SHOOTING PORTRAITS FOR PAYING CLIENTS

SHOOTING PORTRAITS FOR PAYING CLIENTS is a 90 min lesson for Amateur or Student photographers who understand basic camera and lighting settings. They have some portrait experience and are looking to advance into paid shoots with clients.

Lesson Includes...

*90 mins Shooting a real client on location.

*Instead of a model, the photographers shoot each other.

*Feel what the client feels...experience the other side of the camera.

*Shooting to a client brief and a time limit.

*Telling a clients story through a portrait.

*Choosing an appropriate background.

*Best use of available lighting plus fill flash.

*Posing and body language.

*Composition, what to include or exclude in the shot.

*Working with minimal equipment.

SHOOTING PORTRAITS FOR PAYING CLIENTS is available in a Live 90 min Group Lesson or as a one on one.

To find out more details about this lesson, please phone Peter on 0419774789 or contact form here

See more of my clients portraits here... Client Gallery

TIPS ON SHOOTING DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLIENTS

The information below gives Student Photographers a brief insight into the different types of portrait clients.

Each of these different clients require a specific shoot style.

Firstly we need to determine who is the subject and who is the client.

WHO IS THE SUBJECT WHO IS THE CLIENT AND WHAT IS THE BRIEF?

1. Subject - The Agency Model; Client – Fashion business.

Of all possible portrait shoots, Models are the most easy to photograph.

Why? Because Models are motivated. Models are either getting paid or they’re receiving images for their portfolio for free. Models know how to pose. Models know how to produce expressions. All the photographer has to do is set up, then point and shoot. Models are patient while you do test shots and check settings. Models like photo shoots, they like being there.

However, when a client hires a model for the shoot the photographer and model have to work together to the clients brief. So you need to use your creative skill to produce a look the client wants and not necessarily what you think is best. This can be frustrating at times if you don’t see eye to eye with the client. Find out what exactly the image will be used for. This will help you see the end goal.

2. Subject - Adult Man or Woman; Client – Self or Self Employed

The key to good portrait is a relaxed subject. Relaxed enough to share a real expression.

Most adults have developed an expression or look that they own.

You must put yourself in their shoes to understand how they are feeling. They may have never met you and may feel uncomfortable with you in their home or office pointing a camera at them. Pro photographers are often seen as evasive to people’s privacy.

Give them time to relax into the shoot. ( the best images usually come at the end anyway)

Ask them light hearted questions like…Do they have kids, hobbies, sports, business etc.

Find out what they like to talk about, this will help them relax. Praise what they have done well so far on camera.

Show them images on the camera back to give them direction. (Delete the bloopers ASAP)

If family or friends are present, show them a shot on the camera back. They will tell you if you have captured the spirit or character of your client.

Stand a family member or friend beside you to play the clown for your client. This will relieve the tension and create some real expression.

In some shots, try to include subtle props which express this client’s typical character and whatever they are into eg. Cars, boats, fashion, jewelry, home design, sports or hobbies.

If the shoot is for the client’s small business you can include their office, workplace, product, equipment or logo into the shot. Take 3 or 4 different set ups to create a portfolio of shots.

3. Subject - A Sports Star or Celebrity; Client - Agency.

These people are having their photo taken all the time. They know how to perform in front of the camera and they understand the need for the shoot. Unless they are just starting out they will expect you to get the shoot done pretty quickly. Usually these shoots come from an advertising agency with a brief. Sometimes there is a product for the star to endorse.

In most cases the agency is the client not the star. Whoever pays for the shoot is the client and we need to shoot to their brief. Get there early and scope out the shoot first. WARNING… These people are normal humans like you and me. If they’re famous try not to get starry eyed or you will lose your focus on the job at hand.

4. Subject - A Presenter, Influencer, Politician or Musician; Client - Self or Agency.

These people love to be photographed with a large audience in the shot. Best if you can shoot the subject portrait on a real stage with existing lighting set up. Shoot a posed portrait on stage before the gig and then some live shots during the presentation with the audience in the shot. Animation is the key to a great shot from these guys.

