera. I want to capture the other sides of me as well, you know?

How comfortable are YOU in front of a camera?

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So What Happened?

Oh whatever Michelle R, work it girl :)

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I do not photograph well (my DH even admits the camera does me no good) and on video I don't like my voice.

I told DH at a recent funeral that such a slideshow of me would be very short. I hope DD takes after DH and not me when it comes to photographs.

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

E.D.

answers from Seattle on

Not. At. All.

I'm a clumsy and goofy person without a camera on me. Add a camera to that? (((shudders))) It's awful. IF I don't realize someone's taking a photo of me, I can take a nice photo. If I know (or THINK) there's a camera? I seem to become a 12 year old boy. Fart noises and all.

CHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEESE!!!

eta: I thought of an exception. I have friends who are photographers. When they around, and their camera is with them, I forget they are taking pictures because they are ALWAYS taking pictures. It stops being an issue and I relax.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.W.

answers from Houston on

Not at all! I wish I were but I have pretty much accepted the fact that it is not going to happen.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

This is why I live BEHIND a camera.

LOVE burlesque, though.

I'm not pretty. I'm striking, but my facial features are off/wonky. I ONLY photograph well with some major makeup (professionally applied neon signs saying things like "cheek here" ;) I've modeled, but that's why I was almost strictly runway. Runway WANTS wonky. Shoots don't.

I also weigh DOUBLE what I did when I was working, which is 60lbs less than I SHOULD weigh. In my own mind I still look the way I did on the runway or in the military. I'm 70lbs up from the military, and over 100 up from runway work. So I look rather hideous to myself. Since I don't FEEL hideous, I prefer to keep the delusion alive :D

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

I'm comfortable.
Not that I look heavenly in all shots, but I'm comfortable in front of a camera.

I used to model.... for a photographer friend of mine.
Experimentation is really fun. And you get comfortable in your own skin.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.F.

answers from Utica on

Not at all - I have zero self esteem and I loathe having my picture taken. I always find the fault in a picture of me and can never be happy with one so I avoid being in front of the camera as much as possible

1 mom found this helpful

C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

I just smile. I don't really think of it otherwise.

1 mom found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

I think I learned from my older daughter. You can tell her exact mood from a picture, amazing kid that one.

I think the key is when you look at the pictures don't look at them as being a picture of you. Easier said than done but a lot of pictures I thought I looked awful in I really didn't.

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M.R.

answers from Dallas on

Ha sounds like pictures of me.. I am always sticking my tongue out or crossing my eyes =P

These days tho I hate having my pic taken... cause I am a big fat ugly cow!

(At least that is my opinion)

1 mom found this helpful

L.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I RARELY like the way I look in photos, at least to myself.

I look at all the photos people have of themselves with their families, with their spouses, you know, the silly ones where you take your own cheek to cheek photo with your cell phone... yeah, I have NONE of those. I am so put off by the way I always look in those kinds of photos that I NEVER do it. And it makes me sad that I feel that way. I wonder if I'm too critical, or if I really just don't photograph well. It's an interesting debate that I have with myself... I wonder whether the me I see in the photo is a 'bad shot of me' or if that's that way I really look to the others around me, so that they look at the photo and just see 'me' and don't understand why I dislike the photo... Know what I'm saying?

I have had some professional photos taken of me with my son that I really do actually like and can say I look nice in, and my wedding photos, but snapshot-wise, yeah, not so much. Sigh.

I'm trying to get past this, though.

C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

I am a photographer and I LOVE having my photos taken. I never understood how some people hate it. I am doing my own family photos next month (with a tripod) and I can't wait!!

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