One of the most common things I hear when I book a session is “Are you good at posing? We are both really awkward in front of the camera,” or “I hate having my picture taken,” and I NEVER let this discourage me. I am very proud of what some clients have said about their high comfort levels in front of the camera while working with me.
One of my biggest tips is LAUGHTER! Nothing looks more genuine than honest smiles and laughter. In school my professional photography instructor said a good tip during couple shoots was to say “Tell him/her what you’ll do to them later tonight, it will always bring a laugh!” Well.. I don’t necessarily say that, but I tell him that he told me to say that! So, even without that awkward question, you still get great laughs.
As for posing, just like your school pictures, you always feel uncomfortable, but they turn out to be great photos. I just reassure clients that “Hey, this may feel uncomfortable, but trust me! It looks great!” (And it always does.)
I’m going to talk about a photoshoot I had done with an old coworker, her lovely baby bump, and her partner. She warned me of her awkwardness, and I reassured her, that it will NOT be a problem. After the shoot she gave me a wonderful compliment of “So excited! That you for making that a fun and easy experience. I was so worried about it being so awkward.” And she was right, it was so fun. One thing I noticed with these two was how lovely they looked when they looked at each other.. Something about looking at the person you love, you look happier, and it shows through the camera. Here’s some pictures!
