The hardest thing to learn in the case of modeling or acting is letting go.  When you let go of worrying about people judging your performance your work will improve greatly.  My first photo shoot I was sliding off the chair because I couldn’t hold my self together.  However, at the time  photographers were still shooting on film so frames were of the essence.  A deer in the headlights look isn’t flattering to anybody.  Shooting digitally, you can take an infinite amount of good or bad images.  Delete it, keep it, send it away who cares.  Once you let go and play to the camera not against it, you have all sorts of new images. This opens the door to learn what your best angles and poses are.  I have named my favorite poses and come up with new ones all the time.  If you get to a shoot and don’t know where to st art, take a look at a magazine and see whats being published. If you’re really lost make each frame as different as you can to ensure lots of variety.  I also recommend dancing to the music in your head to add a little more life to you images.

Acting is a whole other kind of comfort level.  I haven’t fully let go yet but I’m working on it.  However, the great thing about acting is that you can hide behind your character.  Unlike modeling, there is a gigantic crew of people to pull a performance from you.  Method acting isn’t my thing but it does seem to service lots of people like Tom Hanks and Jim Carrey.  Again, if you don’t like it just re-shoot it.  It doesn’t matter how many Oscars somebody has they are never a one take wonder all of the time.  Putting unnecessary pressure on yourself is only hurting you.  Worrying about it won’t make the situation get any better.

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