I hate being photographed ... no, seriously, I hate being photographed!

You've said it a million times, you hate being photographed, and then along comes one of those situations in life where you HAVE to be photographed whether you like it or not, and everyone tells you that you'll be fine, you'll look great - but don't they hear you?  You HATE being photographed!

And you know, you're not alone.  We hear it all the time, beit when we are photographing portrait and makeover sessions in Liverpool, weddings in Southport, newborn babies with their mum and dad in Chester.  So many people say the same thing, and yet when you look at photographs other people have had taken they look great, so you kinda think they must surely be lieing - afterall, don't people hear you?  You HATE, HATE, HATE being photographed!

The obvious thing to do is to try and hide from the camera, but you can't always do this, and nor should you.  By not being photographed you are stopping your family from collecting memories of you - and what about the generations after you who want to remember you as you are.  They're not interested in your double chin, your squinty eye, you chubby belly, your turkey wing arms.  All they're interested in is having memories of you, the person they love.

The other obvious thing to do is to just ask your friends to take the photographs at the wedding - after all, you won't have to pose then, will you?  Or get your friends to take a picture of you and the family because it will be over quickly and relatively painlessly.  And then afterwards you look at the photographs, and see, you were so right to hate having your photograph taken, look at how dreadful you look in these pictures your friend has taken!

But this is where you made the mistake - an established and experienced professional photographer knows how to work with you to get the best of you.  Your friend may well know how to use a camera, but that doesn't turn them into a professional photographer.  There is so much more to using a camera and taking pictures of people than the camera itself.  It's about understanding how to pose people to look good, it's about psychology and connection to bring the best out in someone, it's about helping someone dress properly for looking great in photographs.

So this Christmas, treat yourself.  Give yourself a boost, get over your hatred of having your photograph taken, book a makeover photoshoot party with your friends or a City Girl Makeover Photoshoot, and discover how amazing you look in photographs.

By the way, Petra in the photograph above was very camera shy - she doesn't look it does she?