Because the best photographs aren’t about knowing exactly what to do, they’re about feeling comfortable enough to simply be yourself.
One of the things I hear all the time before a session is some version of:
“I’m so awkward in front of the camera.”
Or, “Just so you know, I have no idea how to pose.”
And every time, I want my clients to know the same thing: you don’t need to. That’s my job.
You don’t need to practice poses in the mirror before your session. You don’t need to know what to do with your hands. You don’t need to spend the entire drive over wondering whether you’re going to look awkward in your photos.
When you arrive, I’ll guide you through it.
You’re Not Expected to Know How to Pose
There’s a reason I don’t expect my clients to walk into their session already knowing how to pose for photos. Most people aren’t in front of a professional camera every day and you shouldn’t have to pretend that you are.
As your photographer, part of my job is knowing how to guide you in a way that feels comfortable, flattering, and natural.
I always come to my sessions prepared with a list of poses and prompts so you never have to wonder, What am I supposed to do now?
Sometimes I’ll give you a specific pose and make small adjustments along the way. Other times, I’ll give you a prompt that creates movement, laughter, or connection and let the moment unfold from there.
I love a mixture of both because it gives us those beautiful portraits you’ll want framed on your walls while still leaving room for the little in-between moments that feel like you.
Yes, You Can Send Me Your Pinterest Board
While you absolutely don’t need to know how to pose, I love when clients share inspiration with me before their session.
If you have a Pinterest board filled with poses you love, send it my way. If you’ve saved photos on Instagram that capture the feeling you’re dreaming about, I’m always happy to see those too.
Your inspiration helps me understand what you’re envisioning for your session.
Maybe you’re drawn to photographs with lots of movement and laughter. Maybe you love the quiet, romantic images that feel like a scene from an old movie. Maybe you want something playful and carefree, or soft and nostalgic.
It isn’t about recreating someone else’s photographs exactly. Your session should still tell your story. Instead, your inspiration gives me a glimpse into the poses, movement, connection, and overall vibe you’re naturally drawn to.
Then I can take that inspiration and create something that feels like you.
Posing Shouldn’t Feel Stiff
When people hear the word posing, I think they sometimes picture standing perfectly still, smiling at the camera, and trying not to move.
That’s not what I want your session to feel like.
I’m drawn to photographs that feel lived-in, wind moving through your hair, hands intertwined, a nose scrunch in the middle of a laugh, your little one reaching for you, or the way your person looks at you when they forget for a second that there’s a camera nearby.
Those moments are why I love using natural posing and photography prompts together.
There will absolutely be moments when I guide you into a pose. I may tell you where to put your hands, where to look, how to stand, or make a tiny adjustment that photographs beautifully.
But then I might ask you to move.
Walk together. Pull each other closer. Look at your person. Make each other laugh. Love on your babies. Let the wind do its thing.
A pose gives us somewhere to begin. The magic often happens in everything that comes after.
I Want You to Feel Comfortable and Confident
Being intentional with my clients is incredibly important to me.
I don’t want to rush through a checklist of poses just because they photograph well. I’m paying attention to you throughout your session, how you’re feeling, what feels natural, and what helps you settle into the experience.
Because a photography session isn’t only about the gallery you receive afterward.
The experience matters, too.
Years from now, I don’t want you to look at your photographs and remember how nervous or uncomfortable you felt. I want you to remember the laughter. The warm evening light. The way your family was in this exact season of life. The way your person held your hand. The tiny things you didn’t realize you’d miss until they became memories.
That’s part of creating nostalgic photography that feels like home.
You Just Have to Show Up as You
Whether you’re booking a senior photography session, couples or engagement session, maternity session, family photography session, or portrait session in Abilene, Texas, there’s one thing I want you to leave at home:
The pressure to know what you’re doing.
You don’t have to be a model.
You don’t have to memorize a Pinterest board.
You don’t have to know your “good side.”
And you definitely don’t need to know how to pose.
Come as you are. Bring your people. Bring your personality. Bring the inspiration you’ve been saving if you have it.
I’ll take care of the rest.
I’ll guide you, encourage you, and make sure we create photographs that don’t just look beautiful, but feel like something.
Because the photographs I love most aren’t the ones where everything is perfectly posed.
They’re the ones that bring you right back to the way this season of your life felt.
And those are the memories worth holding onto.
Ready to Tell Your Story?
If you’ve been putting off booking a photography session because you’re worried you won’t know what to do in front of the camera, consider this your reminder: you don’t have to.
As an Abilene, Texas photographer, I’ll help you plan your session, guide you through posing and prompts, and create a relaxed experience centered around genuine connection and the people you love most.
All you have to do is show up.
Let’s create something nostalgic together, photographs filled with golden light, meaningful connection, and memories that feel like home.
Ready to begin? Tell me a little about you, the season you’re in, and the memories you’re dreaming of preserving. I can’t wait to hear your story.
