Everyone is Photogenic

“Your Photogenic Beauty Is in the Eyes of Your Photographer”

As a Portrait Photographer I photograph a lot of women of all shapes, sizes, ages and nationalities. My clients always look elegant, feminine, confident, capable, strong, they are all amazingly beautiful...and yet, women keep telling me "I am not photogenic". Enough is enough. Next time you hear someone say they are not photogenic, please send them this post.

• Yes, You Are Very Photogenic! 

Don't ever think otherwise. If you don’t believe me, then it’s due to a lack of understanding about the true meaning of the term “photogenic.” Let me explain.

According to my dictionary definition, photogenic means: suitable for being photographed especially because of visual appeal . As a photographer who is constantly seeking out subjects with visual appeal, I can attest that you have it.

There are many types of beauty in the world, ranging from glorious sunsets and raindrops on a leaf to the compassionate look in a mother’s eyes. A photogenic scene may be a specific landscape taken at a particular hour with just the perfect clouds, like the image below.

 

Of all the people I have met in the world, I have yet to meet a woman who is not truly beautiful. It is up to the photographer to recognize her beauty, focus on it and showcase it skilfully through the camera lens. 

It’s time to erase all thoughts that you are not photogenic from your head.

• Photographing the Beauty of People

With portraiture, I aim to capture the grace and attractiveness of each individual. This isn’t accomplished by hiding a woman’s features with makeup or props, or by setting her up in unnatural, formal poses. The allure of each woman is found in her genuine character and how she expresses herself in real life. Whether you are an ambitious businesswoman, a bride glowing with joy or a frazzled mom chasing your toddler around the park, you are displaying beauty that can be captured on camera.

It’s up to the photographer to bring your beauty forward. When your mouth turns up gently with delight or your eyes crinkle in contemplation, the photographer needs to recognize the unspoken beauty of those moments. Along with the right lighting and a complementary background, every woman can be featured in a breathtaking work of art. When photographic expertise is practiced,
every subject, action and scene is highly photogenic.

 

 

 

For instance I asked my client on the right to dance and have fun while I was trying to capture the perfect shot of her looking natural, smiling, dancing and looking at me.

I took around 10 images to get THIS one. 

• What’s the Secret to Looking Great in pictures?

Your photographer is responsible for determining the general composition and lighting, and setting the right apertures, shutter speeds, depth of field and contrast ratios. So what can you do to ensure that your beauty shines?

One tip that rises above the rest is: "Do not stress out about it". Women show their most beautiful features when relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera. Easier said than done, right? Most people tense up in front of a lens. Yet it’s up to the photographer to make you comfortable.

 

 

 

 

What I usually tell my client during a photo session to make her relax is that for the next 5/10 minutes, she can move around, pose how she likes, have fun, be serious, laugh, move like a model, play with her hair, hands, body...

She does whatever she likes and it makes her relax and Enjoy more!

My clients always come to me with doubts and looking a bit shy. But after a while they understand that it's not about looking perfect in front of the camera, it's by being themselves so I can capture their true beauty.

• Forget Those Bad Photos from Your Past

It’s impossible to look great on camera with a fake smile plastered on your face. We’ve all suffered from years of bad photos that have us running for cover whenever anyone yells, “Say cheese!” These unattractive photos represent only the work of a bad photographer, not the real beauty of the subject.

For the same reason that most people shy away from the stage, it’s normal to want to hide from the camera. Yet an expert photographer will make sure that you forget about the camera and that your expressions derive smoothly from genuine emotion. Be natural and be yourself, and you’ll look beautiful in pictures too.

• False Beauty Crafted by Industry

We are confronted by stunning models on every magazine cover and advertisement. While they are real women, their beautiful image isn’t 100% real. A team of stylists using sophisticated equipment crafted that image. The woman was photographed in a studio with a flurry of assistants prompting her every move. Afterwards, the image was enhanced further via Photoshop and other graphic tools.

Make no mistake; this type of beauty is entirely artificial. Don’t fall for the false insecurities that these pictures may cause.

“You are truly amazing, you are superbly photogenic and you can be the beautiful star of a magnificent photograph!”

Valerie Prudon Photography

Maternity is a Wonderful Occasion to Immortalize the Timeless Beauty of a Woman!

Lilly came to my studio, eight months along in her first pregnancy.  She recounted the reason she came to me; a conversation with her mother, Juliana, just the week before.

Wondering how her own pregnancy was similar to that of her mother, Lilly questioned her Mum about maternity.  Since Lilly was an only child, she wanted to know everything, but was particularly curious about her mother's appearance during maternity, as well as the emotions it aroused.

Juliana sat with Lilly and told her a story of her own pregnancy, woman-to-woman.  Juliana's story inspired her daughter to seek my photographic services.

Lilly explained to me that she sought to speak to her mother, because she was feeling uneasiness relating to her appearance.  However, after talking to Juliana, her confidence began to return.  Lilly told me how her mother's photos captured the happiness and serenity of a special time.  She went on to tell me about how one particular photo stood out, although it was old and faded.

The setting was a luxury hotel room.  The occasion was a short respite for both parents before the baby was to be born.  The photo was taken by Cruz, Juliana's husband of only one year.  The shot was whimsical, an image of Juliana exiting the shower, wearing only a towel.  Her short hair was wet and tousled, but her smile belied her lack of inhibition and her surprise at the desire of her young husband to take a photo of her in such a state!

Lilly explained that she wanted to surprise her mother, by trying to recreate the sentimental snapshot.  My client's story, in turn, inspired me to photograph Lilly's timeless beauty.  In some ways, the resulting photos captured three generations, instead of just two.  Needless to say, Lilly's family was  ecstatic about the sentimental nature of the photos. Lilly's husband, Mark even commented about how their daughter and grandchild could be the subject of the next maternity photo shoot!

You too can create your own timeless maternity story! Contact my intimate portrait studio for your own custom photo session.  

Beach Family shoot

A special family shoot on the beach. They arrived at 7am on a saturday morning and the light was just amazing. We went to Bronte beach, it was quiet with not a lot of people at that time, the sun was rising, they discovered an empty beach and loved it. We had a great time all together and they just loved the images.