Empowering Headshots and Branding Photography for Women | New River Valley, Christiansburg, Virginia
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Why So Many Women Over 40 Feel Unphotogenic (And Why It’s Not True)

2/10/2026

 
If you’ve ever said, “I’m just not photogenic,” I want you to know something, you are not alone.
​
I hear this from women almost every single week. Women who are intelligent, beautiful, successful, loving, strong… yet completely convinced that the camera just doesn’t like them.

​Somewhere along the way, many women begin to believe that being photogenic is something you either have or you don’t. That it belongs to the young, the confident, the naturally comfortable, or the effortlessly beautiful.

But here’s the truth: Being photogenic isn’t something you either have or don’t. It’s something that grows when you feel comfortable, supported, and guided.  And that comes from the experience you’re given.

Most women who think they aren’t photogenic have simply never been photographed in a way that made them feel safe, guided, and seen.
Behind-the-scenes: woman over 40 posing naturally in Southwest Virginia studio

Where This Belief Comes From

For many women, their relationship with photos shifted over time.

In our younger years, photos often felt playful and light. But as life layered on responsibilities, stress, comparison, body changes, and self-criticism, the camera slowly became something we started to avoid.

Instead of seeing ourselves, we began to scan for flaws.
  • Is my smile weird?
  • Does my face look tired?
  • What is my body doing?
  • Why don’t I look like her?
These thoughts happen quietly, often without us even realizing it. Over time, they become beliefs.
Woman over 40 amazed by her images, realtor branding session, Southwest VA

Why Most Women Feel Awkward in Front of the Camera

Here’s something I want you to hear:
❌ You don’t feel awkward because you are awkward.
✅ You feel awkward because no one ever taught you how to feel comfortable while being photographed.


Posing, expression, posture, breathing, and micro-adjustments all make a huge difference. When you’re left to “just figure it out,” of course it feels uncomfortable.

​That doesn’t mean you’re unphotogenic. It means you’ve never been guided properly.
Glam session for woman over 40, confident and relaxed, NRV Virginia

What Being Photogenic Really Means

Being photogenic doesn’t mean:
  • Knowing how to pose
  • Having a certain body type
  • Being outgoing
  • Feeling confident all the time
It means being photographed in an environment where you feel:
  • relaxed
  • supported
  • guided
  • encouraged
  • unjudged
​When a woman feels emotionally safe, it shows in her eyes, her posture, her expression, and her energy.
​
That’s when she starts to recognize herself again.
woman over 40 in glam photoshoot, Christiansburg Virginia studio

What Changes During a Glam Session

One of the most beautiful moments I witness is when a woman stops trying to “perform” for the camera and simply starts being.

She relaxes.
She breathes.
Her shoulders soften.
Her smile becomes natural.
​
And almost every time, she says:
“I can’t believe that’s me.”

Not because she changed, but because she finally saw herself differently.
Smiling woman over 40 in glam photoshoot, Virginia studio

If You’ve Ever Thought “I’m Not Photogenic…”

I want you to consider this:

What if you’re not unphotogenic…
What if you’ve just never had an experience designed for you?

You deserve to feel comfortable being seen.
You deserve photos that feel like you.
You deserve to recognize your beauty and strength.
And it’s never too late for that.
👉 Explore the Glam Session Experience in Christiansburg, Virginia.

I don't know about you, but I love seeing Behind the Scenes!

6/12/2018

 
Let's take a peek at what's it like during a photoshoot with me. 

In the first picture I’m showing Becky how to pose on the wall. 

I’m telling her to turn 45 degrees from me, lift up her toe and bend her knee and place hand on her thigh. 

This gives her more of an hour-glass shape and looks relaxed and not stiff. 
behind the scenes with FiftyCentLove Photographie
Debbie Smith, photographer, showing client how to pose in her studio in downtown Christiansburg, Va
In the picture below, I’m telling Marie to twirl side to side and throw the wrap.

I don’t have a shot of me actually doing this, but before I had her do it I showed her exactly what to do. 

Then I said “Go” and while she twirls to the right, I snap, snap, snap and then I say “ok keep going, you’re doing great!, keep twirling back and forth, Yes!  You got it”  ​
glam session with debbie smith christiansburg va
Behind the scenes with Debbie Smith of FiftyCentLove Photographie at a Glam Session
They are both in their 40s.  Aren’t they gorgeous?  Hair and Makeup by Tarah

If you're interested in celebrating you as a woman, a mom, a grandma, an empowered female or just need updated headshots but looking for something a little different, contact me today to talk about how you'd like to be photographed.

I have a gorgeous natural light studio in Downtown Christiansburg, Virginia in the historic Barnes-Surface Building.

I would LOVE to photograph you!  Book a Glam Session today.

    Picture

    Hi I'm Debbie

    Glamour Photographer in Christiansburg, Virginia.  Specializing in expert posing for women so they feel comfortable, confident, and beautiful in pictures.  I also do Personal Branding and Headshots in the New River Valley and Roanoke, Va.

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Glam Sessions, Empowering Photoshoots, Glamour Portraits, Personal Branding Photography, Boudoir Photography, and Headshot Photography for Women, serving Christiansburg, Blacksburg, Roanoke, and the New River Valley in Southwest Virginia.   Formerly FiftyCentLove Photographie.  Now FiftyLove Photography

Location

4 W. Main Street
​Christiansburg, Virginia 24073
  • Home
  • Before and Afters
  • SESSIONS
    • Glam Session
    • 40 Over 40
    • Headshots
    • Branding
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