Prompting, Posing, & Everything Between
The pendulum on this topic seems to swing to two extremes. If you pose your clients, then your photos are stiff. If you use prompts with your clients, then your photos aren't authentic.
1. Let's establish that each of us have a different way of creating. We always talk about how art doesn't have to have boundaries, yet put artists in a box for the way they do things. It's okay if you don't resonate with the way another artist does something (prompts, poses, editing, etc.), but it doesn't mean that what they've created isn't beautiful & meaningful.
2. Maybe we have the wrong idea of what posing & prompting actually are. Prompting provides opportunity for honest, authentic moments to happen. Posing helps your clients look their best in photos (lighting, angles, etc.). This is a different truth to these methods being "stiff" or "inauthentic."
3. Your clients need direction, whether it's posing or prompting. Some clients may need more than others and some may need hardly any at all. What matters is cultivating an atmosphere where your clients feel like they can be themselves.
4. Moments over methods, friends. I really think about guiding my clients as just having conversation with them. The focus is on how moments feel. Not every moment is guided either. Sometimes, I just let my clients do their own thing and I'll work around them.
5. Play on your strengths. I like to talk, a lot. So, having conversation with my clients during my time with them comes naturally. I've met with my clients long before their session, so I've already gauged what we might talk about & learned a little about their personalities. It gives me some direction and takes a lot of the "thinking" out of shooting. My clients are all different too, so every session is as unique as they are.
Photographers: What do you do when your clients are in front of the camera?
Clients: What helps you feel comfortable when you are in front of the camera?