How to Feel Confident on Camera and Show Up Naturally

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Do you ever feel completely exposed when the camera turns on, like everyone will see right through you? You're not alone! In today's episode, we're tackling confidence on camera—a common challenge for women stepping into the spotlight. As a photographer, I've seen firsthand how vulnerable it feels to be fully visible, whether it's on video, photos, or even in person. Today, I'm sharing practical ways you can overcome camera anxiety and show up naturally.

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 – The vulnerability of being fully seen
• 01:25 – Why being on camera feels uncomfortable
• 02:37 – My personal struggle with camera anxiety
• 04:00 – Three reasons we fear being on camera
• 05:24 – Practical tips to confidently show up naturally
• 06:06 – Why practicing privately boosts confidence
• 06:48 – How positive self-talk transforms camera presence
• 07:18 – Shifting focus from yourself to your audience
• 08:12 – Creating the right headspace before filming
• 09:03 – Embracing vulnerability as your greatest strength

Key Takeaways:

• Being on camera feels uncomfortable because it makes us emotionally vulnerable.
• Most camera anxiety comes from fear of judgment, perfectionism, and worries about being authentically visible.
• Your imperfections and authenticity are what make you relatable and magnetic.
• Practical strategies like positive self-talk, practicing privately, and shifting your focus outward help build genuine confidence.
• Embracing vulnerability as a strength, not a weakness, allows you to show up powerfully.

Ready to Step Into Your Confidence?

Today, I challenge you to:

• Record and share a quick, authentic video or photo.
• Speak up confidently in your next meeting or networking event.

Whatever action you take, tag me on social media—I’d love to celebrate your bravery!

If this episode resonated, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another high-achieving woman who needs encouragement to show up confidently.

For more resources and to connect with me, visit jamapantel.com. Subscribe to never miss an update!

Remember, your voice matters—now’s the time to confidently own your presence and live the whole picture.

https://www.jamapantel.com

Episode Transcript

Jama Pantel (00:00):
Have you ever turned on your camera and felt
completely exposed, likeeveryone is about to see right
through you?
The fear of showing upauthentically can feel
paralyzing, almost like you'restanding bare under a bright
spotlight.
But here's a secret I'velearned Embracing that
vulnerability is exactly whatmakes you magnetic.
Today, I'm sharing how to showup naturally on camera and

(00:22):
confidently reveal the real you.
Hey y'all, welcome back toLiving the Whole Picture, the
podcast for ambitious womenready to elevate their
visibility, build authenticconfidence and become the face
of their brand.
I'm your host, Jama Pantel, aluxury portrait photographer,
author, educator, influencer anddream chaser.
Here to help you master yourbrand presence and show up

(00:44):
authentically with confidence.
Each week we'll dive intotopics to help you shine in
business and in life, so you canstop hesitating and start
showing up like the leader youwere meant to be.
If you've ever struggled withconfidence on camera or
hesitated to put yourself outthere, this podcast is for you.
Let's get started on living thewhole picture together.
Today's episode is something soclose to my heart confidence on

(01:09):
camera and how to show upnaturally.
If the thought of getting onvideo, having your photo taken
or stepping in front of anaudience makes you feel
uncomfortable or overlyvulnerable, you're exactly where
you need to be.
Let's dive right in.
So why does being on camera feelso uncomfortable?
First, let's be real being oncamera can feel incredibly

(01:33):
intimidating For many of us,myself included.
Seeing ourselves clearly inphotos, videos or online can
trigger insecurity, fear anddeep self-criticism.
Trust me, I've been there.
I've spent so many years behindthe camera capturing beautiful,
strong, confident women who,despite their achievements, felt

(01:54):
completely exposed anduncertain when stepping in front
of my lens.
In fact, more often than not,my clients' first words when
we'd chat about photos is I'mterrible in front of the camera.
But here's what I've learnedafter photographing so many
women.
It's rarely about the cameraitself.
It's about the vulnerability ofbeing fully seen.

(02:16):
When you're on camera, there'snowhere to hide.
It feels raw, almost likestanding emotionally bare in
front of an audience.
And this feeling isn't justlimited to video or photography.
It extends into everyday lifetoo, whether you're giving
presentations, networking orshowing up online Story time

(02:36):
y'all.
A few years back, when I firststarted creating content online,
I felt completely uncomfortablebeing in front of the lens.
Content online I feltcompletely uncomfortable being
in front of the lens.
For years, I hid behind mycamera and often joked.
Being hidden behind the camerawas my superpower and that made
me invincible.
Then, suddenly, I was in frontof it and the roles reversed.
I felt completely exposed.

(02:58):
Initially, every singleimperfection felt magnified.
I obsessed over how I sounded,how I moved, if I made sense and
what others might think of me.
Every video or photo feltpainfully vulnerable, like
expressing pieces of myself thatI wasn't quite ready to share.
Yet I vividly remember my firstYouTube video Terrified doesn't

(03:24):
even come close.
As I hit post, that stomachknotted pit was within me and I
was so full of anxiety.
What if no one watches?
What if everybody judges me?
What if I don't make any sense?
But here's the truth.
Nothing awful happened.
People actually resonated withmy authenticity and how I
presented my knowledge.
The way I showed up and sharedmade me more relatable and over

(03:48):
time, that became my strength.
This shift didn't happenovernight, however.
It took practice, mindsetshifts and practical strategies
exactly what I'll share with youtoday.
So why do we struggle withcamera confidence, understanding
why we feel vulnerable oncamera helps us move past it.
So let's explore three bigreasons.

