Senior session-help!

kingmamaof2

Alright, I'm doing a senior session at the end of the month and need some advice/tips. This is a young man who is very shy and doesn't like his pictures taken. I photographed this family a year ago and when doing individual shots he looked emotionally distant in the shots and seemed liked he was embarassed to even have his picture taken. What can I do to help him relax in front of the camera? I talked to him, tried to build a rapport and get him to laugh-which didn't work-LOL:rolleyes He just *hates* pictures according to his mom. So what else can I do?? I thought maybe letting him bring a friend with us but then it may make it worse....ugh....

TIA for any tips!

kingmamaof2

Ooops!!! This was supposed to be in the people forum, Mods please move it. Thank You!!!

Agnieszka

kingmamaof2 wrote:

Ooops!!! This was supposed to be in the people forum, Mods please move it. Thank You!!!

zoomer

Find out what he is in to and maybe you can incorporate it.

Spend some time talking and then just kind of ease into taking some pictures without making a big deal out of it....so he almost doesn't even notice it or there isn't even a break in the conversation.
Try to make it fun for him....somehow....

Don't ask him to pose or smile or anything.

Then after 15 minutes of that direct hit him with "how bout a little smile" just little stuff, before he knows it he will be in a photo shoot.

The worst thing is to show up and just hit it. Ok lets take some pictures, they freeze up like the Arctic.
No friends that will make it worse...absolutely no Mom!!!

It needs to be just a couple guys hangin out.
Good luck with it.

VayCayMom

Be prepared to spend the first 15 or 20 minutes warming up.... then the first 10 shots or so are just lighting checks, before you know it switch to some real shots. Also I have used this... ask for their input in a silly way, pose wise, ham it up to warm them up and when he gets close to some decent poses, tell him you are really liking these and then fine tune the pose, expression etc. Be very positive.
Also after few shots which at first might be boring, say OK that's for Mom and Grandma now what do YOU want to do??

Surfdog

Like VayCayMom does, I spend a while just talking to them and do a number of "lighting check" shots, making sure to tell them not to worry about posing, that I am just checking the settings on my camera. If a shot or two looks good, I will let them look at the image on the camera, then suggest taking similar shots "for real". Unsually after a little ice breaking, they will become comfortable. Keep them engaged in conversation, and laughing if possible.

jeffreaux2

I've done a lot of this type of work and can offer this:

Most teenaged boys would rather go to the dentist (sorry Mitchell) than to go have their photo taken. Your best bet is to have them to help plan the shoot. Find out their interests and hobbies, favorite places, what they think would be "cool" for their senior photos. Then make those things work for you as far as lighting, time of day, etc. It will require some extra planning that you may not normally do before a shoot, and the location may call for a short notice shoot if you are lucky to get an overcast day. Plan everything ahead...even attire. He shouldn't dress up, but rather wear clothing already in his closet that he is comfortable wearing. I tell them....don't dress like me....or the neighbor.....dress like yourself.

In including their involvment in the shoot he may be so wrapped up in the planning and set up that the actual shooting seems like only a small part of the afternoon. As it should be.

kingmamaof2

Thank you for all the tips guys! Thanks Jeff for your reply with pictures. All of your senior guys look very relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera-great pictures. The mom wants them taken next saturday, so I've got a week to get in touch with him and start planning.

RadMan10

I don't know if this is really a "tip", but let him take some pictures of you (or someone else). Maybe being on the other side of the camera will relax him.