Posing
Hey photographer, you’re crushing it okay! I want you to take a minute and say to yourself you got this! There is more than enough room at my table and I cant wait to dive into some of my best tips to get you better interactions with your clients.
From posing to workflow on a session or wedding day there are times my brain still goes numb. When I first started I dreamed of my images looking effortless and like movie stills. From courses, YouTube, endless instagram binges, I craved more knowledge of the photography industry.
Posing can be Art
There are many forms of photography and that is why posing is an art form in itself. You can convey so many different emotions just in the flick of a wrist, the placement of lips, the locking of eyes, it all matters.
As a photographer it is your job to direct a client, and decide when in a moment to gently guide them to make that image happen.
Want to take some inspiration from art? Get inspiration from fashion magazines!
My approach to “unposed” posing
Images feel stiff without movement. Humans are not statues, we are meant to move and flow from one second to the next our hearts are always beating.
One of my biggest inspirations is movies just due to the story telling that is involved. Without great storytelling the movie would not hold your attention.
Take a moment and think about your favorite flick. Did they use the same angle the whole film? Or were there moments you were inches from an actors face, then the next your outside with just a home and you hear the sounds of leaves crunching. Did that just put an image in your mind? Did you feel the wind blowing your hair?
As a photographer you are telling a human’s story through image.
Okay but how do I tell this story?
Ask!
Take the time to sit down with your clients. Ask them how they met, who proposed? Do they have any pets? What do they do on the weekends?
The better you know your client, the better you can tell their story. I also want to challenge you to dive deeper. Can you expect your clients to get vulnerable with you if you do not show them the same empathy?
How do I start these conversations?
I do take pride in my prep leading up to my couples wedding or session. It’s just as important to show up for your clients in their email inbox as it is to photograph them.
When a client books you don’t just bank the check, show up one day, deliver images and then ghost them. If you want passionate images you must do more for your clients.
I send out multiple questionnaires with questions from tell me about your decorating style to who takes point in your relationship? Never assign gender roles to a couple.
If you’re in town ask if you can get a cup of coffee with a client, let them talk, and really listen. The better listener you are the better ideas you will have as a storyteller.
Don’t get me wrong I can be pretty introverted so at times I get anxiety about meeting and making new friends but showing the world my portfolio, telling them what I stand for, the right clients gravitate to me and now they are all life long friends who’s intimate stories I hold dear.
Need more help?
You’re in luck, I have opened my mentoring spots just for things like this! My passion for helping newer photographers gain confidence, knowledge, and over all experience in this career really fills my cup.
I help photographers with posing, client workflows, editing, and showing you things that need improving to take your business up a notch!
Don’t delay, get on my mentor list now!!
