Listen to Rekha’s Spotify playlist, curated for Vamp:
Introducing @rekha1420. Our Malaysian-based influencer of the month shares how she learnt to be confident in front of the camera, the best advice she’s ever received from a photographer and how she creates her dark, mysterious feed.
Congratulations Rekha! We’re so excited to name you June’s influencer of the month. Your feed is beautiful. What are your secrets to looking and feeling confident in front of the camera when shooting?
There are a few ways to build confidence in front of the camera. Number one is to be yourself. Do what makes you feel comfortable and move in a way that feels natural to you. If you’re someone who feels better when they’re laughing and smiling, as opposed to be serious and mysterious, then do that!
If that doesn’t work for you, another option is to do the complete opposite. When you’re shooting, pretend you’re playing a role. Draw confidence from your favourite TV or movie characters and role-play with their personalities – you can be anything you want to be! Be as weird or as silly as you like. But don’t forget that practise makes perfect. If your content isn’t turning out the way you’d like them to, then change up the way you model in front of the camera.
After working with so many different photographers, how do you like to collaborate with them and what works best for you?
With photographers, I am very clear on what I’m comfortable with and what I’m not. It’s very important you set boundaries before you start shooting, and make sure you stick to your guns. This ensures there’s no miscommunication and the shoot runs smoothly.
I usually also work with the photographer when coming up with creative ideas. Once we decide on the direction of the shoot, we’ll revise it one last time to make sure we’re certain on it and that shooting our ideas will fit within our time frame.
What’s your favourite tip that you’ve learnt from a photographer and used for following shoots?
My number one tip that I’ve learnt is that if you feel even the slightest bit uncomfortable in front of the camera, it will show through in your images, and your content will look stiff. So always make sure you feel relaxed before you start shooting.
To help me relax and feel less nervous in front of the camera, I always like to be as prepared for a shoot as possible. This includes:
#1 Scrolling through Pinterest to gain creative inspo.
#2 Practising my poses and facial expressions in front of a mirror.
#3 Preparing my outfits the day before to match them with my mood board.
#4 Keeping my make up minimal, as that’s how I feel most comfortable.
#5 Playing one of my Spotify playlists to get in the mood.
Speaking of relaxing, it’s also important you take the time to unwind after a shoot. There’s nothing better than a cold shower and a nice bowl of hot noodle soup to relax your mind and body after a full day of work!
How would you describe your style and how do you edit your content to suit?
I’ve always described my content style as dark and mysterious, and I love using these tones throughout my feed. To get that moody look, I use the filters in the Tezza App. The COCOA filter is my fave and I also like to adjust the exposure, brightness, highlights and shadows depending on the inspo I drew from my mood board.
Quick fire round. Right now I am…
Listening: Sunday Morning by Maroon 5
Watching: Friends
Eating: Grilled chicken with broccoli and carrots
Wearing: Pyjamas
Drinking: Smoothies
Lastly, after working on campaigns for Johnnie Walker, Estée Lauder and La Mer, what are three things you enjoy about working with Vamp?
I’ve had the chance to work with so many brands that I never thought I could be working with. Vamp has opened me up to so many opportunities that allow me to turn my ideas into content. And it’s definitely a plus that I get to enjoy the product I’m promoting!
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