tions about her husband, and maybe even their relationship. (Note:This
is not to suggest you should try to be a marriage counselor, this discussion
is only initiated in hopes of revealing the underlying reasons she is seek-
ing photos.) My follow-up questions should encourage a dialogue be-
tween us about the type of images and poses her spouse would like to see,
while providing me with clues about the types of images and poses she
herself wants captured. She’s after images for him, but I also don’t want
my subject to lose sight of the fact that glamour photography is about her
too. Ultimately,she’sthe one who has to enjoy the results—before he even
sees them.
Item 3 tells me that she’s short but thin, and has natural breasts she
seems proud of. It also tells me the color of her hair. Since she’s short and
somewhat slender, I might photograph her from lower angles to make her
appear taller. Obviously I wouldnotshoot from a high angle, which short-
ens and compacts the subject; this could affect her self-esteem. I might
use chiaroscuro to light her bosom, accenting her shape and form—espe-
cially since she’s had kids. Some moms’ breasts lose supporting tissues and
muscle, which leads to a loss of firmness and support (this also is com-
pounded with age). Men don’t realize how lucky they are when it comes
to age, life, and children!
Item 4 tells me she might have crow’s feet and/or bags, dark circles, or
lines under her eyes. This means I need to reassure her that I’ll have a
great makeup artist at the shoot. It will also help to educate her about the
importance and commonness of post-production enhancements. Most im-
portantly, I’ll want to let her know how various lighting techniques can
take years off her looks. Of course, I’ll also need to be careful in my choice
of words. For example, I might say, “I like to use a fluorescent type
of light to smooth the skin.” This is much better than, “I’ll use
these special lights to get rid of your wrinkles.” It’s all about the
choice of words and the tone of voice you use.
Item 5 tells me she can afford my services and she’ll probably
hire me in the future. It also tells me she is secure and probably
confident with her place in society. Chances are she probably has
friends, relatives, or even colleagues who can also afford my services.
When you add up all these statements, they tell me I have a potentially
great subject who will give me repeat business and possibly expand my
business by word of mouth. She sounds affluent, takes care of herself, and
expects the best—nothing less. As a result, she is not afraid to invest in
her personal satisfaction and self-esteem.
Vague Communications.Other times I’m not so lucky. In those cases,
I’ll receive an e-mail that says something like:It’s all about the choice
of words and thetone of voiceyou use.
COMMUNICATIONANDARTDIRECTION101