10/15/2024
I’ve been getting a ton of “we aren’t comfortable in front of the camera” inquiries lately, so lets chat about it :)
I promise you, unless you model, nobody is!! Photography is not just finding good angles and having an eye for composition, half of it is knowing how to prompt / pose / interact with your clients in a way that will help them loosen up, be comfortable, and look their best. It is our JOB to direct you.
Specifically for documentary style photography, I think clients assume we purely document and there is no direction whatsoever, and for a lot of people who might feel awkward in front of a camera, that’s scary! At least with me, this is usually not the case. I’m totally happy to purely document with a fly on the wall approach, and depending on the client, that’s sometimes the route I’ll take. However, usually it’s more of a mix of both documenting and directing.
When I’m directing, I rely heavily on prompting movements and actions vs stiff posing (unless we’re doing editorial shots). Prompts let you loosen up and capture the genuine interactions and movements between people, ultimately getting you documentary-esque photos even if there was some direction. During our many discussions before your session or wedding, we’ll talk about how much direction you need / want, and I’ll also adjust accordingly day of if I feel like you need a little more space or a little more help.
All of this is to say that if you see super natural, candid looking photos, or even beautiful vogue style posing - please do not think that that can’t be you. The people in the photo you’re gawking over probably felt the same! No matter the style, your photographer will not leave you hanging to figure out what to do in front of the camera.
