Communicating with the model

[Matt L]

Hello all,

I'm an intermediate skill level photographer, but am pretty much awful at communicating with people while I take photos of them. I've been focussing on my photographic technique up till now but I'm starting to take more photos of people these days. Can anybody recommend any suggestions, books, videos, etc that will help with how to talk to people while you're behind the camera and how to instruct them on different poses and generally getting what you want and making them feel good through the process? Do I really have to become Austin Powers, perhaps?

Thanks!
Matt

[OsmosisStudios]

Oh lord: The only time you should become Austin Powers is when you're trying to get either a great guffaw of giggles or a look of shock and surprise (only works once, so time it right!).

Just learn how to be instructive, but not stern. If youre directing a model, dont be afraid to use the proper term. Tell her you want her hands on her hips by saying "Place your hands on your hips".

Also, dont be afraid to show her what you want. You'll feel funny, but she'll know what you're saying.

Some people will tell you to NEVER TOUCH THE MODEL, and thats great advice when youre working with a pro (chances are you wont have to), but when youre starting out you'll likely be working with friends, in which case do as is comfortable. Either way, you should ask first, and even with professional models you may have to just slightly adjust a hand, head, or foot position by directly manipulating the model.

[Matt L]

Thanks for your response. I think this is great advice. Where would you start for getting ideas on how to pose the model in the first place?

[LauraSAnne]

I've been having a similar issue. I'm a shy person by nature and it's been hard to come out of my shell to work with my clients but it's also been easier than I thought it would be.

My biggest problem is that I get so wrapped up in getting my settings right and taking the picture that I give less thought to the posing than I should. I started bringing a friend of mine along who stands with me and before I snap a picture, she makes sure the pose/hair/hands all look right. Then sometimes we'll take a look at the shot after I take it and improve where we see errors. If she's not there, I feel like a deer in headlights sometimes as I can't think up poses off the top of my head and then when I do, I can't seem to direct the clients enough to get in the right positions.

But then when I have clients who are shy, that's when it gets extra bad for me. The last two couples I've done sessions for have been rather tense and as much as I tried to get them to just let go and relax, they just couldn't. I try to direct...not much luck. I bring my husband on couple's shoots and we do the pose for them...still not much luck. And this last one I did, I actually brought along my "pose book" (collection of poses/photos I like) and showed the couple the exact pose I was trying to go for. I actually had the best results with that (and they said it was super helpful), but they still ended up being rigid and so even after all of that, the poses still looked way too forced and unnatural.

So I'm sort of in the same boat as you...I don't know what else to do. Maybe provide a happy hour before the shoot to get everyone loosened up!

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by Matt L

Thanks for your response. I think this is great advice. Where would you start for getting ideas on how to pose the model in the first place?

Magazines. I have stacks of Vogue, Glamour, Cosmo, etc lying around in my office.

Get magazines that concentrate on what you're shooting. I do mostly fashion stuff, so those mags work, but they wont work well for baby photos.

[Matt L]

Thanks for your comments, all. I will try to get some specific examples for things I want to achieve next time. It might be good, also, to have a think afterwards about what I could have done better, and research poses on that particular issue for next time. Thanks, again!

[SuperDan]

do your homework...

here in the states, which you probaby have there, are libraries... wonderful resource and literally almost any book i have ever seen for photography i get there.. especially first before purchasing...
heck, there are even books that are 100 poses for women, 100 poses for brides... you get the idea..
once a week i read those books... most of the stuff is the same statements over and over, but yuo see different techniques and different poses (or unposes too)

Amherst Media is the publisher on some of the best posing and portrait books out there.. in my opinion...

and heck... where to get inspiration??? Right here on DPS... theres a whole section just on portraits!

and practice

in my shoots i am not afraid to show them what I want.. usually helps out and then also if the shots not working you can shrug off as it was your idea anyways.. im torn on the whole do not touch aspect...
i just finished up a maternity session.. (now I have know this girl for 15+ years and really this was only the second time i met her husband) and instantly just started showing her, and positioning her hands, hair... etc...

practice and your homework

[Henry Wilt]

I can't help you out with poses or that side of it but if you want people to relax and look natural then you have to be relaxed as well. Think how you feel if you are having a conversation with someone and they are all tense and nervous or they are spending more time concentrating on something else. (I know in this case the something else is the camera and the whole reason you are there but that will still make a person feel like they are second best, and nobody likes to feel that.)

How about before you start shooting, or even talking about the shots you and/or the client want, take a minute or fifteen to get to know something about the people you are with and give them the chance to get to know a bit about you. I know that sounds difficult, and if you are shy as I am it can be very difficult the first time(s) (believe me, I am talking from experience through a job I was doing some while back), but with a bit of practise you can do it. Once you've broken the ice it gets so much easier to relax for all concerned, and I'm sure that will lead to better sessions at the end of the day.

Best of luck.

[Matt L]

This is all great advice. Thanks again :-)

[terri33inne]

I agree with showing them how you want them to pose... I'm just learning & getting comfortable with this too. Yesterday I had an unwilling teenage boy... he really made me work for it, which unfortunately I found distracting from focusing on the shots.

With senior portraits I ask them about what they're planning after high school, draw on my personal experience if it's relevant. One good thing about yesterday is he's really into music & brought his guitar which I think relaxed him A BIT.