Whether you’re prepping, in off-season or in the midst of some post-show blues, a photoshoot can be a really rewarding and eye-opening experience. As competitors, we drill the same quarter-turns into our heads for our shows time and time again, so learning to experiment with a different style of posing for a shoot is a fun way to step outside of your comfort zone!

It’s a way to see your physique in a different light, no matter what stage of the season you’re in, and to document your hard work in a non-competitive setting where you can truly appreciate your own physique without the comparison to others.

So how do you go about prepping for your shoot?

POSING - If you’re struggling for inspiration or you’re finding it hard to know your “angles” then why not try starting with what you know? Adapting the poses you use in your competitive class, whether that be bikini, figure, wellness etc, is a great place to begin, discovering where your strengths lie while building your confidence in front of the camera.

Don’t forget about Instagram or Pinterest! So many people publish their shoots so there are so many different angles you can try out. Give some of their poses a go in front of the mirror at home and see what works best for you. Having some tunes on in the background can also help you get into that sassy photoshoot mood!

Top tip: Make sure you keep your chin slightly higher than you normally would, as this prevents dark shadows under your eyes!

Remember to put your competition jewellery and heels to good use too - they aren’t just made for the stage! Accenting with a little glam in a simple shoot can really make a difference. Plus, clear heels and silver diamante jewellery go with just about anything!

You can make use of the rest of your competition stage tan, either by applying a single coat the day before your shoot and showering in the morning OR if you only want a lighter shade of tan, make sure to shower the night before (the image below is using a mixture of both the super dark and base coat tan).

Don’t forget, you can even use some of your show shine to give your skin a gorgeous sheen (make sure to ask the photographer just in case though as some love it, and some prefer you not to use it - communication with the photographer is key!)

If you found music helpful while posing at home, don’t be afraid to ask for music while shooting, or bring your own wireless speakers to use to play your very own photoshoot playlist! This will keep things familiar, get you in the sassy groove and keep the energy high throughout your photoshoot!

Make sure you take someone with you to take behind the scenes (BTS) photos! This gives you even more (free!) content to post and allows another angle to be explored.

Create a mood board!

Making your own mood board is a really effective way to gain an understanding of what you want to take out of your shoot. It helps to channel the vibe you’re going for! Pinterest is a great place to find colour, texture, outfit and even prop inspiration from, you can even take some inspiration from the KOMPAK Pinterest boards if you’re stuck on what direction you want to take your shoot.

What do I do next?

Now that you’ve got some ideas of the direction you want to take your shoot, it’s time to book in with your chosen photographer (you can find so many talented men and women on Instagram!) and pick your time and place!

We hope this helped you to feel more relaxed about preparing for your first photoshoot. Make sure to tag us in your pictures, we can’t wait to see them!

The KOMPAK Team are always on hand to answer any questions, so don’t be afraid to contact us via Instagram DM or Email - no question is a silly one!