Photo Shoot as a Confidence & Ego Booster?

I have photographed many guys who are not professional models. Most of the people I photograph have never done a shoot in a studio before, and certainly not a nude session. Many guys tell me after the session that they felt very comfortable during the session and feel more confident after.

Why might a photography session in the studio boost a guy's ego?

1. Posing in a professional studio with a photographer who knows how to use lighting and composition to bring out the best in their subject helps a man see himself in a new light and the experience is uplifting. One feels like a model when in the studio environment being directed by a professional photographer.

2. If they choose to share photos with friends afterwards, they are often told that they look great and appear as a pro model. Some of the difference between the typical amateur shot is equipment & talent and some of the results I obtain are due to the environment created by a professional studio. Almost everyone reacts differently while being photographed in front of studio lights and this comes across in the final images.

3. During the session, almost all guys become more relaxed and start to try different poses. I provide encouragement and share select images as we go to help demonstrate what is working and what we can do differently to maximize the result. Someone told me that in the old days before digital, the photographer used to shoot without film for the first handful of shots (to save film), since the subjects needed some time to relax. I can see this transformation occur in my models as we progress. The first few shots are often a bit stilted and at some point, they just start to look more natural and confident in their connection with the camera.

4. Our own family and friends are usually unable to create a photo studio environment and produce the same results. We assume professional models must be better looking then ourselves. While many models of course are beautiful, everyone has attributes that are attractive and the goal is to highlight these in the poses and shots we produce.

Overall, the combination of being in the studio under the direction of a professional photographer provides a guy with confidence that he can model and he will see himself in a new light once he reviews the images. He of course won't love every image and he is often the most critical person viewing the images, but he oftens sees a view of himself he's never seen before. He will remember the feeling of being a model for a couple of hours way beyond the shoot and the images will reinforce the feeling for years to come.