My Own Photo Session in Paris with Brittany Marie Photography - Tips on How to Have a Great Photo Session

I’m SO late to the game in blogging my own photo session that I had on my trip to Paris (almost a year ago already!) but it’s better late than never, right?!

I try to get on the other side of the camera once in a while because 1. I don’t like it so it pushes me out of my comfort zone and 2. I can relate to my clients when I’m photographing them by knowing tricks to get them comfortable. This time in front of the camera was especially special since I was in Paris visiting my crazy-talented friend Brittany of Brittany Marie Photography. We spent the day together exploring Paris and that morning we took some quick photos of each other. Later, we waited in line for what seemed like hours for the best damn crêpe I’ve ever had in my life! I blogged the photos I took of her, but never got around to sharing (aside from Instagram) the photos she made of me. See below for some tips on how to have a great portrait session and learn from my mishaps.

Things I learned after being photographed in Paris.

1. Don’t wear something that you’re going to be self-conscious about the entire time! Something you feel amazing in will do the trick. I wore a shirt that I loved the look of but didn’t like the look of ON ME! It wasn’t the most flattering on my short body and I ended up feeling self-conscious and in my head about it the entire time. Trust your instincts and go with your first choice.

2. Get a great night’s sleep beforehand! I am never myself when I don’t get enough sleep and my brain is foggy & makes it harder to relax. And my eyes look so sleepy!

3. Speaking of sleepy eyes…. the older I get, the more I dislike my giant light-up-the-room-smile and the dark circles under my eyes (thanks, genes). I know it’s silly and all my own insecurities, but I feel more like myself when I don’t look tired. Next time, I will hire a make-up artist to help me feel even more amazing. AND will work on loving myself, “flaws” and all!

4. Have fun, be playful and relax. It will show if you’re stiff and uncomfortable. The most important tip for great photos is that you have to trust your photographer.

If you go to Paris, and I highly recommend you do, you MUST be photographed by Brittany! Check out her stunning photos here!

A Quick Glimpse into My Paris Adventure - A Photographer's Visual Journal

I wonder if I’m alone when I say that editing & processing client images is much easier than doing my own! Every time I travel somewhere, I (shockingly!) take a lot of photos. How could I not?! But coming home and processing them is so daunting to me that I put it off for a while, sometimes months. Because unlike a client session, I don’t NEED to get to them ASAP! I think I need a little separation from them, and I also enjoy looking at them more once I’ve had a little space from my photos. It’s kind of like I get to go on the journey all over again once I DO actually edit them.

So when I took a bucket-list trip to Paris this past spring, I took the most photos I’ve ever taken in one place. Yay me, but boo me at the same time. I FINALLY got through them all, and sent some off to my lab to become a printed album, and now I can share some of my favorites with you. This post is jam-packed with thumbnail photos because there are way too many to do an original blog post with. So this is my quick glimpse of what I was inspired by in Paris, to share with all that have been asking me how my trip was. While I appreciated all of the big museums, buildings and vastness, my favorite moments were small, and I fell in love with photographing the food and all of the little details. I like to tell stories through my photos, rather than talking about it, so here goes. Springtime in Paris was magically beautiful, to me.

Notre Dame Fire & Yellow Jacket Protesters

I was in Paris two days after the fire of Notre Dame and I was quite bummed because it was on my list of places to go while in Paris. But it was still quite the sight to see, and an epic time to be in Paris none-the-less. I was also there on one of the worst weekends when the Yellow Jacket protesters took over and the center of the city was shut down. Streets were blocked and public transportation in the center was not an option. Getting kicked off the subway abruptly, and not knowing why or what is being said or where to go, was quite the adventure. For the first time in probably 15 years, I used an actual map to get around a city that I knew nothing about!

Highlights: Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe, Airbnb & Crepe Man

My favorite touristy obligation was viewing the Eiffel Tower at night from the Arc de Triomphe. That view! And seeing the lights dance on the tower for a few minutes was amazing. Got there at just the right time as I didn’t even know the tower had a light show!

I stayed in two different Airbnb’s in two different parts of the city so I could get more exposure. Both places were far from the tourist-y areas because I wanted to feel like I was living in Paris among the Parisians. Both places were adorable. One was very modern and updated but very quaint while the other was the apartment of two young college students who had made the place into an amazing old-charm home. So inviting and welcoming, just like my host, who was such a warm & friendly helpful guide.

My very last day, I was able to see my favorite American-turned-Parisian photographer friend Brittany and we spent the morning photographing each other. We explored part of the city, went to the Jardin du Luxembourg and ended the day with the best crepe I have ever had, made by a most charming man. I highly recommend his crepe stand if you’re ever in Paris. Ask me for the name and the arrondissement he is in :)

Lastly, Versailles was beautiful but I really only explored the gardens. It was Easter Sunday and everyone in the world was there to see so the lines were hours-long, standing in blasting sun. Nature is more of my jam anyway, but seeing the outside and how vast it is was an experience.

Cheers, friends. I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Paris via my eyes!