Here are four great tips to give you an advantage with your shoots, whether for a job or as a hobby.
Talk to the Model
Many photographers may waste a lot of time warming up with the model. You can increase your success rate just by taking 10 minutes to speak with a captive audience. That would the model sitting in glam. I ran a photography studio and only the best of the best would do this. They'd just talk about life, the mundane things while the talent was in glam. This allowed the photographer to relax the model and figure out which angles would be their best. When I do this, I notice that I captured better images sooner.
Model It Yourself
Sometimes, you have to put your camera down and model the pose. It's actually an ice-breaker and allows you to put yourself in their shoes. Maybe you're great at describing what you want, or maybe showing them will produce successful images faster.
Gage Robinson by Walid Azami, Natural Light
Know When to Stop
I'll find myself pushing for something when it's just not working. It could be bad light, the wrong model, or maybe I'm the one having an off-day. If something is not working, have the confidence to say "let's move to the next look" instead of trying to prove something. Only you know when it's the right time, but when you're there, don't drag it out.
Grab Multiple Expressions
On the flip side, if something is working out well, then continue shooting but adding several other expressions. Why do this? Because you will thank yourself in post-production instead of saying "I love this pose but I wish we had one with a smile." Slow down and ask for a series of expressions. You got the gorgeous smile and think that's it? Take another 90 seconds and ask for the same pose but with a half-smile, then a friendly stare, then a little more serious, etc. Sometimes, it's a numbers game, and you'll want to increase your odds.
I hope some of the tips helped with your photography. The video has many more that you can watch. I hope they help with your future photoshoots.
