Let’s Talk About Fear Of The Camera 🙅🏼♀️
No I’m not immune.
I had a photoshoot with my good friend Anda recently and this is what happened.
You probably think I’m pretty comfortable on camera. I share a lot. I model for other businesses often. But quite the opposite is true.
“You might need to crack some bubbles” Anda told me. Knowing me in my element and as a good friend, she was laughing at the fact that I was being awkward as hell. That made me think.
I’ve realised that despite being pretty bloody happy lately I had serious lingering issues.
Body changes that I’d been through over a decade ago have left me with a lingering fear of the camera.
I didn’t understand how or why my body had changed and the camera lens acted as my mirror.
I began to hate photos.
What Brought On The Changes?
At the time I couldn't have told you. But now I know exactly what happened.
A change in environment... that's literally all.
Note: many of my clients have the same experience which is why it's worth mentioning.
"Since I had children"
"Since I moved here"
"Since I changed jobs"
"Since lockdown"
"Since I got injured"
I went from a happy and confident active 18 year old travelling all summer, feeling great about my body, to a catered university halls. We had no money so would eat as much as possible at breakfast and dinner. I ate the 'healthy' (sugary as f**k) muesli with low fat milk. Curries for dinner with mountains of rice and naan bread. But it was all healthy whole grains right? Then go out and drink litres of vodka orange - because orange juice was a healthy mixer surely?
My body changed beyond recognition in the space of 3 months and I had no idea why.
It was scary, confusing and felt like it was all my fault.
How To Avoid Fear Of The Camera
I want to save you from getting to this point. If you are already starting to feel a fear of the camera… stop shrugging it off and instead ask yourself, why?
I want to save you years of not capturing memories that deserve to be captured.
I believe you need to be particularly careful of these comments around children. I've had to catch myself a few times...
Since I’ve started to feel better in myself (until a camera is pointing in my face apparently) it’s given me a conscious awareness of when other people feel this way.
“Not like that”
“Aw that photos awful!”
“I’ll just stand at the back”
“Not from that angle”
“You can’t put that on social media!”
“Oh my gawd my arm”
“Does my stomach really look like that?”
Those pain points.
Have you felt them?
There is no hiding the fact that with our phones photo opportunities are everywhere. More so than ever before. And yet most of us as less comfortable than ever about having our photo taken.
Questions to ask yourself:
Have you been that person to scorn when a camera comes out?
Do you regularly wear baggy clothes to hide your body rather than show it off?
How many experiences or memories have you NOT captured because of fear of how you look?
How bad could this fear get in the years to come?
It’s not the cameras fault.
This is you being in a state of pain and denial around your own body and how it’s changed.
Get honest.
Decide it’s time for a change.
Save yourself years of discomfort.
This doesn’t have to mean losing an arbitrary amount of weight, getting abs or arms like a fitness model.
It’s about taking action to make YOURSELF feel better. When you get clarity around your health, your fitness, your mindset, it all becomes a hell of a lot easier.
If you want to get to the bottom of the key mistakes you're making, get in touch.
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