5. Subject - The Corporate Executive; Client- Self or company.

These shoot styles may vary depending on the size and type of the company and the position of the Executive. However the overriding result they want (90% of the time) is of a Friendly, Approachable, and Honest Professional. A lawyer may sometimes ask for a strong aggressive look to show his or her client they mean business and will fight hard in court.

A CEO is Familiar with portraits and Media shoots and a secretary has blocked out the time. The company advertising / promotion people will supply a brief. CEOs are usually pretty friendly and cooperative. The brief will usually be to shoot either at a board room table or reception with logo behind, front of company building etc.

A Middle Manager Executive is often more busy and may wonder why the portrait is needed. These people may require a little charm or empathy from the photographer.

The brief may be a white background head shot plus a shot with office and or workers in the background.

6. Subject - The Staff Head Shot; Client – Self or company.

This head & shoulders portrait is very common with company employees and most types of staff.

Usually shot on a white background so as to keep the web site looking uniform.

Most homes and offices have a white wall space of approx. 2 mtrs. This saves setting up a white back drop but carry one in the car anyway.

White background wall shots sound easy but it’s actually one of the hardest shots to create. Hiding the persons shadow on the white wall is tricky in any type of lighting.

TRY THIS SIMPLE SET UP... Place 1 studio light about 3 metres out in front of the subject just slightly off centre. Point the light straight up to a white ceiling. Test exposure & set. The light will bounce off the ceiling and walls to eliminate any shadows behind the person. The rest of the light bouncing around will fill the room for an even result on the subject and face. Works best for a room about the size of a lounge or medium board room.

You can achieve a similar result with on camera flash. Point the flash straight up to a white ceiling and use a bounce card on the flash to bounce some light into the eyes.

7. Subject - The Disgruntled Employee; Client - Company or Franchise

These people find having a portrait about as much fun as going to the dentist.

Show empathy and build rapport with these folks and you will eventually get a good result.

The client will not understand if the employee is looking unhappy in the photos and may blame the photographer.

8. Subject - Low Self Esteem person ; Client – Company or self

Another tough one is the Low Self Esteem person. These people are often quite attractive but have set the bar too high. Less beautiful people just say “Oh well that’s me, can’t change it” and get on with the shoot.

Don’t be offended when the Low Self Esteem person hates your photo’s. It’s just that they don’t like their own image. Ask them to be specific about what they don’t like in the image so you can change angle or lighting for better results.

A little bit of confidence building may be required here. Emphasize the persons good points and how you are going to highlight those and retouch the areas of concern.

You have an opportunity here to build their confidence and they will love you for it.

9. Subject - Drugs & Alcohol affected; Client - Event owner/coordinator/wedding

People under the influence of drugs or alcohol are also difficult to work with.

They often can’t hold their concentration, will often talk through the shoot, Eyes may be partially closed and (with drugs) faces sometimes distorted. Company staff shoots are sometimes scheduled alongside a company event or get together as staff are all there at once. Try to arrange the shoot before the celebration.

Weddings are a celebration and alcohol is always present. A couple of drinks is ok it’s just the crowd control that gets a bit tricky. If you’re shooting a group of unruly guests you may remind them that the photos are not for the photographer but for the Bride & Groom!

(Shooting a wedding is extremely complex. I will cover that subject in another section)

10. Subject - The Photophobic; Client - Employer

Yes there are a couple around. These people feel physically sick when you point a camera at them. The boss will force them to the shoot. Don’t even try to convert these folks. Just put your camera on a tripod, look over the top and just have a conversation while clicking away. You may not get them looking at the camera but you should get something usable. Stand one of their colleges next to your camera for distraction and to lighten the mood.

Don’t show them images on camera back or they will become more unsettled. Just tell them they look great and you will retouch anything they don’t like.

11. Subject - The Overweight Person; Client – Self or Employer

The camera lens really does add weight so these folks do get nervous. Let’s face it , most of us would like to lose a bit. The most common tactic for this subject is shoot from a high angle 30 to 45 degs or get the person leaning into the camera.

Sitting at a table and leaning forward with a slightly high camera angle usually works well. This type of posing eliminates the double chin and defines the jaw line. They also feel comfortable hiding themselves behind the table.

