Hate How You Look in Photos? Here’s What You Can Do About It

📸 What to Do If You Hate How You Look in Photos: A Photographer’s Guide to Feeling Confident On Camera

If the thought of being in front of a camera makes your stomach twist in knots, you’re not alone. As a globally recognized portrait and personal branding photographer, I’ve worked with hundreds of people — many of whom started their session by saying, “I hate how I look in photos.”

It’s not vanity. It’s vulnerability.

And the good news? It’s fixable.

This article is for you if:

• You cringe when someone tags you on social media

• You avoid group photos (or strategically hide in the back)

• You think you’re “just not photogenic”

Here’s the truth: you don’t need to change your face or body — you need to change the way you approach the camera. Let’s talk about how.

1. Understand Why You Feel This Way

Hating how you look in photos usually has less to do with your actual appearance and more to do with:

• A bad past experience with photography

• Insecurity amplified by poor lighting, unflattering angles, or stiff posing

• Constant comparison to filtered, curated social media images

Photos can feel like permanent receipts of how we think we appear — and when they don’t reflect how we feel about ourselves, it stings.

Good photography isn’t about capturing your flaws — it’s about honoring your essence.

2. Stop Comparing Your Photos to Perfectly Curated Images

Social media has taught us to view ourselves through a lens of perfection — perfectly styled, perfectly filtered, perfectly posed.

But most of those images:

• Are highly edited

• Taken by professionals with perfect lighting

• Feature people who are trained in how to pose

You are not less-than because your casual photos don’t look like a Vogue cover.

You’re human. You’re enough. And when photographed intentionally — you’ll see that too.

3. Work with a Photographer Who Knows How to Guide You

Let’s be real — not every photographer makes their subject feel seen.

You need someone who:

• Knows how to pose you naturally, not stiffly

• Understands your concerns and listens to them

• Helps you relax and actually enjoy the session

I specialize in working with people who don’t think they’re photogenic. My sessions are guided, collaborative, and customized so you never feel alone in front of the camera. It’s not about perfection — it’s about connection.

4. Learn a Few Posing and Expression Basics

You don’t need model-level skills — just a few tips that help you feel in control.

Simple tips to try:

• Push your face slightly toward the camera — it elongates the neck

• Drop your shoulders and breathe before the shutter clicks

• Smile gently (think of something that makes you happy vs. forcing it)

• Know your “good side” — and don’t be afraid to lean into it

A good photographer will coach you through all of this. You don’t need to know how to pose — you just need someone who will guide you.

5. Get in Front of the Camera More Often

The less often you’re photographed, the more critical you become of the results.

The camera starts to feel like a test, not a tool.

But what if you reframed it?

Take more photos. Even the imperfect ones. Practice:

• Taking selfies with intentional lighting

• Letting someone else take candid photos of you doing what you love

• Reviewing them with kindness, not criticism

Confidence builds with repetition. The more you see yourself, the more familiar — and eventually, more comfortable — you become.

6. Shift the Narrative: Photos Are About Legacy, Not Perfection

One of the most heartbreaking things I hear is this:

“I don’t want to be in the photo. Just take it of the kids.”

Here’s the thing: someday, those photos will be all your loved ones have. They won’t care if your hair was perfect or if you were at your goal weight.

They’ll just want to see you — your eyes, your smile, your spirit.

Let yourself be remembered. Not when you’re “ready.” Now.

7. Consider a Personal Branding or Portrait Experience

If you’ve been hiding from the camera for years, a professional photo session may feel intimidating — but it could also be the exact breakthrough you need.

Here’s what my clients often say after a session:

• “I’ve never felt so seen.”

• “That’s me?! I actually love these.”

• “I finally look how I feel inside.”

Whether you’re an entrepreneur or just someone ready to reclaim your confidence, a personalized session is more than a photoshoot — it’s an experience of self-worth.

Final Thoughts

If you hate how you look in photos, it doesn’t mean you’re not photogenic.

It means you haven’t been photographed in a way that reflects your beauty, truth, and energy — yet.

The camera doesn’t have to be a source of fear.

With the right guidance, mindset, and intention, it can become a mirror of your most powerful, beautiful self.

Let’s Change the Way You See Yourself

I help professional women around the world capture their presence with confidence, clarity, and authenticity.

Whether you’ve avoided the camera for years or you’re ready to rewrite your visual story, I’m here to walk with you — one beautiful frame at a time.

📸 Ready to love how you look in photos? Let’s chat.