I’ll Now Be Offering Counseling Sessions During Your Photoshoot
I never thought a photoshoot could double as therapy. Usually, a photoshoot is about lighting, angles, and pretending you’re effortlessly glamorous while balancing on one leg in a field of awkwardly tall grass. But lately, I’ve noticed a pattern: people freeze, tense up, and start overthinking every little thing. Should they tilt their head? Smile naturally? Breathe? Somehow, the camera turns into a tiny interrogator, and the result is stress rather than fun. That’s when inspiration struck: why not offer counseling sessions during photoshoots?
It started with a simple observation. I was directing a client to “just relax and look natural,” and I realized she was visibly anxious. Her shoulders were tight, and she kept apologizing for being “awkward in front of the camera.” I paused, took a deep breath, and said, “You know, it’s okay to feel nervous. Let’s talk about it.” Thirty minutes later, after some gentle guidance and a few laughs about the absurdity of posing like a magazine model in a sunflower field, she was glowing—not just from the photos, but from relief.
That experience led me to a new approach: the hybrid photoshoot-counseling session. Step one: we start with a few warm-up exercises—not just stretches for posture, but also prompts for reflection. “What makes you feel confident?” I ask. “What are three things you love about yourself?” The goal isn’t just to get a good picture—it’s to remind people that the best images come from authenticity and comfort, not forced perfection.
Step two: we incorporate moments of mindfulness. I encourage clients to close their eyes, take deep breaths, and imagine themselves in their favorite place. It’s amazing how quickly tension melts when you pause and reconnect with a sense of calm. By the time we pick up the camera again, the smiles are genuine, the poses relaxed, and the laughter flows naturally.
Step three: humor. I sprinkle in silly prompts—pretend you’re sneezing into a giant flower, or whisper a joke to the dog. Laughter loosens bodies, softens expressions, and, frankly, makes for way better photographs. Plus, it’s therapeutic. People often don’t realize how much we carry until we release it in small, safe bursts of joy.
By the end of the session, clients aren’t just leaving with photos—they’re leaving with a sense of empowerment. They’ve confronted insecurities, embraced their quirks, and discovered that being “camera-ready” doesn’t mean being perfect. It means being themselves. And that’s worth more than any filtered image.
The best part? I’ve started to notice subtle transformations. Clients walk taller, laugh louder, and approach life outside the photoshoot with a little more confidence. And honestly, so have I. Offering counseling during photoshoots has made my work richer, funnier, and infinitely more rewarding.
So if you book a session with me, don’t be surprised if we spend half the time talking, laughing, and reflecting before even touching the camera. Because the truth is, your best photo comes from a heart that’s at ease—and sometimes, a little counseling goes a long way.
