Seems a little off piste talking about sleep, but from 20+ experience of little life hacks that can make a shoot, this is one of them.
Good sleep helps you to feel rested, puts a pep in your step in the morning and positions you to absolutely smash the day….So let’s dissect what a decent night’s sleep before a shoot can do for you physically and psychologically.
Skin
One of the very obvious ways a good sleep shows on the face is reflected in skin quality. When you sleep there is an increase in blood flow to the skin which causes it to look glowing and healthy the next day. Radiant skin is exactly the type of skin you want when you are being photographed.
Under Eye
Sleep helps lower stress hormones allowing muscles to relax and the production of collagen ramps up at night, you know you need collagen to reduce lines and wrinkles. Puffy eyes and dark under-eye circles melt away too. When you don’t get enough sleep the thin layer of skin around the eyes fills with liquid leading to puffiness and bags.
Eyes
As we all know, the eyes are windows to the soul. When we see a beautiful portrait it is the eyes that draw us in, we love eyes that “speak” to us. So much of our interactions are conveyed through eyes, there are numerous words in existence expressing what eyes do: they glance, they stare, they gaze, they smile! And believe us, a good sleep will do wonders for your eyes in a portrait. Well-rested eyes tend to look clearer, more alert and expressive, which translates so well in photos.
Mood
Hand up, who is a real crank when exhausted? (Holding a hand up). Sleep will improve your mood and reduce irritability, helping you feel more comfortable and natural in front of the camera, to be more at ease with taking direction from your photographer.
Energy
Photoshoots involve staying engaged for long periods. Good sleep supports concentration and reaction time. Shoots can be physically demanding, especially if they involve multiple outfits, locations or long hours. Being rested helps maintain energy throughout the day and feel good about it!
Stamina
Fatigue can lead to less expressive posing. We don’t need to tell you that much like the eyes, the body speaks too. The body language! Rested people often move more naturally and confidently. Tiredness can either lead to slouching, or go the other way and produce a lot of tension. Neither of those look great on camera.
Expression
Tiredness can make it harder to maintain genuine smiles and expressive looks during long sessions. Let’s face it, everything is that little bit harder when you’re tired and it’s not surprising that posing for camera can become daunting and with your “chatty” eyes and body just waiting to give you away, looking genuinely relaxed, at ease and “natural” becomes that little bit harder too.
Getting a good sleep before a shoot truly does set you up for a more pleasant and productive experience that also yields great results.
In short, sleep is one of the easiest and most effective ways to look refreshed, feel confident and perform well during a photoshoot.