Crop into the edge of the shoulders eliminating the outer edge of the arms to get a slimmer look.

Have the subject face directly at the camera which will slim the face. Wardrobe is a deal breaker for these folks. Loose flowing clothes will make a huge difference.

12. Subject - The Talker; Client – Self or Company

Sometimes it’s just nerves sometimes they are just really high energy people. This can be used to your advantage. Set the camera up and let them talk. There’s always a punch line and a laugh at the end of the story, shoot that last 5 seconds continuously after they stop talking and you will have a range of great shots.

13. Subject - The Blinker; Client - Self or Company

These people may have sensitivity to flash or they may just be nervous. Some folks just keep saying..."Oh I always blink" and so of course they get what they preach. This can be a problem in group shots but as a portrait its not that hard to beat.

Open both eyes when you shoot and wait till they blink then shoot.

If that doesn't work say OK I'll count to 3, then shoot on 2.

14. Subject - Kids over 5 and Teenagers; Client – Mother or School.

This group are usually fun to work with. Most kids this age are familiar with selfies and having there photo taken so not usually shy. They are also still at the age where they are accustom to being told what to do and so will interact with the photographer. If someone in this age group shows a sign of under confidence then this is an opportunity for the photographer to help them build self-confidence. The parents usually love just about any images of their kids.

The school will require strict safety and security procedures.

16. Subject - New Born Babies; Client – Mum

You may be asked to reproduce an image from a baby magazine or an Anne Geddes style shot here. This shoot may take some planning depending on the client’s wishes. If they ask my advice I will suggest focusing on a relaxed, contented softly lit face more so than props which distract from the baby and may date with time.

Newborns are pulling odd expressions continuously and the eyes can’t focus yet so they can look uncomfortable. The best shots are usually after the baby is fed and asleep.

17. Subject - Pregnant Mum's; Client – Self

If the Mum wants to shoot with a beach or country backdrop you can create a style for that. However we do have a distraction (the landscape) from the main subject which is the relationship between the mother and child. The shoot style will depend on the Mum and the photographer. Do you want an Arty look or an emotional Mother n baby portrait at home?

NOTE *** You don’t have to take a shoot that you’re not comfortable with and it probably won’t help your reputation anyway. Refer it on to a specialist in that particular field if you are in doubt.

18. Subject – Glamour, Swim suite, Lingerie; Client – Self

Sounds like fun but the more skin you show the tougher it is to light.

Assuming your client is not a professional model which is most of the time, they will still expect magazine quality images. Allow for major retouching time here.

Find a pose or angle that suite the clients’ body and use soft lighting slightly angled to accentuate curves.

These people are generally not shy and will work with you for best results.

The facial expression needs to be sexy but real. There are thousands of hot body photos on the internet. The ones that stand out have the right expression or look.

How do they get that look?

Here’s what you do. Ask the subject to concentrate and think of their number one choice of most sexy person on the planet. Hold that thought and project it into the camera.

That’s how super models do it.

“What’s present in the subjects mind comes clearly through the lens”

WHAT ASSETS YOU NEED FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

1. Patience & Empathy.

2. Reasonable communication skills.

3. Sense of humor.

4. Basic understanding of your camera.

5. Basic lighting awareness.

6. Basic composition skills.

WHAT ASSETS YOU DON’T NEED FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

