If you only knew what went into capturing a smile...
Ever wonder how much went into capturing that smile?
Here, let me give you an idea…
I have to tell you, one of the most gratifying aspects of what I do is the ability to capture authentic aspects of people’s personalities in their branded lifestyle portraits.
When done well, these images appear effortless, as if a photographer happened to be in the room capturing this moment as it happened naturally. No stress, no issues with equipment, the conversation between photographer and subject was flowing from minute one...
Do you have any idea how long it took for that photographer to appear this smooth and put together?
I’m sure you don’t - most people assume that although there is a learning curve to any art and skill, I mean, it’s just a button on a camera, and the camera does most of the work, right?
Wrong, :)
The client experiences the very best that that photographer has to offer in terms of services and style, but they don’t see the massive amount of struggle, trial and error and hard work that was behind building up their repertoire of expertise.
In all honesty, when you peek behind that curtain, shit can get really crazy and out of sorts.
The client sees thousands of dollars of high end camera, lighting and staging equipment…
They don’t see that photographer struggling for years to book a lot of shitty, low paying gigs where they were treated more like the help, rather than the professional expert behind the camera, in order to save up for all that equipment.
I can’t tell you how many bar mitzvahs and networking events I’ve had to shoot to pay for my equipment, but, the number is obscene. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t trade those experience for anything - it’s why I’m so grateful for the niche in which I serve today.
The client sees a skilled artist who effortlessly manipulates this expensive equipment in order to create flattering and beautiful images that captures their essence and personality …
They don’t see that photographer spending countless hours watching Youtube videos, attending workshops, fumbling around while practicing lighting and shooting techniques on dozens and dozens of patient people and banging his/her head against the wall trying to figure out how to properly use all this shit because there’s so much to learn, and so little time to learn it.
When I was working full-time in the television industry, I would spend my downtime researching equipment, shooting technique videos on Vimeo, Youtube and photographer trade websites and would practice everything I learned on my friends on the weekends. Although I shot a lot of bad photos, I learned so much from that experience that I suggest that route for every young photographer who contacts me for advice.
The client sees a photographer who confidently directs in a way that inspires them to feel at ease, in the moment and ready to do whatever in order to get the best images…
They don’t see a photographer who spent years scared shitless at the idea of speaking up and taking control of the portrait session - scared not because they don’t love the process, but, because they felt like a fraud since they were still learning their craft, yet getting paid well for this service.
Faking it until you make it is real, folks. It’s not a positive way to spin it, but, it is, in fact, the reality for every emerging photographer. It certainly was the case for me. I had a terrible case of imposter syndrome, but, plugging away at sessions cured that for me over time.
The client sees a confident photographer who knows exactly how to push the right emotional buttons in order to inspire their clients to feel comfortable and powerful in front of the camera…
They don’t see a completely overwhelmed and freaked out photographer who would rather spend time thumbing around the equipment than making small talk with the person in front of the camera.
This last one definitely hits home for me - I was a completely shy and overmatched, young photographer who found it extremely difficult to converse with people while trying
to figure out what the hell I was doing behind the camera.
The real challenge for me was that I was afraid to be myself when I was working with clients.
This went on for years, until one day when I decided that I no longer wanted to act small behind the camera - I committed to owning my personality while working, which meant that I would no longer try to appeal to everyone by being quiet and timid. Now, I talk exactly the way I do to my clients that I do to my friends, and I haven’t looked back since.
This is the biggest factor in my ability to inspire a wide variety of expressions from my clients. I am now able to talk to them in a human being way - well, I do talk a lot of shit, which isn’t for everybody, but, for those who gravitate to me and my work, it’s this style of conversation that loosens them up when they are in front of my camera.
The next time that you are in front of a professional photographers camera, keep this conversation in the back of your mind as you see him/her do their absolute best to present you authentically, purposefully and powerfully - they love and care about the experience they provide you in the same way that you feel about your clients.
PS - For those of you who aren’t in the know, I mail out these blogs 3x a week, and lemme tell you, they’re a real party, so, if you’d like to get in on this, sign up for it here and I’ll throw in a free gift for you, because I care, :)