(aka: the reason I'm behind it)
If you’re reading this because you’re worried you’re “bad at photos,” I want you to know something right away:
I get it. Truly.
Being in front of a camera can be hard. Uncomfortable. Weird. Vulnerable. And honestly? That’s a big part of why I’m the one behind the camera. I overthink what I look like. I’m painfully aware of my worst angles. That little voice in my head is quick to point out everything I should “fix.” I know, I know, I’m working on the self-love thing, but I’m only human-!
Most recently, I took photos of myself and my girlfriend for Christmas cards. We had the camera set up on a tripod. No pressure.. right? And yet, I felt SO awkward.. out of my element. I forgot how to pose. I laughed at myself because I’m so used to being the one telling people what to do, not doing it myself.
But I also know how important photos are. Memories are precious, and we take them for granted. Documenting life as it is, right now, matters, even when it feels uncomfortable.
That’s the heart of this.
"Sorry, we're so awkward.."
If I had a dollar for every time someone apologized to me before a session, I'd be rich. Not evening joking.
"I'm not very photogenic."
"We don't know what we are doing."
"We haven't had photos done in like.. 12 years. Sorry if we're awkward!"
"I'm bad at posing."
Let me say this clearly and with so much love: you don't need to apologize!
You're not doing anything wrong, you are not failing, and you are photogenic. Each of us are so beautifully complex and simply stunning. Lots of photo perfection gets shoved at us daily through social media and the internet in general, it is so easy to forget how beautiful we all are.
Through the quiet ways we love, the little moles that kiss our skin, the piece of hair that never seems to lay flat. These are all bits of us, the world facing part of our soul that others love and know us for.
Most people don't spend their lives in front of a camera, and that is totally okay!
How I approach sessions (especially with camera shy people)
I avoid stiff, uncomfortable poses as much as possible. I don’t expect you to perform or suddenly know what to do with your body.
Instead, I use prompts:
- walk together holding hands
- dance for a second
- give a series of quick kisses along your partner’s cheek
- lean into each other and breathe
Most of the time, you’re not even looking at the camera.
Yes, we’ll always grab a few “photos for grandma”, the ones where you face the camera and smile and then she can put them on her fridge. Those matter too. But the moments I care most about are the candid, heartfelt ones that happen in between.
If I notice you freezing up or feeling uncomfortable, we move on instantly. Over the years, I’ve learned how to read body language and energy pretty well. I can tell when something isn’t working, and I won’t force it.
Sometimes I’ll gently encourage you to pause. To ground yourself, to reconnect with the person you came with. That usually pulls people out of their head and back into the moment.
And almost without fail, about five or ten minutes in, something shifts. People realize:
“Oh… this isn’t as hard as I thought.”
A gentle reminder (from someone who gets it)
You don’t need to wait until:
- you feel more confident
- you lose weight
- life slows down
- things feel “perfect”
You are already worthy of being photographed. Right now. As you are.
If reading this made you feel even a little more at ease, like maybe you could do this, then I’d love to be the one to photograph you. Awkwardness and all.
Because honestly? That’s where the real stuff is.
Kaitlin Moor Photography
Notes from behind the camera
A seasonal letter with photo tips, session openings, local favorites, recent work, and little behind-the-scenes notes from my corner of the world.
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