Meet our featured beauty with brains Helen Sweeney. She is a video, style and weight loss coach based in Sydney, Australia. Here is an interview with her, whereby she answers questions on video confidence and style.
1. Many women are nervous about appearing on camera as they are self-conscious of certain features which they perceive as flaws, for example, a breast cancer survivor might be conscious of how her chest would look on camera or a girl born with a cleft lip palete might be conscious of how her lips would appear on camera. What would be your advice to them?
Asymmetry in the body and the face is something that can affect camera confidence greatly. By restoring symmetry or minimising the asymmetry you can alter the appearance of their concern.
A breast cancer survivor can restore symmetry using a breast prosthesis or bra padding. She could also wear tops with patterned or embellished fabrics and avoid clothing with horizontal lines or a satin surface that highlight the differences in her breasts’ contours.
A girl with a cleft palate can minimise asymmetry using makeup. (Here I am thinking of a surgically repaired cleft palate where there is scarring and irregularity). A good concealer can be used to cover the scarring and lipliner and lip colour can be used to help in creating a new and symmetrical lip line. I also suggest avoiding a front on camera angle. Experiment with the pose and camera angle to get the best results, because the cleft palate will be less visible shooting from one side.
2. What according to you, is the root of camera anxieties?
Not being happy with your likeness in photos can be due to several factors and ranges in severity. When we look at a photo of ourselves, often we are hoping to see the face we see looking back at us in the mirror. There is a smiling face, a look that we make when we say “There, I am good to go, I am ready to face the world”. When this face is not the one in our photographs it is always disappointing.
The most common factors in camera anxiety is the reflection factor and the candid factor.
Firstly let me talk about something I call the reflection factor. The face we approved before we left the bedroom/bathroom was seen in a mirror and is a reflection and not as it appears in a photograph taken by a camera (unless it is a selfie). Asymmetries in our hair, brows and other features appear different when mirror-reversed. The compound effect of these differences create a confusion or a disconnect because it is not the face we expect to see.
Secondly there is the candid factor. Where you are caught unprepared, mid sentence or mid mouthful in an unflattering pose or an unflattering facial expression. These cringe-worthy photographs where we might look fatter or less attractive are distressing and certainly erode your camera confidence.
Could it be caused by something deeper like beauty anxieties?
Yes, certainly.
Some people are never ever happy when they look in the mirror and they certainly will not be happy when they see themselves in a photo. These people can only see their perceived flaws, they are hyper-critical of themselves, their bodies and their reflection. In extreme cases they cannot even look at their own reflection. This forms a kind of self-loathing.
These people are not happy with their physical appearance. They are rarely happy when they look in the mirror and they certainly will not be happy when they see themselves in a photo.
They often repeat to themselves, the unkind (and often untrue) things said to them in their childhood and their past by others. These wounding comments then become vicious self-affirmations as they are replayed in their own thoughts over and over again.
It can take some time for the destructive thoughts to be replaced with realistic and positive ones but it is very worthwhile to find help to overcome this as it will see a boost to their overall personal confidence, not just their camera confidence and this can be life changing. I love working with these clients.
3. How do you approach styling women of different shapes and sizes?
Styling involves understanding the client’s body shape and how to dress it with clothing styles to create this flattering silhouette. By concealing her body concerns and showcasing her most attractive features it is possible to take years and kilos off a client.
The ideal, sexy body shape is a balanced hourglass shape with a defined waist and a wider hip no broader that your shoulders. I aim to recreate the illusion of this shape with each client. This is not done by covering her with mountains of fabric, it is done using clothing that will show off her body shape. This is a very rewarding process and regardless of a woman’s size I always dress her for her body shape first.
4. What is the most common body shape concern you hear and how do you address that?
Carrying too much weight is the most common body shape concern. It depends on the client’s needs and the time, effort and resources that she has available.
For a quick fix, a good idea is to invest in some great shape wear to create a smooth and more flattering silhouette to minimise any bulges and visible panty lines. This may not be ideal in a very hot climate. Next, dress in styles that flatter your body shape and skim over and not cling to problem areas. Where time permits you can take steps to be more active and lose some weight and then tone up. This last option is perfect when there is a goal for an event in say a month’s time and you are prepared to put in some effort.
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