Feeling Comfortable During Your Shoot
One of the trickiest things I had to learn as a new photographer was this: how do I get my couples to feel comfortable when I’m a complete stranger to them?
It sounds simple — just “be friendly,” right? When you really think about it I'm asking two people I'm likely meeting for the first time, who may already feel awkward in front of a camera, to trust me with intimate, emotional moments. Thats a big deal.
Over time, I’ve developed a few intentional ways to go from stranger to friend — both before the session even starts and while we’re shooting.
Before the Session: Building Trust Early
- Connect beyond the logistics
Yes it's important to make sure we know when and where the shoot will be but it's just as important to make a connection with the client. Are they celebrating any big milestones? How long have they been together? Where did they meet? Switching the mindset from interacting with a client to making a new friend makes a world of difference once the day of the shoot rolls around.
During the Session: Creating a Safe Space
- Start slow
I don’t immediately throw them into dramatic, romantic poses. We start with movement like walking, talking, holding hands. Movement breaks tension. It gives them something to do instead of something to be.
- Prompts over Poses
Instead of moving them to be in a certain position or being very technical about how the shot will look, I give prompts like; "Whisper something in her ear to make her laugh." or, "Tell her what you first noticed about her." Some couples need more direction than others and that's totally okay. I'll show my pinterest board inspiration so they can visualize some different poses they like.
At the end of the day, my goal isn’t just to deliver beautiful photos. It’s to create an experience where they felt comfortable, supported, and even had fun. Connection is something you practice. And once you realize your job isn’t just to take photos, but to make people feel safe being themselves, everything changes.
