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IDK What to Do With My Hands: On Photography & Directing | Wondergold Pictures

Updated: 3 days ago

Written by: Jenny Berggren


Video AND Photo... How did we get here?

When I started in this field at the wild age of 15 years old, my whole focus was on video storytelling, and it has been ever since. I learned editing in Adobe Premiere CS3 (capturing footage from mini DV tapes 📼) and awkwardly interviewing with a handheld microphone in my hand. I told local news stories with my siblings and friends as co-workers for our hometown TV station. When it was time to pick a field of study, I figured, why not continue this filmmaking journey?


What I didn't expect was a love for photography. About 8 years ago to get some extra work, I put my DSLR in photo mode and second shot with photographer and friend, Wendy Thibodeau. It didn't take long to see how it would sharpen my video work. Wendy not only taught me manual shooting, I got to see her work, and damn, she is good. I still regularly recommend her for weddings, family photos, and couples to all my east Michigan friends.


All those years ago, during the first photo sessions that I booked, I watched the people in front of the camera look so awkward. They were acting normally, but through the lens, it just didn't work. And we both knew it.



The most common phrase that I hear when someone steps in front of my camera is "I don't know what to do with my hands!"
IDK What to do With My Hands THE ZINE: A Guide to Taking Embodied Self-Portraits
Download for free

It's why Sara and I just taught a selfie workshop that we named IDK What to Do With My Hands: An Embodied Self-Portrait Posing Workshop. Here's our how-to selfie zine if you want to check it out.


The people in front of the camera looked to me for directions, and I didn't know what to say. I had to figure it out because "no, don't do that" or "try something else" wasn't working.


What gave me the language for on-camera direction?


  • Practice. Every shoot is better than the last.

  • Take photos of real people. Models will make the job easy. They know what to do, so you don't have to do much.

  • Yoga class was a phenomenal example of how to find language that helped people connect to their body posture

    • "Engage your core" might get less glares than "suck in your stomach" (also, ew, that's leftover diet culture language.)

  • Attune. Notice on your subjects face to see what works, what connects, and what doesn't.

    • Some poses just do feel awkard to move into. With time, I could notice when to let someone be a little uncomfortable, and when the pose went to far that they now appeared uncomfortable in their facial expressions.



Over the course of many portrait sessions, candid shoots, headshots and events, the language began to come to me. What worked. What didn't. I found that directing people and their posing was ESSENTIAL for a good photograph for both everyone involved.


It became less and less apparent that these were not actors in front of the camera. The images started to feel like real life, but better. ✨





I now have words that help people who don't know what to do in front of a camera. Often, our on-camera talent are just everyday people who found themselves standing in front of our video crew. With clear communication at each scene, and an understanding of what our goals were on each video shoot, the person in front of the lens became more confident and capable. The end result was more natural and less clumsy imagery.


What I didn't expect was that the language I developed for photo posing would impact my video work so profoundly, and that I had become a director. So now, we offer both photo and video, confidently and simultaneously. We have production days that are cohesive, collaborative, and we provide our clients with aligned moving and still imagery.


My portrait session this week got these sweet Discord messages:




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✨📽️📸 We're booking 2026 video and photo projects. Forward this blog to someone who needs us. Our grassroots agency here is referral-based and driven our network of communication professionals, creatives, and fellow business owners.


Some photos lately


Pictured (in order): Sara Pulver's recent mural at Rooted Collective. Redmond Functional Health brand shoot (click on her website to see them in action!) Steph and Dan Hogan, local artists and friends. Free Tax Prep photos in partnership with CEDAM and Redhead Creative Consultancy. Portraits for Chelsea! And Michigan College Access Network's Advocacy Day with some BTS from one of our photogs, Amanda.



Take a moment to look at our new photography portfolio page

We're proud 😊


Jenny's Personal Corner


Speaking of photos! I'm delighted to shared one of my film photos will be at the 55th Annual Photography Exhibition at The Scarab Club. Join me and friends at the Opening Reception on Friday, July 10 • 5 PM - 8 PM This is delightful for me as an artist who made my art my work! I have never submitted for anything like this, and the photo that will be on display is one I'm very excited to have as my first to show.


You've heard me wax poetic about my film photography, and this feels like a lovely way to get it on walls and in your eyeballs.


What I'm up to in the form of a list and in turn, some recommendations:

jenny stands confidently with cameras in front of an older truck in black and white film
me and winston on our morning walk

My media recs:

“We know yet nothing We whisper it in the night We are the pride glittering”

-- Anna Nygren



Sara and I celebrated our anniversary! We went up to northern Michigan to disappear from it all. Here's a little video recap as a peek into some wholesome love. Happy Pride, babes.

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I'm tending to:


  • Radishes, spinach, heirloom tomatoes, and more!

  • Re-branding Wondergold Pictures to be more personable, organic, and reach you better.

  • Our operational processes and internal workflows

  • Bringing on more support through editing

  • Enjoying summer with friends and loved ones


Thanks for following, it's a delight to be here in this life, even during the hard parts,



Jenny

Want to support us? 📰Sign up for our newsletter. 📤 Send to a friend in Marketing, Public Relations, Communication, or with a dope business or org we'd mesh with. 📽️We are seeking new 2026 video and photo projects, let's dream together. 🎬 For crew and creatives, join our crew list to work with us. We love to meet Michigan-based photographers, video and photo editors, videographers, DPs, grips, gaffers, and audio engineers.

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