There’s unspoken rhetoric in the online business world where everyone wants to micromanage their personal or brand image. The photos, the reels, the websites, and all that glitters is DEFINITELY solid gold - or so they want you to think.
There is a white knuckled approach to how a lot of online business owners show up in the world. When, where, how the photos or posts are shared is like a life or death situation.
And we see this with other big named celebrities (cough cough kardashians) having full blown meltdowns when an unedited image makes it out into the atmosphere.
Every word, every image, every video, every piece of your online presence has to be cleansed, polished, and approved. The testimonials are glowing. And there’s a well known secret that we DO NOT speak openly about negative experiences with the powerful coaches because you WILL be ostracised and silenced.
But I digress…
I come from a slightly different world where I am very well aware that my image is not my own. As soon as I put something out into the world, it is fair game to be screenshotted, criticised, misspelled, or misrepresented.
And no, my intellectual property shouldn’t be stolen, but I know that when i put something out, it’s not up to me what happens anymore.
Having been a musician for many years now, I know my recorded music or live shows will be reviewed. And those reviews get published in online platforms and magazines alike.
I know each decision I make regarding the songs, the recordings, the performance, the aesthetics, and everything in between is up for critique.
Photos and videos will be taken of me when I’m on stage. Magazines publish reviews. Promotors, bookers, managers, labels have strong opinions. Any old body can snap, tag, and post away.
But if I want my music heard, I put it out there and I let go of controlling my image. As long as I am happy with what I wore, what I said, how I sang, how I performed, I let the rest go.
How the world decides to view me is not up to me. But the fear of judgement or that loss of control over my image cannot deter me from stepping on stage.
Being photographed is a hugely intimate thing. We all have hang ups, perceived flaws, and want to put our best foot forward.
The first thing you can do is to find a photographer whose work you are head over heels in love with. The way they capture, the way they edit, the vibe you get from their work has to hit deep enough that you can't get those images out of your head. Secondly, you've gotta build rapport with that photographer. Talk to them, get on the phone, exchange voice notes, ask them questions. Any photographer worth their salt will WANT to get to know you and co-create the imagery that will make you see yourself in a completely new lightly. And lastly, you need to know how you want your image to be captured. Do you actually feel comfortable in those clothes? What location will help you tell the story and make you feel the most at ease? What kind of mindset do you need to work on before you get in front of the camera?
Your photographer will have lots of ideas on outfits, locations, poses, and everything in between - but we're not mind readers! We want and need your input to create the imagery that feels most like you.
You can take your time to find the photographer you're over the moon to work with. You can choose what images you want in your package. You get to decide what you put out into the world. And you have to know that how the world perceives you really isn't up to you. What you CAN control is putting things out into the world that you're so behind, no amount of criticism, judgement, or fear can shake.
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