How much direction do you usually give your clients? Are you always buzzing about them giving suggestions or do you use a long lens and hide in the bushes five hundred feet away?

More importantly, when you do give direction, what are your tips and tricks for keeping it fun and light? Sometimes I feel like even though I'm being really friendly and encouraging, "Try this" or "Do that" might come off as bossy. So I typically don't give as much direction as I could or even maybe should. Thoughts?

I TOTALLY need help in this area--I'd love to read responses.

i have a hard time with this, too. but one thing i do is tell couples, "now give me a kiss ..." then i pause and say, "i don't mean give ME a kiss, i mean the two of you kiss for the camera." most of the time they laugh a lot and it makes for a great couple of shots.

I don't like to over pose people, but I do like to give direction. First, I always start with my 70 - 200 lens so I am not in their faces. Then, I begin the session with as little intrusion as possible to see how comfortable the couple is. I will make a suggestion that they have a seat somewhere. If they nautrally sit and begin to interact, I just start shooting. If they appear uncomfortable or are unsure what to do, I begin to give further suggestions. Of course, if there is something I notice that I don't like, I will fix it. As I progress through the shoot, I always start with the natural interaction that happens in each new location. After the natural moment has passed, I will pose to get things I specifically want.

Trying to be too technical makes everybody nervous... "ok, move your neck two centimeters to the left..."
Instead, we usually give our clients more "emotional" direction... "Cuddle!" "Pull her closer!" "ok, have fun... play!" "gimme that sexeh look!!" ... we get the most wonderful, natural, unexpected poses, and facial expressions using this method.

I don't like to give full direction either. I play it by ear since every couple is different. I usually will just say "let's go near the fence" and then I let them fall naturally into pose and start shooting. If I feel like they are needing direction or they are just too stiff, I'll tell them to hang tight and relax together while I change to fresh batteries or a new card or something. As soon as I see they aren't paying attention to me, I start shooting and it usually takes them a minute or two to realize what I'm doing. Then they get much more relaxed and comfortable with my style.

Shan, great thought on using the 70-200 first!

I think it's good to have spent a little bit of time with the client before you shoot to help them relax as well! Schedule enough time to get coffee or ice cream before the session to help them relax, study their mannerisms, etc. Then take them out for the shoot!

Did this the other day with a groom who was really nervous, and I think it helped!

it totaly depends on the client for me. some need direction and some just melt beautifully together. brides typically love to be treated like a model so i do just that. dressing up a shot is sometimes worth it. it also very much depends on your style. i love it when everyone is laughing so i definately love to make couples and parties laugh. it all depends on what you want your style to be. own it whatever it is.

I have been at this longer than I will ever tell, is all about walking that fine line of choreographing and having a great time with the couples. Is a fine art, getting them to act silly and just before they have had enough!

From my experience, I think people that don't "really know what to do" want to be directed. Just recently I had an engagement shoot and the girl was really nervous. I used my 70-200 a lot at first and when she got used to getting her picture taken I started getting the close up shots. I sometimes kinda worry that I might sound bossy but I always back it up with a compliment like "wow thats hot!" or something like that.

Earlier in their shoot I found out that the girl was ticklish. When I was doing regular portraits with them at one point I said to the guy "you know, you can tickle her" and these were some of the shots I got.

Majority of the clients do prefer you to give instructions, only a small percentage are photogenic in that case very easy to shoot. For those that I give instructions, I tried not to be bossy, I usually create a moment for them to do something and then I start snapping away.

When they do something good, then i give them the encouragement and say ... "that's good, that's good, give it to me baby ... show me love ... show me lovvvve.." When they get the hang of it and keep on kissing then I say "Get a room!..." *laugh*, few more clicks.

Totally depends on the couple.

I usually tell them where to stand or in what position to walk towards.

I may take a bit more of an active than most on this forum. If I see something I don't like then I ask them to fix it. Sometimes you have to give a bit of direction to make your clients look their best. For example if your groom is doing something weird and akward with his hands, I'll ask him to try something else. Of if there is some bright sun casting akward shadows on their face I'll ask them to turn a bit. By learning the basic rules of portraiture you can naturally produce better shots. I don't think clients will ever really care what you ask them to do as long as you do it confidently, and with courtesy, this way they will believe that in the end you have their best interest (making them look good) at heart.

I find that making them laugh always gets some good shots.

My shooting style reflects my own personal nature. By nature i hate social silence, so if no one else is talking then I am. Its just the way I am.

I must be pretty annoying sometimes. CRAP!

I don't give a lot of direction either. Like Nathan and Amber I find if I meet up with them for coffee or lunch or something first it helps to break the ice and you aren't starting off with a camera in their face.

When we first start I tell them that I want to have fun and they should kiss when ever they feel like it, I hate telling couples to kiss it pulls all of the spontaneity out of it for me and feels forced. So my couples know right off the bat I am not going to instruct them to kiss, they will do it when they feel like it and I will capture it with my own style.

This couple was very timid and insecure, the bride was emailing her family back and forth all week on what to wear, taking Polaroids and studying my previous engagement shoots. She was really nervous. But we had lunch first and got comfortable and then walked around DC all day. We had a great time and they got some awesome photos.

Hope,
I find less direction is better. Set your couple up in good light and a pleasing background, when you can. Then let them do their thing. I give LOTS of encouragement
and praise during the shoot. This keeps the couple's confidence up. Even when things do not look the best, or the couple is not posing the best, praise them.

