Recently, I had the opportunity to work with Joan creating personal branding portraits for an upcoming talk she was giving with a peer. While Joan holds an esteemed position in her field, she was struggling with her image. Her peer, whose photographs would be next to hers on all the marketing material for the event and who would, of course, be standing on stage with her - in a word - polished. While Joan knew that her personality was different than her peer’s, she still felt like she wouldn’t measure up to her peer's pristine appearance. Determined to feel like she belonged beside her companion both in her own eyes and the eyes of the audience, she decided to invest in portraits that would elevate her presence while building her confidence, helping her feel like a true equal.

Often, when I speak with someone and they are vulnerable with their insecurities, I anticipate body language that matches the mindset. Body language is more of an opportunity than an issue, as I know we can work together to establish an authentic, confident presence. As we began Joan’s session, however, I was immediately struck by her poise. She exuded confidence - in every angle and expression. I was a bit baffled, wondering if I’d accidentally mislabeled my consultation notes. The empowered woman I saw before me was nothing of what I expected. She effortlessly settled into herself.

Bemused and smiling, I showed Joan the photographs on the back of my camera commenting on how stunning and confident she was, expressing how assuredly she moved. She couldn't believe it. She looked at the photographs with a mix of relief and disbelief, exclaiming, "Really?! That's a relief. I feel so fake and vulnerable." It was a moment that spoke volumes.

Imposter syndrome is a sneaky creature that affects so many high-achieving individuals, regardless of their talents and success. We all have moments when we compare ourselves to others, thinking we fall short. But here's the thing—we rarely know the full story behind someone's seemingly perfect image. We don't see the struggles, the doubts, and the insecurities they may be grappling with. We're all on our own unique journeys, and it's essential to remember that.

So, as Joan smiled in front of my camera, I couldn't help but admire her tenacity and determination to overcome her self doubt. She was a reminder that true beauty and strength come from embracing our potential, not belittling it; from seeing who we are and what we have to offer and moving towards being the best of ourselves despite what insecurities may be gnawing at us. It's about recognizing our worthiness, celebrating our accomplishments, and showing ourselves some much-needed compassion.

In the end, Joan’s portraits showed a woman who was resolutely overcoming her doubts and fears. They were a testament to her journey and a reminder to us all that we can have success in every opportunity that comes our way if we allow ourselves. Each of us has our own unique brilliance and inner strength, waiting to be discovered and shared with the world. Embrace your confidence, embrace your authenticity, and embrace the beauty of your own remarkable journey. It is through embracing our true selves that we shine the brightest.

With a laugh and mischievous grin, Martha looked across the table at me “Do you know someone called me disarming?” Her smile grew. “I didn’t know what to think when they said that but they finally explained that they see me as someone who easily takes down [people’s] walls.” After knowing Martha for almost a year, I had to agree. She’s someone who you instantly relax around and want to share a sweet tea with, sitting in rocking chairs on a front porch staring at the humming birds that are frequenting the bushes along the railing. At the same time, however, Martha is as professional as professional gets. She cares deeply for the clients she serves through SpotOn, only wanting them to have the helpful tools at their disposal.

Not too long ago, Martha and I got together to plan out her headshot session. “I want two photographs - one that shows my serious side and another that reflects a not-so-serious Martha. I need to look professional but I like how I look when I laugh and smile.”

“I need to look professional but I like how I look when I laugh and smile.”

— Martha C.

To best serve her needs, I decided to take a few contemporary headshots without her SpotOn equipment that could focus on her friendly demeanor. Then, I wanted to incorporate her SpotOn equipment so she could have personalized photographs that matched the content she shares online, to use in her marketing materials and for a unique way to stand out in her Zoom conference calls.

Since delivering her final headshots, Martha has been using them any place she can. She even shared that she’s never gotten so many compliments on a photograph of herself. I was with her one day when she was sharing about her new headshots to some peers in our networking circles and she began to tear up as she expressed her gratitude for putting her insecurities to rest. “The photographs are wonderful and I'm happy to have them, especially since I've been using the same single photo across the board for way too long.” 

It’s always a special opportunity to help boost someone’s confidence and give them an extra mental edge when they market their work using one of their new headshots. It’s even sweeter when we get to work with people we know and get to see the continuing results!

Grace and I had a lovely time working with the Winston-Salem branch of Freese and Nichols. Faced with the task of wanting to change their public perception from corporate to more approachable, Mr. Freese reached out to us about creating staff headshots within their office.

"We work alongside our clients. Friendliness and approachability are essential to how our team come across." I could hear the earnesty in Mr. Freese's voice. "Our [current] headshots are uniform. We want to show the personality of our employees and incorporate a variety of backgrounds in our office."

After scouting their Winston-Salem office for the best locations within, we set to planning out the headshots they needed for their 10 employees.

Everyone was kind and easy to work with and we had a great time using the warm interior of the office. In the end, Freese and Nichols ended up with 10 unique headshots and even a group portrait we snuck in at the end.

“There’s a magnetism in an authentic moment, when we get to witness a person’s soul. ”

— Alyson

Who you are is important to me. Your personality. Your uniquenesses. Your sensitivities. There are countless details that make you, YOU. I want to help you bring those traits out to create portraits people connect to because they see who you are.

Have you ever looked at a picture of someone and said, "They look like someone I could be friends with?"

I have. Plenty of times.

There's a magnetism in an authentic moment, when we get to witness a person's soul.

That authenticity happens in a split second. Quite literally, a split second. There have been times where I've taken two photographs back to back - one right at the climax of the moment and the other right before or right after.

It never fails that the photograph where the timing is a split second off, you can see the minute details that don't fullfill the expression of that person's emotion.

I always seek out that spark, that single moment when every bit of you shines through. I love to see you be Seen, in every tiny detail.

Behind the scenes of two sequential headshots - only one second apart - from Lynn’s corporate headshot session. | Winston-Salem Headshot and Brand Photographer | Jasper & Fern