Also known as: How to Take a Better Selfie!

Tell me if this sounds familiar;  You get dressed and you love your outfit. Your makeup is on point and your hair is rockin’.  You feel amazing, and you know you are looking GOOD.

But then someone pulls out their phone to take a fun shot for instagram. “sure you can tag me” you say, cuz you know how good you are looking today.  

Except when you see the photo, you don’t look anything like you thought you did.  Is the mirror lying?

No. It’s not the mirror.

It’s the lighting.

Or  it’s the angle.

Or it could be a number of other things.

As a professional photographer, I have learned a lot about how to pose people and how a slight shift in angles can make all the difference.  

I can give you more or less curves.

I can define your jawline, take away (or make) a double chin.  

Simply by posing or changing my angle.

Dont believe me?  Take a look at these before and afters of real clients as they go from “Natural” to “Knockout”. 

Here are 12 tips for you to look great in photos:

1. Always remember, what is closest to the camera looks larger so avoid pointing anything you want to look smaller directly to the camera. Think hips, arms etc. give them a slight turn away or shift your weight accordingly.
   
   
2. Make sure to wear blush. It will avoid your face looking flat. A pink shade on the apples of your cheeks will help shape your face and give it dimension.
   
   
3. A real smile always looks better than a fake one. Avoid saying “cheese” it looks cheesy ;). Instead, think of something funny so you have a real smile.
   
   
4. If possible, stand in front of a light colored wall. It helps to brighten your face, and helps most cameras’ automatic settings do a better job finding the right color balance so your skin tone doesn’t look “off”.
   
   
5. Touch up your make up. Lipstick (keep it bright) A bit of pressed powder (cut shine). Pink blush on the apples of your cheeks.But if you don’t have time to touch up, grab a tissue or cocktail napkin and press (don’t rub) to your face in oily spots and give your cheeks a quick pinch. Totally old school but it works!
   
   
6. Stay away from dark matte lip colors. It makes your lips look thinner and dry and has an ageing effect. Stick to bright colors on your lips…and use a bit of gloss to make them look moist and full.
   
   
7. Facing the camera straight on is rarely flattering. turn your body slightly in 45 degree angle and bring your face around to face the camera.
   
   
8. Avoid standing directly under a light source. It will cast shadows on your face and add shadows under your eyes. Instead, move so that overhead light is in front of you or even better, try to face the light if possible. A window will give soft light on your face slightly from the side and looks best.
   
   
9. To enhance your eyes and make them sparkle, face a light source like a lamp or a window.
   
   
10. Are you a blinker? Do you always end up with your eyes half closed in photos? Shut your eyes right before the photo is taken and open them slowly before the shutter clicks. Bam!
    
    
11. A photo from just slightly above is more flattering and slimming. Try to keep your eye level a bit below the camera lens. If you are taller than the person holding the camera, grab a seat.
    
    
12. Avoid too much shimmer on your face. Light catches it and makes your skin look oily or sweaty. It’s fine on your neck or chest though but keep your face matte
    
    

Now the next time someone pulls out their phone to take a shot, don’t hide. You are going to look as good at you think you do…maybe better!

You're welcome ]]> Mon, 24 Mar 2025 08:41:00 -0700 ad391fd886ab46bf4d53238a1c5cd9353ed5b241 https://tanyalsmith.com/blog/what-is-holding-you-back-from-doing-a-boudoir-session-8957283 If you are like most women, you would LOVE to have beautiful phots of yourself (sexy, glamorous, professional...or a combination!)

But many of you don't book the session....and that makes me wonder....why?
What is holding you back?

In my private facebook group, I asked this question and got an overwhelming response. (click here to join if you are not a member yet)

I am a firm believer that all women deserve to have a beautiful portrait of themselves…and one that shows their sexy side as well.  Every women’s version of sexy is different, and that is totally cool, but still- a sexy photo of you, as you are right now, is priceless and will do wonders for your confidence and self esteem.  It’s the exact same way that a “bad” photo of you can crush your confidence.

Reason number 1

“I don’t know how to be sexy”

First of all- yes you do!  

You just don’t think you look sexy doing it.  

We need to stop comparing ourselves to others- you know this but you don’t practice it. We all have something that makes us uniquely beautiful,…and yes, sexy. However, if this is what is holding you back from doing a photoshoot, then that is an easy fix.

If you are with the right photographer, (*ahem, me) they will pose and direct you and show you how to be sexy in front of the camera. Unless you are a professional model, you do not know the proper angles bases on where my camera is, how how the light is falling on your body, etc- that is MY job, and I rock at my job! ;-) 

I know how to coach you to get you there.

Remember, the majority of the images you see on my website or instagram are everyday women. Just like you, who thought the same thing before their shoot.  

Ask my former clients how nervous they were, and how they relaxed and warmed up after a few minutes.

Ask them what they thought about their photos, and if they looked sexy in them.  

Read the love notes from my clients here.

You CAN do this.  If others can, then why can't you?

You are beautiful now.

The people who love you think you are beautiful now.

I can show you.

xo
~t

More Self Love
Less Self Sabotage
#JoinTheEvolution

There are worries and rumbles that social media (especially instagram and facebook) are shutting down boudoir photographers accounts with no warnings, and it would be sad if I lost my posts and photos, but it would be VERY sad if I lost my followers and the people who I chat with on the daily, especially in my private Facebook Group (for women only).

If you don’t follow me on instagram or facebook, (where I have more posts like this) please do- I would love to have you join the conversations… but more importantly, PLEASE click the links on this website (or just click here) and add your name to my mailing list.  That way no matter what happens with social media, we can still be friends!

Today, I came across a photo of me from 2 or 3 years ago.  I remember we were going out, and my daughter took a photo of us.

I remember feeling YUCK that day. I think I was having a hard day, didn’t sleep well the night before, and I didn’t even want to go out. I thought about cancelling.

We went anyway (and ended up having a great time- isn’t that always the way?), but I felt like I didn’t look very good and you could see my sleepless night on my face.

I felt like I needed more.

More make up.  More gym time. More sleep. Better hair. Cooler clothes.

Anyone else have days like that?

But a funny thing happened when I looked back at that photo today.

I love how I look!!  I really think I look amazing in the photo! I can’t see ANYTHING that I was stressing about those 3 short years ago!

If only I knew then, that I was beautiful.

If only I let all those insecurities go and stood in my confidence that day, so when I looked back on the photo, THAT is what I remembered.  That I looked and felt GOOD.

From now on, when someone tells you that you look beautiful, believe them. ok?

Own it. 

Because that confidence is gonna make you look MORE beautiful.

Because confidence is beauty.

We have a magic power to change the way we see ourselves.

And it starts with a mindset.

Choose confidence over insecurities.

Remember your powers….You Are Magic.

xo

~t
More Self Love. Less Self Sabotage.

#JoinTheEvolution