(04:10):
Number one fear of judgment.
We worry excessively about whateverybody else thinks of us.
Will they see our flaws?
Will they judge us in ourappearance and criticize our
abilities?
That constant self-evaluationcan feel paralyzing.
Number two hypocriticalself-image.

(04:30):
Most of us fixate on thingsthat no one else sees or notices
.
A minor imperfection feelsmonumental.
When reviewing our photos orvideos, we magnify perceived
flaws because we're our ownworst critics.
And number three fear ofauthentic visibility.
Being authentically visiblefeels so risky.

(04:52):
It's so much safer to hidebehind filters, carefully
curated images or personas.
Stepping out as the real you,unfiltered, makes you feel
vulnerable, sometimes even scary.
Recognize any of this.
You're definitely not alone.
So now let's talk about somepractical tips to show up

(05:12):
confidently and naturally oncamera.
It's time to shift from fear toconfidence.
Here are my proven strategiesto help you start showing up
naturally and authentically.
Number one get comfortable withimperfection.
Perfection doesn't exist andit's so not relatable

(05:33):
Authenticity is when you'reoverly polished, you lose some
relatability.
Remind yourself regularly thataudiences crave genuine
connections, not flawlesspresentations.
So the most engagement I'veever had on social media wasn't
from any of my professionallyproduced photos.
It was from raw, honest momentsI shared spontaneously.

(05:55):
Those real moments resonateddeeply because they felt human
and approachable.
Lean into that imperfection.
It creates genuine connections.
Number two practice, practice.
Practice.
Even if it's in private,confidence is built through
repetition.
If being on camera is scary,start privately, take pictures

(06:18):
or record yourself speaking orposing without intention to
share immediately.
Practice helps normalize yourappearance and voice on camera.
Before I recorded my firstonline tutorial, I was terrified
, but I did it anyway.
Each repetition since then hasmade me more comfortable.
Eventually, turning on thecamera started to feel natural

(06:41):
and easy instead of intimidatingall the time.
But I have to be in the rightheadspace and I'll share more on
that in a bit.
So, number three use positiveself-talk.
Your inner dialogue shapes yourexternal presence.
Before going on camera, shiftyour thoughts from critical to
encouraging.
Remind yourself my voicematters and I'm allowed to be

(07:02):
seen exactly as I am.
When negative thoughts arise,replace them with kinder words.
This simple habit dramaticallychanges your energy and how you
show up.
Number four shift your focusfrom you to your audience.
A powerful way to reduce anxietyabout being seen is to focus on

(07:23):
those you're trying to helpinstead, instead of worrying
about how you're being perceived, think how can I best serve the
people watching or listening?
This approach instantly movesthe focus away from
self-criticism toward valuegiving and authentic connection.
And now number five the rightheadspace.
As I mentioned a bit ago, beingin the right headspace really

(07:46):
helps.
I always ask my clients whatkind of music they like and we
play that in the studio whenwe're working together.
Inside it's a bit harder to dooutside, so listening to music
and dancing it out before we getgoing really helps you relax.
And another tip you can do thisinside or outside.
Shake it off or shake it out.
It might sound or feel silly,but it really helps, loosen you

(08:09):
up and makes you laugh and smilealong the way too.
Now I want you to rememberembracing vulnerability as your
superpower is huge.
Here's an important truthVulnerability is strength, not
weakness.
Being fully seen feels scarybecause we're conditioned to
believe vulnerability exposes usnegatively, but vulnerability

(08:31):
really connects us.
It makes you human, relatableand approachable.
Think about your favoritespeakers or influencers or
mentors.
Often it's their willingness tobe openly vulnerable and
imperfect that draws you towardthem.
When you're brave enough to letothers see the real, you toward
them.
When you're brave enough to letothers see the real you flaws,
nerves and all you give otherspermission to do the same, your

(08:53):
vulnerability becomes yourgreatest strength Now.
A powerful presence starts withauthenticity.
Today, I invite you to stepinto your authenticity
intentionally.
Choose to show up exactly asyou are unfiltered and natural.
You'll be surprised at thepower this holds.
I want you to try this simplechallenge today.

(09:15):
Record a quick video sharingsomething authentic, or take
that photo and share somethingauthentic.
Post an unfiltered photo yougenuinely like and then speak up
in a meeting or a networkingevent without fear.
Whatever step you choose, letit reflect your genuine self,
and tag me when you do.
I'd love to celebrate yourbravery.

(09:36):
So now closing thoughts.
You're ready to shine.
Confidence on camera doesn'tmean eliminating nerves entirely
.
It means choosing to show upauthentically despite them.
It's normal to feel vulnerable,but each time you step forward
authentically, your confidencegrows stronger.
Your voice, your story and yourpresence are incredibly

(10:00):
powerful.
The world needs what only youcan share Embrace vulnerability,
lean into authenticity andtrust that your natural self is
exactly what makes you somagnetic.
Thank you so much for tuning into Living the Whole Picture.
If this episode resonated withyou, I'd love for you to
subscribe, leave me a review andshare it with another

(10:23):
high-achieving woman who needsto hear this message.
Or, better yet, share it andtag me on social media.
Visit my website, jamapantel.
com, for more resources, updatesand ways we can work together.
Be sure to subscribe whileyou're on the website so you
never miss anything.
You've worked hard to get whereyou are.
Now it's time to show upconfidently and own your
presence.

(10:43):
Until next time, keep showingup and living the whole picture.