If you’ve never done it before, the thought of being in front of a professional photographer can be rather nerve wracking.

If you are really excited and terrified about your upcoming photo session, there are a few things that you can do to relax and enjoy your session to skip the photo jitters.

3 Ways to relax during your professional photo session

Keep your mind busy

When you’re about to have your photos taken, it’s difficult to not think about where you should stand and how you should pose, which often makes you act unnaturally. It’s important to remember that it’s not your job to work for the camera, the camera is here to work for you.

To take the best photos, you should ideally be as relaxed as possible. To help you do this, start by focusing on your surroundings. How would you naturally act if you were alone with family and friends in this type of surrounding? Treat your photographer as if they were someone you’ve known forever and that they’re simply spending a few hours with you.

Turn your thoughts to things that make you happy and what you really appreciate about being alive.

Don’t let the quiet moments make you panic

During your shoot, there will be moments when your photographer will pause, which can make a lot of people nervous.

It’s important to keep in mind that your photographer is a professional and is either dealing with something technical or thinking of their next shot. If they need you to change your pose or do something different, they will let you know. If they don’t, just keep engaging with your surroundings and enjoying yourself.

Be kind to yourself

Even though it can be easier said than done, it’s best not to let critical or negative thoughts take over. If you’re feeling uncertain or self-conscious, take your thoughts back to a positive place before the negative thoughts can build on each other.

Adopt a fake-it-till-you-make-it mentality and own your photo session. You can also think of all the positive things friends and family members say about you to bring yourself back from a spiral of negative thoughts.

You should know that it’s completely normal to feel nervous before and during a photo session but choosing the right photographer and going in with the right mental state makes all the difference.