Top Three Tips for the Perfect Photoshoot

Photoshoots are apart of my marketing tools...and I HATE PHOTOSHOOTS. Well, not as much as I did when I first started. I saw photos as still evidence of my imperfections. Unlike live performances, photos gave a frozen, and intricate look at objects. I would imagine people staring at them, picking out my imperfections. But I faked it until I made it. Now, I enjoy them. Here are a few tips I picked up along the way, to have an amazing photoshoot.

1. Be Comfortable with The Photographer. I never thought about the importance of this, until I worked with a black photographer. Before him, all of my other photographers were white. I chose them because they had mad skills. But I never felt as comfortable as I did with Michael. He understood the unique angles of a black woman. The lighting he chose for my skin was way better than others. And on a personal level, when I was looking through the lens, I saw my culture staring back at me. He knew everything that came along with being black. He has had similar experiences in his life, because of his skin color. It may sound a bit tooo deep, but this is what went thru my head, while working with him. It feels like the person behind the lens is looking right thru me. So, feeling a connection with that person really helps.

2. Music makes the Mooood. Music is involved with every aspect of my life. Of course, it is a MUST for photoshoots. I like to play pussy- power songs and girl anthems. Right now, I have Cardi B, Beyonce, Meg the Stallion, Nicki Minaj.... bad-ass-bitches songs in my playlist. Donna Summer is a Classic Goddess of ALL my photoshoots. She simply oozes sensuality, power, boldness...exactly how you want to feel while posing.

3. Move! Move! Move! Unlike taking regular pictures, the more you move around, the better. The more animated and expressive you are, the more pictures you have to choose from. Various gestures, different facial expressions, changes the vibe of each shot. At the end of the shoot, when it is time to pick from the negatives, you will have more options to choose from, instead of twenty picture that look practically the same.

Ask your photographer to let you see the negatives, as you go along, to make sure you are seeing the results you want. Keep my top three tips in mind, and your photos will turn out fabulous!