Six Things To Consider With Portrait Photography of A Nervous Client

At some point, especially given the demands of our modern culture, just about everyone will need a portrait. Whether it is for a social profile, dating app, or just the picture stamped on the office-park identification card, everyone needs to have their face photographed. The catch is that not everyone is comfortable in front of the camera. Some would rather never have their picture taken just to prevent potentially having a bad picture taken of them.

 

This is where it is up to you, dear portrait photographer, to create both the environment and the final product that sets your subject at ease with a great, expressive portrait of themselves.

 

 

 

When you are first contacted by someone who is looking for portrait photography it is best to get to know more about what they are looking for. Where will this portrait be displayed? Who will be looking at it regularly? Will this portrait be used to as a reference point, such as a directory or a social network?

 

 

 

Furthermore, what is it that makes this client so apprehensive about the photograph in question? While no one is looking for a complete psychological profile of their client, understanding physical flaws or other uncomfortable items could help you break through with them.

 

Having a better idea of what they need allows you to build out a plan on what to shoot, how to shoot them, and what ultimately needs to be presented for the final portrait photograph.

 

 

Everyone expects a portrait photographer to have a huge SLR with a giant lens and four different strobes set up around their studio. Depending on the outcome of your first conversations with the client you may need none of this. If you can get the job done quickly and effectively with your iPhone (heck, why not a Polaroid?) say so and then prove it to them. This is where having a readily accessible portfolio on hand with notes on what was used to take each picture. Also consider having some form of tablet on hand to do a quick edit on the spot to show the client that they’re still in good hands with you, even if an SLR didn’t show up to the shoot.

 

 

From the clothes they are wearing, the setting they are in, the time of day and even the weather, everything adds something to the composition of the portrait. In the end, portrait photography is all about developing the subject’s personality through an image.

 

 

 

Pick locations and shoot at times of day that would do well with the color palette that you are attempting to convey with the subject. Colors, textures, indoors or outdoors - every single one of these elements will ultimately have just as much to say about the personality of the subject as the subject themselves.

 

Go beyond just knowing lighting or having an understanding of what your on board camera flash can do. Taking the time to master lighting can make all the difference when bringing out the subtle nuances of your subject - skin tones, clarity, their relationship to the background, the texture of their hair. Lighting is where you can prevent the portrait from falling flat in the image.

 

When the shoot is said and done and you’re back within your preferred editing environment, the heat is on. Now is the time to make sure everything you have committed to film (or a digital card) is ready to shine for your client. With portrait photography, less is more. As dials and presets start to fly so do the conditions of the image at hand.

 

Rule of thumb - less is more. If you have done your due diligence with the subject than it should just be a few tweaks to the final product.

 

 

Many photographers are quick to send links to some kind of file sharing service like Dropbox. When dealing with a client who was already apprehensive about having their portrait taken it might be worth the time to present the final product either in person or in a physical format. When sending a link across, you have no idea what they are going to open it on. Their screens could be dirty or dim or not set to the right color - all of which effects your finished product.

 

Creating a print removes all doubt as to what you are trying to show them. Or presenting in person on your own monitor or tablet removes the variables of having the wrong light or color tones.