One of the most common questions I (and other photographers) get is “Who is the most difficult to photograph?” Over the years I have discussed this with other photographers a lot. My usual answer is the subject that stares into the camera with what they think is a good expression frozen on their face, ignoring my attempts to interact with them. They know what they’re supposed to do and whether it’s a tough look on a teenager or a cheesy grin on a younger child, that’s what I’m going to get. If it’s one of my Garage Sessions, that’s cool. We have a few hours to get to know each other and there is plenty of time to get there.
Let me explain what I mean. If you have watched me at work in a center or seen some of my YouTube videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H5640horHg&t=364s I engage the children, get them to relax, elicit the expression I want and capture it. Most of the children go smoothly and quickly. Sometimes one will be trying to smile a certain way but we can usually get past that pretty quickly.
But there is the occasional child that is so locked into staring into the lens that efforts to get them to relax can upset them. Taking a large number of shots (and then sorting through them) is not a problem if I have scheduled a session for a few hours and I’m charging accordingly. In a child care session it’s just not in the budget and it’s not fair to the other children.
The takeaway is this:
For Photographers: Take the time to learn how to do this. You will be well rewarded for your efforts. This blog has plenty of material and there is my YouTube channel. It’s all free. It only costs your time. If you want more it will cost you in dollars but save you a lot of time. Either way, you owe it to your clients, your profession and yourself.
For Parents: Getting ready for picture day is fun. But don’t put a lot of pressure on your child. They don’t have to try to smile or pose. All they have to do is listen to the photographer and enjoy the experience. We’re all different, but only the least of us will tell a subject to look at the camera and smile.
Featured Images: The images at the beginning of this post have a variety of expressions but they have one thing in common. None of the subjects is focused on the camera or their expressions. They are not worried about when the picture will be taken. They are relaxed and engaged.