I recently was asked “how are you confident taking photos in front of other people?”… & man oh man, I wanted to write this girl a novel. Instead, I am writing a post because I relate so hard to this question.

I have had my fair share of rubberneckers, guys whistling outside the car, & lookie-loo’s…. but I will never ever forget the day I was actually shamed for taking photos.

Zack & I had just had brunch, we were walking to the car when I saw a backdrop I liked on the side of the road. He got out the camera & we started taking photos. About halfway through a car full of young girls pulled up & all four of them got out their phones & were for sure Insta-storying me, I heard one of the girls say “SPOTTED- another Insta model of San Diego”.

TBH- my first reaction was to scream out my username on Instagram so they could look me up. But I didn’t, cause it didn’t matter how many followers I had- they still made me feel like absolute shit. We stopped taking photos- I was so bummed & just couldn’t fake it for the sake of a photo.

Then & there, I decided, never again will I let another person or bratty little girls effect me & my job. That was all I needed… but don’t get me wrong, taking photos in public can be tricky. SO… I do have some tips for you guys if taking photos in public makes you uncomfortable.

6 Tips on How to Feel More Confident Taking Photos in Public

01. FIND A SEMI-SECLUDED SPOT TO START

If you’re new to taking photos, I suggest starting out in less busy places. Taking photos is fun, but it’s also work & if you’re new to it… it can sometimes be overwhelming. Ease your way into it- find some cool alleyways, streets that aren’t typically busy, go behind a building (it’s where you’ll find the big blank walls), etc.

When you feel more comfortable, branch out. Try a busier street, an area with a bit more people, work your way up to it. I haven’t always been “confident” taking photos in public & for years I would only shoot where people weren’t.

Last month I shot in an In N’ Out at 5pm… it was FILLED with people (like no space to move(, but the thought of the photo was greater than my anxiety of the people. That took me 5+ years to work up the courage to shoot there! In retrospect, I should’ve gone at a different time…. but I was determined to get the shot.

The photos in this post were taken in front of a popular concert venue w/ a line of 200+ people wrapped around the corner. From the crowd, it looked as if it was a metal show, & the men in line could just NOT get over the fact I was taking photos *eyeroll*.

02. BE READY TO HAVE TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF

People are gonna look, whistle, comment, & ASK- “what are you taking photos for”. Be prepared in advance with what you’re gonna say. I think you should look them in the eye & say “for my blog” or “for my instagram” but if that freaks you out… say it’s for your job, say it’s a gift for your Mom, shit- say you’re a super model shooting for Calvin Klein (that’ll shut em up real quick). Say whatever you want, but just prepare yourself in advance for the questions cause they will come.

03. GET YOUR SHOTS FIGURED OUT IN ADVANCE

If you’re shooting in a place you think is gonna be busy… have a “shot list” ready so you can move along quickly. I always got to a shoot with a plan ready- I want full bodies first, half bodies next, & last the details (20-30 of each). Streamlining the process makes it go faster & also makes me feel more confident because I feel more professional w/ a shot list ready.

When you don’t know what you’re doing or what shot you want, you will feel like a mess on the inside & that shows on the outside.

04. BE CONSIDERATE

I think this one is super important, because although you need to exude confidence, you have to respect the fact you are in a public place. I can not tell you how annoying it can be when you’re trying to get a photo but the foot traffic is getting in the way… but that’s just the nature of the beast when shooting in public places.

I ALWAYS stop & have my photographer stop when someone is waiting to walk past us cause we are taking a photo. DO NOT MAKE THEM WAIT… that’s rude & also, I don’t know about you guys, but they could be waiting for a hot minute.

If you smile & let someone go by, they aren’t gonna ask you questions. Don’t feel weird about it either, I confidently tell them “no worries- we’re gonna be a while”.

05. NOBODY REALLY CARES

I typically keep eye contact to a minimum, but at the end of the day NO ONE REALLY CARES. Everyone has their own shit going on & we live in a generation where people are used to seeing people out taking photos.

Again, if you get a rubber necker or a whistler, just smile & wave. That’s what I do & typically, they move along. If you get a real hater, again, smile & walk away. You will probably never see that person again & as an influencer, you have to be careful being snarky because that person could take their thoughts to the internet.

There was only one time that I let it get to me & I feel AWFUL ABOUT IT. Two teenagers blocked Zack & I in an alley… they were laughing/taking photos. When we walked out the alley way their brother said “why are you guys stalking them it is so weird” & I turned the corner & said “ya- super weird”.

I REGRET THAT SO MUCH. These girls were young & I was snarky. They could have followed me & been excited, they could have wanted to do what I was doing, they could have been from out of town & thought they were witnessing something cool. Almost 5 seconds after I said that I wanted to turn around, apologize, & hug them. Don’t be me in that situation… it’s not a good look.

06. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE

MOST IMPORTANTLY, if you recall my first story when the girls shamed me, I DID NOT GET THE SHOT. It was a sponsored post & that brand never worked with me again cause my work was half assed… all because I let someone else bring me down & shatter my confidence.

Whether you’re taking photos of your look of the day or shooting a paid campaign- IT IS WORK. You are shooting photos for a reason, there is an end game, & while it is fun to take photos… you also don’t want to spend your entire day sitting around trying to get the shot because you are being shy or people are making you feel less than.

When taking photos, think about what you want & how you want it to turn out. Having that vision will help drown out the insecurities… & when you see the photo come out just as you imagined, it will help you begin to feel more confident!

SO… GO GET YOUR PHOTO SIS!!! x