I think every woman should schedule a photoshoot once in a while.

It’s too easy for us to believe the lies we tell ourselves about how we look. We take for granted that others are as critical as we are when we look in the mirror. We’ve forgotten how to see ourselves through the mirror of another’s eyes.

But there’s more to beauty than a mirror can reflect. And a good photographer can capture how others see us instead of how we see ourselves.

It’s not vain to get your picture taken: it is a celebration of God’s creation.

(Not to mention that the product of a photoshoot makes the perfect Christmas present for your husband or your grandparents. Depending on your profession, you might even be able to write it off as a business expense.)

Don’t wait until you’ve lost weight to get your picture taken. Don’t rely on awkward selfies to capture your true personality. Don’t stress about getting the whole family dressed up in coordinating outfits. Don’t make everyone look at the camera with a cheesey smile and a perfect pose.

Appear in your own Christmas card picture this year. Arrange for up to date family portraits on the wall in the living room. Give your husband a new 8×10 for his desk. For the preservation of your self-image now and for the sake of posterity later.

Make an appointment with a photographer. Or grab a friend who loves to take pictures.

If glamour shots are your thing, then bring on the lace and the frills and the makeup. If outdoors with nothing but the sky for a backdrop fits your personality, then find a cloudy day and turn your face to the wind.

Gather everyone you love around you for some of the shots. Get some romantic poses with your hubby. But then? Shoo them all away and pose by yourself. Smile like you did when your boyfriend would walk in the door. Laugh like you did when you hadn’t a care in the world. And look dreamy for a shot or two, as well, if you like, because we all have dreams of something beautiful.

But whatever you do, turn your face towards the camera and smile. Let someone else capture your joy and your beauty with their trained eye and magical photography. Pose for some pictures that will make you feel good about yourself.

Because when we look in the mirror, we see only the reflection we want to see. We lean in too close and inspect too carefully.

But when a photographer’s skill captures our portrait, the lens tells no lies and gently reflects the truth.

Five Minute Friday Prompt: Reflect

P.S. Many thanks to my friend and photographer Darlene who used her magical lens to take the headshots I used in my new site design…and to my friend Trina whose encouraging words and book Embracing Beauty have helped me see this perspective.