Corportate Portrait

fredjclaus

I had the president of the Chamber ask me this morning if I would take a portrait of him that shows his true self. His clients all say his old photo looks too "Stoic" I did everything I could today in order to get him to put a smile on his face as he didn't like any of the shots we took of him not smiling.

I emailed a sample to him of his smiling pictures, and the reply I got was "The smile looks too fake". He wants a picture of himself smiling. When I try to get him to smile I get "This is what I got". When he doesn't smile he doesn't like the picture. How can I get this subject to smile for a picture he's going to like without agrivating him?

angevin1

fredjclaus wrote: »

I had the president of the Chamber ask me this morning if I would take a portrait of him that shows his true self. His clients all say his old photo looks too "Stoic" I did everything I could today in order to get him to put a smile on his face as he didn't like any of the shots we took of him not smiling.

I emailed a sample to him of his smiling pictures, and the reply I got was "The smile looks too fake". He wants a picture of himself smiling. When I try to get him to smile I get "This is what I got". When he doesn't smile he doesn't like the picture. How can I get this subject to smile for a picture he's going to like without agrivating him?

Invite him to lunch, find out a bit about him. And perhaps shoot him in an environment he prefers but hasn't considered being shot in. He doesn't have to be near, on or at a desk, right?

Nikolai

fredjclaus wrote: »

I had the president of the Chamber ask me this morning if I would take a portrait of him that shows his true self. His clients all say his old photo looks too "Stoic" I did everything I could today in order to get him to put a smile on his face as he didn't like any of the shots we took of him not smiling.

I emailed a sample to him of his smiling pictures, and the reply I got was "The smile looks too fake". He wants a picture of himself smiling. When I try to get him to smile I get "This is what I got". When he doesn't smile he doesn't like the picture. How can I get this subject to smile for a picture he's going to like without agrivating him?

Forced smiles from amateur (as in "non professional models/actors) subjects DO look fake. You gotta get him relaxed and distract him with a chat/joke while having your camera trained on him (not in your hands, mind you) and having a remote in your hands. Plus, what Tom said: you don't have to do that in his office. Ask him what his favorite leisure activity is and engage him to do it. When people actively do what they love to they tend to smile uncontrollably.

reyvee61

I would engage him in some conversation and tell a few jokes and get him to laugh and or smile and snap all you can, you might get something that way

BradfordBenn

Nikolai wrote: »

Forced smiles from amateur (as in "non professional models/actors) subjects DO look fake. You gotta get him relaxed and distract him with a chat/joke while having your camera trained on him (not in your hands, mind you) and having a remote in your hands.

I have to agree with Nik on this one. I have used this trick a few times and people have been pleasantly surprised. The other trick that I have used for business purposes is get them to make a "sales pitch" and capture them in the act. That has gotten me some good shots.