Getting your subject(s) to relax?

[KimberleyPhotography]

I often see really fun portraits where the person is laughing or at the very least really genuinely smiling and I was wondering how you helped them to relax infront of the camera. Or another issue I face is that my mom has her 'camera' smile. It is very annoying that ever single time the camera is pointed in front of her she smiles the exact same way and it looks fake.

How do you invoke reactions/emotions from the subjects your shooting?

[KathrynWilson]

It depends who you're shooting. Kids are easier cos you can just say something silly and they'll smile. Adults, I tend to start shooting, ask them to smile (this gives you the fake camera smile) and just keep shooting away the whole time, and then follow that up with a joke while you're still shooting. Just a little something about them smiling or modelling, or something totally unrelated. Then you get a real smile. Then keep chatting to them, keep them in conversation, make them feel comfortable with you.

[Liz Caldwell]

I use this trick on kids usually, but it works for adults too...

Photographer: Ok, smile and say MONKEY!

Subject: monkey.

Photographer: Hey! Who you calling a monkey?!?!?!

Keep on that track for a good laugh of two.

[pilothaz]

This is a good question, I would like to hear other people's ideas on this but I will throw my two cents in.

One of the main things is to get the subject comfortable around you while you are working. When they are in this state they won't feel awkward around you and be embarrassed about how they are 'weird'. Asking general questions and finding out a general commonality between the people is a great start.

What it basically comes down to is breaking the tension in the room and just being able to have fun while you are working and make it enjoyable for them.

Hope that helps.

[MonkeyPie]

When I take pictures (and I haven't had but one or two people actually sit for me to take one), I am generally talking to them about something totally unrelated, like work, school, whatever. I'll toss in something completely random and silly, they either give me a strange look or laugh. If they laugh, I snap. If not, I try again!

[Car2n]

I've only been in the studio a couple of times. Once was myself and a subject one on one and the mood was quite professional. Another time the subject had a friend present and I just shot away while they joked amongst themselves. The shoot with the friend present was much more random and silly.

[wannabehorsephotographer]

I read in an old photography book: How do you photograph people? by Leigh Wiener, that he made his subjects say "Bread & Butter". Not only does this take the subject's mind off the shoot because it is so different, it also results in a very relaxed, almost breathy look. (This was a really good book if you want advice on working with people. It is an easy, enjoyable read, and although it is old, a lot of his techniques still apply. Also there were pictures of a roller skating chicken - awesome!)

[krypticide]

All good points here. I would emphasize using the continuous shooting mode and taking much more than one picture. It increases the chance of getting the one picture that looks just right.

[dakwegmo]

I don't generally shoot portraits, but when on the few occaisions I've shot family portraits, I've found that many adults respond to the same silly sort of humor that kids do. I also like to tell people to "look serious" or "don't smile". If they're serious type people, then it'll have the effect of letting them feel like they can be themselves without having to smile for the camera. Shoot them in this more natural state. If you can tell though that they're like most people, tell them to look serious, but don't shoot while they're looking serious. The anticipation of waiting for a flash while holding a serious face often causes people to start laughing. Once this happens shoot away.

[jsanders]

Well, this is something really hard.
The best thing is that you take photo's while people don't realize your'e there to take a photo of them. Else it's just hard.