Ask anyone in my family, I’ve always hated being photographed. And my family is insane about taking pictures. We meet for dinner almost every Sunday and my aunt {aka Paparazia} is a picture-taking maniac. She takes pictures of pictures. She takes pictures of the New Year’s Eve ball dropping in Times Square – on TELEVISION. If that’s any indication, her inclination to take pictures at family get-togethers is quite intense. She would seriously love instagram.

My dislike of being photographed is not a new development either. When I was 5 years old, I went to Italy with my aunt & grandparents and attended my uncle’s wedding. You’d never even know I was there because at picture time I would disappear. I would put my hands up in exasperation and {in a cute italian accent} yell: “Picturi, Picturi, Picturi!” and then vanish. You know the big family picture they take at weddings? Yeah, I’m there alright – hiding under the table!

There was a pretty solid chunk of time that I didn’t mind being in photos – mainly if they were fun, goofy ones but not so much anymore. After gaining some unwanted pounds, my desire to be photographed has gotten even worse over the last few years. I can’t stand looking at myself in pictures and am mortified when someone tags me in a post on facebook looking all blah. So, this little post from photographer Christine Tripp really struck a chord. I’m still going to shy away from the camera but I will try to be a bit more open to it considering you never get to relive the same experiences with the same people again. And thinking back, what a shame you don’t see 5 year old me in the wedding picture, or happy me at 16 with bad hair, braces, and horrible clothing choices (although there’s enough photographic proof of that lying around, thank you very much), or me now. I really dislike being in pictures now – but who knows how long the people we love will be around, who knows how many of these family get togethers we’ll still have, and in another 20 years, will I be saying “what a shame you never see me in those pictures at family gatherings?”

**Paparazia et al: this is in no means the green light to get snap happy. Capish? lol

So, all this really got me thinking… I am FINALLY going to get some professional headshots done. I’m not putting it off any longer. Stay tuned for part 2 of this feature post when I share some pics of my photoshoot with Tripp Photography!!

If you’ve been waiting to lose the weight before getting pictures taken, share your comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

Are you postponing a professional photo shoot until you “lose those last ten pounds?” I hear those words a lot, and it seems like every time I see a group of businesswomen, several always come up to me and say “I’ll be calling you soon for a new head shot, as soon as I lose about ten pounds.” The problem with that statement is that a year later those same lovely ladies are saying the exact same thing.

If you choose a quality, professional photographer, he or she will take good care of you. Through posing suggestions, camera angles, clothing, hairstyle and makeup you will look amazing with or without those ten pounds! And if in fact you do lose unwanted pounds, you can come back for another session the following year.

1. If you could tell people to do one thing that could potentially change their lives, what would it be?
Smile.  And I’m not just saying that because I am a photographer.  It is truly my life’s motto.  Once, a past co-worker of mine said “for my New Year’s Resolution, I want to be as happy as Christine”.  He said this because no matter the situation we were in, I was always smiling.  I feel that it is truly life changing.  People will smile back.2. What’s your favorite smell?
Unfortunately, I was born without a sense of smell… or at least lost it at a very young age.  My first memory of “not being able to smell” was when I was 6, waiting for the bus and the other children came to the bus stop talking about the smell of the beautiful flowers.  I thought “what flowers?” and then I turned around to a large curbside hill garden.  It was the most beautiful sight that I’d seen, yet had I not turned around, I would have missed it altogether.3. What do you do when you’re feeling low?
Get off Facebook!  Sometimes the feed is cluttered with a lot of negativity.  I simply close the window and move on.4. What is your favorite time of day?
8pm.  Evening, quiet time, I put on a movie and/or read a book.5. Do you have a favorite restaurant in Ottawa? If so, what is it?
The Courtyard Restaurant.  I have photographed many weddings there, and watching the staff serve all the guests is hypnotizing.6. What’s your favorite thing about yourself or what do you think others would say it is?
My brain! Although at times, I feel like I cannot turn it off, I am very happy that it seems to work really well.

7. Favorite cuss word? You’re not allowed to skip this!
“Crappy”. Yes, I am a square.

8. What’s your favorite social media outlet?
Facebook.  www.facebook.com/ChristineTripp

9. What book or movie should we read/watch right now?
Sabrina (the version with Harrison Ford).  Love.

10. Name one person living or dead who has made a difference in your life and briefly explain how.
My mom.  She has taught me to have great self-confidence and to pursue my dreams, no matter which obstacles we faced.

Christine Tripp became a professional photographer in 2001. As an instructor, Christine has helped hundreds of eager new photographers learn how to use their camera properly and has shown them how to make money with their photographic art. Whether she is behind her camera or teaching how to take great pictures, Christine’s proven skill, talent, patience and friendly demeanour is just a few of the many reasons she is a well-known and much-liked Ottawa photographer.

FIND HER ON:
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/Tripp.Photography
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ChristineTripp
WEBSITE: www.tripphotography.com
LINKEDIN: ca.linkedin.com/in/christinetripp
GOOGLE+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101313013786872908922/posts
PINTEREST: http://www.pinterest.com/christinetripp1