Photographers & Their People Skills 

Almost anyone can push a shutter down.  Being a photographer requires more. People skills are crucial and need to be appropriate to the context of the shoot.  The ‘art’ of photography requires skill and talent to take beautiful, exciting, attention grabbing pictures.  The ‘business’ of photography requires people skills.  If your people skills are lacking, your business will suffer.  

An important people skill is facilitating a sense of comfort and relaxation in the client.  Part of your goal is to have a long list of return clients.  Feeling comfortable with you is good insurance for their return in the future. If they feel uncomfortable in any way, you could lose their business for life.

Some People Skills Suggestions for Photographers:

1. Maintain Eye Contact: Eye contact with a smile communicates acceptance and trust.  Get out from behind the tripod and make eye contact with your client. Maintain eye contact by instructing him on his position, mood and angle.  If your client has to talk to a camera for the entire session, she may not feel very comfortable or much like returning to your place of business.  On the other hand, creating a sense of comfort and acceptance is just good business. 

2. ChatterBox: Keep dialog going with your client throughout the entire session. Make conversation, offer compliments, instruct him in his position; help her feel like she is talking to her best friend, someone she has known for a long time. After eye contact, trust develops through conversation, body language, tone of voice, words and gestures. If you are shy, learn to be more open with your clients. Practice with family and friends, or even just alone with a camera timer taking your own pictures. Imagine yourself as the client; imagine how he/she would feel and then respond accordingly.

3. Natural vs Posed: Natural, unposed pictures are treasures!  This is especially true for pictures of children. Fidgety and playful children present a challenge to the photographer who wants a posed picture. Our advice is to let them just be themselves. You can capture some wonderful and beautiful pictures of a child dancing, playing with a stuffed animal, dressing up in play clothes, and more. Having these props available will make your little clients feel more comfortable and you’ll get some great shots. Do the same with your adult clients as well. Adults are more used to getting into a particular position and being still for their pictures, but you can remind them that they do not have to do that, especially if you sense that a client is a little fidgety. Ask her what her favorite hobbies are. If he loves to write, let him write or draw on a pad of paper. You could catch some beautiful expressions this way and possibly win a client for life.

4. Keep it Honest: Your client might want a picture of himself or herself with a smile, but they might look more natural with a frown. Keeping your pictures and clients honest will result in better pictures. When someone has to force a smile, or position himself or herself in an uncomfortable way it will show through in the picture. Better pictures result when clients pose naturally.

So, remember that having good people skills as a photographer can really make a difference in your photography business. Keep good eye contact, keep a good conversation going, allow your clients to be themselves, and keep it honest and natural.