I Hate Having my Picture Taken!!!
These are words I frequently hear from subjects. I respond with something like. “Let’s fix that.” Or even, “Oooooh! That’s a serious neurosis. We should start treatment right now!”
If I get into more of a conversation, I say that that is the result of clumsy photographers. If I was the clumsy photographer (I have been from time to time) I apologize and promise to do better.
But what is more troubling is when I hear it from photographers, wedding/portrait photographers. I heard it last month from someone who was getting big bucks for a presentation to a major city’s local PPA group. “I hate having my picture taken”. I also hear it from time to time when I need a local assistant. After trying to impress me with their resume a photographer will let slip that they don’t like being photographed themselves.
A word of warning to all of those who would work for me. If we have a few slack moments I am going to put you in front of the camera. I will even ask you to take a few shots of me. If you seem confident in photographing me I will just let you roll. If you seem awkward I will coach you through my sitting.
Either way we should both learn something. Most important, we will both get experience in front of the camera.
Seriously, I can think of nothing more ridiculous than a wedding/portrait photographer who is uncomfortable being photographed. If that is your attitude about photography, how do you think you are making your subjects feel? We need to empathize with our subjects.
If you want to photograph people, get some experience as a subject. A lot of experience. The more you are photographed by a competent photographer the more comfortable you will become.
This also holds true for subjects. I find subjects that are photographed often by a classically trained photographer are the easiest to work with. They enjoy being photographed and are relaxed.
I attended a presentation by the winner of the Miss PPA contest many years ago. The competition consisted of submitting one 8×10 print of a female subject. Claude (the photographer, not the subject) said in speaking with previous winners he decided the best strategy was to get a model that he worked with well and photograph her as much as possible.
She came in for a sitting any time they were both available for a year. She became more comfortable throughout the year. At the end he had many great images from which to pick one that he thought that year’s judges would like. The rest was luck.
Be photographed frequently. It should be an enjoyable experience.
My last subject on Wednesday kept trying to drag his mother back into the room when she was trying to leave. A few minutes earlier, before he was photographed, he was trying to drag her out of the room.
Mom did very well. She followed my guidance carefully and let me work with her child, an under two year old toddler. He and I had fun and we got some nice pictures. Mom sat back, watched and enjoyed the experience.
Find a photographer you like and go back often. That may be a little self-serving but the more you and the photographer work together the more relaxed and comfortable you should become. The fact that we will make more money is purely secondary.
That is doubly important if you want to photograph other people. Maybe you’ll learn something.