You are a photographer, even took a camera in your hands, fixed the lens and shot a couple of hundred landscape and portrait photos. The camera settings have been learned and worked out by 5 points, and a tripod, filters and several professional techniques have appeared in the arsenal. It's time to move to a fundamentally new level - portrait or studio photography with real models. And it's up to you to organize the whole frame, including the pose, the position of the hands, the direction of the gaze. It should be said right away that in working with the population, the ratio of professional models and ordinary people will be about 1: 10, so you will have to work with absolutely inexperienced characters.
The process of photography, both technically and psychologically, depends on the photographer on the set. You can customize the model for the image, give good advice, play music, or allow you to improvise with facial expressions and poses. An experienced photographer is a good psychologist, his task is not only to capture the desired movement and moment in the picture, but also to understand what kind of person is in front of the lens. For some, it is enough to show the correct posture or to cheer up, but there are models who absolutely do not understand what to do in front of the camera. Then you need a lot of patience and talent of the organizer.
When a model is a professional
It is much easier for a master photographer to cope with his work if an experienced model is in front of the lens. Not often arranging photo shoots, but specially trained in the art of posing. Models are hired by customers for various purposes, most often to create advertising photographs of clothing, food, cosmetics and jewelry. How to work with models? Your task is only to provide a detailed statement of work from the customer or tell an idea with rough outlines of the frame structure. Then you only need to guide the model during filming. Most likely this will be enough to complete the task set by the customer.
Each model knows perfectly well how to convey emotions into the frame, what poses need to be taken for maximum effect, how to show clothes or makeup in the best possible way and other subtleties of photography. In addition to advertising photography, you can call a professional to hone your photography skills at first, when your own experience is not enough, but you also need to direct a person in front of the lens. The model can help in setting the shot, tell which poses are better to shoot from which angle, and show examples from her portfolio. The only disadvantage of this situation is the price. A model needs to be hired to work. But it would be wrong to start working on order and on a commercial basis without the experience of filming live people. The result is unlikely to please, and the reputation can be damaged thoroughly.
If a beginner photographer shoots a professional model, it will be difficult to bring to life his ideas and ideas that differ from the classic poses and scenes. That is why some experienced professionals invite people without education to shoot. This is how you get unfazed fresh angles and unusual photos.
It is much more difficult for a photographer if the model is on set for the first time and does not understand how to behave and what to do. Then you have to not only do your job, but also guide the model in every possible way and suggest all movements. Here it will be necessary to overcome the embarrassment and fear of the camera, to be liberated, and the task of the photographer is to contribute to this in every possible way. For girls, it is better to start with simple photo shoots without a theatrical background and complex images, clothes need to be chosen as comfortable as possible and not restricting movement. Important! Most girls are very shy about the camera and offer them to arrange a photo shoot nude or with candid poses - it is pointless, in front of the lens it will be difficult for her to free herself.
A novice photographer will have to fight not only with their emotions and fears, but also create a cozy, trusting atmosphere on the set, in which it will be easier for the model to perform the necessary movements. And advice from experienced craftsmen will help you create a comfortable environment.
In the process of preparing for work, discussing the nuances, try to remember the name of the model. At the sound of his name, it is easier for a person to relax, he feels more comfortable. Such a trifle will allow you to immediately establish contact and greatly facilitate the shooting process for both the model and the photographer.
The rules of etiquette imply communication on "you", clarify right away how the model is more like, so that she will be treated. Respect and sincere participation win. Hardly anyone will like the familiar attitude and excessive importunity. The correct approach to each model is found quickly enough, subject to care and desire. And tactfulness and natural unobtrusive tact will appear as professional skills after a couple of months of active filming. Photographers are good psychologists, everyone has to develop a number of skills and techniques for communicating with models.
Looking ahead, it can be noted that there will be discomfort on both sides regardless of the situation, the experience of the photographer and other circumstances. The first half hour of filming is spent on acquaintance, reducing fear, embarrassment and nervousness in front of the lens. And the best shots are obtained in the last 20 minutes, which is why half an hour of shooting is not enough for a high-quality result.
