Reader,

No one likes being in front of the camera. Even this photographer right here. There, I said it!

Every. single. one. of my brand shoot clients feel this way. And they let me know about it before they even book their shoot! It's the perfect opportunity to give one of my classic Abby pep talks.

Stepping in front of a lens is intimidating. As much as we’re taking selfies these days, you’d think we’d be more comfortable with being photographed by now! But something about the big, professional camera makes us not know what to do with our hands, Ricky Bobby style.

Here's something that will help make being on camera a lot easier: your followers want to know more about you on social media.

Take this as proof:

12/16 of my Instagram posts with the highest engagement include my pretty little face. Photos of myself on Instagram consistently get 4% engagement rates and above (and upwards of 20%!).

The photos I post of myself never fail to perform better than every other post. Putting myself on camera is by far the best way to connect with my followers and start conversations on social media.

Your followers want to know more about you and your life. That doesn't mean you need to spill personal secrets to the entire Internet. But it does mean that sharing your face with your followers is a solid marketing strategy. You need to connect with customers face-to-face (and in this day in age, virtually counts!). And no, it's not narcissistic (because I said so!).

So go forth and post a selfie. Dig up a photo from a previous brand shoot and post it. Tell your followers a little something they might not know about you. I'm guessing you'll be pleasantly surprised at the results.