Awesome Relationships Energize Fitness Photography

I’m so glad to see Michelle’s website, Pure NRG Fitness, is live and looking great.  Have a peek!

Michelle Portalatin is a trainer and triathlete.  She and I started working together after she completed her second Ironman in Lake Placid last year- talk about an inspiration!

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Michelle is really amazing, she bounds from one session to the next, and occasionally I catch her posts of what she is eating on FB and I am always amazed at her dedication, faithfulness and hard work.  At the same time, she is a  genuinely great human being that you would be lucky to get to know.  Check out her site and learn more about her fitness training business.

When Michelle had her first consultation before our photo shoot, she and I talked a lot about her marketing for her fitness business. It’s not uncommon for me to hear (I’m paraphrasing here) that there was not a lot of marketing happening, that her private training clients mostly came from word of mouth.  Well that’s the best way really, right?  But without a current website and other materials available for her to direct people to, her fitness marketing was not as visible as it needed to be.

Getting Comfortable with your Photographer Means Getting Great Images

It’s also not uncommon for those in the fitness industry to be self conscious for one reason or another.  You would be surprised at the amazing bodies I’ve had the pleasure to photograph, who came to me having put off having their images taken because they were uncomfortable with their… face, thighs, stomach… the list is just as long as the number of clients!
 
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Fortunately, through getting to know each other and having some laughs along the way we were able to put Michelle at easy and have her looking wonderfully beautiful, with strength and line at the same time.

So often, clients come to me with the idea stuck in their heads that they are not comfortable being photographed, posing for marketing images or participating in a photo shoot.  It’s foreign to them and can be hard for them to feel comfortable with their bodies when they know they are going to be photographed.  This is a concern that I help to dispel quickly, by getting clients comfortable, getting them moving, getting them to be themselves and show their stuff.

This process ends up being fun, eye opening and leads to great shots.  So if you are nervous at first about working with a photographer for marketing images, don’t let that fear hold you back.  Reach out, ask questions and talk until you are comfortable.  The best photographers bring out the best in you and it’s a great experience for all of us.

How to Know if you and your Photographer are a Good Fit

1) Does your photog ask more questions than you during your consultation?  Are they really listening to your wants and needs?

2) Does your fitness and movement photographer put you at ease?  The comfort factor is really important for getting good shots.

3) Do you feel like their style, portfolio or what they are talking about creating for you fits with who you are as a person and trainer?  Would it attract your ideal clients?

4) Are they interested in or have knowledge of your area of expertise?  It’s super helpful to know how to adjust or line up your body so you look your best in a shoot and your fitness photographer needs to understand this.

Ask More Questions

Email me with any questions you have about how to get more comfortable in a photo shoot, how to make the experience work for you and your marketing needs, or how to start thinking about using images to connect you to your ideal client.

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