The Invisible Element That's More Important Than Your Camera Gear

Technicality and equipment aren't all there is to becoming a meaningful photographer. In my own work it's actually the least important part. My favorite words to hear clients say are “wow, you captured the real me.” The following are tips to get these reactions out of your subjects. They have nothing to do with your gear, but will guide you to capturing your subjects the way they are when they're completely comfortable, instead of the nervous and self-conscious forms of themselves.

You can have all the latest equipment in a fancy studio, but if you don't have good vibes with everyone, you won't get much further than you are now. Positive energy, chemistry with your subjects, intuition, and a confident state of mind are essential to capturing your subjects in their true essence. To get the shots that stir something deep inside its viewers, that are more than just a snapshot of a pretty face, you have to pay attention to the shoot's energy.

In my own work, the technicality of things has had the least to do with my artistic successes. I’ve never been a technical photographer at all. From start to finish, my methods are always very flowing and relaxed, with little planning ahead involved. Some might call it “winging it,” but whatever you call it it only works because I've worked to perfect the art of connecting with my subjects. Focusing on everything but my camera has given me a huge sense of euphoria and confidence while shooting that I never expected to have. It feels like I'm seeing and capturing with my heart rather than my eyes. 

Over the last year, I’ve let go of the constant overwhelming pressure to better myself technically and placed tremendous focus on finding that true connection between myself, my subjects, and my final images. Letting go and letting energy and intuition take control of my work has even propelled my work further than the hours of technical tutorials I've watched. What I've found is that you have to make your subjects feel like they're in their own element. Being photographed is horrifying for almost everyone, it's our job to relieve these feelings so that it doesn't show through in the final images.

Turn Up the Music

The most important thing to me that creates a comfortable shoot environment is good music. The good feelings music gives us are universal. Just like art, it moves everyone in some way or another, at all ages and walks of life. In addition to lightening the mood and relieving nervousness, music is a great conversation starter and relieves some pressure on you to prevent awkward silences.

I always have a playlist ready, but I will play whatever they would like to hear to encourage someone's comfort. This is my playlist I stick to most of the time. It's full of confidence boosting songs that have been popular over the last few years, ones that make you want to move. I try to stick to music from the top charts so that the chances of them knowing and singing and moving along with the songs are greater.

Listening to music from a cell phone speaker is never good and looks unprofessional, so I highly recommend adding a portable Bluetooth speaker to your gear bag and take it anywhere you shoot. You can purchase a decent one for as little as $15. 

Get to Know Each Other

We are often only with the people we photograph for a few hours, so it's easy to think getting to know them isn't important, but it is crucial to creating a comfortable environment for them. Most of the time, people I photograph don't expect me to be similar to them at all, but as we start to talk back and forth about life and experiences, you can literally see the weight and initial intimidation lifted from their shoulders. It doesn't matter what you start with, music, the weather, holiday plans, many common connections will be found between the two of you. The nervousness of your subjects will greatly decrease once they connect with you on a deeper level, in ways other than just being photographed by you. Creating meaningful connections with the people you photograph is beneficial at the moment and will also encourage them to come back and talk highly of you to their peers.

Keep Them Laughing

Even if your jokes are terrible like mine are, people laugh anyway because all they want is to be comfortable too. The less serious I am throughout a shoot, the more obvious connections I capture between the subject and my camera. No matter what kind of shoot, being goofy always seems to bring out the light in people, the sparkle in their eyes, and a real smile. Even if I'm shooting something serious, I still make them laugh because once they get serious again their expressions are so much more relaxed and natural. If you're going for real simple smiles, telling your subject that their current one looks fake or to think of a significant other usually does the trick. If you're shooting boudoir, fashion, or something else that requires a unique range expressions, I find it works best to show people by posing yourself. In human psychology, mirroring and mimicry leave people with positive feelings and a liking to you, and this certainly does not exclude the photography world.