Pamper yourself

If you know you’ve got an upcoming appearance in front of a camera – eg a wedding – spend the night before making yourself feel utterly great, whether that’s a hair mask, applying self-tan or even just remembering to do your skincare routine that night.

“If I need to feel more confident, I apply a lick of self-tan and dance around my bedroom to Katy Perry as it dries,” says Jules Von Hep, presenter and founder of Isle of Paradise. “The following day I’ll wear an outfit I might have been saving for best and write 10 things I’m grateful for in my notepad. Life is for living!”

Props can be a lifesaver

No, we’re not talking about a fake moustache or inflatable saxophone you might find in a wedding photo booth, but props can be a lifesaver for someone who gets awkward with their hands.

“Holding something, whether it’s a cup of coffee, a book or even a bunch of flowers can give your hands a natural place to rest,” explains personal branding photographer Emma Jackson. “It also helps to draw focus away from your hands and towards the prop, which can help you feel more relaxed overall. From experience, I know it can make you feel self-conscious when you don’t know what to do with your hands.”

Remember that confidence levels fluctuate

It’s important to remember that your confidence levels can fluctuate every day, depending on all sorts of things, and that’s OK. One day you may feel amazing, the next you’re due on your period and suddenly your hair just isn’t sitting right. Understanding that this lack of confidence is just a blip is important.

And on that note, it’s more important than ever to focus on how you feel about yourself, says lifestyle and wellness mentor Sophia Husbands.

“The anecdote to feeling confident when taking photos, like many dilemmas in life, is remembering that it starts with you,” she tells Stylist. “People can say you look good and are wonderful, but really it’s more about how you feel in yourself.”

One piece of advice Husbands swears by is having a dance beforehand, whether it’s simply swaying and waving your hands or rocking out in your kitchen. “The key to dancing is to let go and have fun. You’ll be surprised how much it’ll help you relax.”

“I take photos for a living – here are 9 tricks I use to help people take a better picture”