Nothing can turn off some subjects more quickly than seeing someone staring at them, or worse. I always try to arrange a session so that I am the only one that appears to be on stage. I’m an insufferable ham so it’s OK.
Most of my work is done on location. When I set up at a school I always set up so that the subjects enter from behind the background. With younger children I sit the next few subjects beside the posing table as close as they can be without being in the picture. This keeps the current subject from feeling singled out and allows me to get acquainted with the next few children. With older subjects this can be a bad idea. Junior high and older people will razz their friends. Not good!
In a retail store I am frequently set up on the sales floor in full view of the store traffic. When you set a baby or cute kid on the table they attract a crowd. It’s fun to watch but not so much fun for the subject. There isn’t a way to ask a spectator to move without the risk of offending them. A huffy, offended passerby can be a real downer for everyone. Avoid this by making it less likely that someone can get behind you, the photographer.
If I can set up in a back room of a store it allows more privacy and I can initially control traffic much like at a child care center or preschool. But, it gives me less exposure. Exposure creates business. Many people would not consider having me take their children’s pictures until they see me working with other children.
The compromise is to minimize the exposure of the subject by placing the background between the subject and the most likely flow of traffic. I back myself into a corner to minimize the flow of traffic behind me and to either side of the subject. Give the subject as much privacy as possible by keeping the traffic behind them.
How important is this? When I realize that I have made a mistake, I will reset everything. This can take as much as half an hour, but it is worth it. I have shown up at a preschool, child care center or retail store that was being shot by someone working for me and done this. It may embarrass the photographer, but everyone else is pleased. The kids are happier and the shoot goes much smoother and faster. This is all about subjects and customers. Don’t be afraid to admit you made a mistake.
Keep this in mind for the layout of an in-studio camera room or when taking an individual sitting on location. Some photographers like to attract a crowd. I do. I’m a real show off. But the primary consideration should be the comfort of the subject. Keep the crowd in the right place.