Tip two "Leave your problems outside the studio door"
A photographer who is nervous, angry, or busy with their thoughts is unlikely to be able to create beautiful photographs and build a trusting relationship with the model. That is why the second tip sounds exactly like this, and in terms of importance it is almost in the first place. Irritation and anger can be easily relieved by deep breaths, and conscious communication and purposeful immersion in the filming process will help to focus on work.
A photographer should not only be a good cameraman, but also a good specialist in the field of acting. Very often, the model cannot understand what is required of her, so you need to change places with her and, by your own example, show the correct posture, facial expression or transmitted emotion. And if you add a touch of irony and humor to the process, then the atmosphere on the set will be light and relaxed.
Put the camera on a tripod, turn on the delayed start, or use the remote control to film yourself in the desired position and with the desired facial expressions. This will make it easier to show the model what exactly is required of her in a given scene.
Tip four "Create the most relaxed atmosphere"
When people come to a photo session, they want to be provided with a service and take photos for them. This often involves the photographer in complete control of the situation. But excessive seriousness can create a tightness and unnaturalness on the set and in the pictures. Try to help the model relax, add humor, tell stories, engage her in neutral conversations, or talk about photography. Provide an opportunity to distract yourself from the presence of the camera.
Music helps very well, turn on funny incendiary songs from the phone or on the speaker system, it is not forbidden to even dance. Costumes and decorations, if allowed.
The novice model quickly gets tired of the need to keep herself in a given image. Then the quality of the pictures is significantly reduced, and the mood on the set deteriorates. You can take small 5-minute breaks during the filming process, give the model a rest. This will not greatly affect the total amount of footage, but the quality will increase significantly.
Children's photography is generally impossible without such breaks; it is even more difficult for children to concentrate on the filming process and maintain a pose and image for a long time. The game will help here, you can assign roles, invite the kids to imagine themselves as fairy-tale characters, heroes, animals. Poems, songs, and counting rhymes are also suitable, for example, about a beloved club-footed bear, after which you need to repeat. Then children will not get tired much longer, and the process of work will become less stressful for both the photographer and the model.
Sixth tip "Take the maximum number of shots"
In the process of setting the model in a pose, entering the image and changing positions, you need to take the maximum possible number of shots. Unexpected shots are often even better than staged shots because the model is more relaxed during breaks. In addition, you can correct the frame, composition, camera settings, constantly adjusting to changing conditions. This will save time for "sighting" frames and selection of optimal combinations of settings.
The output will be much more raw material that can be processed. This greatly increases the chance of selecting images for work, and also increases the selection of photos from the same angle, if you need to adjust individual details and compose elements into one image.
This recommendation also applies to experienced models. With the music on and the photographer's hint, it will be easier for the model to transition from pose to pose if you can add something of your own. Encourage reasonable improvisation, the result may surprise you a lot. Don't stop taking pictures, move around the site to catch the most interesting angle.
It is difficult for a professional model to deviate from learned movements and standard poses, so improvisation helps to get fresher and more interesting photos.
Tip Eight "Compliment and Praise the Model"
To get beautiful, bright shots, the model needs to be praised and encouraged at all stages of the shooting. To do this, you will have to follow the preparations, make sure that your makeup, hairstyle and clothes are perfect. Compliment as you shoot, display your finished photos on the camera screen, and celebrate good moments. With an increase in self-confidence, all work will be simplified, the model will be liberated and no longer hesitate in front of the lens. The main thing here is not to overdo it, so as not to cause a back reaction, and for this you need to be attentive and subtly feel the mood.
Council the ninth "Listen to the wishes of the model"
In some cases, you can discuss the shooting details with the model and periodically consult during the work. You can clarify right away from which side it is better to shoot, how it is more convenient to work and other issues. This will create additional confidence in the photographer and do not force them to follow all wishes 100%.
You can explain right away what we do first, how the model wants, and then how the photographer sees it, so that everyone wins. In 90% of cases, the second option will be better due to knowledge of the frame construction process and composition rules. But sometimes the model also offers interesting options, with an unclouded look.
