3 Ways To Make Your Photography Clients Feel Comfortable In Front of the Camera
The best way to get awesome photos of your clients is by making sure your client is comfortable because if they are uncomfortable it will show!
This can be difficult because most of the time you are taking photos of a stranger!!
If you are Introverted like me the first big step is to make sure you (the photographer) are comfortable. This will come with practice, but These tips that I am about to share with you will help you and your clients feel more comfortable, help the session run smoother, and give you better results.
Here are my 3 biggest tips for making your photography clients feel comfortable in front of the camera.
Make your client feel Important
The way to make your client feel important is by asking them questions about themself. Show them that you are interested in their life, their likes, and their dislikes. This could help you to bring out more of their personality.
By gaining a better understanding of who your client is you will capture more of their personality and emotions. This also makes you seem like more of a friend rather than a random face behind the camera.
This will help you to build a deeper connection with your clients because whether they are introverted or extroverted people love to talk about themselves so you can never go wrong!
You may be wondering what type of questions do I ask my clients? Sending them a questionnaire before the session is a great way to get to know them. Some questions I like to ask on my questionnaires are:
“What are some of your likes and hobbies?”
“Have you ever had professional photos done before?”
“How did they make you feel?”
You can then use the answers from the questionnaire as topics to talk about during the session. If you always have something to talk about this will help the session go smoothly.
It is good to remember that you are giving your clients photos and the experience that goes with them. When they look at these photos they will remember how they felt when they were having them done.
2. Tell your client exactly how the session will go
Take all the pressure away from your client by letting them know you will be guiding them through the whole process and telling them exactly what to do!
Before I start my session, I like to tell my client something along the lines of:
“I will be telling you exactly what to do and how to pose if you ever are unsure of what to do just smile! Also, If you ever feel uncomfortable or don’t want to do something, just let me know!”
The photographer is in control of how the session will go most of the time, so be prepared.
Coming prepared with poses and prompts to get your clients moving will help them feel more relaxed and comfortable. Don’t just tell your client to do something, show them what to do by demonstrating it yourself.
It’s good to start with movement poses like walking towards the camera or the “drunk walk”. These photos don’t always turn out the best but their main purpose is to get your client loosened up and laughing.
It is also helpful to make a mood board on Pinterest of some poses that will fit the session and send them to your client before the session so they can look at them and come more prepared as well.
3. HYPE THEM UP!
I can not stress this enough because this is a mistake I made when I first started photography. I didn’t tell my clients when they were doing something right. As soon as I started doing this I noticed a huge difference in my client’s attitudes and how comfortable they were with having their photos taken
It should never be silent when you are taking their photo because you should always be hyping them up! With every click of the shutter, I am constantly saying “Yesssss”, “that looks so good” “you are doing so good”.
This will often make them blush which can make for some super cute photos!
When I am not telling my clients how amazing they look I am giving them little tips on how they can improve like “ move that arm down just a little” or “ why don’t you take a second to fix your hair”.
This is important because they have no idea what they look like so these little tips will show them they can trust you and your judgment!
When you take a photo you know is good, show them! Most of the time my clients are surprised by how good they look and this helps them to open up more and get even more comfortable in front of the camera.
The key is to make them feel like they are in a safe space to be themself and have fun
Thank You so much for taking the time to read my blog I hope you found it helpful! Feel free to leave me a comment or reach out to me on social media! I would love to hear your thoughts!
