One of the things I love the most about what I do is the confidence boosting power of a photoshoot! Honestly it's like every woman's secret weapon but you do have to be ready to use it! 🙂
Let's face it - most of us hate having our pictures taken! A lot of my clients start off unsure, uncomfortable and sometimes a little awkward in front of the camera. So one of the best parts of my job is being able to watch a client unfurl and blossom like a beautiful flower as the photoshoot progresses.
In a world that constantly sends the message - "you are not good / beautiful / slim / thick / fit / smart / fill in your blank" enough, it feels really good to watch women fall in love with themselves all over again and embrace all that is beautiful about them.
Like I always say, with a little bit of confidence, you can take over the world! And I like to think I play my part in helping my clients step forward with their heads raised high with these confidence boosting photoshoots.
This week - I'd love to introduce you to Ute! She's a librarian and an author. During her pre shoot consultation, she mentioned she would like some personal branding images that worked well for both roles and of course a little bit of glam. I always think if you are going to spend all that time getting ready for a shoot and having your hair and makeup professionally done - you might as well go for at least 3-5 different looks. These can then be used in a myriad of ways over the year.
Anyway, enough from me, here's Ute! 🙂
Hi Ute, tell us a little bit about yourself, what do you do?
I work as a Learning and Teaching Librarian at the Open University.
What inspired your interest in this field?
I've spent a lot of time in Higher Education teaching and studying so I decided one day that I would like to share my enjoyment of learning and knowledge by developing other people's information literacy skills. I've also always loved libraries.
What's your favourite book?
This is a really hard question, as I love so many books and my favourites continuously change. Most of Salman Rushdie's and Haruki Murakami's books are amongst them. 'Haroun and the Sea of Stories' by Rushdie is one of my favourites, as it's all about the power of storytelling, humorous and a joy to read. Having originally written it for his son, it can be read as a children's book but it has another level to it, which can be appreciated as an adult.
How was the lockdown experience for you? Did you learn anything new about yourself?
Lockdown was difficult for me. I'm not sure whether I learned something new about myself, but I think it sharpened my awareness of us being social beings in the world and functioning as such even if I need and enjoy my own space. When this social connectivity is almost taken away, at least in person, it's challenging and can only be counteracted by one's more solitary pursuits and enjoyments like reading and writing up to a point.
So your photoshoot...did you have any concerns or worries before the photoshoot? Or did anything surprise you during your shoot?
Maybe I was a little concerned that I would look too self-conscious and unnatural, as I'm not used to being photographed much or posing. Wani has made it really easy for me though and I looked natural and happy in the end.
Let's get more personal - what meal could you eat every day for a year? #foodiealert
Indian vegetarian food. I love it so much. It should be at least medium spicy.
What is one thing guaranteed to make you smile?
Cats, particularly one that I visit regularly. <aww>
How can people find out more about you?
I've got a website with a blog on which I do book and film reviews and write about writing and the creative process. https://utemanecke.wordpress.com/blog/
Here is also the link to my first novel: http://www.lulu.com/shop/ute-manecke/the-snowstorm/paperback/product-23855364.html
I'm currently writing my second novel, which is a bit slower, as I'm also doing a creative writing course at the same time. More details will emerge on my website in the future.
Our "model for a day" photoshoot comes with some serious confidence boosting benefits. It gives you the opportunity to rediscover the woman within and fall in love with yourself all over again! You'll leave the session feeling uplifted and beautiful and all the fab comments from your nearest and dearest won't hurt when they see how fabulous you look in your printed pictures afterwards.
Interested in having a photoshoot of your own? Then click right here to get in touch for a quick chat on how I can help.