A great option for creating a friendly atmosphere would be a mirror in front of the set. This will allow the model to look at herself and choose the most beautiful pose for herself, admire the picture and cheer herself up.
The mirror removes many psychological and muscle clamps, helps to straighten hair or see an ugly facial expression, an unnatural posture from the side. The model will immediately see how to stand or the net, how to turn, which will greatly facilitate the filming process.
Photographer and model, profitable cooperation
Shooting is a difficult laborious process for all of its participants, despite the seeming ease and simplicity. The photographer does his best, straining all his communication possibilities, including all creative processes forcibly. The model, especially the non-professional, is in a stressful, unusual situation for herself. Make-up artists and stylists have to create a beautiful picture in a short time, practically without being able to redo random mistakes or do it all over again, in case of failure.
The professionalism and tact of the photographer, his ability to create a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere can help to minimize the nervousness and tension of the process. Usually everything comes with experience, and after six months - a year each photographer has in his arsenal a bunch of techniques for working with any category of people. The main thing to know is that you can't do all the shooting 100% well, there is a category of people who, in principle, do not work with any techniques because of their psychological characteristics. Write your story, gain experience and correctly analyze unfortunate situations, then you will quickly get used to work.
In portraits, as well as group shots, emotion is a key part of the picture. Emotions are more important tools than lights and decorations. It is not so easy to convey emotions in a photo.
Taking pictures in a public place
When you are in a public place, the easiest way to catch people's emotions is to photograph them discreetly. this type of shooting requires a telephoto lens. It will allow you to photograph people from afar and be unnoticed. A 200mm focal length should be sufficient, but more powerful zooms can be used.
When in a crowd, it will be more convenient to photograph with a wide-angle lens. It has a wider angle and more compact dimensions.
Love is the most powerful emotion.
People around us are constantly showing emotions. To learn how to catch them, you need to take your camera with you for a walk and always be ready to photograph. Just keep an eye on the people around you. Emotions are everywhere: a couple in love, a grumpy old man, children in a sandbox, a laughing company of young people. The list goes on and on.
Staged shooting
When working with a model, you need to explain what kind of emotions she should express. It's not that easy. The key to this approach is communication and tuning the model in the right way. When communicating with a person, you need to find out what exactly gives him joy, and what, on the contrary, upsets him. Many are ashamed of the camera, so they behave stiffly. Communication in this case is the only way to liberate a person.
Correctly committed emotion in a photo can be more important than disturbed lighting or incorrect composition.
For professional models and actors, constantly changing emotions is the norm, but it can be difficult for others to deal with. That is why they need help.
Take a look at these photos that express a wide variety of emotions:
12 ways to liberate a child in front of the camera and get emotional and sincere photos.
1. Children often get lost in front of the camera, do not know how to get up and ... what to do with their hands. Give your child an object that will captivate him - you get both a subject for a photo and, as a result, a frame without artificial posing.
2. And you can give your child not just something entertaining, but a delicious chocolate bar or some other delicacy - and the child's pleasure and funny shots. And if the children also feed each other, such an activity will give us cheerful, cozy portraits.
3. What will not leave the child indifferent and will not allow him to pass by? Swing! What is not the place to create emotional photos with drive. But here you have to do a lot of takes in order to get into the sharpness and the necessary emotions.
4. Great for children's photos of music lessons. Even if the child is not studying at a music school, he will be interested in mastering the instrument while taking pictures.
5. Particularly touching are group photographs, for example, showing the friendship of a boy and a girl. To get such shots filled with an atmosphere of warmth, children can be asked to ask each other simple questions, for example: "What do you want as a birthday present?", Or "Will you be friends with me?" There will be daydreaming, slight embarrassment and cheerful smiles.
6. To catch the child's perky gaze, show the developing curls, and at the same time save the young model from boring posing, invite the child to stand with his back to you and, on command, turn his whole body to you, throwing his hair away from his face with a movement of his head. But here again you have to do a lot of takes.
7. Taking pictures of children in motion. The method is complicated, since you have to keep up with the little fidget, but the result is usually very interesting and certainly without strained facial expressions.