Also Mike Colon gave me a huge piece of advice. He said always press the shutter. If the couple does not hear the shutter, and you are not taking photos, the couple thinks they are doing something wrong. Over shoot and delete later to keep the couple feeling they are HOT!

These are all great tips. Thanks everyone!

My problem seems to be that adults in shoots tend to turn their faces away from the camera, just slightly, and just enough so that you don't get a sense of their face shape. It's like what you do when you're shy and can't look someone in the eye -- they can't look my camera in the eye. I have no problem getting kids comfortable with me. (I shoot mostly family lifestyle stuff.) I think I have a way with kids, kids are easy for me to shoot. I can get in close, get far away, get the natural laughing going, no problem. Parents love my kid shots. But with adults, I have to direct them to NOT shy away from the camera. It's almost as if parents don't want to take anything away from the children -- like parents want to make sure the child is always the center of attention. But here's something I've learned: here's what kids want: they want to see their parents having a great time together and KIDS want PICTURES of their parents having a great time together. So these tips will really help me bring the adults out of their shy shells.

Thanks again!

Jules,
I think you can help the issue of couple turning their faces away and other issues, by talking with them before. I even show the couple the lcd on my camera to let them know what I am looking for, and to boost their confidence by telling them how great they look!

Great tips everyone!!! We decided a few weeks ago, that we are going to make up some ground rules for e-sessions. One big one is that we will tell the couple they are not allowed to go from point A to point B unless they are holding hands, arms around each other, dancing, or just being silly. No "just walking" to get over there. I have also been using the "now whisper something to him/her that I cant hear" that gets some pretty good expressions and laughs. I think encouragement as stated above is a big factor. Also, dont forget to do the "photo booth" approach to lighten things up from the start.

Go to Garrett Nudd's next Elevate workshop (the one in June...if it's not sold out already)...and then observe Frank DiMeo in action as he directs the models (clients).

Any shooting with Frank will help improve your direction with clients.

I love the tips here. When I find myself giving technical directions it shows in the photos. People arent relaxed. But when I give encouragement like "That is awesome or That was great and I cant wait to show you" the smiles come out.

Jim

Mike what is the "photo booth" approach?

I usually direct them to the good light, but let them take it from there for the most part. Usually there will be one person in the couple who is more relaxed than the other, so give the more relaxed one the job of making the other laugh or loosen up. Ultimately with couples, they know how to make each other the most relaxed. I usually have them doing something with some sort of motion at the start, which relaxes them.

I also shoot really fast, so once they realize that I'm not stopping for them to say "cheese," they usually act natural on their own. A lot of times I'll say "Everytime I take one, change it up a bit." I compliment people a lot on what they are doing on their own, too so they are more confident in their natural ability.

I think everyone needs at least some direction in the start so they don't think you just left to hide in the bushes!

the best one I have for getting a good reaction from the girl, is to get the guy to stand behind her and wrap his arms around her in a hug.. makes for a nice portrait, especially if he is taller, and then tell him to give her a kiss on the neck... all sweet and stuff.. and then loud whisper, alright now nibble on her ear... I give you permission to lick...

and wa-lah!

Definitely jotting down the tickle technique. I do struggle with the "loosening up" part of it. Im not so good at direction and I try my best to not seem too bossy. Until meeting photographers recently, I have always experienced BOSSY annoying photographers at all events etc. and therefore gave us this stereotype. I try my very best to not be that obnoxious photographer but still have a handle on things. People have come to expect the photographer to kind of control things, but I want to just capture life. lol

I too start with Starbucks or some sort of treat. Makes them feel special and closer to you when you take care of them like that. We talk, this is where I get to know them...what makes them laugh and stuff like that. Sometimes I will even blatantly say, "I need ya to dish your secrets...what makes you giggle!?"

When we start shooting, I pull out my camera and tell them that I need a few to get my camera set up, half lying. I tell them to chit chat about their day or the latest news while I do this. I get some good natural interaction with this.

Also during shooting I try to be very verbal. I already over-react and get excited VERY easy but I do it a little bit more with them (of course with a disclaimer of how much of a dork I am) to help them feel more confident. It works often. Along with showing them whats going on in the camera. They like to see, although im not sure how to do it as non-boastful as possible. I would never want to come across like that.

I hope this thread gets HOT, I'd love to learn more about how to not be so involved in my shooting and more comfortably controlling of my clients/subjects! Come on lurkers...pipe in!

I am a bit of an introvert, so I struggle with this. The weird thing to me is that I think it's easier to direct complete strangers than people I'm friends or acquaintances with. How weird is that?!?

I think, if I was the one front of the lens, I'd very much appreciate the direction, so I'm going to try to give more focused direction. This is a grea thread.

I do a lot of direction during engagementsand also my one one one (or two) bride and groom time during the wedding day.

I have a lot of weird things I do (which kind of fits in with my personality), but one I really like is when trying to position the face, instead of telling them to 'look that way', I tell them to stand right where they are and 'sniff' an object in the direction I want them to face. It gives them something to do, takes their mind off the pictures, and often makes them laugh at the thought of sniffing for pictures.

Example:
Sniff her hair!

Sniff his ear!

Bump. I'm lovin' this thread.