"What's a Photo Shoot Like?" For First-timers

One of the most common things I've ever heard in all of the twelve years I’ve photographed people is:

“I've never done anything like this before”

or

“we've never had any pictures together”

… Ever? I ask.

“Ever,” they respond.

And yet, this is something I do all the time.

So to me, it feels very normal and natural.

However, I completely understand that photo shoots are not something that most people think about all the time — unless you're a model photographer or company that needs product shoots consistently.

So for those who aren't thinking about them all the time, the question is:

what's it really like?

That's what I'll talk about here in this post, with a bit of a walk-through on the step-by-step process I always follow during the actual photo shoot.

First…

I greet the client, and spend a few minutes just getting comfortable.
In my opinion, it's vitally important to spend time getting people who are not used to cameras comfortable with the idea of there being one there. A lot of photographers skip over this step, and that's what leads to clients feeling awkward, and looking stiff and uncomfortable in their images.

The reality is, no matter how pretty someone is, if they don't self-identify with being a model, and aren't used to the camera being there — if they're not fully relaxed — it will show in the photos.

This is not ideal for a portrait session ... You want your client to almost forget that the cameras there, and to feel that the soul is with you at that moment, that you can get a genuine, candid. Whether it's a smile or a neutral expression, you want the best expression you can get from the person.

Two minutes after the client arrives is not going to be to get the best shots. Those usually are somewhere within the middle to the end of the shoot, so it's critical to spend a few minutes just getting comfortable, making small talk, and just getting to know each other better.

After all, most engagement sessions lead to weddings, and the average engagement lasts more than 6 months, so you're going to spend a lot of time getting to know and being around your wedding photographer. It's worth it to spend a little time getting to know each other, for you and for me.

Then…

I find really great light.
I’ll start off with a few suggestions for, natural movements you can incorporate.
A common misconception many newbies to photo shoots often have is that they have to come knowing a bunch of poses.

The reality is, that couldn't be further from the truth.

In all honesty, you could absolutely come to the photoshoot not knowing much of anything. Although, I'm sure you'll brush up on a few leading up to your big day.

But that's not mandatory, at all.

Throughout the entire shoot…

Occasionally, I’ll show some of the best images right there on the back of the camera so there's less mystery about what I'm capturing.

Additionally, this gets you more involved in the shoot, making it more of an interactive experience, rather than a passive one.

Then…

Add any additional flash that I may want for creative effect.

Basically, I sprinkle all sorts of magic dust on my photos to get those dreamy, awesomesauce photos for you.

Finally…

I realize that my process is different than the way that many other photographers do things this is what works for me though, and most of my clients really love the fact that I let them see shots right on the back of the camera, rather than hiding them until later.

My thought is…

if it looks great on the camera, it will look amazing after a few quick edits.

But if it's not a strong image to start off with, although it could be made into a better image, my ideals are minimal editing for the most part, so I'm against doing extensive composite editing work.

Therefore, what you see in the camera should be easily shareable with the client, and that's why I do what I do.

So that’s pretty much my process — what questions do you have?