8. It would seem a simple, but very effective way to get a photographic portrait with an inspired, not strained gaze - to invite the child to dream. Just don't dream at all, but about something specific, for example, a trip to the sea.
9. And one more simple, but one of the most sparkling tricks is to make a child laugh.
Taking pictures of people is the hardest, most rewarding and rewarding part of any professional photographer's job. And the wedding - especially.
Wedding photography is able to compete even with an unforgiving time, many years later returning a respectable married couple to the spring riot of young emotions. But only on one condition: if the photographer really managed to capture these emotions.
How to make the person, at whom the lens is pointed, to smile heartily, to laugh? The task is so difficult that the leading manufacturers of photographic equipment are solving it in technical ways.
So, Sony has released a camera that can recognize the moment of a smile and only then take a picture of the subject. German inventors generally created the technology of "artificial smiles", in which any serious face becomes cheerful - by substituting someone else's smile from an extensive database into a specific shot.
Alas, not every wedding photographer has the opportunity to acquire such know-how, and the results of technical delights, to be honest, sometimes leave much to be desired. The old proven methods are more reliable for wedding photography: either zealously catch the manifestations of emotions in the lens, or try to evoke them at the right time.
It is easier to catch the expression of emotions. It is enough to be very attentive, not to relax for a minute, to be able to take pictures quickly, to be fluent in the zoom option and, in general, in the techniques used for wedding photography.
Also, the photographer must be able to fit into an unfamiliar company, win over people or become invisible when necessary. Plus, have the gift of foresight and guess the moment when the bride will laugh loudly, and the newly-made father-in-law will secretly wipe away tears, a few moments earlier than the characters themselves.
It is immeasurably more difficult to evoke certain emotions “on demand”. There are several techniques you can use to capture emotional pictures.
Psychological, or "Mirror Principle"
A good wedding photographer must be a sensitive psychologist and be able to evoke and project out their own emotions in time to evoke responses. Everyone knows that an open, charming smile causes an irresistible desire to smile in response, an infectious laugh - to join him, and deep sadness can fall on others like a dark shadow.
Straightforward, or "Say chi-and-out!"
In this case, the photographer directly explains to the posing what exactly they need to portray. But this commonplace method can be approached creatively! For example, if the photographer has some acting skills, posing young people in front of the camera can be turned into a game.
Usually, after a few "unsuccessful" takes, commented with the right amount of humor, the bride and groom begin to sincerely fool around. Perhaps this is where the best wedding photo will be taken! 
Provocative, or "look from the inside"
Here the wedding photographer must become a true participant in the action, join the company.
This is important in order that a narrated anecdote, at which the witness will laugh, or the question "is it not scary to become a mother-in-law?" ...
Only truly talented professionals of wedding photography can do this, because for all the ease, you need not lose your working spirit for a second.
Each photo artist selects his own method and set of techniques, with the help of which wedding photography actually becomes a high art, capable of carrying through the years not flat images of human faces and figures, but the unique emotional atmosphere of the happiest day.
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One of the biggest challenges every photographer faces is getting people to smile naturally in front of the camera. You can just say "cheese". Ultimately, models will have a tight smile that doesn't look natural or attractive. There is a huge difference between a genuine smile and a fake one.
Always keep an eye on your audience, as all people are different and need a personal touch. We have prepared 20 tips for you that you can build on and that can help you overcome the period of forced smiles.
Individual shooting
1. Start with your smile
Smiling and friendly behavior are contagious. Before asking someone else to smile, make sure you smile and communicate in a friendly manner. You yourself need to set the atmosphere so you can get a natural smile in return.
2. Compliment
One of the quickest and easiest ways to make someone smile is to boost their self-confidence. Observe the person and compliment based on that observation. It can be a beautiful dress, jewelry, or bright socks. Feel free to give compliments, even if they are minor!
3. Smile with your eyes
As Tyra Banks says, "Smize" or "Smile with your eyes." The eyes are like a mirror of the soul. It is by them that we can easily distinguish a genuine smile from a fake one. A tight smile uses only the lower part of the face, while a natural smile involves all facial expressions.