1. Excessive gear.

2. A studio.

3. Exotic locations.

4. An assistant.

5. A Web site.

6. Awards.

MOST EASY LOCATIONS FOR A PORTRAIT SHOOT

1. The clients house indoors.

2. The clients house outdoors.

3. A quite local park.

4. The clients hobby or club location.

5. A studio.

6. A white wall with white ceiling, home or office.

MOST DIFFICULT LOCATIONS FOR A PORTRAIT SHOOT

1. The Ocean Beach, wind and glare.

2. A busy public place or event.

3. Anywhere at night that’s not a studio.

4. Outdoors in bad weather

5. On a boat.

6. In the snow with bright sun.

BEST LIGHTING FOR A PORTRAIT

1. Just after sunrise or just before sunset.

2. Studio

3. Bounce flash lighting off a white ceiling or reflector

4. Inside the house or apartment near an open window or door.

5. Overcast skies outside.

6. Back-lit sunshine with fill flash or reflector.

WORST LIGHTING FOR PORTRAITS

1. Bright sun middle of day with no shade.

2. Speckled light through leafy trees.

3. Direct, full flash into face.

4. Colour casts bouncing from large areas of colour.

5. Salty, dusty or foggy air.

6. Direct sun or bright light in the client’s eyes.

BEST BACKGROUND FOR A PORTRAIT

1. Blurred background

2. Muted lights or colours.

3. Lakes, mountains, waterfalls, Pools, fountains, ocean.

4. Studio backdrops grey or white.

5. Colours that match clients clothes , eyes and hair.

6. Warm sunlight from behind client.

WORST BACKGROUND FOR PORTRAITS

1. Other people.

2. Ugly, man-made infrastructure.

3. Distracting lights or colours.

4. Clutter.

5. Trees or poles coming out of subjects head.

6. Extreme over or under exposed backgrounds.

BEST CAMERA EQUIPMENT FOR PORTRAITS

1. Digital SLR or Film SLR body.

2. Pro level 70 – 200 zoom with image stabilizer.

3. Pro or mid level prime lens, 80mm 100mm 120mm

4. Speed lights.

5. Reflectors & tripods.

6. Studio lights and backdrops.

WORST CAMERA EQUIPMENT FOR PORTRAITS

1. Mobile phone camera.

2. Almost Anything from China.

3. Entry level bodies.

4. Entry level lens’s.

5. Light wait tripods.

6. Wide angle lens’s

BEST POSES FOR CLIENTS

1. Shooting slightly down 30 degs

2. The client leaning forward.

3. Allow client their own relaxed natural expression.

4. Smiling or happy expression in the eyes.

5. Shoulders turned on 30 deg angle head facing to camera.

6. Model pose with S shape spine for women. High shoulders for men.

WORST POSES FOR CLIENTS

1. Mug shot style front on.

2. Shooting up to the client from a low position.

3. Client sitting in a chair leaning back.

4. A camera angle too high.

5. Looking off camera too much of an angle.

6. A non-emotional demeanor.

SUMMING UP

The overall general public believe that if you point a Pro camera and lighting at them the result will automatically be an amazing portrait.

They often don’t realize that they need to put in some input too.

I don’t mention that as it would put pressure on them. Instead I work away to establish a friendly relationship from the start to relax them into the shoot.

Show them a few good shots on the camera back as you go and praise them when they start to show some genuine emotion or a relaxed expression. This will relax them further.

Highlight there good features and if they express concern over unwanted features reassure them you will remove or soften the unwanted features in photo shop.

A client will often have a brief or an idea of the finished images. Discuss that with them before the shoot. They may even have some sample images.

I will usually shoot what they want first and if I have an idea for something better I will shoot that too so they have a choice.

For example: The jacket maybe too small or too big. Replace it or remove it and compare.

The hair is up but may look better down. A shot with and without the tie.

Over-sized distracting watches or jewelry. Maybe a wardrobe color that better matches the clients hair, eyes and or background colors. Etc etc.

Tell them why you have chosen a specific background or pose. Give them a little technical detail, Tell them as you go what you are trying to achieve. This builds their confidence in you and helps them relax.

I aim to give my clients more that they expect.

In this competitive climate, providing high quality images and exceptional service will give you the edge to stand out and create a positive on going relationship with your clients.

As an established professional photographer, I am now excited to share my success and tips with other photographers. It’s so cool to make an income doing what you love, either as a full-time career or just on weekends to offset your camera gear expenses.

I look forward to sharing some insights with you on your journey just like the Pros who shared with me.

Good luck to you all on your journey and remember, A Portrait Photographer is constantly looking for real emotion or expression.

In my experience…What’s present in the subjects mind comes clearly through the lens.

See more of my clients portraits here... Client Gallery

Written by , Peter Crichton Oct 2020

All copyrights owned by Peter Crichton Photography.

Portrait class's are available in groups or on a one on one basis. Contact Peter on 0419774789 or contact form here