Dealing with the Awkward

[krb545s]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the forum (and to portrait photography) so this might have been a topic someone else brought up earlier.

But how do you all deal with portrait sessions where its obvious that the person feels (and looks!) incredibly uncomfortable and awkward getting their picture taken?

My thought is to have a lot of things ready for them (i.e. poses, ideas) so that they are confident in my ability and can hopefully relax a little.

[wulf]

You need to help them relax. Ideas and poses may work for some but, for others, it might just help them feel more self-conscious about being in front of the camera. Perhaps just try having a chat with them about something else might help in those cases.

Wulf

[OsmosisStudios]

I use music in all my shoots, especially if it's a fashion thing. I pick music that's appropriate and suggest people bring their own ipods or CDs to play during the shoot.

[Saralonde]

Don't be afraid to crack a few jokes and act relaxed yourself. Compliment them ("Your eyes, skin, etc. are beautiful.", "I love the way you tilted your head just now."). Baby steps can lead to a little more confidence.