Practice brings ease. Perfection brings stress.
Ahhh yes. The pre-photoshoot jitters. Equal parts excitement and dread with undertones of “why did I agree to this again?”
First of all…breathe! A photoshoot is not a performance review. No one is grading your jawline. This is about capturing you as you are… just slightly more organised - with cleaner shoes and brushed hair.
Here are 10 things to do before your photoshoot so you show up feeling calm, confident, and only mildly bossy toward your partner.
1. Practice Posing (yes, in your kitchen. no shame.)
I know. I know. It feels ridiculous and silly and embarrassing and confronting.
Put on some beats and stand in front of a mirror, then:
Turn slightly sideways (instant slimming magic)
Shift weight to one leg
Take a deep long breath and drop your shoulders
Lengthen your neck like you’re a mildly elegant giraffe.
It’s not about becoming a supermodel. It’s about knowing what feels natural so you’re not frozen like a startled possum when the camera appears.
Partners, please practice with simple things like how you hold hands, how you hug each other, and how your body’s fit together (this is a WHOLE other blog topic me thinketh!).
Confidence loves rehearsal.
2. Learn Your “Good Side” (we all have one)
Come on…don’t act like you don’t have one.
You absolutely know which side of your face you prefer. Everyone does. I most certainly do (it’s my right side for those asking). One eyebrow behaves better. One cheekbone is doing more of the heavy lifting. One side makes you look more confident. I am yet to meet someone who doesn’t have a side preference.
Spend five minutes turning your head left and right in the mirror. Notice what feels flattering to you and what makes you feel more confident.
Then casually mention it on the day like: “Oh I tend to lean this way.”
Subtle. Strategic. Empowered.
3. Try On Your Outfit Early (like…days before)
Nothing kills a vibe faster than discovering five minutes before leaving that the dress creases if you breathe or the shirt pulls weirdly to one side or the jeans require Olympic-level commitment.
My personal experience is when my siblings and I had family photos, I wore a linen dress which creased something chronic, and every photo the dress stood out like sore thumb. I was only 18 and completely oblivious, and it was film so no fitchecks along the way. Silly Rachy.
Try everything on in advance. Sit. Stand. Move. Lift your arms. Hug someone. Pick up your child.
If it restricts movement or makes you self-conscious, it’s not the one. Choose another outfit.
Comfort photographs way better than “but it looked so good on the hanger.” Again. I am notorious for this. Linen is not always your friend.
4. Hydrate & Sleep (boring but elite-level smart)
Yes, I sound like your mum. But you know I am 100000% correct.
Water and decent sleep make your skin happier, your eyes brighter, and your tolerance for minor chaos much, much higher.
Glowing skin is great.
Not biting your partner’s head off is even better.
5. Practice Relaxing Your Face
Tension lives in the jaw and shoulders.
So before any photos are captured:
Roll your shoulders back
Take a slow deep breath
Gently shake out your hands
Unclench your jaw (you’re doing it right now, aren’t you?)
If you can feel relaxed and even a little confident, it will be reflected in your eyes. Soft faces photograph beautifully. Tight faces look like you’re calculating next year’s tax return.
6. Encourage Your Very Hesitant Partner
Ah yes. The reluctant co-star.
The one who says:
“I hate photos.” “I look awkward.” “Do we have to?”
Here’s the trick: do not nag.
Instead:
Tell them it’s about memories, not modelling.
Remind them it’s one hour of mild discomfort for decades of keepsakes.
Promise food afterwards.
And most importantly - don’t build it up like a high-pressure event.
The calmer you are, the less they’ll treat it like jury duty.
7. Lower the “Perfect” Expectations
Repeat after me:
We are not creating a Christmas card for a royal family.
Kids might not comply. Hair might shift. Someone might blink. Actually, somebody always blinks.
Perfection is stiff. Connection is magic.
If you relax into the experience instead of micromanaging every detail, the photos will feel more like you and not a location shoot for the Zara catalogue.
8. Prep the Children (without making it a threat)
Try not to say:
“You will smile and behave.”
That energy will haunt you for the entire photo session…trust me.
Instead:
Tell them it’s going to be fun.
Let them know they’ll get cuddles.
Get them to prepare a few jokes.
Make it sound like an adventure, not a courtroom appearance.
Bring snacks so the moment you finish, they can eat them. Simple and easy trick.
Children (and partners, frankly) mirror your energy.
9. Plan a Little Pampering (low-key, not pageant level)
Fresh hair. Clean nails. Moisturiser. Lip balm.
You do not need a makeover worthy of a reality TV reveal.
Just show up feeling like a polished version of yourself, not someone who applied mascara in the car at traffic lights and lipstick while driving over speedbumps.
10. Remember Why You’re Doing This
You’re not booking a photoshoot to prove you’re photogenic.You’re doing it to capture connection, freeze this season, and to remember the way you all fit together right now, in this precious moment in time.
In ten years, you won’t care if your arm looked slightly different in one shot.
You’ll care that you showed up, and you’ll remember how you felt.
Final Pep Talk
Practice a little. Prepare a little. Encourage the reluctant partner gently (verbally and with snacks).
Then let go.
The most natural photos happen when you stop trying to be perfect and start being present.
Now go hydrate, find your good side, practice hugging your significant other, and tell your partner snacks are involved. AND I might even set a timer so they know when the torture will end.
Works every time.
Rach x
