We all know confidence truly comes from within, but anyone out there knows about that self esteem boost that you get when you look your best on the outside too-feeling put together, self-assured and beautiful. With most of our lives lived virtually over zoom and photo sharing this topic comes up regularly in my practice.
I interviewed Torrey Richardson, an LA actress who has performed at UCB, Flappers, and Comedy Central Stage, to get her 5 top tips and tricks. I’ll also be giving my professional advice for beauty starting from the inside as a therapist.
“The number one thing is feeling good about your skin”
It all comes back to self-care. Healthy, beautiful skin makes you feel healthy and beautiful. A good skin care routine and a healthy lifestyle including, you guessed it, lots of water will help you to attain skin you’re confident about. That confidence will show in photos! Torrey says that moisturizer is key to having your makeup look picture-perfect in photos.
“Natural light without direct sunlight is key”
Ever wonder why your car selfies look so good? It all comes down to ideal lighting. Sunlight is great, but direct sunlight can create unflattering shadows or squinting. Car selfies look so good because they have sunlight, but the sunlight’s direct beams are blocked by the car. Torrey advises to try and find somewhere with good light, but also coverage when taking photos outdoors.
“Good posture translates to the camera”
When in front of the camera, you want to feel almost as if you are a dancer, gracefully elongating your neck and body. Torrey says she imagines a string pulling her up from the base of her spine and I’m definitely going to try that next time i’m in front of the camera!
“Relax, if you are tense or worried it will show in the photograph”
It’s natural to pose in front of a camera, but next time try to make a conscious effort to relax. The best photos will come from you being relaxed and authentically you! Torrey says to think about what’s great about you and what makes you smile. I couldn’t agree more!
“Think happy thoughts and laugh (even if you have to fake it)”
When in front of a camera, turn your thoughts to something that makes you genuinely happy. If that fails fake it (the laugh that is). I know it sounds like a stretch, but the thought will translate to how you look in the photo and you will look much better and like the you you want to see. Torrey shared her experience with photoshoots saying that to look fresh faced and happy in the shot, she thinks about a happy memory or a food she loves.
If you’re struggling with the feelings behind what you look like and can’t shake the unhappiness that comes up check out my related post on not letting one “bad” picture shutter your confidence here.
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