A little truth from behind the camera

There is one sentence almost every photographer has heard:

“We are very awkward in photographs.”

And then comes the second one:

“We don't know how to pose.”

Of course they don't. They are clients, not models. And if they already knew exactly what to do in front of our camera, what would they need us for? So before we blame the couple, perhaps we should look at the person holding the camera.

Don't just say, “Just relax.”

I have never understood this one. Someone is standing in front of a camera, suddenly very aware of their hands, their stomach, their smile and approximately 47 other things.

And we say: “Just relax.”

That is about as useful as telling someone in Goa: “Don't worry, the traffic will be fine.” They won't relax because we told them to. They relax when we give them something natural to do.

Instead of:

“Look natural.”

Try:

• Walk together.

• Talk to each other.

• Fix her hair.

• Hold hands.

• Tell him something he will laugh at.

• Look at each other, not me.

• Walk past me and don't worry about the camera.

Suddenly, they have something to do. And you have a opportunity to create beautiful photographs.

Stop posing bodies. Start photographing relationships.

This is where things become interesting. When we look through the camera, it is very easy to start seeing: Shoulder. Hand. Chin. Leg. Waist. We start arranging people like furniture. But people are not mannequins standing beside each other. They already have a relationship. Use it.

Let them walk, let them talk. let them tease each other. let them look at one another.

The photograph becomes less about “What pose should we do?” and more about “What happens between these two people?” This is where the good stuff lives.

Not every photograph needs eye contact

We photographers love asking people to look at us, but then think about real life.

Do couples spend an entire evening looking directly into each other's eyes? Of course not. They look at the sea. They look at each other. They look down. They laugh. They look at their children. They look at absolutely nothing while thinking about dinner. So don't make every photograph announce: “Hello, we are having our photograph taken!”

Give them permission to forget you are there. Some of your strongest photographs may happen when nobody is looking at your camera.

When a woman says, “This is not my good side…”

Listen, don't laugh or immediately say, “No, no, you look beautiful.” She is telling you something important. She knows how she likes to see herself. Perhaps she doesn't like one side of her face or she is conscious of her arms, or maybe she doesn't like the way her body looks from a particular angle.

Our job is not to argue with her, but to understand our clients perspective.

Things that matter:

• Camera height

• Focal length

• Distance from the subject

• Direction of light

• Shoulder position

• Body angle

• Hand placement

• How clothing falls

Sometimes a tiny adjustment changes the entire photograph.

And sometimes the difference between a photograph someone loves and one they quietly delete is just where we were standing.

Don't confuse movement with running

This deserves its own section.

Photographers discovered “movement” and suddenly everybody is walking, spinning, jumping and running around like there is a train to catch.

Movement can be tiny.

Try:

• A slow walk

• Turning towards each other

• Walking past the camera

• Looking back

• Adjusting a dress

• Moving closer

• Whispering something

• Taking one step towards each other

Then watch what happens between the instructions. That little laugh, the cute glance.

That moment when they naturally touch. That's often what becomes the favourite photograph.

The photograph begins before the camera comes up

Before pressing the shutter, look, actually look. Where is the light? what's happening in the background? how is the person naturally standing? which side feels stronger? are they comfortable together? Is there something distracting? Is the wind helping you or ruining everything? Because if we don't notice these things before shooting, we can happily take 300 photographs of the same mistake.

More photographs do not fix bad observation.

And please… one instruction at a time.

We've all done this. The light is beautiful. The couple is finally in the right place.

And suddenly we become a flight controller. “Turn slightly, chin down, shoulder back, look at him, smile, no, not so much, move your hand, no, the other hand…” At this point the poor client is wondering whether they should just go home. Give them one instruction, and let them respond, watch, then make your next adjustment. 

Direction is a conversation. Not a military drill.

Watch the silence

This is something that comes with experience, you give your client the instruction, then stop talking, watch what happens.

People naturally adjust, they laugh, they move closer,  they forget the camera, a child suddenly does something adorable. A couple shares a look, the dress catches the wind.

Shoot!!! don't talk and miss the moment. Sometimes our biggest mistake is trying to direct our way into a photograph that was already happening.

And sometimes, do absolutely nothing.

This is probably the hardest lesson for us as photographers.

We see a beautiful moment and immediately think: “I need to pose this.” No, maybe you don't. If a mother is fixing her child's hair, let her, If a couple is laughing, let them laugh, if someone is quietly looking at the sea, let them look. If something genuine is happening, don't interrupt it just because you have a better pose in your head.

Sometimes the best direction is:

“Stay exactly there.”

And then we get out of the way.

So… are your clients really awkward?

Sometimes, 

but most of the time, they are simply inexperienced and conscious of the stranger clicking their photographs and also feeling awkward of people around them, even models get self conscious if they are being watched.

The truth is, they may have picked us to photograph them but that does not mean they will feel comfortable. Its our job to help them feel less awkward by being easygoing and non intrusive.

They don't know:

• How their body looks through your lens

• What the light is doing

• Which angle is flattering

• What to do with their hands

• What you are seeing from behind the camera

But you do.

That's why you are the professional, our clients don't need to become models, they need us to understand people well enough to photograph ordinary people beautifully. And that, my friend, is the real skill. Not knowing 500 poses, Not shouting instructions across the beach, not making everybody do the same Instagram pose. It's knowing when to direct, when to wait and when to simply watch.

Because the moment your client stops thinking, “How do I look?” and starts thinking, “I'm actually having a lovely time,” you've probably got the photograph, and if you can make that happen consistently?

Well…

you're not just taking photographs anymore, but you are directing an experience.

And the best direction eventually becomes invisible.

The goal isn't to make clients look like they're following instructions, but to make the finished photographs feel as though the moments simply happened. 

See Ya’ll in the next one.