Portraiture - A different take everytime

You would think that after a while Portrait sessions would practicably be the same, but I was sat here looking over old work and realised that could never be farther from the truth. Looking over the last few months every portrait has been an original. I had two shoots one after the other, both included three children, yet the shots for each were totally different. There were a couple of shots that were similar but on the whole I reached in and pulled out a whole new set of ideas for the second shoot. Thats not to say that you couldn't make each one exactly the same, but then you would be on autopilot, you would lose that spark of enthusiasm that you have every time you get a new subject in front of your camera. Consequently you would lose your business.

If you stand there taking photographs and not showing any emotion or enthusiasm how can you expect your subject to get in the flow? The reason I believe each set is different with me is that the whole experience is shared by both the photographer and the subject, we should all have fun and bounce off each other throughout the session. Likewise each has an input, you learn to work with your clients, take a seed, something they may have hinted on or stated in a throw away comment and build upon it. Don't be arrogant to think that you know everything, if a client has an idea, take that idea and build it into a workable shot. Their idea might not be a good one, but you may see something else nestled in there that will work. You have to be adaptive to the situation and your environment, learn to think on your feet, look for opportunities that may make a great shot and I promise your photography will improve. This is applicable to all photography, whether you are shooting a portrait in the studio or a wedding in Stanley Park.

All that said, always respect your clients wishes, if they want to just sit there smiling at the camera then let them. You can only work within the parameters set by your subject. At the end of the day I am in business to make money and I do that by making my clients happy and giving them what they want. Always listen to what people want, some of us think we are listening, but then ride roughshod over other peoples ideas without any consideration. I have taken wedding bookings on the strength of the fact that I listen and understand the needs of my customers.