4. Fake laugh
To elicit a genuine smile, the person on the set must feel comfortable and relaxed. The best way to melt a frozen smile is to make him laugh. “Let's see which of us can laugh louder. On the count of three, 1, 2, 3, LAUGHTER! " The idea is not in the laughter itself, but in the effect after it. It's important to note that your mood and attitude is what will make the technique work.
5. Happy face. Silly. Sad.
Most models respond better when you give them specific instructions on what to do. Help them relax. A series of different emotions will make your subject feel less self-conscious. This technique works great for both adults and children.
6. Use non-standard words instead of "cheese"
We are used to hearing standard phrases from a photographer: "cheese" or "A bird will fly out now." Surprise them with other phrases. For example, you can use "money" or "whiskey" for adults, and "yummy" or "pikachu" for children. Use your imagination and choose phrases that suit your clients.
7. Jokes have not been canceled
Jokes and funny stories are the most obvious way to bring a smile and defuse the atmosphere. You have to be careful with jokes, they have to be appropriate. It is unlikely that you will be telling a joke at a children's photo shoot.
Question: "What's the fastest way to make money as a photographer?"
Answer: "Sell your camera!"
Group photo session
8. Whisper a secret to the person next to you
The idea is for people to start communicating with each other. Ask to whisper a secret to a neighbor on the right or left. This technique can cause smiles and giggles as people tend to come up with meaningless phrases.
9. Everyone looks at each other
This is best for groups of three or more people. The reason it works is because there is no clear instruction. Nobody knows who to look at. And the result is excellent. Everyone starts to smile and laugh. And this is what we wanted.
10. Everyone is watching ...
It is very important to know the names of each person in the photo session so that you can contact him personally. By naming someone specific in the group, you make them the center of attention. The rest are interested in watching the reaction of the selected person.
11. Everyone is looking ... at me.
Use this tip right after # 8 or # 9. The group has already started talking to each other, they relaxed and had a good laugh. It's time to pay attention to the camera too. You can also take the next step by saying something playful and funny: “Guys, you guys are too sad! Smile! "
12. It's time for funny photos
As a rule, by the end of a serious group photo session, everyone will want to curl up a bit. But the question is how to make a stupid photo together. Encourage them to start with popular sentences and then give them the freedom to express themselves. Most Popular:
- If there are glasses on the set, then invite everyone to raise their glasses and clink glasses.
- Various hand gestures.
- Ask to change the pose or expression on each new frame.
Photoshoot Love Story
13. Learn about how they met.
Ask the young couple to talk about their first meeting. Talking about special and happy moments is a great way to make them look at each other and smile.
14. Kiss on the cheek, nose or forehead
Most happy couples start to smile with embarrassment when asked to be close in front of the camera. Such simple requests for a kiss in a photo shoot can trigger a wide range of emotions.
15. Ask to dance
Have a couple dance a little. This will allow the models to take their eyes off the camera and relax a little. The joint dance will also cheer you up and cause happy smiles. And you will have the opportunity to capture vivid emotions.
Children's photo session
16. Look with a serious face
The minute you tell your kids to be serious and not laugh, they are more likely to get the exact opposite effect. This is a simple yet very effective way to make children smile.
17. Play the game
During the photo session, you can invite the children to play irgu, only you need to calculate the time and there must be a suitable place. Ask them to play any age-appropriate games that will help them have fun.
18. Jumping Together
Jumping always delights children, to be sure, and adults too. Ask young models to jump as high as they can. Thus, having arranged a small jumping competition.
19. Show your tongue
Tongue photos are certainly not what you are trying to achieve. But if you start showing the language to children, they will respond in kind. Translate this into the longest language match. Kids will be fun, with ear-to-ear smiles that you will definitely want to capture in photos.
20. Horns
The well-known gesture "Victoria", meaning victory or peace. You may not even have to ask your children to do this, they will do it without your asking. Horns seem like a universal joke that even adults use, finding it very funny.
In conclusion
Now you have 20 ideas to help people smile in front of the camera. You just have to put them into practice and use them wisely. To do this, do not forget about your clients and the atmosphere on the set. After all, the key to every successful photo shoot is to find a common language with the models!