2 weeks prior:

• Have a quality diet for healthy skin
• Proper sleep hygiene
• Stay Hydrated = WATER! Not carbonated, caffeinated, sugary drinks!
• Keep your stress down
  • Realistic time management
  • Exercise
  • Feel good music playlist
  • Self care/breathing/meditation/reading/write
  • Proper emotion management, be aware of how you’re reacting
  • Be aware of cognitive distortions

1 week prior:

• Keep out of the sun
• Include Zinc, Magnesium, Omega 3, vitamin B, C & D into your diet to boost skin & brain health. (Always contact YOUR Dr. for diet changes)
• Gently exfoliate and clean all skin exposed-to-camera, up to the day prior
• Maintain fingernails and toenails (depending on shoot, Mani-Pedi?) 
• Moisturize your skin
• Use eye cream and lip balm
• Don’t experiment with any new hair removal products, it may lead to breakouts

1 day before:

• Good skin = good night’s sleep
• Don’t go out with friends (no alcohol, fast food, or food out of the norm)
• Pack a book, journal, external battery pack & other time killers (depending on shoot their could be some down time)
• Prepare YOUR feel good music playlist, to play during the photo shoot, or between shots for video.
• Remove watches, rings, bra, doo rag or other accessories that could leave an impression on your skin (Depending on the shoot)
• Prepare a small hygiene kit
  • Floss/pick (post snack necessity) 
  • Toothbrush/paste
  • Mirror
  • Mouth wash
  • Hair products, brush, comb
  • Nail Clipper/File
  • Tweezers

The morning of:

• Exercise, meditate, or clear your mind on a walk
• Keep the enthusiasm high and avoid stress
• Avoid a hot shower, warm to cool is best, and apply antiperspirant
• Avoid too much caffeine, and carbonation 
• Enjoy a light meal 1.5-2 hrs before the shoot 
• Bring some healthy snacks along with water, or juice (not red/purple, it might stain teeth)
• Play YOUR feel good music playlist, on the way to, and at the shoot
• Arrive on time, or early, to get last min instructions as we need you to help set the shot (lighting can only be achieved on your skin, so we need YOU and only YOU)
• To avoid bright lights in the studio or sunlight, bring sunglasses
• Maintain an open, positive, and confident attitude, our direction is adjusted to achieve your best results

Proper interviews, commercials, or blog video work are very individualized. Each unique style and influence is constantly experimented with to provide the perfect look and emotion that we interpret as your intention.

When preparing for your video, think of subjects and topics without writing a complete script. Have idea’s prepared and be knowledgeable, but provide room for the interviewer to question you. When responding to a question, re-phrase your answer to bring the question into the answer; it helps the audience stay curious as we provide them with your story. This will also present you as having a conversation with the audience and provide a natural flow to the interview.

For mental preparation it takes some practice, but with minimal effort it can make a big difference. I am a fan of Ph.D. Brene Brown’s breakdown of vulnerability: “the emotion that we experience during times of uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure,” along with her definition of empathy; “empathy is not connecting to an experience; it’s connecting to the emotions that connect to the experience.” Leaning into these can provide us with a beautiful depth of emotion to capture. I recommend watching her TEDx talk to get some more understanding. Please find what makes you comfortable and share what internal preparation works for you in the comments .

What we want to capture in our photos and videos is summed up by this amazing quote. “People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” – Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Psychologist and Swiss-American Author